Alhaanon

Alhaanon is a former crusader who has since tempered his ideas of justice away from the extreme absolutism of his forerunners. He is played by Bwh (and has been around in varying incarnations since 1992).

Description
Alhaanon is a tall man with broad shoulders and a square face marked with scars and thin lines where older scars have healed. His hair has prematurely greyed, making him appear older than he is. His expressions look as though they've been carved out of granite; a sunny expression from Alhaanon is a quarter-smile. He is clad in full plate armor (in varying states of polish, depending upon how much free time he's had of late) covered by a green tabard bearing Tyr's Scales in gold. His sword is always, always at his side ... but it only comes out in the course of his work.

The paladin's eyes, which generally appear tired, are a deep green with flecks of gold within them. If asked, he'll reply that they were originally brown but were changed when he entered into the True Faith.

Insignia
In addition to his tabard, which bears the symbol of Tyr rather prominently, Alhaanon wears multiple other insignia on his person. The paladin is up-front about his memberships and allegiances, and displays these to avoid any confusion.


 * Two armbands on his left arm:
 * A green one (matching the tabard) with a silver sword point-down - marking him as a Justicar of the Temples of Tyr, giving him the capacity (if not always the authority) to serve as judge and executioner in a matter of law, in places where such rank is recognized;
 * A sky-blue one, with the symbol of Phlan upon it - marking him as an honorary militiaman of the City of Phlan, with the authority of an ordinary city guardsman;
 * One armband on his right arm:
 * A bright yellow one, with the silhouette of a raven in black - marking him as a veteran member of the League of Extraordinary Paladins and a survivor of the Citadel of the Raven;
 * A silver one (added in 1378 DR), marking him as a veteran of the Many-Arrow Siege of Sundabar, in the Silver Marches.

Personality
On a day to day basis, Alhaanon is cordial and generally bemused, if never one for a lot of smiling. He delights at seeing things Just So; his long study and practice of the law gives him a great appreciation for order. While he's known to look the other way when his morally ambiguous companions do something which don't conform to his strict standards, he's also been known to go to extremes in the name of his Faith. (The Alhaanon you never want to meet comes and finds you in an alley a couple of hours before sunrise and beats confessions out of you.)

Mostly, though, Alhaanon defies the stereotype of the stick-in-the-mud paladin ... a welcome relief to those who deal with him on a daily basis, though a thorn in the side of the idealistic clergy.

When The World Was Right And Good
The child Alhan was born to Morhan and Aeona, two poor millers who worked in Peldan's Helm at the edge of Mistledale. As the area is one of constant warfare and tension, Alhan does not remember childhood as a time of laughter and fun. He learned what he could because he knew the world was in grave danger, and his family with it.

When the millers had saved up enough money, they bought a rude cottage at the edge of Ashabenford. The owner of the mill was a cruel taskmaster, but at least they were earning money for a home. Alhan, to escape the tensions of home life and to avoid the teasing of richer children, spent most of his time with Father Witherwill, who oversaw civil cases as a representative from the Abbey of the Just Hammer.

Alhan remembers meeting a boy named Arteus in this timeframe, though they scarcely interacted.

Rebalancing the Scales
When the boy reached an appropriate age, he ran away from home and made his way to the Abbey of the Just Hammer. Father Witherwill was startled (though ultimately unsurprised) to see him there; with his blessing, the boy now calling himself Alhaanon enlisted as a paladin in the service of Tyr. His training would be long and rigorous: his body was tempered by hours of practice, and his mind was leveled by the study of law, religion and tactical warfare.

In 1372 DR, just after Alhaanon had completed his novitiate and been granted full paladin status, the Abbey was attacked by the forces of the Mages' Regal. Father Witherwill coordinated with a group of adventurers called the Wandering Guardians to stop a wizard spy from escaping back to his evil masters. Alhaanon was wounded in the process of defending the Abbey; an encouraging visit from one of the wayward heroes, one Nassim Molrin, bolstered his spirits immensely.

