Minerva was a character that had a long and extensive backstory before I ever played her in a DnD campaign. Her backstory was that she was a lawful good paladin in a homebrew world of our own making, Terra. In Terra her diety was the Rose Queen, a generic goddess of Life, Love and general goodness. Very Lawful good. Minerva had lived a life of service in the Order of the Rose. Mostly involved slaying of undead, Killing baddies etc etc. During a raid on a cult she was captured and cursed into becoming undead herself. After this she Renounced her goddess, and became an Oathbreaker Paladin.
This was where the story began for her in the campaign. When the other players Met Minerva, she was very reluctant to join them. At this point she had already been an Oathbreaker, and she didn’t really want the others to know she was undead. For several nights of in game time, about a week and a half, she never took her armor off or ate. Because other humans aren’t idiots they caught on that something was weird, and after enough convincing and pestering, they managed to get her to reveal her Undead condition. White hair, pale skin, glossed eyes. She wasn’t pretty either, not like vampires. Her skin was drawn across her bone and her eyes were sunken. They didn’t ask any questions, as she had proven herself a caring individual at this point. She may not have believed in her goddess anymore, but that didn’t mean she didn’t believe in her values anymore.
She would go from place to place with the party and assist in stopping baddies, when in town never taking off her armor. Soon she was called ‘The Black Knight’. A name I really liked. To clarify, the BBEG of this story was a Lich, with an undead army trying to conquer the lands. Currently they were residing in a Dwarf Kingdom, attempting to reforge a legendary blade. The Lich had destroyed the weapon so he couldn’t be stopped and essentially it was the player’s job to find a way to reforge it.
Her relationship with the party grew. She would frequently make them breakfast, not being able to sleep and enjoying cooking despite not being able to eat herself. Not like the others at least. She had come to love them very much, or as much as an undead could. She would frequently check up on them to see how they were doing, and even had a saying. ‘Sometimes the Brightest lights are found in the Darkest Places.’ Cheesy I know, but very fitting ot her character.
She was always the first to put herself in between innocents and danger. She would consistantly be willing to sacrifice herself, even if it meant one other person would be ok. She once split from the party and when they found her again she was leading a group of children who’s parents had become zombies away from the fight so they didn’t have to see their parents die again.
Sadly she ended up falling to a Command Undead Ability of the Lich’s. With the party already having fought a Dracolich, (with the aid of some artillery and the like), they were in no place to fight another battle as well. Regardless, it happened. Right in the Dwarven Throne room none the less. The whole time she fought and fought and fought to gain control over herself, then as she was about to direct a death blow against the rogue of the party, she finally succeeded in momentarily breaking free and turning the blade on herself. Sacrificing her life so that her friends could live.
During her last few moments she stumbled backwards and collapsed upon the throne, sighing her last few breaths out and trying to speak. The Elven ranger from before comforted her as she passed, “No, don’t talk Minny. Save your strength.” He said.
“I’m sorry… I really am. I wish I was stronger, maybe I could have prevented this.” She said between breaths, “Thank you, for being part of my life. Even until the end. Thanks to you I was able to forget that I was cursed, if only for brief moments.” Then she paused to let her words sink in, “I think I loved you, I think I would have… If I were alive I could have loved you…” With that her last words were spoken and her head slumped against the throne.
A few moments passed as the party thought about what had just happened. Then a golden light could be seen entering the room. The Rose Queen herself appeared before the party, her angelic feathers slumped low as she approached the throne. A hood drawn over her face. Gently she picked up the Paladin’s Corpse, “You may have lost your faith in me my child,” She said sadly as she held Minerva’s corpse, “But I never gave up on you.” And then the goddess left the room, leaving the party bewildered and amazed at what had happened.
[zombify_post]
0 Comments