Slashing or Piercing, Buffing, Harming and Healing their way PvM (1-40) and PvP, this is the story of the Nordic Champion and Divine Hunter (Note: build posted, below).
ODIN AND THE WISHING WELL By Deborah Tyr
Their journey was long and difficult. For many days and many nights, they pushed on through mountain, a frozen wasteland of ice and snow, devoid of life; although they had been on the move, pausing only rarely to rest, it seemed like they were no closer to home than when they first set out. With only enough bread to last another fortnight at best, and no water but only a bit of wine, they feared they were lost, terribly lost, and moving in circles. “By Odin’s will, is this how the end shall come for us?” cried Nordic Champion, a strong and wise, albeit somewhat impulsive battle cleric, who had only days before been successful in battle. “Is this how we are to die, on this barren mountain, buried in ice?”
“Nay, Champion,” stayed his friend, the Divine Hunter, a wise and gentle cleric, with an ability to cause greater ruin of epic renown. He had accompanied Champion, his boyhood friend, and his clan into battle. “We must keep moving, and think positive. Odin watches over us; we pleased him in battle, and our reward shan’t be death on this mountain.” Suddenly, from the sky above, flying, low to the ground yet over the battle-weary clerics’ heads, was to be heard the unmistakable sound of ravens: “MaH-CaW . . . MaH-CaW.” There were two of them, as black as midnight they were; calling out to each other as they passed. Their appearance, out of nowhere, was mysterious enough, but even more mysterious was that, in the mouth of one of them, being carried was a leaf; a large green leaf, and to the clerics it meant that an oasis of some sort was nearby. Without hesitation, perhaps out of desperation for food and water, the men found in themselves the strength to pick up their pace and follow the ravens, with all the speed they could muster; it led them to a nearby cave, an opening in the mountain, from which steam emanated. The men approached the opening of the cave with some caution; and upon peering inside to see that it was empty but warm and dry, they entered. “We’re safe for now,” exalted Champion, pulling the canteen containing what was left of their wine from his pack. “Aye,” responded Hunter placing his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Valhalla can wait.”
At this, they laughed, an uneasy laugh, but still, they breathed a sigh of relief; for it had been quite the journey. Unlike their clansmen, they were alive, the sole two survivors of the battle, which had been fought just days ago, against an invading tribe over not only territory, but to avenge crimes committed against a number of their weaker clansmen, including old men and children, who had suffered robbery, beatings, and other unspeakable harms at the hands of the lawless invaders. These crimes had been avenged, and the invaders destroyed, but it cost the clan dearly in battle. Many good warriors died that day: strong men and women, fighting hard for their clan, for justice and victory, they had paid for it with their lives. Miraculously, Champion and Hunter survived, the only two who did from either faction that day, and thus claiming victory rights for their clan. But they were far too busy, as clerics, burying the dead and giving last rites to all who had died, including the invaders, to celebrate their victory; and now, they were lost, having wandered for days on a mountain. They were far from home, and the celebration would have to wait. For now, it was enough that they could rest awhile, enjoy a bit of bread and wine, and take respite from the harsh, frigid cold; for this they offered a prayer to Odin, and wished they were home. On ending the prayer, Champion looked around the cave, about to take a sip of wine, when suddenly he saw the figure of a body, a woman’s body, curled up in the corner of the cave; she was not moving. “Hunter, look,” he announced, while getting to his feet and moving toward her. Hunter followed after.
The men knelt down beside her, as clerics of Odin with the divine gift of healing, as doctors they examined her to determine her injuries. Beautiful she was, a warrior woman, with long, golden hair, and adorn in simple cloth; rusty plate mail and a spear lay beside her. She was alive, but barely breathing. Hunter reached out and laid his hands upon her, to heal her, by channeling his energy into her, and which awakened her; it brought her back to a conscious state; coughing and weak, she was alive and her prognosis quite good.
“Wa-wah-trr…” she pled, her throat dry and coarse, coughing; it was apparent she needed something to drink. “We’re clerics of Odin, Miss, please don’t try to speak,” soothed the Champion, while bringing his canteen to her lips. “You’re safe now, just need to sleep; while we haven’t any water, only a bit of wine. Here, take it, take a drink,” he continued, while supporting her head with his other hand so she could manage to drink; and drink she did, with eagerness, she lapped down the offering, until there wasn’t a drop of wine left in the canteen. “Hu-hungry,” she pled again, in between her coughs. With that, Hunter reached into his gear and pulled out the last of the bread, offering it to her. As she had done with their wine, she gulped down the bread, and without wasting a crumb. “I…rest…now,” she smiled, as best she could, to show her gratitude, before rolling over and falling back to sleep. “We need water and food,” whispered Champion, reaching down for her spear. “I’ll borrow this spear and see if I can find something to hunt on this forsaken mountain to tide us over, else we’ll all perish.”