The Legion of the Light
While the details vary, it is believed that Alhaanon fought bravely at the Citadel of the Raven, in the year 1374. In casual conversation, he will freely admit that his entire regiment was destroyed by demons, and that he watched the Flying Fortress fall out of the sky like a dead bird and shatter the bones of a hundred men. Alhaanon does not change what he says, but as he never gives the full story, one cannot be certain of his level of participation.

When the Legion of the Light swooped north out of Cormyr and entered the Dalelands, Alhaanon was among the first to pledge his sword to the cause. Nassim's idealistic example inspired literally thousands to flock to the Triad banner, and the paladin was surprised to find his commanding officer to be none other than Arteus Starshin of Ashabenford. While Arteus was a little younger than he, the youth displayed a great deal of poise and religious confidence. Alhaanon's fervor and strength at arms soon made him Arteus's right-hand man. Indeed, he went with Arteus to consult with a scholar of Ilmatian lore, one Palar, about the amulet his commander possessed.

When the Legion destroyed Zhentil Keep, it was Alhaanon who led the charge against the inhabitants. His company was respected and feared, even inside the Legion, as the mightiest of them. Even Nassim, who now towered large-and-in-charge above them, regarded them with a great deal of pride.

Pride goeth before a fall, and so it was at the Citadel.

When Arteus's company led the charge against the Citadel, they were caught in the middle of the three-way crossfire between Gods. Alhaanon knew no fear, but he realized, in that moment, that their idealism had left them overextended. He tried to pull his company back, but it was too late ... the Clerics of Bane and Cyric slew half of them in the opening five minutes of the battle.

Soon horseless, Alhaanon saw Arteus's inert body on the ground. He scooped up his leader ... and found himself in a clearing as Nassim and Fzoul strode toward each other. Knowing full well that the battle would be titanic, he grabbed Arteus and ran as far as he could. When next he turned around, only Nassim stood, and the Legion howled it's approval.

The flying fortress, which had been raining molten energy down upon the survivors, let out a terrible groan as its power source vanished ... and then the air above them was filled with the rushing of wind as the structure plummeted from up on high. Alhaanon ran as fast as he could, through angels and demons battling, leaping as the ground erupted underneath his feet, wading through a lake of blood to escape what should have been certain death ...

The Sun's Eye Was As Red As Blood
Clerics of Kelemvor report that Alhaanon was amongst the first survivors rescued out of the Blood Marshes, and that he remained in their care for half a year. The scars would not heal, though, no matter how much they tried.

When the clerics of Kelemvor first arrived, their primary concern had been for the peace of the dead souls ... that there would be survivors attemtping to carve their way out of the horrors of the Blood Marshes caught them off-guard. Indeed, the first wave of survivors was nearly attacked by the well-meaning priests.

Leading the charge, with Arteus Starshin slung over his shoulders like a wounded elk, was Alhaanon. His armor was battered to the point that it was more hole than armor, and his sword had long since snapped ... any undead that rose up before him was bludgeoned back into the ground with the pommel. The wildness in Alhaanon's eyes was ... understandable, although scary nonetheless.

Alhaanon stayed, unconscious, in the base camp of the Priests of the Dead for a solid six months. Arteus, who would not have survived were it not for his right-hand man, paid the clerics to watch him well before leaving Alhaanon with a new sword. The two would not meet again in this lifetime.

After the End of the World
In the past three years, Alhaanon has made a name for himself in the Moonsea region as a tough (but just) practitioner of law and as a guardian of the peace. He settled in Phlan, shortly after his recuperation, and dove right into the redemption of the city. Alhaanon works as a servant of Tyr at The Waiting. His knowledge of law makes him a valuable judiciary official, and his strength at arms makes him one against whom very few will argue. Some of his quarry do show up with broken bones; Alhaanon shrugs them aside as a necessary part of the job.

