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Well the only thing I can comment on about
this Martyr is that my players may get confused between him and me when he
comes up in conversation. Yuri -----Original Message----- WIth Nick Zachariasen posting a templar saint
aimed at mercy and forgiveness more than combat I suddenly remembered I had
made a martyr in a similar vein. I thought I'd post it (I posted an
earlier version months back but he's changed and while the issues
up...). I've got loads more where he came from too so if anyone is
interested I could post them up. And Nick now you can tear me apart...;) Yuri Reikov, Saint of Redemption Yuri
Reikov’s tale is as tragic as it is inspiring. Reikov was a Russian
colonel assigned to America in the Last War and like so many other foreign
soldiers he became stuck in America following the Apocalypse. A kind soul by
nature, Reikov spent the next few years following the Apocalypse helping out
settlements by defending them from attacks by muties, gangs or the Black Hats.
While resting in one town in 2089 he heard a tale about a Templar refusing to
help a survivor settlement from a Croaker attack because the settlement
didn’t help other settlements when they needed aid. Reikov was disgusted
that such a group as the Templars, who called themselves a force of Good would
allow innocents to suffer. It was soon after this that he first heard of the
Anti-Templars. Led by a former Templar named Modeen the Destroyer, the
Anti-Templars were the sort of group that attracted Reikov because they pledged
to defend all innocents. Reikov
joined them and became a member of high standing. It
was soon after this that Modeen announced he had discovered a way for the
Anti-Templars to truly become the greatest force of Good in the Wasted West. He
had learned how to channel the Reckoners power through himself, not only using
it for Good in itself, but also draining the power from the Reckoners, making
them weaker. Reikov had seen War ride through Kansas, he had seen the evil that
radiated from War, he knew the other Reckoners were also at least that evil. It
was there that he knew the Anti-Templars were no longer a force of Good but a
tool of evil. He spoke up, saying that if any Anti-Templar attempted to use the
power of the Reckoners then they would eventually become nothing more than
servants of evil. Modeen laughed this off, saying that Reikov sounded like a
cowardly Templar. It was there that Reikov took fate into his own hands. With
great care he removed his black tabard, folded it and then put it on the ground
in front of Modeen. He announced he would travel to Boise to seek forgiveness
from the Templars and attempt to join them if he could. He mightn’t have
agreed with all they believed in but he knew they were the best hope of
defeating the Reckoners. On
that journey to Boise Reikov dreamt of his own demise. As
he reached the outskirts of Boise a pair of Anti-Templars sent by Modeen to
kill the traitor attacked him and managed to mortally wound him before he
escaped into the maelstrom. Reikov staggered into the Town Square before
collapsing. His last words before he died were heard to be "I am
redeemed." The
Deed: Reikov
appears to Templars who find their conscience guiding them to acts of mercy
that would be frowned on. He reminds them of the Oaths and the Path of the
Templar but reminds them that mercy is the the greatest act of valour. As a
result of this he has appeared to Templars who have found themselve black-balled
for saving people normally considered unworthy. Reikov has also strangely
appeared before an Anti-Templar who like himself was repulsed by how evil the
Anti-Templars became over time. He showed this man the path to Boise and told
him to seek forgiveness from the Templars. The man did so and has actually
become a great Templar. This is the only case of any Martyr appearing before an
Anti-Templar. Yuri
Reikov, Saint of Redemption In
the military Reikov often had to struggle with his conscience in the never-ending
wars in the Balkans the Russians were invariably drawn into. His sense of duty
told him that it was necessary to pacify the Balkans to ensure safety at home
while his heart told him such killing was wrong. Such struggles with his
conscience plagued him after the Last War, but in the end he felt he made the
right choice even though it meant his death. Those Templars who must make such
decisions mightn’t find Saint Reikov’s presence a particularly
comforting one but they know his presence helps them make the right choice in
the end. Deed: Saint Reikov will appear before any
Templar who is Blackballed or performs a deed that would normally have them
black-balled but truly believes what she did was the right thing. Saint Reikov
will also appear to any Anti-Templar who actually leaves the Anti-Templars
because he believes them to be evil as long as he will instead attempt to join
the Templars. White: Templars’ blessed by Saint
Reikov can be real lifesavers but they won’t be the ones laughing. By
spending a white chip when an ally takes a wound, the Templar takes the injury
instead! It doesn’t matter whether this can be explained or not, it just
happens. You don’t need to vamoose to use this ability though it will
only take one wound if the person suffers more than that from the attack. Red: By spending a red chip the Templar
can prevent the Marshal from negating wounds that a Templar, Squire or
Companion (including the hero) dealt. In order to do this the Blessed Templar
simply throws the red chip back into the pot as soon as the Marshal announces
his intention to use chips to prevent some or all of the wounds to stop the
Marshal from actually being able to prevent those particular wounds. This nifty
ability can only be used once per round Blue: By spending a blue chip, the
Templar gains a greater reward of her choice for her faith in hours. She doesn’t have to have the reward at
level 5 (or at all for that matter) but can only have this ability active once
at any one time. Legend: "You haven’t finished
walking the path of Redemption yet." When
the Templar dies she may spend a Legend Chip to automatically return Harrowed.
Not only that but she returns with total Dominion. Vexation: Reikov will forsake any Templar who
deliberately harms an innocent even if it is for the "Greater Good".
If Reikov blesses an Anti-Templar then he will remove that blessing if the
Anti-Templar fails to attempt to join the Templars (Any former Anti-Templar
blessed by Reikov is automatically accepted by the Templars. Reikov is a good
judge of character.) |