“Agreed,” nodded Hunter. With that, the Champion left for the hunt while his friend stayed behind to watch over the patient. Immediately on exiting the warmth of the cave, Champion could feel the winds, cold icy winds, cutting at his face like a knife. He would not let the mountain defeat them, bound and determined to find the ravens’ oasis, he would see to the patient’s recovery and to the safe return home for both himself and his friend. He pushed through the snow, listening for any sound of the ravens, or anything at all, when up ahead he saw a wolf, a black wolf, which was soon joined by another one, just frolicking in the snow and playing. Quick thinking, Champion threw the spear at one of the wolves, but it moved, as if anticipating the throw, and Champion missed; on retrieving the spear in the snow, he noticed a shiny gold ring, a beautiful ring which was warm to the touch and emanated power; it was clearly valuable, and it bore the inscription: Alfoor. Not thinking much of it, Champion picked it up, along with the spear, and chased after the wolves; they led Champion on an excursion, which came to an end at an old wooden cabin where, standing on the entrance steps, was an old man in robes, to whom the wolves seemed to belong. Such an odd mountain, thought the Champion. He approached the old man, who was now petting the wolves. “Hail,” greeted the Champion. “I must ask your forgive me for hunting your wolves; they be your pets, aye?”
“Yes, they are, and good ones at that,” responded the old man, still petting them. “My name is Alfoor, and I’m happy to give you some food and water, battle priest.”
“That is very kind of you, Alfoor,” Champion replied, while reaching into his pocket for the ring he had found, which bore the stranger’s name. “My name is Nordic Champion, and I think I found a ring of yours,” he continued, while handing it over to the old man.
Taking it, Alfoor studied the ring: “Ah, yes, it’s one of mine; thank you, Champion, but I make many and lose them all the time. Since I’ve so many, I’ll make you a deal, surely you can see how valuable it is, and I’ll trade you this ring for that old, worn spear you’re carrying.”
“Aye, that ring is beautiful and very valuable no doubt, but this spear is not mine to give,” Champion responded. “It belongs to a warrior woman and thus I have no right to trade it, no matter the value your beautiful ring, or how generous be your offer.”
The old man’s lips suddenly curled in smile, as he studied the Champion. “Yes, the woman of which you speak, she is a Valkyrie, and has indeed chosen for me wisely.” At that, the wolves began to bay, and the two ravens whom the Champion had seen earlier suddenly returned, again out of nowhere, and were suddenly perched a top the old man’s shoulders, who also laughed, gently, before clapping his hands. And in an instant, without reason or warning, they were all transported back to the cave, Champion included. Only now, he was not in a barren cave, but a cave filled with vegetation and a large well of water, and the patient, no longer a patient, but a strong and beautiful Valkyrie standing tall and proud, like the battle-warrior she was, and smiling at the mortal pair; Champion and Hunter were both utterly speechless.
“You have done well,” spoke the Valkyrie, while gathering the spear from Champion’s hands and returning it to the old man, bowing: “Here is your spear, my Lord.”
“Yes, my children, my adopted sons,” smiled the old man, who apparently was not an old man, but Odin himself, the father of the gods, battle clerics, and warriors. On coming to this realization, both Hunter and Champion dropped to their knees and immediately knelt before their god, asking, “Forgive us, Lord Odin, but this means that we be dead?”
“Not exactly,” Odin winked, while signaling for the pair to rise with a wave of his hand, and they did as told. “This is a weigh station, a place where warriors are neither dead nor alive, but are instead given a test, since we aren’t quite sure what to do with them.”
“My Lord?” asked the Hunter, terribly confused, not knowing if he was dreaming.
Smiling, the Valkyrie spoke: “You have not only passed, but excelled, exceeding all my expectations, clerics; in battle, you both fought hard and with valor, avenging the crimes committed against your innocent clan members, and yet showing good piety by burying not only the dead of your own clan, but the bodies also of the invaders, too. You have shown compassion and goodness, by giving me, thinking me but a sick and dying mortal, great healing and the last tidbits of your own sustenance, and you’ve also shown honor and honesty. You refused to trade the spear which did not belong to you for a ring that was clearly worth a million times an old spear’s weight in gold. For this, you’ve earned the right to choose, to join us in Valhalla, where you can eat and drink and be merry until the final battle comes, or to return to your world, to be with your families and serve Odin. You have done well, clerics, and so, the choice is yours.”
