Njal the Insufferable
Dragonborn Paladin, of Red Draconic Ancestry. Born into nobility, but by adulthood his family were no longer part of the aristocracy, becoming traders. So he grew up with a comfortable middle class life — but did so after being a scion from society’s highest echelons.
The transition creates a tension in how Njal views the world, and his place in it. While he projects the air of a nobleman, he has a fierce desire to serve the cause of common people. And to do so by enabling the free movement of all races, and their ability to trade with one another — one of the reasons he speaks Undercommon fluently.
“Be True to Your School Now…”
While not rigidly tied to an alignment of True Neutral, Njal has come to be a champion of pragmatism and commerce — protecting with secular zeal those who would deter/extort/prey upon caravans of tradespeople. His family consists of many in the legal profession, so he strives to present a judicious temperament.
The force of his convictions make him understandably self-regarding, even when this manifests as concern for others. It is this drive to see himself, and for others to see him, as heroically effective — that led him to train as a Paladin and a life of service. Though a large part of that belief system is tied closely to trade, commerce and the creation of wealth and abundance for all who participate in it. His “holy” symbol is a seashell — from when they were used in primitive times as a form of currency.
It was this self-regarding enthusiasm for ideological beliefs that got him the childhood nickname of “Insufferable” — having grown up as a know-it-all constantly preaching to others about his view of the world. With age that aspect of his personality has been tempered with a certain amount of self-knowledge. But he retains his childhood nickname as a reminder to guard against the self-righteous judgement of others.
“Get Thee Behind Me, Satan”
His elaborate belief system does not deter him from being a vicious warrior and attentive healer who consistently works to further the interests of his party. If anything, he tends comically to try too hard at being inclusive and considerate of others’ needs — to his own detriment.
The War Pick is his weapon of choice, in part for its origins as a mining implement for the extraction of precious ore. But also for the pragmatic martial reason of pulling horsemen from their mounts while inflicting significant damage through their armor.
He likes protecting those physically weaker from being surprised from the rear of the party, by trailing others as they advance. When enemies charge, he hurls javelins as he advances — from the rear of his party — toward the adversary. When faced with many foes, his instinct is to breathe a cone of fire to deter enemies as he guards others from their advance.
