Iconics: Theobald from Bononia
The introduction to the iconic characters continues with Theobald, cleric. The Church, in the world of Of Iron & Thorns is one and indivisible.
After the Battle of Milvian Bridge in the Second Era, the Church established itself as the Universal Imperial religion and since then, it has brutally and effectively suppressed every schism and heresy. Not only through a methodical eradication of heretics, but also through the manifestation of divine power in various forms. Damnation and holiness are real and concrete forces, visible to everyone in the form of mutations of human beings and the Order of Things. Immortal saints walk the earth, deformed creatures who were once members of heretical cults lead lives of misery far from the Light of God. After the Battle of Tours, the enemies of the True Faith have been rejected from the Empire once and for all. With the coronation of Charlemagne, the Second Era ends and the Church definitively establishes its temporal power over the lands of the Empire through its champion, the Holy Roman Emperor, a trascended human clad in an armor of pure gold and light who wields the flaming sword of the Archangel
“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”.
Genesis 3:24
Wherever the Church is mentioned, it means a religion akin to our world’s Christianity, whose foundations reside in the book known as the Holy Bible, similar but at the same time unlike the real-world version. The Holy Book consists of holy texts, to which must be added the Mysteries from the Beyond revealed by the apostles, ancient creatures in stasis, now inhabiting desiccated bodies but still vibrant with divine energy. Their language is Enochian, the language of angels, and their bodies still whisper tales of otherworldly places, divine circles of light, and events yet to come. All these texts are kept in Rome, transcribed by a caste of monks who have taken a vow of silence, dedicated solely to the archiving and classification of the Mysteries.
Adept in the interpretation of Mysteries and channeling of divine energy, the clerics in Of Iron & Thorns benefit from the universal law called Pax Et Treuga Dei (The Peace and Truce of God). No citizen of the Empire, who has received a baptism, can willingly strike a cleric. This is not merely a theoretical limitation, but a material one. He is physically unable to cause him harm. In addition, clerics have difficulty entering consecrated lands, can operate healing magics by invoking divine power that are not accessible to cerusicians and healers, and are the only ones able to heal spiritual wounds, or perform exorcisms.
They also usually have access to the libraries and knowledge, and they can also access holy places normally forbidden to the non-ordained. Clerics who lose points of holiness and do not obtain an atonement, who should go down the path of damnation, suffer terrible consequences, although Satan protects them particularly effectively so that heresy can flourish within the Church. After the Night of Shrieks, the Church is itself divided between the Papacy and the Empire, and rumors say it is only a matter of time before the Emperor elects his own Antipope.
Monastic orders are many, the most famous currently being the Keepers of the Word of Christ in Rome in charge of the archives, the militant order of the Black Cross based in Bologna, which guards the monsters in the megadungeon under the city, and the inquisitors who beat the wilderness during God’s Truce when anointed peoples cannot wage war against each other.
Once more, you will find, the humoral stats in Theobald’s character sheet.
Father Theobald
Medium humanoid (human), lawful neutral, baptized Patron: The Universal Church Sainthood: 0
Armor Class: 14 (chain mail) Hit Points: 27 (5d8 + 5) Speed: 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 13 (+1) |
Skills: Medicine +5, Religion +5, Insight +4 Senses: Passive Perception 14 Languages: Common, Enochian (language of angels) Equipment: Chain mail, mace, crucifix, vestments, sticks of incense, common clothes, belt pouch containing 10 GP
Features and Traits:
- Channel Divinity: Turn Undead: As an action, can present holy symbol to turn undead within 30 feet.
- Healing Hands: Can touch a creature to restore a number of hit points equal to his level.
- Pax Et Treuga Dei: Protected by the universal law that prevents baptized citizens of the Empire from causing harm to him.
- Access to Mysteries: Can interpret Enochian texts and has access to archives and holy places.
- Holy Protection: Has advantage on saving throws against negative effects related to spiritual wounds or exorcisms.
- Heretical Resistance: Protected against heretical influence; suffers consequences if deviating from the path of holiness.
- Mystic Knowledge: Can perform healing magics unique to clerics, not accessible to ordinary healers.
Actions:
- Mace: Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning damage.
- Spellcasting: Father Theobald is a 5th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following cleric spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): Light, Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy
- 1st level (4 slots): Cure Wounds, Guiding Bolt, Shield of Faith
- 2nd level (3 slots): Lesser Restoration, Spiritual Weapon
- 3rd level (2 slots): Dispel Magic, Revivify
Personality
Father Theobald is a dedicated cleric, deeply committed to his faith and the Church. He is knowledgeable in the interpretation of Mysteries and is skilled in channeling divine energy. Compassionate and wise, he provides guidance and healing to those in need, while remaining steadfast in his defense against heresy and darkness. Belonging to the Order of the Benedictines, particularly a branch that specializes in combating supernatural evils. He has a strong theological and intellectual foundation.
Father Theobald’s specialization within the Benedictine Order is in demonology and angelology – the study of demons and angels enabling him to identify, understand, and combat various supernatural entities effectively.
History
Father Theobald has devoted many years to the Church, acquiring profound knowledge along the way. He has been a firsthand witness to the palpable forces of holiness and damnation within the Empire, dedicating his existence to maintaining the Church’s teachings. His steadfast faith, coupled with his skill in deciphering Enochian texts, renders him an invaluable ally in the perpetual conflict between light and darkness.
Father Theobald was ostracized from his monastery for extending aid to Corio, the converted Celt. Subsequently, he joined the company of Floramonda Malvasia, driven by mutual objectives to combat supernatural threats. His expertise as a scholar and spiritual mentor enhances the combat capabilities of the company. The premonitory powers of the Malvasia house, possessed by Floramonda, advised her to welcome the monk and the Celt into their ranks. To date, she has had no cause for regret.
Description
Father Theobald has deeply set eyes, reflecting his vast experience and knowledge of religious mysteries, conveying a sense of understanding and compassion. His face bears the marks of the disciplined life of a clergyman, waking up several times day and night to pray as written in the Rule. His hair is black, neatly maintained except for the distinctive tonsure, a traditional mark of his clerical status, where the top of his head is shaved. He is dressed in traditional clerical vestments, brown and unadorned, and he wears his crucifix with rosary beads around his neck or belt. Adhering to the principle of “sine effusione sanguinis,” (“without shedding blood”), Father Theobald carries a blunt mace.
