Lambert Burroughs

Lambert is a kind-hearted and deeply spiritual halfling who came to Phlan in the time of the Shrouded Wings. He was created by Bwh.

Description
Lambert Edwin Burroughs is an inconspicuous specimen of a halfling, standing 3'3" in height and of slender build. Unlike many of his kin (or, rather, hin), his expression is serious ... and always compassionate. His shoulder-length mouse-colored hair is held back by a golden circlet, and grey eyes are visible through the blue-tinted glasses. He appears to be wearing a vestment of white satin with yellow strands arranged in Lathander's sunburst pattern; other articles of clothing, usually in earth tones, finish off his ensemble. A haversack is slung over his shoulders, and wands, rods and pouches hang from his belt.

Personality
Lambert is, all other things being equal, serene. He knows he travels under the watchful eye of his deity; to die simply means awakening to the first post-mortal dawn. His healing nature implies an expansive compassion, and he will often be seen putting the safety of others far above his own. While he speaks in even tones and does his best to remain calm in trying times, his occasionally irascible nature has been known to surface if provoked ... though such lapses vex him.

Beneath this serenity is an unabashed and unyielding desire to help those less fortunate than he. While he takes his duties to his Church seriously, he will set aside something he sees as overtly political in order to assist the injured, regardless of their ability to pay. The sanctity of life is of the utmost importance to him.

History
Public record shows that Lambert was born to loving parents in Sembia. His parents, both merchants and devout followers of Waukeen, brought him up to take over the family business. However, some of their more shrewd business tactics never sat well with Lambert. Despite his mercantile upbringing (or, perhaps, because of it), he ultimately heard the Calling and moved to Saerloon in order to worship Lathander, the Lord of the Morning. His affable manner met with mixed results in the competitive priesthood; his skill, though, allowed him to ascend quickly in the ranks.

Finding A New Life
In truth, a hin with no name left the city of Starmantle after having liquidated all of his former holdings. He did not look back as he boarded a ship; as the sails were unfurled, he tossed an old signet ring, the symbol of his long-distant noble family, into the Sea of Fallen Stars.

On the ship were a few hin; he began practicing their language and learning some of their customs. They were acutely aware of his oddities, but said nothing -- clearly, this was someone being reinvented, and he seemed kind enough. The journey also gave him time to contemplate a direction for himself. His old life was long gone ... and if he was going to atone for the horrible things he had done in the days of darkness, he needed to move as far from that life as possible.

Lathander became the obvious choice.

He passed through the cities of Ordulin and Saerloon, arriving at a Lathanderian Motherhouse dressed as a penitent. He sought out the Temple Cleric there and presented his case: Help me make a new life, and I will fight against the shadows. He was up front about his former position and activities, though he dared not to speak his former name. The clerics were distrusting, of course, but there were spells to enforce the truth and good behaviour; the hin calling himself Lambert even suggested a few to them.

As a result, a young halfling Initiate of Lathander was at the head of the column when fifty Morninglords assaulted the stronghold of the Servants of the Dark Moon. A city block was destroyed, and the Sharrans were killed to the last man. Lambert not only slew some of the Sharran monks, but provided timely healing to his superiors. Indeed, he was far more focused on keeping the others alive than protecting himself.

For a full year, he aided the Church of Lathander in rooting out Sharran corruption in Saerloon, Ordulin and elsewhere in Sembia. In return, the Church used its influence to create a fictional history for the halfling, claiming that the old records had been destroyed. Lambert Burroughs was now far more real than any person he may have been in the past; beyond that, though, he felt good for the first time since his fiancee had died.

A Purpose Beyond Revenge
After the Shadows of Saerloon campaign ended in late 1376 DR, Lambert was officially made a Morninglord. One does not think of it, to look at him, but he is one of the youngest Morninglords in the service of the Lathanderian Church. This title is not bestowed lightly; it requires intense service in the name of fighting evil, alive or dead. Despite the honor of the title and all it carries, the halfling usually ignored as an unnecessary trapping of pride.

He took a moment to reevaluate his course, then spoke to the Lathanderians in Saerloon. He wanted, he said, a chance to help people; while the slaughter of the evil was all well and good, there was more important work to be done. As a result, he applied for a chance to lead a pilgrimage to an area of suffering. The Council, while grateful for his contributions, had been nervous about his prodigious skills and leaped at the opportunity.

In 1377 DR, the Church sent him north to Shadowdale, where a great Church to the Sun God stands. Lambert was the first servant of Lathander on record who has suggested that the gleaming and gold-encrusted building is an affront both to taste and to sanity. His opinion of the building notwithstanding, he served the priesthood there well, working to uncover a subtle Sharran plot against Mourngrym. He has also coordinated, as one of the ranking priests in the Dalelands, to organize assaults against any undead who stray out of the Blood Marshes.

In 1378 DR, he moved north to Phlan as part of his long-delayed Dawn Pilgrimage. For a while, rumors about his presence in Phlan abounded. While the clergy of Lathander have no outward issue with him, as he is always respectful and kind, he has little tolerance for the political frivolity common in any church bureaucracy. Also, Lambert maintains a policy of religious tolerance -- something which goes squarely against the clergy's policies of evangelism, proselytization and conversion to Lathander. It is whispered, though never very loudly, that the Council of Light sent his pilgrimage north just to put the halfling someplace where he couldn't do any damage to church policy.

Healing Hand and Guiding Light

 * see also: Shrouded Wings

In 1378 DR, Lambert Burroughs arrived in Phlan as part of a pilgrimage of Lathander. While his original intent was to establish a small shrine to Lathander, he immediately saw that the beleaguered city had far more pressing needs. He implemented a more practical idea: for a city under constant attack from physical and magical foes, a hospital for the sick and wounded seemed what they most needed. Lambert first tended to the weak and wounded for free from his residence at The Happy Halfling; he met with the Council on the first of Tarsakh, a month after his arrival; the hospital was approved for construction. It was completed in Mirtul of 1378 DR and inaugurated by the bloodbath following the trial of Mozariq al'Soleth.

