The Templar

Jules D’armond paced the grounds of St. George. The Reverend Mother had retreated to her room for prayer and truth be known, to seek solace from the young templar-in-training. Some young men and women take holy orders to become leaders in the church. Others take up arms to protect it. Jules was a D’armond. His family had a tradition of taking up the mace for Eos. He was also a cousin to the Reverend Mother.

Jules wanted to do more than his current assigned duties. Transporting elderly townsfolk to church, carting the orphans to the river to fish, and occasionally shooing away Cornwall’s chicken hut was not quite the adventure Jules had wanted. He knew that he was only a novice, but he still pressed Mother Patience for more important duties.

Jules wanted to travel the north road, protecting pilgrims as they made their way to St. Alban’s monastery. Trouble is, no one seemed to want to go north. The road was wild now and pilgrims were staying home. Recently, goblins have been roaming the area and Sheriff Briarfoot had made a call for adventurers to help. Jules was chomping at the bit to travel with a group to explore Fort Halberd, but his obedience to Mother Patience was part of his training and kept him in check. He had heard tell of a shrine to a long dead saint and was begging the Reverend Mother to tell him more about this site. She had balked at Jules’ insistence to travel the north road and find the shrine. All things in their own time, Jules. she would tell him until it became almost a mantra.

Jules thought about what she’d said. When his temper cooled and he cleared his mind, he knew it made sense. He hardly had the equipment to begin his training…a used set of chain mail, a battered but carefully repaired shield with the symbol of Eos painted on it, and a worn mace. No horse, no pilgrims–just a strong-willed reverend mother and a plow horse and cart for giving rides to parishioners on muddy days.

Mother Patience sat at her desk, thinking about her young cousin. She had no doubt that he would grow into a stalwart defender of the church, but he was too headstrong. She smiled at that notion. He is too much like me, the D’armond blood runs strong. She knew that one day soon, he would be traveling into the wild.

Some game notes on Jules D’armond

1. He is a templar-in-training. In Pits & Perils terms, he is a 1st level cleric. Jules has strong faith in Eos and was granted powers per the cleric rules.
2. As a cleric of Eos, Jules has taken holy orders. The vows require him to live a life of simplicity, a vow of poverty (having no material goods beyond what is needed to perform his duty), and to remain chaste. Templars are not forbidden to wed, but his vow of chastity prevented him from intimacy until wed. Jules, like other templars, must shed no blood. Sharp weapons of any kind are not permitted. Also, violence must be measured in proportion to the situation. The path of Eos is always paramount.
3. As a templar-in-training he is under the direct orders of the Knight-Commander of the Templars. This unfortunately this was his uncle, Corin D’armond. Jules was chosen to serve Mother Patience as the D’armond family tradition continues.