Berkfeld Stormshield

Berkfeld Stormshield, Paladin of Lykora
Berkfeld Stormshield of House Erulan
Alias	Berk; Stormshield
Class	Paladin
Race	Human
Hometown	Ardennes Valley
17|813|Monos|5|870|dr}}
Gender	Male
Height	5'8"
Weight	170
Alignment	Lawful Good
Deity	Lykora
Quote	"Come, Oethecar. Face the wrath of The Law Goddess, and forever be damned!"

Sir Berkfeld Stormshield was a Scion of Lykora, who lived from 813 DR [389 WE] to 870 DR [446 WE] . Born in the Ardennes Valley area. He is most well known in history as being the man who slew Kaiser Oethecar, the Emperor Blackguard, in single combat on the field of battle.

History

Youth

Berkfeld Stormshield was born Berkfeld Erulan, the only child of Lady Belinda Purifier-Erulan, in early spring 813 DR [389 WE] . As with all of the Children of Scions, Berkfeld began his studies and training to succeed his mother at an early age. He was forced to take up the mantle of a Paladin at a the young age of 18, following his mother's death at the hands of the red dragon, Vexana, in the Dragon's Breech. Berkfeld took the last name Stormshield and made his Quest of the Holy Sword strike down the dragon and recover his mother's corpse for a proper burial.

Vexana

Berkfeld, barely 20 years old, set out to destroy the dragon that had killed his mother. Rather than charge in foolishly, he spent over a decade studying dragons and assembling a team of warriors to take the ancient creature down. There were concerns amongst his peers that his dogged determination may turn to an maddening obsession, and ignoring a call from them to explain his obsession to the Council of Scions, took the dragon on with his mercenaries. The battle was long and hard, but Berkfeld and his assembled warriors were successful. He was able to recover the skeletal remains of his mother and had The Final Rites properly administered upon them.

Punishment

After Vexana's death, Berkfeld appeared before the council, who took a dim view of ignoring their commandment. As punishment for ignoring the call of the Council, Berkfeld was tasked with a holy quest by the Council. He was to find and pass proper judgement upon Kaiser Oethecar, the leader of the fledgling Gallantrian empire, who had demonstrated strange and dark powers. Berkfeld sought Oethecar out and found him preparing an attack on Windfall Valley and the Gal that lived there.

Confrontation with Oethecar

Berkfeld, using his position as a Scion of Lykora, sought an audience with the Gallantrian Emperor and was allowed in as a matter of courtesy, though he quickly wore out his welcome. Berkfeld could tell immediately the emperor was in league with some demonic force, but still debated with the him heatedly. Before the two could come to blows, he was thrown out of the camp. That night, he approached the leaders of the badly outnumbered people of the Valley, and offered his services to them, so long as he was allowed to seek out Oethecar and take him on personally. Altgraf Reyon, the ruler of the valley agreed, welcoming any assistance he could muster against the Emperor's superior force.

The battle took place early the next morning. Reyon assembled his soldiers in a horse shoe shape around the entrance to the valley, and allowed the emperor to come to him. Berkfeld, his sights fixed on the emperor's unit, made his way through the flanks of Oethecar's forces in the chaos of battle and challenged the emperor to combat. The two dismounted and went blade to blade. Berkfeld, wielding his family's ancestral bastard sword and Oethecar a massive two-hander. Berkfeld, had the light of Lykora on his side, and Oethecar did his best to counter the holy man with his own dark powers, but found himself to be sorely outmatched in that area. The two fought for several minutes, and the gathered armies even halted in their battle to watch the two trade blows. Both wounded and near exhaustion, Oethecar made a fatal mistake, opening himself up to a beheading by Berkfeld. The battle field was silent for several minutes, and one of Oethecar's generals approached Berkfeld, sword drawn. The paladin was far too worn to properly defend himself, but still moved to stand. The general then dropped to his knee before the paladin, and presented his sword to him, proclaiming Berkfeld the rightful successor to Oethecar.

Berkfeld acepted the general's weapon, and quickly ordered the battle to be ceased, and immediately went before Reyon. There he handed the general's weapon to the Altgraf, and declared he was abdicating the position as emperor to his host, who graciously accepted. His only request was that he be allowed to stay in the new emperor's court, the help root out the corruption of Oethecar and ensure it did not spread any further.

Post-Confrontation & Death

Berkfeld spent the remainder of his days in relative peace in Gallans, marrying a Gallantrian woman who bore him a daughter, which he named after his mother. He worked tirelessly to spread the word of Lykora among the population of Gallans, and root out corruption and evil influences among the nobles of the imperial court. While there he also established the temple that would one day grow into the Great Court, the center of Lykora's worship in all of the continent. He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 56 on 5 Monos 870 DR [446 WE] . He was interred in the crypt below The Great Court, and his name struck from the Great Rolls.