Garalus, Chosen of Arpelos

Current Status: Summer, 1331 Avard. As the Chosen of Arpelos, Garalus spends much of his time in the Holy City of Karmen keeping the Inquisition in disarray. Garalus' logic skills and ruthless application of the Inquisition to the Inquisition also allows mages to be smuggled out of the holy city, and to Kur Maeth. Garalus' Disciple there, Deffrom Mallick, surreptitiously helped the civil war that occurred in Kur Maeth during the Rakoran invasion of the ograns in the War of the Four Winds. Garalus' dragon Artanus was residing in Kur Maeth until that time, but now resides in the Stonehelm Mountains, overseeing the Jannissaries and the kobolds of the Johnathon Hills.

For more stories on Garalus, consult the Prat Chronicles, which detail his adventures before arriving in the realms of Gaeleth.

4th-Level Sylvan Archer, 13th-Level Paladin
21st-Level Chosen

STR: 18/94 DEX: 17 CON: 13 INT: 15 WIS: 18 CHA: 17

AC: -2 THAC0: 8 HP: 124 Alignment: LG

Special Attacks: Nil Special Defenses: See below Magic Resistance: Immune to charms Size: 6'2"

Weapon Proficiencies: Grand master of the longbow, sword and shield style, ambidexterity, two-weapon style, longblades tight group, longsword specialization, shields, all maces, Sepulkon style in longswords (see weapon styles entry).

Nonweapon Proficienies: Seamanship (secondary skill), swimming, heraldry, ghost-fighting, land-based riding, direction sense, rope use, read/write: Common, healing, herbalism, bowyer/fletchery, observation, hunting, eminence.

Special Proficiencies: Air-based riding, priest and wizard spellcraft, religeon, undead lore, healing, herbalism, endurance, running.

Languages: Oerthian Common, elven, Oerthian Southern, dwarven, Sholin, Gaelethic Common

Special Defenses: As per a human paladin.

Spells: The Chosen of Arpelos, he has major access to all spheres, and uses a wide arsenal of spells. Because of this, no single spell or set of spells could be said to represent Garalus.

Appearance: Tall for a Sylvan elf, his sinewy limbs are almost always encased in steel. His blue eyes seem wise within a tanned face full of tiny white battle-scars, wreathed by dirty-blonde hair. His platemail is as bright as newly polished silver, and his gold and silver surcoat speaks more of quality than wealth. Over all of this, he wears a silver and gold cape and mantle that betokens his status as the Chosen of Arpelos.

Background: Garalus grew up in Vesve Forest on the world of Oerth, also known as Grayhawk. An archer practically from birth, he hired out to a group of adventurers to serve as a long-range defender. The adventurers blundered into trouble left and right, interfering with the affairs of gods and demons, always one step ahead of disaster. While infiltrating the catacombs of the lich Kilreptus, he discovered the holy avenger Judiciar, and became an elven paladin with all the rights, responsibilities, and powers of a human in his stead. Sometime later, Judiciar lost its powers as a holy avenger, and Garalus redoubled his efforts to remain true to his newfound god. Many harrowing adventures followed, before Garalus wound up saving the existance of his god -- by escaping through the Shield to Gaeleth. There, Garalus introduced the worship of Arpelos to the populace, in the face of the evil gods, the Storm Wars, and then the War of the Undead. It is important to note that Garalus is the only priest to touch the God Slayer and live -- he wielded it to kill Nathel during his resurrection.

Equipment: A strong elf, Garalus carries with him a fierce arsenal of weaponry and equipment wherever he goes. These include repelling arrows with fifty-foot steel cables, torches, flint & steel, one week's iron rations, a half-gallon wineskin, a mithrel holy symbol of Arpelos in the shape of a titanium dragon, and a mithrel helm with a mithrel crown grafted onto it -- the crown bearing a silvery dragon. He also carries with him a large kite shield made entirely of mithrel, though it is often strapped to his back beneath his cape (not currently factored into his Armor Class).

Magical Items: Field plate +1, Night-hunter (see item entry), strength compound longbow of speed +3, greater ring of underwater action, Ehlonna's quiver of endless +3 arrows, ring of spell storing (wall of fog, summon shadows, legend lore, wraithform, and reincarnation).

Roleplaying Notes: Incredibly practical and level-headed, Garalus displays candor and tact in the face of danger. Virtually fearless, his faith in Arpelos gives him strength of stature and wisdom that makes other men jealous. Skilled in the use of a variety of weapons, he uses any weapon available. Always keeping the cause of the greater good in mind, he is the epitome of good to the world. To his friends, he is as acid-tongued as a black dragon, with a lack of tact that would peel the skin off of any lesser men. Though his faith is real and true, only duty keeps him within his post. He often wonders what might have happened, had he never taken up Judiciar.

Mount: Artanusalanthanth, aka 'Artanus' (ancient titanium wyrm): see creature entry on titanium dragons. Garalus' first mount was a pegasus that served him faithfully for several years. The escape to Gaeleth severed the relationship of the two, and the morose Chosen of Arpelos was sad for some time (about two seconds) before dutifully calling it the will of Arpelos. By luck or design, one of the last of the titanium dragons sought out the former paladin, and offered his services to the new god, and to Garalus.

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