The Fantasy Trip: 2 Paladins of Mim

Mim, God of Rains. has a larger following among Dwarves, yet there is not a lack of others who worship this giver of the rains. His Goddess sister-in-Law, Blion Goddes of  Lightening, would seem to be a more fitting partner than her sister Bizma, Goddess of Fire, yet Mim is married to Bizma. Sometimes I do wonder what I was thinking back in college, but perhaps opposites do attract.

Regardless, here is an attempt to give an example of the Paladins of Mim. Mim is not a stickler for the rituals, and is as wild as a summer storm crossing the grasslands of Morta. In the Yoll'Najj Range, south of the Kalor Desert, is the monastery, The Sacred Vine. Seated at the mouth of the Jade Rill which eventually flows to the Cutting Fields and the Mycon Swamps, it is a Dwarven monastery carved into the very range itself, with chambers deep in the bedrock. The massive stone doors have vines carved into them, with a cross and shield in the center of each.

The monastery has one of the largest libraries devoted to Mim, but also a variety of other texts, both mundane, and magical, are in the three story library chambers. Both wizards and clerics are here, along with a large supporting staff of monks, cooks, gardeners and others. It also has a strong martial arts training facility to learn the fighting skills necessary to be a Paladin of Mim. While devoted to Mim, it is also a source of employment for the few nearby villages. While winters can be harsh, the summers in the mountains bring about fresh air and cool temperatures. Some peaks never lose their snow in the shadows.  Additionally, there is an armory and three Dwarven blacksmiths that forge the mystical armor for the Paladins of Mim.

A new applicant to the monastery is a novice. Then the acolytes, then it depends on where the character wants to go next. To be a paladin requires some more worldly arts and trains more heavily in the combat arts but still has the priestly aspects to spread about the glory of Mim.

Paladins train at least a year to reach acolyte level. This involves both physical and scholastic training. Paladins of Mim often end up as healers despite the bevy of weapons they are trained in. The Sacred Vine promotes the healing more through culinary arts - the meal spell is one that many paladins in training pick up.

After they achieve acolyte level, they are often given a year for a holy sojourn, visiting other monasteries and shrines, and doing the upkeep for those locations. Shrines to Mim are often buried deep in woods and out of the way places, but always by running water. Other gods and goddesses don't always get along, and often shrines are attacked by other followers from other religious or magical groups.

For a more thorough review of religious hierarchies, this is an interesting link. I may have to expand things out even more - my blogs tend to be more of a stream of conciousness than planned out.

One of the newest paladins is Heigra, a barbarian human from the Kalor Deserts north of the Sacred Vine. A young woman who made the journet through the desert to the mountain site, she has studied the last year the sacred texts, and has passed her initial training with the battle masters. She is ready for her first quest into the unknown.

Heigra, Paladin of Mim Acolyte

ST 10 DX 12 adjDX 11 IQ 10 MA 10

A rangy woman dressed in soft blue cloth armor, with a sewn knife and cross over the left breast, Heigra sports a horse bow over her back and a blessed saber of Mim at her hip. She is on her first journey from the monastery to make a circuit of the forests and swamps south to visit the villages and check on the shrines. She has in her possession an excellent map of the area with the shrines marked. Meeting her on the road on or the trails, she will be willing to share a meal along with some priestly advice about Mim. If she is alone she will move the metal equipment she carries aside and can conjure an excellent meal. 

Weapons and Armor

Horse bow (1d)

Blessed Saber of Mim (fine saber) 2d-2, gives +1DX for use

Cloth armor (stops 1 hit)

Skills

Sword

Bow Knife

Priest

Literacy

Writing

Spells

Meal