Chonny's death
The DraginSlayers finaly got arround to fully exploring the first level in Thedd where we had originaly found a penagram on the floor. We were given a key by a good dragon and somehow knew where to use it. We had already disturbed the pentagram and survived the Demon battle, and gotten into what is was protecting. We used the key and found the Hand of Vecna. We were uber good back then and thought we were tough but we all instantly knewBOB had gotten us good. For the first time in a long time the DragonSlayers went loonking for help. The Palidins of McTyr did not want it. The Bishop? we knew refused to do anything but consider our problem and make sugestions. The DragonSlayers were at a loss, how to destoy one of the more evil and powerful artifacts, and how to live long enough to do so. Chonny (as you may have read) was a man of faith, even if he was not a priest. He galliently borrowsed (Marco's charater's) sword (much like Friz's character Almarin took Freki's sword) and teleported the hand to the sun. Adventure done and off script. But this did not have to be the end for Chonny.
Bob did have a dramatic scene prepared, the return of Chonny from the after-life. Then came what is known from this point on as "the deal". I could keep Chonny but loose a hand and all the followers I had just made up or leave him dead and get full xp instead of 1/2. I did not feel the changes were in character, maybe I was just mad with the changes BOB made or maybe I just had the perfect idea for a new character. Thus was born Paul ElvenStier
Unbeknownst to the rest of the world (and even the DM), Chonny did not die that day. The Gods he did not worship properly did take note of such a dramatic event, one taken with such heart and faith. They did not need a martyr and they did not need a Saint of the man who worshiped no particular God, so they agreed to return him to the world, not where he had most recently lived, but back where he was born and as a reminder of what he had done, so as to know if was not a dream, They took from his his hand. Not only as a symbol, for the potential use for replacement hand shape artifact if and when the time was right (though this time, to be used for good).
But Chonny was changed in more ways than just the loss of his hand. While his Faith was still unshakable and still unfocused, as he lacked the proper training to still worship the specific Gods that gave him his life back, the real confirmation that he was right made his understand his place was now here in Halstat.
Chonny quickly settled in and enjoyed his new life. While fairly charismatic, it was the stories he was able to tell with such passion and details, that he became so popular as the 'one who returned'. While many did not believe the entirety of his story, it was still a good story, and he was here without a hand. Though he was reluctant, some even asked the local High Priests to restore his missing hand, but to no avail. It shook the faith of some in the High Priest that had done similar healing before until Chonny said in a serious tone. "I too would fear the man that can undo what the Gods themselves have done". After that, Chonny's reputation and popularity continued to grow.
But more importantly, the one that got away, the one he thought lost before he ever had a chance to show her how much he wanted her, finally saw him for the man he had always knew he could be. Merity, his childhood crush, had grown into a beautiful woman and was clearly pleased her sweet Chonny had come back home. When he made it clear, he was never going to leave again, she opened her heart and allowed herself the chance to love. While in public, Chonny was bold and boisterous, at home he was quiet and serene, doing what ever he could to keep Merity happy. Sure he had to surprise her sometimes with gifts and gestures of love, but for the most part, he made her feel safe and not alone, never alone. For her part, she encouraged his work and his Faith, convincing him to open guild of sorts for mages and others who might want to study the ways of Fate. But the real joy came when she bore him a son. Privately, Chonny had worried in his moment of weakness and excessive joy that it was Merity and not the Gods that kept him in Halstat, but holding his new born son erased that doubt away and in it's place the belief that Merity herself was a Goddess of joy and love and the one we would have to worship the rest of his life. They held the child together and knew instantly, they would not hold him for long. The wander lust in his eyes and the strength of his little heart shown clearly and they knew his name would have to be ChoToo.
