NPC - The Beggar King

NPC - The Beggar King

The Unofficial king of Verbobonc. He is a rough-patched, bearded man of middle years festooned with pouches, packs and bags. He normally carries a staff but bears a broadsword and short sword and can fight with one in each hand.

The Beggar King's true name is unknown perhaps even to himself. He wanders the roads and byways of the viscounty and surrounding lands having been seen as far off as Dyvers and the City of Greyhawk, is said to have appeared in Geoff in the time of their need against the giants and rousing the free folk of the Yeomanry in their struggle against the recent invasion of Hobgoblins which is wracking that land; but Verbobonc is undoubtly his home.

In truth the Beggar King is a ranger-lord, sometimes an avatar of the land itself. Those of the Old Faith, from the most common believer to the most powerful of druids has dreamed him into existence. 

The Beggar King demands donations and tithes from travellers and merchants. He duels with guardsmen and lancers and seldom kills, though he has no mercy for evil men. He bears the Staff of the Oerth which increases his strength to that of an ogre and allows him to summon an earth elemental once per day. It allows him to blend into the earth three times per day and travel up to a one hundred yards beneath the oerth, though not thropugh rock or stone. His short sword is enchanted and can break a blade it crosses on a natural d20 as well as adding to the armor class of the Beggar King (+3 to AC in AD&D). His broadsword is intelligent and called Thunder. It can summon an air elemental once per day and strike with a force that can stun an opponent with an overpowering sound. 

If slain the Beggar King will come alive again at the rising of a new moon. He will cut himself weapons from yew and ash. These will turn back to his enchanted gear and the gear taken will turn to a staff of ash and weapons of carved yew instead.

While the Beggar King is powerful his strength grows and falls with the dreams and beliefs of the followers of the Old Faith. In their need he is stronger, when content his power weakens. He is a pleasant fellow, offering aid to those in need, an expert in escape and hiding. He often challenges those he encounters to duels and rewards even those who lose with some various item he has picked up in his travels (usually of minor enchantment). He is known to lend one of his weapons to those in need, though seldom, very seldom, provides direct aid or even accompany anyone for longer than a short encounter.