Vili Goodhammer

[eriktd]

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Dwarven Hero with Battle Implements and Kissy-face, oil on canvas, 4711 A.R.
art by Ilia Ellion

Name: Vili Goodhammer, Handsome Dwarven Hero
Race: Dwarf
Alignment: Neutral Good
Classes: Cleric (Foundation of Faith / Separatist) // Inquisitor (Preacher / Relic Hunter / Witch Hunter)
Deity: Torag

Description
Vili is obviously very, very proud of his long, luxurious golden hair. It is apparent that he has devoted hours every day to washing, combing, braiding and even waxing it. He believes he is the most handsome dwarf in all of Taldor, and it shows. The pleasant scent of musk and spices travels with him as he typically perfumes his clothes. He carries a dwarven warhammer that is inscribed with glowing runes at his belt, and has a sturdy heavy shield that has painted with the symbol of Torag. He also wears an amulet with Torag's symbol around his neck. His chest is covered by shiny armor that fits him like a glove, but leaves his impressive arm muscles uncovered for general admiration. His voice is deep and breathy and strangely musical. He has a very unsettling gaze, as if he is looking directly into people's souls, so he is careful to keep his eyes half-lidded when he wishes to be more friendly.

Background
The Goodhammers are a large and influential family from Highhelm, made up mostly of smiths and priests of Torag. Vili, of course, was not like the other Goodhammers, preferring to live a hedonistic and adventurous childhood. He had a fondness for humans, and often sought them out against his family's wishes. He would take extended journeys into Taldor to spend the Goodhammer wealth in human taverns and brothels. He would brawl and drink and wrestle and smoke. Vili loved women; Vili loved men; most of all, Vili loved Vili.

On one of these trips, he encountered a human woman who at first sight captured his heart-- or at least his interest. She was fair and comely with white hair beneath her fur-lined cloak and after the two of them had spent quite some time flirting with each other she said she was looking for information about dwarven artifacts associated with the famous Sky Citadels-- artifacts of which Vili had some personal knowledge, having seen them in use at Torag's temple. He agreed to answer her questions, but only if she would share some personal and intimate knowledge of herself with him in return. Disgusted, she cursed Vili and swore in a chilling and ominous voice that because of his vile proposal, neither he nor any of his relatives would be able to father children ever again.

Vili soon recognized the effects of the witch's curse upon himself, but of course he did not reveal the details of the encounter immediately upon his return to Highhelm. But after a year, when the deleterious effects had become apparent to the other male members of the family, ashamedly he confessed all to the family matriarch, his great-aunt the high priest of Torag. As punishment, she ordained that he could either be cast out of the family or put aside his wastrel ways and serve the church. Reluctantly, Vili agreed to join Torag's faithful.

His first task was to discover how to break the curse, for it was too powerful for the priests to overcome. He soon learned that the woman he had offended was likely a white witch of Irrisen, and that according to fairy tales they could capture a person's physical essence in a magical item that they would then use to power their rituals. Vili believes that if he can acquire one of these items and properly destroy it, he could reabsorb his physical essence from the liberated magic and thus break the spell. Or, alternatively, he could kill one of these white witches who was in the process of performing a similar ritual powered by one of these items, and so recover his potency that way.

Vili brought this information to the temple and his great-aunt the high priest. Through auguries and divinations, she was able to confirm that his theory was more or less correct, and that Vili would find a white witch who possesses an item matching this description if he traveled to the village of Heldren in southern Taldor. The omens were vague, but she cautioned him that the signs spoke of a great danger to the entire continent, that he was needed to fight. Adopting the persona of a wandering preacher of Torag's word, Vili set off for Heldren at once, ready to face both the white witches and his destiny.
 

"Backstory Questions"

1.Who are you and where are you from? What do/did you do there? "I'm Vili Goodhammer, from Highhelm, yer excellency," Vili says, eyeing the bespectacled man closely. "True servant of Blessed Torag, as well ye may know. I, er, well, I've been a sort of herald o' the church, charged wit' spreadin' His good word. Might be in the past I kept to a bit o' roundabout path to get there, but get there I did. None o' them to whom I preached ever had cause to complain, I tell you that. Ha!"

