Hark

Origin

Hark: Paladin of Pelor

Born and raised in a village a few miles outside of Outpost. The son of a craftsman, Hark enjoyed a peaceful simple life until his village was attacked and razed by Alwsing The Damned. One of the only survivors, having hidden underneath an old rusted tower shield, Hark was found when Grief Riders from the temple of Pelor in Jacoe arrived to help any survivors.

He was then taken in by the church of Pelor in Jacoe and would go on to become a faithful adherent to the faith of Pelor, join the Grief Riders, and upon coming of age be inducted into their order of Paladins.

He traveled with other Grief Riders spreading the word of Pelor and offering humanitarian aid to those in need. His focus eventually became more on assisting the various villages and cities with their bandit/criminal element.

While rewarding work, he knew there were greater evils out there and his holy work for Pelor had only begun and so he began to keep his ear to the ground hoping to catch wind of something bigger.

While on Trader's Den on a routine check-in he received a tip from a friend (an elf from Thain-win named Creed) about a group of adventurers heading to Thain-win to investigate the Underdark located in Bulf territory. After obtaining the blessing of the Grief Rider’s he set out north to catch up with the adventurers

Alignment: Lawful Good

Lawful because he has a strong personal code and believes that society benefits from the security/stability/prosperity brought from structure and just law/rules.

Good in that he believes in the common good. Believes in helping those who cannot help themselves and defending the weak. Abhors those who abuse strength and positions of power for personal gain.

Compared to traditional Paladins, he took up the Oath of Vengeance because he believes in punishing those who violate the social contract of life and civilization. I feel the alignment gets a lot of flak but has a lot of potential for character growth and roleplay and isn't just a “Captain America” alignment.

Tenets of Vengeance

Fight the Greater Evil: He is oathbound to focus his efforts on the greater evil over lesser evils or more venial offenders.

No Mercy for the Wicked: While he has dedicated his life to hunting down evil that doesn't mean death is always the first option. Sometimes people fall into bad circumstances and need a second chance. While those at the top/in charge are beyond redemption he doesn't go out of his way to kill indiscriminately. Uses diplomacy and intimidation to push lesser offenders towards good if possible. Like facing a group of bandits (Did you ever play the Metro games? A lot of the lesser soldiers in the evil organizations are in that position because they have to feed their families or can't escape. That's shitty, right?) if they'll recant their ways and lay down their arms he'll show mercy but if they won't surrender he won't hesitate to strike them down. Justice tempered with mercy.

By Any Means Necessary: While there are lines he won't cross in pursuit of his goals (Collateral damage/murder of innocents is unacceptable, making Faustian bargains, etc) that doesn't mean he's like a stereotypical Paladin. He's willing to get his hands dirty to accomplish his goal for the greater good. Is a party member stealing? Not ideal, certainly don't condone it, but in the grand scheme it doesn't matter to his goal. Restitution: It is his sacred duty to end evil where he finds it. Once a target is picked it becomes his responsibility. All the damage that the target or evil causes is partially his fault (for not stopping them sooner) and he'll make efforts to make restitution/help those who have suffered because of it.

Character Inspirations

John Wick mixed with Hercules from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Really great show from the mid 90s, love Kevin Sorbo's portrayal) and Solaire of Astora from Dark Souls. Utterly determined and focused on his target but not bloodthirsty. Believes all life has value, that many people can be redeemed and that a lot of problems can be solved with diplomacy but doesn't shirk from combat when it comes to the truly evil.

Character Inspiration Quotes

“Peace and Justice are two sides of the same coin.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower

“It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive.” - Earl Warren

Theme/Related Music

Hammerfall-Hammer of Justice

One-Punch Man Theme “Hero” English Cover by Johnathan Young

Appropriate Pixel-Art