5(0) kits of Paladin (BG2 Playthrough Fanfic)
LtLukoziuz
Member Posts: 21
Hello all. Recently I had been reminded of an old playthrough idea that I wanted to go with - all 5 kits of Paladin in one party. I have been playing this over the last week, and while having a lot of fun, I wanted to do something more with it, as I had everyone decked with custom portraits and was about to fill in my own backstories. But then I thought of a better idea - why not make this run into a fanfic? I already had a few great moments in game to share as a ministories, but eventually I thought that it would be better to write one continued long story instead of many small ones.
So now I am presenting the cast and the introduction to this story. I will try writing every weekend or so (weekdays tend to be a busy period for me), but it would be no surprise if I lagged down even more, so sorry if sometimes these will be coming out slowly. Also, because English is only my second language, I would really appreciate any pointing out of mistakes or weird things - sometimes my mind literally skips a thought and sometimes I fall back to Lithuanian - which results in some weird constructs from time to time. Because I will be first drafting in Google Docs, I will leave link later after getting a proper structure for those who find reading there easier than in the forums.
So, without further ado, let me start.
The Cast:
The Bhaalspawn Adan (Human Paladin) - calm, well mannered youth, tries to aspire to all the best of the trio, although sometimes Severus’s feature comes out of him. Will look forward to what others think, but can take decisions on his own, as after all it is him under whom the group molded. Wields Dual Long and/or Bastard Swords. Worships Torm.
Stephen (Human Cavalier) - I don’t remember if I ever saw Stephen in sour mood. He will always find the right encouragement when faced with poor odds, sometimes even faster than I or Imoen can jestfully quip about it. Wishes to do something heroic. Adan joined him as a squire, later becoming pupil of his. After splitting the teaching, tutors of honor and courage. Wields Dual Axes and/or Maces. Worships Lathander.
Daniel (Human Inquisitor) - I sometimes wonder if he isn’t an avatar of justice. He will always make sure that justice is seen through and not interfered with. Outside of that, he is a relaxed person, but he’s not a solemn as Thorn, he can take a joke. Joined Adan upon working on same task. Tutors him in matters of duty and judgement. Wields Two-Handed Swords and Halberds. Worships Tyr.
‘Thorn’ (Human Undead Hunter) - I am sure even he doesn’t remember his name. Man of few words, he prefers to express his will through actions than words. Yet he is not brash, quite the opposite, if he acts, something heinous must have happened. Joined Adan upon Daniel’s suggestion. Tutors him in combat. Wields Dual Flails, Morningstars and War Hammers. Worships Lathander.
Severus (Tiefling Blackguard (rules same as Human)) - Formerly a Blackguard of Bhaal, Severus served him well over the years. He had a fairly reasonable code of honor as a blackguard - he acted as a judge of murders, deciding if they were righteous or not, and punishing the heathens by sending them early to grave. After Bhaal’s demise, he couldn’t find his place on world, almost turning into a drunk, until meeting Adan and regathering his purpose. Proud of knowing poisoncraft. Swore to Adan after a prophetic dream. Wields Shortbows and Scimitars. Worshipped Bhaal before his death, now worships Adan as possible Herald of Bhaal.
Eliana (Half-elf Bard and voice of this story) - I am moody, sometimes being as jolly as Stephen, but sometimes being even more secluded than Thorn. But I just can’t hold a grudge for a long time, so most often people find me in a better mood. Sang at random inns and towns before hearing of Adan’s party and joining it. Wielding Longbows and Daggers.
Imoen (Human Thief/Mage) - Stephen’s found competition for the happiest person of the party. A child at heart, Imoen always brightens the day no matter what she does or says. Lived at Candlekeep with half-brother Abdel, then after Abdel’s foster father’s Gorion’s death adventured with him over the Sword Coast. When Abdel slew Sarevok and turned towards helping out Baldur’s Gate, she set off for her own adventure, only to bump right into us.
