He could hold up his fist and light would shine from it like a lantern, or he

could open his palm and it would shine like a beacon, just one of his many gifts. His
faith was unboxed and did not conform to any set of rules we could define. A wizard,
even a powerful one, had strict conditions under which their magic spells might take
form. The summoning of fire or lightning could be done but only after specific
incantations were spoken and after the ley was woven with fingers and arms.
Sometimes a tool, focus, or fetish was needed. Not for him. I have seen him throw
lightning as a normal man throws a spear. I have seen him call fire from nothing
with but a common word. He looked at that evil altar to dark gods and through
slitted eyes I could see his disdain. Hi said burn. And it did. The stones cracked to
gravel and the lacquered bones turned to ash. Then it extinguished itself as if it had
never been.
He was a gentle person though. Full of laughter and good will. He fed the
hungry and gave all his riches to the poor. He would heal the sick and care for the
dying. He seemed to hate no one but was no tolerant of evil on anyone. He forgave
almost as quickly as you could offend him. His beliefs were not our beliefs though.
He spoke only of one True God and we could not accept his words. Our beliefs
were placed in many gods. He did not laugh at us even though we laughed at him.
He smiled and would answer our mocking question and that earned our repsect. He
didnt need our respect though. He had his faith and it was far more than we ever
had.
We met him in the sign of the Blue Boar. It was a typical tap house where
adventurous types would meet. We had been searching for a fourth member for the
band and a few close friends encouraged us to meet him. We needed someone
comfortable with heavy armor and able to hold their own in a skirmish. They
assured us he was a stout fighter and often wore chain and plate both. They said he
had a skill set that would be invaluable to us. We had no idea.
When we arrived at the Boar he already had a table in the back laden with
food and drink. Roast beef, fresh fruit, cheese, bread, pitchers of mead, and bottles
of wine. He welcomed us with a broad smile and it made us all suspicious. We lived
our lives in danger and thought everyone was always out to get us since usually
everyone was. It took some time before we even ate from the table and he clearly
was not concerned heaping food and partaking of wine and mead. Only later did I
realize he was sampling it all putting us at peace. I felt a little ashamed I would turn
my nose from such an offering of friendship. Our suspicions were not only false but
they could have cost us in so many ways.
At that table we gave him the names we used in the world most of the time.
Raven, Blue, and Blade. Names for the daring and the mysterious not our given
names which we kept hidden close within ourselves. He gave us his true name
though and so unexpected was this gift that we at first thought it was an ideal or an
object we had not heard of before and questioned him. He laughed and explained it
was simply who he was and nothing more. It wasnt long before we all gave him a
different name though. It was before the first hour in the maze was past when we
called him the Cleric.

1
The sign of the Blue Boar was run down but not dirty. The wild lands tended to beat
down civilization that thought to encroach and the village and all its buildings
reflected this. Swordsmen and wizards made it their home where they meet up and
plan their expeditions. Groups would leave laden with provisions and return laden
with gold and jewels, or no return as a whole.
The entire tavern fit this feeling of hope and failure. The tables were worn and
stained, the benches made of rough timber but worn smooth from use. Lanterns
hung everywhere but only a few were ever lit by the staff instead patrons lit them
when they needed light and put them out when they needed dark. There was no
second floor but you could access the roof from the inside through an old iron ladder
that no one could remember bringing in. The roof was flat with a ledge around it and
patrons had drug tables, stools, chairs, and old battered chests up so find privacy
from below at times.
The three adventurers pushed their way through the old wooden door and
into the dark tavern. They were strong looking in their way. A human man standing
tall with muscled arms and worn scale armor on his body, he carried sword and
dagger with no shield giving those around him a clear message of his skill, for this
he called himself Blade. With him was two women one a tiefling and the other an
elf. Raven was a thief plain and simple but she would always call herself a scout or
treasure hunter