Scratching their heads, and thinking a moment before speaking, Champion was the first to query: “You mean we can go home, to our families?”
“Yes, Nordic Champion, and you, too, Divine Hunter,” smiled Odin. “I am indeed pleased with you both, and you may return home, if that be your choice. All you have to do is jump into the pool before you, the well of wisdom, which will take you home and along the way also give you great wisdom, a gift of great learning from me to you both, for you to enjoy back on earth and continue your good works and battles in my name, as my sons, my chosen clerics; among men, you will be known by your moral names, but to me, Hunter, you will be known as Munin, meaning Memory, and you Champion, you shall be Hugin, meaning Thought. From this day on, whether you travel together or each on your own, you will travel the world and bring me news and information about the mortal world, by praying to me each evening.”
The clerics agreed, for this was an honor they simply could not refuse; with that, and in unison, they jumped into the well of wisdom in order to accept Odin’s gift, and return to the mortal world, to join their clan and families, and proudly carry the responsibilities for which they had been selected, as wise and gifted clerics; in Odin’s name, they returned to earth.
***AUTHOR’S NOTE: Odin is the chief divinity of the Norse pantheon, and was known by various names throughout the European North, in pre-Christian times. The Germanic peoples had a corresponding god, known as Wodinaz (or, Wotan), which became Woden among Anglo-Saxons; Odin also had comparative parallels to Lugus of the Celts; both were intellectual, one-eyed gods, commanding magic and poetry, with a spear and ravens as attributes. It is said that Odin traded his eye to drink from the well of wisdom, in exchange for great knowledge, wisdom, and the gift of prophecy. For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odin
Credits: I would like to take a moment to thank Grim, for his generosity in reviewing these builds, and providing suggestions not only in respect of these two characters, but also my previous build, the Battle Magistrate (Champion of Tyr). I would also like to thank Mith for suggesting Harper Scout, and also Avado for some pointers, too. There were a number of others who graciously commented on Magistrate, and I am grateful. To see the Magistrate, who seemingly kicked off what has become this latest, Norse Pantheon series, Click Here
What follows is The NORDIC CHAMPION (Battle Cleric of Odin). To see his companion, the DIVINE HUNTER (Cleric of Odin), Click Here
Edited By TyrTemplar on 08/09/06 08:41
NORDIC CHAMPION (Battle Cleric of Odin) By Deborah Tyr
Overview - Harper Scout(5), Cleric(25), Champion of Torm(10) Race: Human / Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Deities and Domains: Primary: Odin-God of War and Death, Poetry and Wisdom (Chief Norse Divinity: War); Second: Kelemvor-Lord of Dead, Judge of the Damned (Greater Deity: Travel)
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +8, Mind Effects: +2, Traps: +2
Available Immunities: Death Magic (Death Ward), Mind-Effects/Spells (Protection, Clarity); Also, Undeath’s Eternal Foe (Neg. Energy Dam, Level/Energy Drain, Poison, Disease, etc.) Spell Resistance: SR 37 (spell)
Note: Nordic Champion has many buffs and enhancements, including the ability to essentially buff strength, dexterity and constitution to cap. S/he also has a nice repertoire of protection spells, including 9th level spells, and great healing powers, and also:
• Domain War: Battle Mastery – grants +6 to AB and Damage, and it raises dexterity and constitution each by +6; also grants damage reduction. Duration: 5 rounds + 6 bonus rounds (w. Empowered Eagle’s (Cleric) and Harper’s Eagle’s, which stack). • Divine Wrath: grants +5 to AB, Damage, and All Saves: duration: 6 rounds.
COMBAT VITALS
BAB: 25, AB +40/35/30 (melee, NO BUFFS/NO Equipment); Intentionally designed to make full use of Divine Power Exploit (DP), as follows: * With Divine Power Only: BAB 30, AB +45/40/35, and gain another attack +45 * Self-Buffs (Str. & Weaponry to combat cap (i.e., +26 buffs), or AB +66/61/56/66 -- Smite Attack: adds cha. bonus to AB, (or +6 AB): Total AB +72 (fully self-capped)
OTHER Damage: Aura vs. Alignment: with both the holy and unholy auras up at the same time, anyone who hits you -- regardless of their alignment -- will take both 6+1d8 divine damage (holy aura), as well as 6+1d8 negative energy damage (unholy aura); see spell information, below.