Note on portraits:
The quick backstory of events before Chateau Irenicus:
So now I am presenting the cast and the introduction to this story. I will try writing every weekend or so (weekdays tend to be a busy period for me), but it would be no surprise if I lagged down even more, so sorry if sometimes these will be coming out slowly. Also, because English is only my second language, I would really appreciate any pointing out of mistakes or weird things - sometimes my mind literally skips a thought and sometimes I fall back to Lithuanian - which results in some weird constructs from time to time. Because I will be first drafting in Google Docs, I will leave link later after getting a proper structure for those who find reading there easier than in the forums.
So, without further ado, let me start.
The Cast:
The Bhaalspawn Adan (Human Paladin) - calm, well mannered youth, tries to aspire to all the best of the trio, although sometimes Severus’s feature comes out of him. Will look forward to what others think, but can take decisions on his own, as after all it is him under whom the group molded. Wields Dual Long and/or Bastard Swords. Worships Torm.
Stephen (Human Cavalier) - I don’t remember if I ever saw Stephen in sour mood. He will always find the right encouragement when faced with poor odds, sometimes even faster than I or Imoen can jestfully quip about it. Wishes to do something heroic. Adan joined him as a squire, later becoming pupil of his. After splitting the teaching, tutors of honor and courage. Wields Dual Axes and/or Maces. Worships Lathander.
Daniel (Human Inquisitor) - I sometimes wonder if he isn’t an avatar of justice. He will always make sure that justice is seen through and not interfered with. Outside of that, he is a relaxed person, but he’s not a solemn as Thorn, he can take a joke. Joined Adan upon working on same task. Tutors him in matters of duty and judgement. Wields Two-Handed Swords and Halberds. Worships Tyr.
‘Thorn’ (Human Undead Hunter) - I am sure even he doesn’t remember his name. Man of few words, he prefers to express his will through actions than words. Yet he is not brash, quite the opposite, if he acts, something heinous must have happened. Joined Adan upon Daniel’s suggestion. Tutors him in combat. Wields Dual Flails, Morningstars and War Hammers. Worships Lathander.
Severus (Tiefling Blackguard (rules same as Human)) - Formerly a Blackguard of Bhaal, Severus served him well over the years. He had a fairly reasonable code of honor as a blackguard - he acted as a judge of murders, deciding if they were righteous or not, and punishing the heathens by sending them early to grave. After Bhaal’s demise, he couldn’t find his place on world, almost turning into a drunk, until meeting Adan and regathering his purpose. Proud of knowing poisoncraft. Swore to Adan after a prophetic dream. Wields Shortbows and Scimitars. Worshipped Bhaal before his death, now worships Adan as possible Herald of Bhaal.
Eliana (Half-elf Bard and voice of this story) - I am moody, sometimes being as jolly as Stephen, but sometimes being even more secluded than Thorn. But I just can’t hold a grudge for a long time, so most often people find me in a better mood. Sang at random inns and towns before hearing of Adan’s party and joining it. Wielding Longbows and Daggers.
Imoen (Human Thief/Mage) - Stephen’s found competition for the happiest person of the party. A child at heart, Imoen always brightens the day no matter what she does or says. Lived at Candlekeep with half-brother Abdel, then after Abdel’s foster father’s Gorion’s death adventured with him over the Sword Coast. When Abdel slew Sarevok and turned towards helping out Baldur’s Gate, she set off for her own adventure, only to bump right into us.
