Marcus Templar

by Trampas Whiteman

Sir Marcus Templar, Captain of the Sword        CR 5
Male Human Paladin 6
LG Medium Humanoid (Human)
Init +2; Perception +2

DEFENSE

AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10   (+2 Dex)
hp 57 (6d10+12)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8
Immune fear, disease

OFFENSE

Spd 20 ft.
Melee Bastion's Shield +7 (1d3+1) and
   Bastion's Sword +8/+3 (1d8+4) and
   Gauntlet (from Armor) +9/+4 (1d3+3) and
   Unarmed Strike +9/+4 (1d3+3)
Special Attacks Smite Evil
Spell-Like Abilities Detect Evil
Paladin Spells Known (CL 3, 9 melee touch, 8 ranged touch):
1 (2/day) Cure Light Wounds (DC 12), Knight's Calling (DC 12)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13
Base Atk +6/+1; CMB +9; CMD 21
Feats Endurance, Honor-Bound, Throw Anything, Two-weapon Fighting
Traits Courageous, Natural-Born Leader
Skills Acrobatics -1, Climb +0, Diplomacy +8, Escape Artist -1, Fly -1, Handle Animal +7, Heal +8, Ride +7, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +4, Stealth -1, Swim +0
Languages Common
SQ Animal Companion Link (Ex), Aura of Courage (Su), Aura of Good (Ex), Channel Positive Energy 3d6 (2/day) (DC 14) (Su), Divine Grace (Su), Lay on Hands (3d6) (4/day) (Su), Mercy: Dazed (Su), Mercy: Fatigued (Su), Share Spells with Companion (Ex), Summon Mount (1/day) (1/day) (Sp)
Combat Gear +1 Full Plate, +1 Returning Adamantine Shield, Light Steel, Bastion's Sword; Other Gear Cold weather outfit, Flint and steel, Healer's kit, Holy symbol, silver

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Animal Companion Link (Ex) You have a link with your Animal Companion.
Aura of Courage (Su) You are immune to Fear. Allies within 10 feet save at +4 vs Fear.
Aura of Good (Ex) The paladin has an Aura of Good with power equal to her class level.
Channel Positive Energy 3d6 (2/day) (DC 14) (Su) A good cleric can channel positive energy to heal the living and injure the undead; an evil cleric can channel negative energy to injure the living and heal the undead.
Courageous +2 save vs. fear.
Detect Evil (At will) (Sp) You can use Detect Evil at will (as the spell).
Divine Grace (Su) You gain your Charisma Bonus as a bonus to all saving throws.
Endurance +4 to a variety of skill checks. Sleep in L/M armor with no fatigue.
Immune to Fear (Ex) You are immune to all fear effects.
Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases.
Lay on Hands (3d6) (4/day) (Su) You can heal 3d6 damage, 4/day
Mercy: Dazed (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also removes the dazed condition.
Mercy: Fatigued (Su) When you use your lay on hands ability, it also removes the fatigued condition.
Natural-Born Leader Your cohorts, followers, and summoned creatures gain +1 vs. Mind-affecting effects, +1 Leadership score if you have the Leadership feat.
Share Spells with Companion (Ex) Spells cast on you can also affect your Companion, if it's within 5 feet.
Smite Evil (2/day) (Su) +1 to hit, +6 to damage, +1 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Summon Mount (1/day) (1/day) (Sp) summon your mount to your side.
Throw Anything Proficient with ranged throwing weapons. +1 to hit with thrown splash weapons.

Background:

Sir Marcus Templar comes from a long line of Knights of Solamnia dating back before the Cataclysm. It is said that some of his ancestors were from the Order of the Clerists. By the time that Marcus had become a squire, the Clerists were long gone and the Knights of Solamnia nearly followed.

Marcus' father was a drunkard of a knight who had disgraced the family before his death. His mother remarried to Lord Corbin Halifax, who proved to be a good father. Marcus was sickly as a child, unable to keep up with other boys his age. Corbin kept his spirits up by teaching him the ways of the Knights of Solamnia. His mother worried that Corbin may be setting up Marcus for disappointment. Corbin accepted Marcus as a squire.