* Special Note -- Weapons and Deities: Odin’s weapon is Gungnir, the spear which never misses (use the spear to commence play, or another simple weapon of your choice); Kelemvor’s favored weapon is "Fatal Touch" (Bastard Sword, to which we switch at level 3).
* DEFENSE VITALS (AC): Naked: 17 / Mundane Plate/Shield Only: 28 When Fully Buffed and Adjusted: AC > 58* (Note: Does NOT include any magical equipment)
Enhancements, +28 (Self-Buffs ONLY): +5 Magic Vestment (Armor) +5 Magic Vestment (shield) +5 Shield of Faith (Deflection) +4 Haste (Dodge) +4 Undeath’s Eternal Foe (Dodge) +5 Buffed DEX (i.e., self-capped) -- Note: Can also cast spells that reduce enemy AB and in turn raise your AC, such as: Battletide (-2 enemy AB/+2 AC); Prayer (-1 enemy AB/+1 AC); and Doom (-2 enemy AB/+2 AC); also, has casting access to spell resistance (SR 41), damage reduction (domain war: battle master), Harper’s Invisibility, and also Greater Sanctuary.
** For more information about AC (and to wisely plan your magical equipment purchases), see: http://www.nwnwiki.org/AC ); For Spell Information, see below.
Some Notables: • Harm (no save, reduces target to 1d4 HPs); • Blade Barrier (20d6 damage, x1.5 empowered (or 180 damage/pass); reflex save for half); • Word of Faith (among other things, a no-save spell, with an area effect, that kills summons and provides the following effects based on target's level, for 13 rounds: Level 4 & less: Death Level 5 to 7: Stunned, Confusion & Blindness Level 8 to 11: Stunned & Blindness Level 12-plus: Blindness • Storm of Vengeance (6d6 damage per round and stunned, unless make reflex save, in which case take half damage).
For more information about Cleric Spells, and to customize your Champion’s spell book, see: http://www.nwnwiki.org/Cleric
WHAT FOLLOWS is the EPIC PATH of the NORDIC CHAMPION (Battle Cleric of Odin):
01: Cleric(1): knockdown, extend spell, domain war, and domain travel –OR- magic** 02: Cleric(2) 03: Cleric(3): Weapon Proficiency Exotic 04: Cleric(4): WIS+1, (WIS=16) 05: Cleric(5) 06: Cleric(6): Weapon focus: Bastard Sword 07: Cleric(7) 08: Cleric(8): STR+1, (STR=17) 09: Cleric(9): empower spell 10: Cleric(10) 11: Champion of Torm(1) 12: Champion of Torm(2): STR+1, Improved Critical: Bastard Sword, blind fight, (STR=18) 13: Cleric(11) 14: Cleric(12) 15: Cleric(13): alertness 16: Cleric(14): STR+1, (STR=19) 17: Cleric(15) 18: Cleric(16): iron will 19: Cleric(17) 20: Cleric(18): STR+1, (STR=20) 21: Harper Scout(1): great strength I, Great Charisma I, (STR=21), (CHA=9) 22: Champion of Torm(3): {Smite Evil} 23: Champion of Torm(4): great wisdom I, (WIS=17) 24: Cleric(19): STR+1, great strength II, (STR=23) 25: Cleric(20) 26: Champion of Torm(5) 27: Champion of Torm(6): great strength III, Epic Weapon Focus: Bastard Sword, (STR=24) 28: Harper Scout(2): STR+1, (STR=25) 29: Champion of Torm(7) 30: Champion of Torm(8): great strength IV, great wisdom II, (STR=26), (WIS=18) 31: Cleric(21) 32: Cleric(22): STR+1, (STR=27) 33: Cleric(23): great strength V, great wisdom III, (STR=28), (WIS=19) 34: Champion of Torm(9) 35: Harper Scout(3) 36: Cleric(24): STR+1, great strength VI, (STR=30) 37: Harper Scout(4) 38: Champion of Torm(10): epic prowess 39: Cleric(25): great strength VII, (STR=31) 40: Harper Scout(5): STR+1, Great Charisma II, (STR=32), (CHA=10)
Domain Note: Travel picked for ability to caste haste; if a perma-haste item is available on your world, then pick something else (recommended: Magic, among other things grants ability to cast ice storm, mage armor (+4 AC), and also stoneskin (granting extra damage reduction 10/+5, and also the ability to absorb 100 damage, which effectively gives you an additional 100 HPs!); for more information, see: http://www.nwnwiki.org/Category:Cleric_domains