Note on portraits:
Because I am a really terrible artist (I really can't draw anything), I am fully using Google/Pinterest for any visual needs. Because of that, here's accolades for whose portraits I was using and links to either their original posting:
Adan and Imoen (IsandirBG) - http://isandir.com/conchobhair/ and http://isandir.com/imoen/
Stephen (Todd Lockwood but he was requested to not use it for WoW TCG due to legal. The legacy remains, though) - http://toddlockwood.com/
Daniel (Kilivitz) - According to https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44863/what-alt-portraits-do-you-use-for-npcs
Thorn (Sam Carr) - Attributed to Sam Carr both in Pinterest and these forums, but can’t find the original as it seems to be deleted in his DeviantArt - http://samc-art.deviantart.com/
Severus (Unknown) - Don’t know if it’s original http://badassdanddpics.tumblr.com/post/147626023962/male-tiefling-spellcasters-as-requested
Eliana (Venlian) - http://venlian.deviantart.com/art/Good-Girl-477391594
Adan and Imoen (IsandirBG) - http://isandir.com/conchobhair/ and http://isandir.com/imoen/
Stephen (Todd Lockwood but he was requested to not use it for WoW TCG due to legal. The legacy remains, though) - http://toddlockwood.com/
Daniel (Kilivitz) - According to https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/44863/what-alt-portraits-do-you-use-for-npcs
Thorn (Sam Carr) - Attributed to Sam Carr both in Pinterest and these forums, but can’t find the original as it seems to be deleted in his DeviantArt - http://samc-art.deviantart.com/
Severus (Unknown) - Don’t know if it’s original http://badassdanddpics.tumblr.com/post/147626023962/male-tiefling-spellcasters-as-requested
Eliana (Venlian) - http://venlian.deviantart.com/art/Good-Girl-477391594
The quick backstory of events before Chateau Irenicus:
It all started with Adan. He spent his childhood in local shrine of Helm, not far from Neverwinter. Nobody asides from the head priest knew who even brought the newborn to the temple. Only he knew the child’s father - the ill-fated Lord of Murder Bhaal. Being tutored by the clergy, he lived his early years without much of note, although rumours amongst locals would spread from time to time that there was something more to the child than the head priest would tell. The rumours usually had no weight under them, until Adan grew into adolescence.
That year, a plague famished most of the livestock, and the allegations of Adan’s guilt rose with every day, from how he “disrespected the gods by kneeling on wrong side” to “seeing him praying to someone in the stone”. The head priest grew more weary with each day and started fostering his own suspicion, even thinking about evicting the teenager when fate showed herself in a manner of Stephen, Cavalier of Lathander. His squire recently left him as mercenary life lured him, and so the paladin needed a replacement. Hearing of this mysterious child, he wished to look into that himself, as he couldn’t believe it in anyway that a child could be doing so many vile things. And the moment he saw Adan, he knew that all was untrue. His first words to the holy man were that Adan could never hurt a flea if he could see one.
A day after, he offered squiredom to the teenager, who gratefully accepted it, being despised by locals. Just before leaving, the priest came up to Adan and Stephen and told them of Adan’s heritage, warning Stephen of what he was getting into. But Stephen just laughed it off - maybe Adan’s father was Bhaal, but that didn’t meant he couldn’t serve the better purpose. All are equal in eyes of the gods when choosing them, he said.
Although Stephen was already an experienced Cavalier, he still didn’t have anything exciting of what he could brag any day. There were no damsels in distress around, there were no evil dragons who needed slaying. The most notable thing he did was crushing a small thieves guild, but even that was more a thing of fortune than his skill. Due to that they decided to set off to the Icewind Dale, in hopes of finding adventure there. On the way towards it they would continue to serve Lathander and fulfill their vows - helping out the poor, blessing newborn and eradicating any threats to the commoners. During one such investigation into few seemingly unconnected murders, they crossed their paths with Daniel, Inquisitor of Tyr. Although the murderers were never found, the trio bonded closely. Upon hearing Adan’s story, Daniel decided that to make sure Adan wasn’t going to be corrupted by whatever Bhaal’s essence he might have carried, and joined Stephen in tutoring the Bhaalspawn. He also suggested to meet another paladin, an Undead Hunter ‘Thorn’, not far from Luskan, where he was enjoying his retirement.
After getting Thorn to join the trio (which summed up looked like this: “Will you help us tutor Adan?” “Yeah.” He still hasn’t told me why he agreed), the rumours of war brewing between Baldur’s Gate and Amn came up north. Although Stephen still wished to go on towards Spine of the World, they all understood what woes the war was going to bring to the innocent. So they turned around and headed south for the Sword Coast.