Soon the War of the Lance came, and Marcus wanted to join in on the fight against the Dragonarmies. His frail physical form prohibited him from taking the Knight's Trials, so he remained a squire as other boys his age were knighted.

In the year 352 AC, Marcus' world would change forever. Lord Halifax was ordered to the Tower of the High Clerist, and Marcus came with him. The Battle of the High Clerist's Tower saw the death of Lord Halifax. Marcus was helpless to save Corbin. He was angered at his own weakness when he witnessed one other death – that of Sturm Brightblade. Marcus was inspired by Sturm's sacrifice and vowed that some way, somehow, he would become a knight.

Marcus begged the knights to let him take the Knight's Trials. They knew he would never survive the trip, and were too busy with the war to deal with the squire. They gave him his quest, to find a rumored temple of the Clerists near the town of Fenn's Ward.

Somehow, Marcus had found the temple. He came back to the Knights of Solamnia a changed man. He was physically fit, and bore a sword and an ancient shield with the heraldry of the Knights of Solamnia. He talked of Kiri-Jolith and restoring the Order of the Clerist.

Marcus was quickly knighted, and rose to the Order of the Sword in very short order. He fought in the War of the Lance, and rose to the rank of Captain of the Sword. He was one of the first of a new generation of Clerists. He soon took on his own squire, a young man named Jaymes Buchanan. The two had many adventures, even facing such foes as the man who would come to be known as the Crimson Skull.

Towards the end of the war, Templar and Buchanan found themselves on a mission to Icewall. There, they fought the white dragon Deathfrost. The pair managed to jump on the dragon's back, and attacked it as it took off. Somehow, the two stayed on. The dragon bit down hard on Buchanan's left arm, refusing to let go. Somehow, Templar's sword managed to cut enough off of the wings to keep the dragon from staying aloft. Deathfrost began to spin out of control, throwing Templar from his back. The dragon hit land, killing it instantly. Young Buchanan's body was never found.

As for Marcus Templar, he fell into the frigid waters of Ice Mountain Bay, where he was frozen in ice for 30 years. Yet he was not dead. Kiri-Jolith had further use of his loyal servant, and so kept him in stasis. It was during the Summer of Flame that the iceberg he was trapped in began to thaw. Two local ice barbarians, a brother and a sister, found him while fishing on a canoe. The pair saw a man trapped in an iceberg, surrounded by a glowing light. The brother struck the iceberg while the sister used her winternorn magic to break open the ice. A crack emerged, and from it light shone to the heavens.

The pair took Templar back to their village, where they nursed him back to health. A few days later, they were visited by a herald of Kiri-Jolith, a flying bison. The creature was spoken about in ice barbarian lore, but none had ever been seen. Templar knew that the bison had come for him, and so he left with the strange creature, bidding his friends farewell. Though Templar was still mourning for his lost squire, he was ever a man of duty, and knew he must go.

The bison flew Templar far north to the temple that changed his life forever. The bison left, but Marcus hoped he would see it again someday. After paying tribute to Kiri-Jolith, he traveled to Fenn's Ward to report to the local garrison at Fenn's Keep. The knights were surprised to see him and doubtful of his story at first. Upon producing proof of his identity, the knights were in awe. Templar had become a bit of a legend in the 30 years he was away. Some even referred to him as "Captain Solomnia", though Templar refused to be called that. "I am just a knight, doing my duty to my god and my country."

Unfortunately, the celebration of his return was short-lived. An assassin killed the commander of Fenn's Keep, Kirimanne Comitanza, the Lady of the Rose. As the next highest-ranking knight, Marcus Templar was obligated by the Measure to take charge. Though he is still catching up to world events after the last 30 years, Marcus has vowed to do his duty to the best of his ability. He has sent a messenger to the High Clerist's Tower to appraise them of events and to seek further orders.

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