Ignatius
The old Knight sat in the corner of a wretched Gaddarian tavern, consuming ale and staring blankly out the window. This was how almost every day had passed for him lately. With every mug, his conscience protested more insistently, yet simultaneously, he had less spiritual strength to finally abandon his sinful habit, turn back to the Lord, and change something in his life.
Ignatius felt old age approaching. Each month, his heart troubled him more often, his joints bent worse, and his back ached more. But that was not the most terrible part. It was not only the Knight's body that grew old; his spirit aged as well. He had less and less strength and desire to live. Now Ignatius existed no longer in the present, but in the past. Every day, all of his former life seemed to scroll before his eyes, while what happened in the real world was not perceived by him at all.
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Here is his youth. He is the son of a petty Kalevrit landowner. Every day he is taught literacy, theological sciences, and martial arts. At seventeen, he leaves his father's house and becomes a soldier in the service of the bishop.
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The second year of service. Early wake-up call, breakfast, training. Everything as usual. Until the moment the commander announces the start of an organized Geirteian raid on Kalevritia. Ignatius, along with the other soldiers, sets out on the campaign.
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The first real battle. He receives his first combat wound and commits the first killing in his life. These memories, though old, he still sees vividly.
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He has already entered his fourth decade. For faithful service and military feats, the bishop grants him the title of Knight and gifts him a portion of his lands (though more than modest). A couple of years later, Ignatius married; another three years later, a daughter was born. For a time, he lived a quiet, settled life, only occasionally leaving his estate to fulfill his military duty.
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He is about fifty. A messenger arrives at his manor and announces that the archbishop has issued an order for a military campaign into southern Eternia, aimed at destroying non-humans in general and the most abominable among them—the inhabitants of Teios in particular. Naturally, Ignatius, as befits a true Kalevrit, agreed without hesitation to take part in the holy crusade.
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After a couple of months, the Kalevrits reached the orc steppes. Attempts to find a large settlement of non-humans led nowhere; the Knights had to settle for the opportunity to slaughter a few small tribes who were unlucky enough to encounter a five-thousand-strong detachment of Kalevrits on their path.
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A few more months later, the Knights reached the central part of southern Eternia. And then they finally faced real difficulties. First, it turned out that they had miscalculated the necessary amount of provisions, and there might not be enough for the return journey. Rations had to be cut. Second, almost everyone was struck by a mysterious illness: a rash appeared on the body, gums began to bleed, and teeth started falling out. Third, sandstorms and quicksands claimed many lives. All this undermined the morale of the army.
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A little over a year had passed since the start of the campaign. While wandering through the desert, the Kalevrits stumbled upon a Shunian city. Capturing this haven of sin was not easy. Attempts to storm the city "head-on" failed. Then the Kalevrits dug a tunnel under the city wall, thereby provoking the foundation to sink and the wall to collapse. The Knights burst into the city, slaughtered everyone who resisted—and those who did not resist as well—destroyed temples and altars of false Shunian gods, burned and demolished everything possible, and with a sense of duty fulfilled, rode off into the sunset.
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The campaign had lasted about two years. During this time, the Knights suffered serious losses: only a third of their original number remained.
After some time, they saw ahead... alas, not volcanoes at all, but swamps. A decision was made to go through the swamps: they were supposed to end soon, and Teios should be beyond them.
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The swamp met the Knights even more inhospitably than the desert. Insects, snakes, and mire. But the real horrors were still ahead. Throughout the journey, the Kalevrits felt the presence of some evil mind. They also saw strange monsters; some were ready to swear that living dead wandered through the swamp. Some went mad. Ignatius himself remembers a certain obsessive whisper in his head and insane hallucinations.
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After some time, the Knights discovered they were lost and had split into several groups. And then... Ignatius saw a strange man. A kind of strange aura emanated from him, paralyzing and stripping away one's will...
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Suddenly, Ignatius seemed to wake from a deep sleep. He found that he and his detachment were already in a completely different place, and they were following this man. He looked back at the soldiers—a certain detached expression was frozen on their faces, and like obedient zombies, they followed the sorcerer.
Ignatius did not hesitate for a second. He understood everything about this man. The Knight grabbed the sorcerer by the head and with all his might slammed the freak against the nearest stone. An unpleasant sound of cracking bone was heard. Ignatius's comrades came to their senses.
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It was not easy to get out of the swamps. Warlocks did not want to let their prey go. Nevertheless, Ignatius and a dozen other people managed to leave there alive and reach a settlement of desert dwellers. The desert folk shared a small amount of supplies with the Knights, and now they could return home.
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The return to Kalevritia could in no way be called triumphant. Out of five thousand people, six returned. But for Ignatius, the troubles were not over. Heading to his manor, he was certain that a loving wife and daughter would greet him at home, but instead, he found only ashes where his estate had been. As it was later explained to him, while he was on the campaign, the Geirteians came and burned everything. Well yes, for him, this changes things fundamentally...
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He left Kalevritia. Moved to Illiniar. For some time, he worked at a leather factory. Then he quit his job. Then he started drinking himself into oblivion. Then... That's it, the memories are over. The ale is too. Need to order more.
Staggering, Ignatius approached the innkeeper.
-- A... Eh... Ale...
-- What f***ing ale do you want now?! Did you pay for those five mugs, you drunken piece of s**t?
-- I-I-I... ve... teran. Me... no pay.
-- You're a dumbass, not a veteran. Hey, boys, throw him out of here!
The boys came, grabbed Ignatius, threw him into the street and shoved his face into a trough.
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He woke up in the morning. The first thing he saw was the concerned face of some young girl.
-- Grandfather, are you all right?
-- Huh? What? -- Ignatius asked fearfully.
-- Is everything okay?
-- Um... Yes.
-- Can I help you? -- the girl held out her hand to "grandfather".
-- No... Thank you. -- Ignatius barely rose from the ground. How his joints ached.
-- Well then, may the Lord be with you, -- with these words she left.
-- The Lord... My God, what am I doing?! -- suddenly shouted Ignatius, falling to his knees. -- What am I wasting my life on? In what terrible sin have I wallowed! Is it my mission to sit in a tavern?
On this day, the Knight seemed to rise from the dead. Rising from his knees, he headed with a light and quick step first to the barber—to tidy up his face, then to the blacksmith—to put his chainmail and weapons in order, and finally to the headquarters of the "Lunai" organization; it was with the help of this organization that he planned to begin his journey. The time had come to take up arms again and bring goodness and light into the world in the name of the Lord.
Ignatius had never felt so young.
Nationality: kalevrit
Characteristics:Strength -- 20
Endurance -- 16
Agility -- 15
Perception -- 7
Speed -- 10
Willpower -- 11
Wisdom -- 11
Skills:Paladin
Faith.
Rebirth.Two-handed weapons
1st rank.
2nd rank.
CleaveEquipment: chainmail, blessed two-handed sword, knife, travel junk.
Ple-Sen
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