2.What do you know of Heldren? What does Heldren know of you? Vili scratches his nose and looks sidelong at the bespectacled man. "Heldren? Ah, it's funny ye should mention it," he says, "for I've myself not heard o' the place until very recently. Me great-aunt prophesied that I would find me destiny in the village of Heldren. Or rather, that I would find th' white witch who holds me destiny in her talons." He scrunches up his face and looks to the heavens to organize his thoughts. "It's in Taldor, aye, to the south a fair way. A bit of a walk, and no mistake! I've been to Taldor many times, though, so I don't mind the journey. Don't think I know anybody from around there." He laughs again. "Some of my kids could live there, I guess, th' ones I don't know anythin' about!"

3.I've heard and seen the early winter in Heldren. What do you think of it? Vili blinks. "Early winter? Ha, that's interesting, I always thought it was warmer in th' south. Probably those witches' work, that sounds like th' sort of thing they do. I'll sort 'em out soon enough!" He throws his hair back and smirks. "Once they get to know me, they won't be able to resist me charms! I know how to melt their cold hearts, it is right on the tip of my tongue. Right beside the holy words of the All-Father, o' course."

4.Would you consider yourself an adventurer? A mercenary? A treasure hunter? If none of those things, then what? Vili smiles slyly. "I'm an adventurer, sure enough. A hero on a heroic quest! But I'm not against takin' a few side trips on th' way. Wouldn't say no to fair payment, neither. Torag teaches that honest work deserves honest wages." He winks. "I'll accept coin or kisses, whatever the Father sends me way."

5.The news of a noblewoman being kidnapped is a terrifying occurrence in such a small village. What terrifies you? "Terrifies me? Why, nothin' can frighten a true servant of Torag, be it creatures from the dark deep, or hordes from the high hills! The Goodhammers are stalwart and steady, always." His bravado falters slowly under the unyielding eye of his interrogator. "Well, now-- you won't say anythin' to anyone? I-- I will say that these witches' works scare me a bit, for I have learned firsthand what they can do with their foul hexes. And it is a frightenin' thing, thinking I might have t' go back to Highhelm in shame, havin' not lifted their curse upon me and me family-- aye, that is a fate I canno' imagine. How can we honor the Father if we can't father, I ask ye? But nay, I must not think it. My quest will succeed, and all will be well again very soon."

6.What does it take for you to consider a stranger an ally? A friend? An enemy? Vili thinks about this question, watching the bespectacled man. "It ain't much," he says finally. "I say mostly it just takes th' stranger treatin' me the same way. Friendly to me? I am the friendliest soul in return. Attack me? Ye won't find a swifter counter. It is written, Torag believes the best attack is in the prepared defense. I always let others make the first mistake, ha." He shakes his hair out of his face and smiles.

7.Time for some hypotheticals. As you're walking through town, you take a wrong turn into a small and quiet side street. You hear a rustle behind and suddenly someone is behind you. Before they can say or do anything, what do you do? Vili laughs. "I always prefer talkin' to fightin'," he grins. "I guess I'd warn 'em that I got Torag's warhammer handy, but that there's lots o' other ways to introduce ourselves. Maybe we don't have to fight?"

8.Now let's twist that question. Instead of a small side street, you turn onto the market's main thoroughfare. Same person, but now this woman has an arm around your shoulder and is acting like your best friend. Vili chortles. "Now this story sounds different, and even though it's probably just more o' the same, I like it better," he says with enthusiasm. "But I'm not keen to grapple until I have some sense o' the stakes. Let's get to know each other better. Is she fleeing someone, or fleecing someone, or does she just recognize greatness when she sees it?" He pauses. "The last, I'm guessin'. Ladies canno' resist a flash o' the Vili gold-- his golden locks! Ha!"

"Build notes"

Vili is a warhammer-focused Relic Hunter inquisitor, which is basically an occultist with inquisitor spells, and a Separatist cleric dedicated to Torag's hitherto-little-known influence on dashing and romantic courtly love. He specializes in dealing with enemy spellcasters, with a combination of attacks of opportunity from Torag's Patient Strikes, the Step Up line of feats, special Witch Hunter abilities, and heightened dwarven resistance to spells. Primarily a tanker, he also makes a fine buffer and striker, and he has lots of useful skills associated with investigation and social interaction (Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Linguistics, Perception, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Survival).

"A Secret!"

Osakabe-hime is the best kitsune.