Out of all our party, Severus’s joining was weirdest. I still wasn’t there but as I was told, they met in a small run-down inns on the road, likes of which time from time appear, barely serving as a resting place. The paladins (and their squire) were already been getting a bit of local popularity, as it was a rare sight to see so many paladins travelling together, and Severus, as he told me later, was actually plagued by prophetic dreams that he was going to meet someone important soon, constantly seeing one face in them. I can easily imagine the distress they caused then Adan entered the said inn where Severus was just eating his dinner, as it was Adan’s face he dreamed off. He dropped his spoon as he was stunned by this twist of fate, and after a bit of time came to Adan to ask him who he was, only to be met with raised weapons of his friends, as they immediately sensed the Blackguard. After calming them down that he was not to harm anyone, he got the explanation for his dreams - he dreamed of a Bhaalspawn who was meant for something great to happen, and the dreams were leading them together. At that inn, he swore to Adan to serve him his whole life as he served Bhaal while he was alive. The paladins were disgruntled at having to travel with the Blackguard, but they found enough solace with Adan’s suggestion that now they had two children to grow into a force of justice.
Soon after, I, Eliana, joined them as they passed by the inn where I was singing. I have already heard of this motley band of 4 and a half holy man, and was interested by what was driving them all. Seeing that adventure often seemed to find them first, I saw it as perfect opportunity to grow my repertoire by myself. At first they took me for a damsel who needed protection and care, but after I shown them that I can live by myself, eventually they took me in. I believe that they enjoy having me together, providing a cheery mood to dark nights, but it’s just their honor and pride which doesn’t let them express that more thoroughly. And I certainly don’t need praise from them.
Eventually we passed Baldur’s Gate. Passed, because as we understood, it was already in a lot of trouble with some Sarevok fellow, a Bhaalspawn like Adan, trying to usurp the Grand Duchy and force the war himself, only to be struck by another Bhaalspawn, Abdel. The city was in turmoil, but that same Bhaalspawn seemed to be doing a good enough job of containing it, so we decided to instead head for Athkatla, and make sure that they weren’t getting the wrong news out of all that and start the conflict themselves. Not far from Baldur’s Gate, in Friendly Arms Inn, we met Imoen, girl who was travelling with Abdel. She had just left him as he wanted to stay in Baldur’s Gate and see it resurface from all the evil that was gripping it, while all Imoen wanted was adventure. So guess who we saw two mornings later at our camp. And then the morning after. And yet another morning. Eventually we just went “Fine, you can join us.”, after which she became more jolly than Stephen at his best mood. Besides, she was just learning the Art, and while I am a poor teacher of it, she still willfully absorbed every bit of knowledge I was giving her. Soon we just laughed it all saying that as the paladins had their pupils, I got someone to tutor too.
And so we were approaching Athkatla, the City of Coin. Until Irenicus happened...
That year, a plague famished most of the livestock, and the allegations of Adan’s guilt rose with every day, from how he “disrespected the gods by kneeling on wrong side” to “seeing him praying to someone in the stone”. The head priest grew more weary with each day and started fostering his own suspicion, even thinking about evicting the teenager when fate showed herself in a manner of Stephen, Cavalier of Lathander. His squire recently left him as mercenary life lured him, and so the paladin needed a replacement. Hearing of this mysterious child, he wished to look into that himself, as he couldn’t believe it in anyway that a child could be doing so many vile things. And the moment he saw Adan, he knew that all was untrue. His first words to the holy man were that Adan could never hurt a flea if he could see one.
A day after, he offered squiredom to the teenager, who gratefully accepted it, being despised by locals. Just before leaving, the priest came up to Adan and Stephen and told them of Adan’s heritage, warning Stephen of what he was getting into. But Stephen just laughed it off - maybe Adan’s father was Bhaal, but that didn’t meant he couldn’t serve the better purpose. All are equal in eyes of the gods when choosing them, he said.
