The Captain

Albiele Island » Albiele town » Important Figures in Albiele Town » The Captain
Gender/Race: Male human (Khinasi/Vos)
Class/Level: Priest (Belinik) 5
Bloodline: None
Blood Abilities: None
Alignment: CE
Hit Points: 31
Str 15 (Sta 13/Mus 17) Dex 8 (Aim 9/Bal 7) Con 15 (Hea 14/Fit 16) Int 12 (Rea 12/Kno 12) Wis 15 (Int 14/Wil 16) Cha 11 (Lea 12/App 10)
Major Spheres: Combat, Guardian, Protection, Summoning, War (ToM)
Minor Spheres: All, Animal, Charm, Healing
Favourite Spells: Blood Bond (BoP), Cause Fear, Cause Light Wounds, Cause Blindness and Deafness, Dissension?s Feast (ToM), Caltrops (ToM)
Other Abilities: +1 to hit with battle-axe (granted power), three attacks per two rounds with battle-axe (granted power), Riding (horses, required proficiency), Intimidation (bonus proficiency, from The Complete Thief?s Handbook)
Equipment: Plate mail, Vladimir?s Purity (see below), hand-axe, heavy crossbow, 12 heavy quarrels
Description/History: The Captain is the Governor?s second highest servant (only the Secretary ranks higher). In imitation of the Governor and the Secretary, the Captain ?discourages? use of his real name (which is Jamal). The Captain?s most visible Khinasi characteristic is his light coffee colored skin. His Vos heritage is far more prominent, however, as evidenced by his large 6?4?, well muscled frame. Like many Vos, the Captain shaves his head and he sports a midnight black moustache that reaches down to below his jutting chin. The Captain has an extremely short temper, often taking offence at the slightest things. When deliberately insulted or humiliated, nothing short of the death of the source of the insult or humiliation will satisfy him.
The Captain is rarely seen without his war equipment. His plate mail is decorated with swirls of red ink surrounding an engraving of Belinik?s symbol (two crossed axes) done in silver. The Captain is never without Vladimir?s Purity, a magical battle-axe dedicated to Belinik (see below for more details on this weapon).
The Captain is a native of the realm of Kozlovnyy, which is technically a Vos realm but is, in fact, more like a Khinasi city-state, both in location and culture. The Captain grew up listening to his Vos father continually expounding the virtues that might is right and a true warrior should never show mercy or compassion. Eventually, the Captain was drawn to Kozlovnyy?s outlawed Temple of Might and the worship of Belinik. After some time learning the temple?s teachings, the Captain entered the priesthood of Belinik, determined to see Kozlovnyy become a true Vos realm.
After many years in the temple?s service, the Captain became increasingly frustrated with the lack of success the temple?s leader (High Priest Chernevik) was having in converting the people of Kozlovnyy to the worship of Belinik and Kriesha. He eventually left the temple, against the wishes of Chernevik who has branded him outcast (and outlaw) from the Temple of Might, to spread the strife and terror that are Belinik?s teachings.
The Captain?s travels took him to many parts of Vosgaard before he reached Albiele Town, drawn there by the prospect of bringing the forever warring and feuding pirate clans to the worship of Belinik. After some time in Albiele Town, the Captain stepped into his current position by the tried and true Vos method of simply killing the old leader of the Governor?s troops. In the Captain? mind this proved that he was better suited to the job and the Governor apparently agreed with him. This happened two years ago and the he has held the position ever since.
The Captain has experienced some progress in spreading the worship of Belinik among the pirate clans as well as the town?s inhabitants. His most stunning success to date is the induction of Lord Tannen of the Sea Lords clan into Belinik?s priesthood. Most of lord Tannen?s crew also follows Belinik?s tenets.
Vladimir ?s Purity
Each half moon head of this large double-headed battle-axe is deeply pitted and stained with blood. The weapon?s haft is made of a strong, black metal that is warm to the touch. Crude Vos runic symbols decorate the length of the haft, dedicating the weapon to Belinik. As could be readily guessed from its gruesome appearance, this weapon has a very bloody past.
It was forged over 350 years ago by a priest of Belinik for a storied Vos tsarevo named Vladimir. Legend tells that on the final night of the weapon?s forging, Belinik himself visited the priest, whose name is lost to history, and demanded of him the ultimate sacrifice so that the newly created weapon would be a true instrument of terror. Lost in religious fervor the priest unhesitatingly drew his dagger and thrust it deeply into his heart, bathing the battle-axe in his own life blood as his god had commanded. The priest?s blood permanently stained the axe?s head.
When Vladimir arrived at the isolated altar in the morning, he found the priest?s drained body, lying next to the bloodied battle-axe. One account tells of Vladimir sitting and staring at the weapon, whispering in response to some vision only he could see. Another claims that Vladimir ran howling into the forest after taking up the weapon. Whatever the truth of the matter may be, it is certain that Vladimir wielded the weapon for the remainder of his life. With it, he spread war and strife throughout his lands, always invoking Belinik?s name each time the weapon took a life. The battle-axe was thought lost with Vladimir?s death at the hands of a huge cave bear but the weapon has surfaced occasionally in places all over Cerilia.
When used in combat, the battle-axe is +1 weapon except in the hands of a devout follower of Belinik (not necessarily a priest), in which case the bonus rises to +2. Regardless of who is wielding it, the weapon has another property which manifests only when it is used to draw blood. When this happens, the head of the axe starts to bleed and the haft of the weapon begins to pulse in the wielder?s hand. These effects last until five rounds have passed without the axe tasting more blood (not including the blood that comes from the axe itself). There does not appear to be any limit to the amount of blood the axe can shed. The blood it sheds is real and it has the additional property of causing permanent stains (nothing short of using magic can remove them).