This is an adventurer's journal (real one written by a PC) from my Mystara campaign... Enjoy or not, if not it's only a delete key away from non-existence...
I force my players to keep their own notes, preserve clues, translate stuff, etc. ... do the rest of the DMs on the list?
Lobelia aka Lobelia Halavov aka the Crusader
by Jonathan NolanClass: Crusader (Fighter-Cleric)
Champion of the Church of Halav, "living symbol of Halav" Level: 9 (equates to XP for 9/9)
1 XP off Level 10
STR 14 DEX 16 INT 10 CHR 11 WIS 11 COMELINESS 19 SOCIAL STANDING 9 - palatine of realm, feared or respected minor noble of equivalent local heroine
Special Abilities (picked up in childhood prior to adventuring) Pick Pockets 15% Hide in Shadows 5% Tightrope Walk 120% Open Locks 10% Find Remove Traps 25% Detect Noise 15% Climb Walls 20% Read Language 0% Move Silently 30% CANNOT IMPROVE ANY SPECIAL ABILITIES - picked up in childhood
Height 6'0"
Weight 180Ibs.
Eyes Brown
Hair Black with White streak
Skin Brass-tinted
Hit Points 59
Armour Class 10, 6 in armour, 2 with shield
2e Saving Throws
DEATH/POIS/PAR 10
RODS 12
PET/POL 11
BREATH 12
SPELLS 13
FEAR 8
HORROR 8
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral with Violent tendencies [OD&D Chaotic]
SKILLS:
Horsemanship 16
Religion (Halav) 22
Song of Halav 25
Magical Item Operation 12
Identify Disease 6
Identify Injury 6
First Aid 12
Herbalism 12
Diagnosis 13
Survival- Desert 18
- Wilderness 16
- Rural 14
- Dungeon 8
- Urban 7
- Swamp 4
Small Unit Tactics 12
Expert Brawler
Specialised with Crossbow & Longsword
skilled in Shield Use, Flurry of Blows, Parry and Blindfighting
POWERS:
*Shield created by Dr. Gilha the Elven "Toymaker" Wizard.
*Vorpal Sword of Halav
Crusader Shield
*4'6" diameter circular [discus] shield *absorbs up to 256 levels of spells it contacts at the will of Lobelia.
These levels are then used to levitate the shield allowing it to be thrown in an otherwise impossible way by Lobelia - bouncing off walls to strike an enemy from behind, thrown in front of companion to block spell or missile fire, ridden on like a surfboard by Lobelia, etc. Each round of use drains a spell level from the shield, plus additional levels per level of spell effect it is equating to, eg Telekinesis type effects like lifting or blocking a heavy object would drain 5 more levels from the shield. There is no penalty for the shield losing all stored levels; that just means Lobelia has to carry it around for a while normally.
*Vorpal Sword of Halav
DMG 1D12+2, doubled versus evil or beastman (humanoid or gnoll) opponents
any target's armour class is treated as AC10 unless the target is protected by an artefact of some sort or a Ninth Level spell
Lobelia had the following adventures and formative experiences: Age 7
her favourite possession vanished leaving her resentful Age 11
she becomes a child prodigy due to her circus skills, especially her ability to flawlessly tightrope walk
Age 12
she is molested by a family friend and this experience twists her mind somewhat
Age 14
she gains a friend - Virchil DeParlay, another local child. Virchil is a boy common in background, wild in upbringing but noble in spirit and together they explore the wilderness and nearby Dragon Woods Age 16
with Virchil she discovers a secret hiding place deep in the Dragon Woods. By this time both of them are adventurers living by their wits and siding with local peasant rebels against the distant nobles who would colonise their wilderness home
Age 17
she is taken in by and trained by a cleric of the Church of Halav and completely indoctrinated. She journeys to a secret temple to the northwest of her home (which is itself west of Sind) and is trained into her super-soldier self.
Se is an ally with the freedom-fighters Lane's Arrows, a company of commoners a la Hereward the Wake and Robin Hood.
Lobelia aka The Crusader is currently preparing to create a stronghold and found an order of Crusaders of Halav with whom she will then quest for the Helm and Shield of Halav, having already won the Vorpal Sword of Halav.
For those of you familiar with comics, Lobelia is a Comedian character who acts more like Captain America. It is fascinating that she just evolved that way in play, picking up the shield after meeting Dr. Gilha and impressing him with her physical charms.
Lobelia is a true child of the chaotic Halav faith, a zealot, a patriot and a freedom fighter, in addition to which she acts out violent fantasies by taking on impossible-odds adventures so long as they involve wiping out "beastmen".
Her player is most pleased with her - not so much for the powers as the clarity of role-playing vision.