In truth, Alhaanon's rise through the ranks has been a singular effort of sheer brutality. While his knowledge of the law is well-respected and his diplomatic skills have come in quite handy on behalf of the Church on numerous occasions, several suspects have been beaten within an inch of their lives; that Alhaanon, a paladin, shows no outward remorse is of some concern to the Church ... but none of the deities of the Triad have seen fit to complain, and Alhaanon always has a solid reason for his actions.

Occasionally, Alhaanon travels south into the Dalelands to converse with the heads of Temples and Abbeys ... not because he is the highest-ranking Justicar in the city of Phlan, but because he's most likely to survive an assault by highwaymen or monsters (or worse). He seems to relish this trip, and he usually returns with a larger-than-usual half-smile upon his face.

Following the influx of pilgrims into the city, he gave up his quarters at the temple and moved to The Laughing Goblin Inn.

What Is Right and What Is Just

 * see also: Shrouded Wings

Alhaanon worked diligently in the service of Phlan during the tumultuous month of Alturiak, 1378 DR. With the arrival of Hedjtep Kanut right on the heels of thousands of new pilgrims, the greyguard had his work cut out for him. Still, he had a feeling that something more important could be done.

Then, on the last day of Alturiak, he encountered Anly Starshin, the young sister of his former commander. The young woman was already a Kensai to Ilmater ... but a spoiled, petulant and undisciplined brat with a very obvious case of hero worship. As she was divulging sensitive information into a common room of panicking parishioners, he immediately took her under his wing ... only to make it readily apparently that he would not shy away from the proverbial rod, in his lessons.

The quest for the thief of Nassim's artifacts led him through Cormanthor and into the Silver Marches, where several discoveries came to light. Firstly, the cleric Malcomm had served the enemy well by misleading the adventurers (Anly, Traim and Michael Illent). Secondly, the thief, one Oryn Silverrain, had animated Nassim's body and sent it to lead an orcish invasion into the Silver Marches.

Confectus Tenabrae's arrival proved most fortunate, as the archer was able to slay many orcs and wound the dragons guarding them. Nassim's body leapt from the back of a dragon, though, and assaulted the ranger. Ultimately, it was Alhaanon who drove the killing blow home, acknowledging that the body beneath his feet was not the man he had followed.

The Siege of Sundabar lasted for several weeks -- but through extensive use of arrows and magic, the orcs eventually left a trail of the dead as they marched back into the northern mountains, defeated once more. All the soldiers were decorated, but Alhaanon -- not content to remain in the March -- refused a Baronetcy for his service.

Instead, once he was sure Anly had learned all the lessons she needed to mature into a responsible leader, he moved south.

Present Day
In the present, Alhaanon is seeking to atone for his contributions at the Great Battle, and so he is looking for a town or city in need of a guiding hand ... one that will appreciate his stern but fair nature.

The End: 1415 DR
Eventually, Alhaanon makes his way south to the burgeoning country of Elturgard, where he put his knowledge of law and justice to work in a post-Tyr world. He lived long enough to see Berdusk welcome the aid of Amauntor's Gift and, feeling he had done all he could do, passed on at the age of 69.

The paladin was laid to rest in a mausoleum in Elturel, the capital of Elturgard; the armor and the armbands (seven by the time of his death) remain there to this day. He had no family, but his words and deeds inspired many youngsters to join the ranks of the Knighthood and wear the sigil of the Companion with pride.

Alhaanon As An NPC
''Alhaanon was a Supporting Character in the campaign in Phlan. Anyone wishing to use him prior to that year, especially prior to the Citadel of the Raven, should consult with the DM and/or the Player before doing so.''

Agenda and Goals
Alhaanon, as a character, is an exploration in terms of recovery. He is, for the time being, a soldier whose Great War is over, and he finds himself a bit at odds with the world moving beyond that catastrophic moment in time. He has no personal goals, other than to do the best job he can; his goals for the world, while not quite as absolute as Nassim's were, are similar: he wants the world to be a better place by the time he leaves it.