And The Creek Don't Rise:Helvam Stormsorrow

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Helvam Stormsorrow the Mystic Priest[edit]

Sad Member of the Narri clan.

(Air) Initiate of Orlanth Thunderous.

Hero Points
3

Abilities[edit]

  • Air 7W
    • Great Storm Feat +1
  • Truth 15
  • Read Runestones +1
  • Magic 15
  • Member of the Narri Clan 15
    • Hate Lunars +1
    • Spear and Shield +1
    • Wealth +1
  • Priest 1W
    • Lightbringer Secrets +1
    • Orlanthi Myths +1
  • Love for daughter Karyne Greenweaver, Enhyl Steadwife, and grandchildren 13
  • Sidekick Black Hoof the Bull 13
    • Rune affinity Air 1W
    • Strong Bull 18
    • Virile Stud 19

Distinguishing Characteristic[edit]

  • Sad Mystic 13

Magic[edit]

  • Iron Fists 13
  • Walk Anywhere 13
  • See Lunar Magic 13

Lingering Benefits[edit]

Flaws[edit]

  • Crazed (mad fits from either sendings from the gods or guilt over his dead wife and boys) 2W
  • Misfit (while respected, he's seen as a crazy mystic in the Clan) 13
  • Sorrowful 8W

States of Adversity[edit]

Backstory[edit]

Helvam Stormsorrow is a Priest of Orlanth Thunderous, a sad mystic who is wise in the Godworld. A Cottar who became great, the old man earned cows during campaigns against Tarsh. When his 3 sons were crucified by the Lunars, he went to the mountains to question Orlanth. The storm answered. Now the old farmer commands Ohorlanth's storms and Lightbringer secrets. He has iron fists, can Walk Anywhere, and can see Lunar magic.

His closest kin are his daughter, Karyne Greenweaver, and Black Hoof, a bull who deigns to carry the priest on his back, in exchange for beer.

I'd like to see Helvam as a full time priest who used to be a farmer and had some success back in the old days (perhaps one of his sons was a Carl, and he was left with a bit of land and a few cows. He's certainly a Carl socially now, and the keyword is from what he knows how to do.) As a community priest, he's busy full time casting rune stones, leading worship, advising the Dar and keeping bachelor warriors out of trouble - and blasting Lunars with wind and lightning when it's time for battle. He probably lives either at the clan shrine (tending it) with occasional visits to his daughter's family (one of the times he smiles is when playing with her kids.) Black Hoof is a huge black bull who you know is intelligent just from his eyes and gets a vote in the clan moot - when he came down from Kero Fin, he was riding the ancient Bull, who's virility has given the clan wealth. He eats, sleeps and worships with Black Hoof, who is as close as any family. Black Hoof can talk, but only to the old Priest and to Initiates of Bull cults (Urox, Uralda, Barntar).

As far as integrating with the PCs, perhaps there could be a cousin relationship, or one of the PCs could be a son of his dead wife through a year marraige or some kind of other arrangement. Another alternative is for Helvam to be the spiritual advisor of the band of PCs, lending wise counsel and good breath to hot blooded young warriors. I'll make more specific comments as I review the other PCs and their backstories.

I think Sorrowful should be the highest drawback - it's not so much his Lunar enemies or his strained relations with kin that are his problem, but his own sorrow and rage at losing his family, from a foe who won't even acknowledge a proper weregild. Expect much drunkenness and poetry. Also, the Distinguishing Feature should be Sad Mystic.

Your wergild is that of a noble, and your living standard is prosperous. You have a stead near the shrine, with a carl and cottars who provide for you and Black Hoof.

Helvam disdains politics, Kings should rule, not Priests, and he's seen as somewhat in touch too much with the world of the gods. Helvam is preparing for his Devotee heroquest, and hopes to gain Clan support for that. He also wants to explore the Godworld for any stories of Orlanth encountering moon deities. Certainly, there must be a mythic reason why Orlanth has had so much trouble with the Shepelkirt, and a godtime solution.