With the constant in-fighting between political squabblers, the maneuvering of the nobles and the arrogant nature of the would-be adventurer kings operating out of the city, Lambert made his next decision: to help the people of Phlan, he would run for political office. He spoke to all of Phlan about its concerns, noble commoner and transient alike; he spoke about his vision of the city and how best he could help the people help themselves. He opened trade routes across the Moonsea and into the Dalelands, coordinated meetings between the nobles, and worked with Mendor and Mozariq to more thoroughly organize the Scholars' Square.

On the 8th day of Mirtul, Lambert turned down a request to travel into the Abyss to fight demons. This decision would prove to be pivotal for all of Phlan ... because when the demons retaliated, in an attempt to slay resident enigma Denlorn, Lambert was one of the few who were able to help repel the assault. Similarly, Lambert fought against a wave of black dragons who targeted specific areas in Phlan.

By Kythorn of 1378 DR, Lambert has become one of three de facto members of the ad hoc replacement Council, under whose guidance Phlan is slowly recovering.

The Wars of Light and Shadow

 * see also: Vindication of the Merchant Nation

While Lambert was viewed by many as a gods-sent in Phlan, one did not share that sentiment. Unbeknownst to all but a secretive few, a Shadow of Light had been sent to watch the converted soul. This being, while amiable enough, would not hesitate to kill the halfling if his purpose ever strayed.

In Flamerule of 1378 DR, Lambert was prodded into traveling to Sembia. While he was not much interested in traveling on Church business, he was vaguely aware that the Church of Lathander had its shadier side, and this man would not be so prompting him without reason. He went by way of Shadowdale, where he acquired the details of the mission and back-up supplies.

The Champions of Trickery and Loss had joined forces, and Lambert found himself working both with and against an even odder collection of adventurers than the last. It was in the final days of his mission when a staggering battle caught him off-guard. An assassin named Char Fek had been sent by the Sharrans to slay him ... and Vinnrick, a Child of Woe, was standing by to claim the soul of one of the three clerics who had betrayed his name to Grahm Mandalax. He was killed during the battle, but his soul was saved through the quick thinking of Calvin Ford, who teleported the adventurers to safety.

The End: 1479 DR
Lambert lived a long and full life, working tirelessly to improve the conditions in the city of Phlan. When the Spellplague hit, he was the first to move to calm the city and work to bring order to the Mendori School of Magic (which was experiencing some difficulties). And as the Empire of Netheril rose in the southwest, Lambert worked with the Churches of Amauntor and Lathander to fight encroaching Shade activity. The halfling was instrumental in defeating the Netherese at the Battle of Tilverton Scar, and he slew several Netherese assassins over the course of his life.

Lambert Burroughs returned to Phlan at the end of 1478 DR from a trip to Shadowdale; a long meeting with the Amauntori had left him drained, and townsfolk noticed that the venerable hin looked sad and tired. Still, no one was expecting what happened next, even in an era where magic had gone wild.

At sundown on Nightal 30, 1478 DR, Lambert was seen walking into the Shrine of Amauntor where he resided. Onlookers said that at first it seemed a trick of the light ... but then it could not be denied: light was streaming out of the Shrine with enough intensity to rival the sun. For a full hour, the Shrine lit the city of Phlan, drowning out the dead of night--

--and then the light stopped, and the being who had been called Lambert Burroughs for precisely one century was gone.

The Shrine, though, was not empty ...

Lambert As An NPC
''Lambert was a Non-Player Character for the Shrouded Wings and Vindication of the Merchant Nation campaigns. Any use of Lambert in an NPC capacity between 1378 DR and the start of the 4E continuity should be confirmed with a DM and the author first..''

Notes on Domains and Casting

 * Lambert is a Caster level 15 divine caster, with the Chosen Domains of Renewal and Nobility. He is oriented toward Lawful Good, and cannot cast divine spells with the "chaotic" or "evil" descriptor.
 * Lambert is, by nature, a healer; he will stack his prepared spells in such a way as to be able to heal as many people as possible, and will coordinate his gear to improve his healing abilities:
 * Augment Healing: add +2 points per a spell's level to any healing spell cast.
 * Reach Healing: between Metamagic Reach and a Rod of Reach, Lambert can cast healing spells as short-range spells, rather than touch spells.
 * Sacred Healing: spend a turn attempt to grant Fast Healing 3 to all living creatures in a 60-foot radius. Lasts for 5 rounds.
 * Mystical Healing: as ring, above: ECL +1 for Cure Spells, with charges to spend on bonus d6 healing.
 * Granted Ability for Renewal - Life 3: if you fall below 0 hit points, you regain a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your Charisma modifier. This supernatural ability functions once per day. If an attack brings you to -(Constitution score) or fewer hit points, you die before this power takes effect.
 * Granted Ability for Nobility - Sermon: Once per day, you can inspire allies that hear you speak for 1 round. Eeach such ally gains a +1 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks and weapon damage rolls. Using this spell-like ability is a standard action, and the effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma bonus (minimum 1 round).
 * Benefit for Initiate of Lathander - Spontaneous Light: You can spontaneously cast any spell on your spell list that has the light descriptor or the word light in its name, including light, daylight and searing light. this ability works like spontaneously casting cure spells does. (Also, add five spells to the spell pool: Rosemantle, Sunrise, Shield of Lathander, Shield of Lathander (Greater), and Undeath's Eternal Foe.)