Although Stephen was already an experienced Cavalier, he still didn’t have anything exciting of what he could brag any day. There were no damsels in distress around, there were no evil dragons who needed slaying. The most notable thing he did was crushing a small thieves guild, but even that was more a thing of fortune than his skill. Due to that they decided to set off to the Icewind Dale, in hopes of finding adventure there. On the way towards it they would continue to serve Lathander and fulfill their vows - helping out the poor, blessing newborn and eradicating any threats to the commoners. During one such investigation into few seemingly unconnected murders, they crossed their paths with Daniel, Inquisitor of Tyr. Although the murderers were never found, the trio bonded closely. Upon hearing Adan’s story, Daniel decided that to make sure Adan wasn’t going to be corrupted by whatever Bhaal’s essence he might have carried, and joined Stephen in tutoring the Bhaalspawn. He also suggested to meet another paladin, an Undead Hunter ‘Thorn’, not far from Luskan, where he was enjoying his retirement.
After getting Thorn to join the trio (which summed up looked like this: “Will you help us tutor Adan?” “Yeah.” He still hasn’t told me why he agreed), the rumours of war brewing between Baldur’s Gate and Amn came up north. Although Stephen still wished to go on towards Spine of the World, they all understood what woes the war was going to bring to the innocent. So they turned around and headed south for the Sword Coast.
Out of all our party, Severus’s joining was weirdest. I still wasn’t there but as I was told, they met in a small run-down inns on the road, likes of which time from time appear, barely serving as a resting place. The paladins (and their squire) were already been getting a bit of local popularity, as it was a rare sight to see so many paladins travelling together, and Severus, as he told me later, was actually plagued by prophetic dreams that he was going to meet someone important soon, constantly seeing one face in them. I can easily imagine the distress they caused then Adan entered the said inn where Severus was just eating his dinner, as it was Adan’s face he dreamed off. He dropped his spoon as he was stunned by this twist of fate, and after a bit of time came to Adan to ask him who he was, only to be met with raised weapons of his friends, as they immediately sensed the Blackguard. After calming them down that he was not to harm anyone, he got the explanation for his dreams - he dreamed of a Bhaalspawn who was meant for something great to happen, and the dreams were leading them together. At that inn, he swore to Adan to serve him his whole life as he served Bhaal while he was alive. The paladins were disgruntled at having to travel with the Blackguard, but they found enough solace with Adan’s suggestion that now they had two children to grow into a force of justice.
Soon after, I, Eliana, joined them as they passed by the inn where I was singing. I have already heard of this motley band of 4 and a half holy man, and was interested by what was driving them all. Seeing that adventure often seemed to find them first, I saw it as perfect opportunity to grow my repertoire by myself. At first they took me for a damsel who needed protection and care, but after I shown them that I can live by myself, eventually they took me in. I believe that they enjoy having me together, providing a cheery mood to dark nights, but it’s just their honor and pride which doesn’t let them express that more thoroughly. And I certainly don’t need praise from them.
Eventually we passed Baldur’s Gate. Passed, because as we understood, it was already in a lot of trouble with some Sarevok fellow, a Bhaalspawn like Adan, trying to usurp the Grand Duchy and force the war himself, only to be struck by another Bhaalspawn, Abdel. The city was in turmoil, but that same Bhaalspawn seemed to be doing a good enough job of containing it, so we decided to instead head for Athkatla, and make sure that they weren’t getting the wrong news out of all that and start the conflict themselves. Not far from Baldur’s Gate, in Friendly Arms Inn, we met Imoen, girl who was travelling with Abdel. She had just left him as he wanted to stay in Baldur’s Gate and see it resurface from all the evil that was gripping it, while all Imoen wanted was adventure. So guess who we saw two mornings later at our camp. And then the morning after. And yet another morning. Eventually we just went “Fine, you can join us.”, after which she became more jolly than Stephen at his best mood. Besides, she was just learning the Art, and while I am a poor teacher of it, she still willfully absorbed every bit of knowledge I was giving her. Soon we just laughed it all saying that as the paladins had their pupils, I got someone to tutor too.
And so we were approaching Athkatla, the City of Coin. Until Irenicus happened...
5
Comments
This sounds fun, how did it turn out?
That's 7 chars, how did you rotate?