Aldric Thane — The Theocratic Knight
Human Temple Guard from Irna's urban diocese, sworn to Themela, goddess of evidence and right judgment.
He has a habit of watching both exits before he sits down anywhere. Old training. He also has a habit of saying exactly what he thinks is true, which costs him more than the exits ever did.
Aldric was raised in a military family with strong temple ties; his mother commanded the Temple Guard at The Crown's garrison for twenty years, and Aldric followed her in. He took Themela as his patron not out of family tradition but out of a genuine personal investment in the question of what actually happened. He has seen enough conflicts settled on bad evidence to find that question urgent.
He is a front-line fighter who channels divine power. At creation he is a capable combatant with early access to the faith talent tree. He will eventually become something formidable. Right now he is a soldier with convictions.
Species: Human Background: Religious Career: Temple Guard
Patron Deity: Themela (Positive alignment)
Characteristics: Human base (all 2s). Free swap: MIG +1, INT −1.
| Derived Value | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Wound Points | 10 + Might (3) + Hardy (+2) | 15 |
| Strain Points | 10 + Willpower (2) | 12 |
| Resistance | ⌈3 ÷ 2⌉ = 2 + chain hauberk (+2) | 4 |
| Melee Defense | 0 + chain hauberk (+1) + standard shield (+2) | 3 |
| Ranged Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Initiative (On Watch) | Savvy 2 + Perception 1 | 2 dice, 1 Mastery |
| Initiative (Surprised) | Willpower 2 + Readiness 1 | 2 dice, 1 Mastery |
Skills
| Skill | Rank | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Light Melee | 2 | ★ Profession |
| Divine | 2 | ★ Profession |
| Fortitude | 2 | ★ Profession |
| Readiness | 1 | ★ Profession |
| Perception | 1 | ★ Profession |
| Lore | 1 | ★ Profession |
Human free skill ranks (no XP): Light Melee 1, Fortitude 1.
Talents
- Sacred Ward [Free Starting Talent, Tier 1, Positive faith (requires Divine 1+)] Once per scene, when assisting or healing an ally, add 1 Boon Die to the check.
- Weight of Evidence [Deity-specific, Themela (requires Divine 1+)] Once per scene, when you have observed testimony, evidence, or a claim, you may declare that you have identified a specific contradiction. The GM confirms whether a contradiction exists. If one does, the speaker suffers 1 Bane Die on their next Deception or Negotiation check. (Purchased for 5 XP; see note below.)
Talent Note. Aldric's free starting talent is Sacred Ward. The other three (Weight of Evidence, Hardy, Guarded) are purchased with XP. He has 4 Tier 1 talents total. The Tier 2 threshold (Voice of Comfort requires 2 Tier 1 talents of any kind) is already met.
- Hardy [Tier 1, 5 XP]; +2 Wound Points (total Wound Points: 15).
- Guarded [Tier 1, 5 XP]; As a Maneuver, take a defensive posture; one Trial Die in attacks against you upgrades to a Crisis Die until your next turn.
Equipment
| Item | Profile |
|---|---|
| Short sword | Dmg 4, Crit 3, Engaged |
| Standard shield | Melee Defense +2 |
| Chain hauberk | +2 Resistance, +1 Melee Defense |
| Temple Guard insignia | Institutional credential |
| Bedroll | Enc 2 |
| Trail rations (3 days) | Enc 1 |
| Tinder box | Fire-starting without it needs a Survival check |
| Starting funds | 2d10 gold flargons |
XP Accounting
| Purchase | XP |
|---|---|
| Divine rank 1 (profession) | 5 |
| Divine rank 2 (profession) | 10 |
| Light Melee rank 2 (profession, from rank 1 free) | 10 |
| Fortitude rank 2 (profession, from rank 1 free) | 10 |
| Readiness rank 1 (profession) | 5 |
| Perception rank 1 (profession) | 5 |
| Lore rank 1 (profession) | 5 |
| Hardy (Tier 1 talent) | 5 |
| Guarded (Tier 1 talent) | 5 |
| Weight of Evidence (Tier 1 deity talent) | 5 |
| Total Spent | 65 XP |
| Banked | 45 XP |
Suggested Advancement
- Heavy Melee rank 1 (10 XP, out-of-profession): A temple guard who picks up a longsword is a knight. This is the most significant identity shift available early.
- Voice of Comfort rank 1 (Tier 2 faith talent, 10 XP; requires 2 Tier 1 talents, already met): Once per scene, one ally within Short range recovers 2 Strain. Aldric starts earning the support role his faith suggests.
- Divine rank 3 (15 XP, profession, after play): The casting pool grows; more powerful faith workings become viable. Patience here is rewarded.