Kleef Kenric

Watcher Kleef Kenric was a human fighter-paladin, a member of the Kenric family, a Topsword in the Marsember Watch of Marsember in Cormyr, and the Chosen of Helm in the late 15 century DR. He played an influential role during the events of the Second Sundering, helping thwart the divine schemes of the goddess Shar upon the Eye of Gruumsh, freeing those trapped in the spellplagued Sadrach's Spire, and restoring the Underchasm to it pre-Spellplague state. He was "the sentinel" in the prophecy by elf Elliandreth of Orishaar.See the prologue of each novel in The Sundering series.
==Description==
Kleef had dark black hair curling beneath his helm, a blocky head and a rather large build, giving him something of an oafish, rugged appearance. He was a half a head taller than Tanner, a subordinate brute taller than most of Kleef's Watch troop by half a head. He looked like a common thug of the Marsember Watch. In his filigreed armor given by Faroz about several tendays he left Marsember, he looked like an imposing elite mercenary knight. His initial fight with the Shadovar left him with stitched wounds around knee and above his wrists, until he fully awakened as a Chosen, when the divine magic healed his entire body.
==Personality==
Kleef was a determined follower of Helm's tenets, particularly the Law of Service. He refused personal bribes whenever they were offered. He ingrained the duty to protect the weak and preserve comradeship, as part of Helm's Law. Years of the Watch night duty made him suspicious of ready explanations. He was devoted towards his duty over desires.
While he stayed true to his faith, Kleef felt great anger and resentment towards Helm for his absence in Faerûn for most of Kleef's life. As a result, he was somewhat immature and narrow-minded, often acting in petty ways and holding misguided grudges.
==Abilities==
Kleef possessed a subtle ability, a cold knot would form in the pit of his stomach, when he caught someone lying in front of him.
By the power of Helm, Kleef was granted strength and fortitude in battle that far exceeded that of ordinary men. He could still move during a whole day even after receiving two tendays of Yder Tanthul's nightly dream harassment spiritual stress, climb the bulwark of a ship from his row skiff, then row the skiff carrying four humans and a gnome for over ten leagues and finally walk for a few hours on the road. He eventually advanced to rowing and being vigilant for five sleepless days while resisting Yder's bitter dream invasions, then restored to full health after more than eight hours of sleep. He was not fully aware that power was attributed to his status as a Chosen, a fact to which he was ignorant for quite some time. Even after he became close to the Chosen of Sune, Joelle Emmeline, he remained doubtful. After fully awakening as a Chosen of Helm, Kleef gained enhanced physical senses, regenerative healing and skill that could overwhelm Yder Tanthul in single combat. He also possessed Helm's Sight, passive vision that saw through illusive things.
Despite him being the Chosen of Helm, Kleef was particularly susceptible to charm magic. He was conservative towards expressing sexual words in public, even blushing at the thought while he had previous intercourse experience with the opposite gender.
==Possessions==
He wielded an enchanted greatsword named Watcher. This sword was too heavy to be wielded by anyone, but to a Kenric it was "as light as a dagger". It had a large agate set into its crossguard, referred to as Helm's Eye. He owned a dagger to use for short cut encounters, such as carving wood for a raft.
He wore a helmet and for armor a breastplate, vambraces, and cuisses. Under the armor, he wore a doublet and hose. During the rescue mission of Grand Duchess Elira Seasilver, he forsaken his helmet and armor for a tunic and trousers to board the Wave Wyvern. After meeting Faroz and demonstrating his martial prowess, Kleef was lent an expensive filigreed armor. He wore a belt.
His final battle with Yder left a large bloodied gash on the back of his tunic, while his sacrificial suicide attempt left a bloodied cut near the tunic's breastbone from where Watcher cut through.
==Relationships==
As a topsword in the Watch, Kleef had a mixed relationship with the men that served under him. He had a trusted ally in Jang, who served as his right-hand man and second-in-command, but could not entirely rely upon his other guardsmen, such as the untrusting Tanner or young Ardul. He referred to ex-navy Rathul for advice when dealing with ocean or coastal related issues. He was acquainted with Falrinn Greatorm of the Lonely Roamer and later with Faroz's caravan before Turmish.
During his time adventuring from Marsember to Grumbar's church in the Underchasm, Kleef became close with two of his companions, Joelle Emmeline and Lady Arietta Seasilver. He rapidly became captivated by Lady Joelle, due in part to her magic as a Heartwarder of Sune, but realized that attraction interfered with his duty. Over time, Kleef came to greatly respect Lady Arietta for the grace and true nobility she displayed, especially in the face of great sacrifice, therefore, during their journey to Sadrach's Spire, he developed love for her.
==History==
Kleef came from a long line of Helmite followers, who dedicated themselves to the preservation of integrity in the Marsember Watch. He served in the watch for over 20 years, though his unwavering scruples prevented him from ever ascending beyond the rank of Topsword.
During the evacuation of Marsember, during Netheril's invasion of Cormyr in Uktar of the , Kleef and his men made it their duty to clear out Wilhastle Square. After fighting off a number of shades on Deepwater Bridge, Kleef joined up with Lady Arietta Seasilver and two other Chosen of the gods: the heartwarder Joelle Emmeline of Berdusk and the devotee of Cyric, Malik el Sami, who masqueraded as a Doomlord of Myrkul. They set off aboard the Lonely Roamer, along with Falrinn Greatorm to rescue Grand Duchess Elira Seasilver from the Prince of Shade Yder Tanthul.
After rescuing the Grand Duchess, Kleef and his companions sailed across the Sea of Fallen Stars for weeks, to help complete Joelle and Malik's mission to return the Eye of Gruumsh to the Underchasm to prevent Shar from bringing about the Cycle of Night. While at sea, Yder began to appear to Kleef in his dreams, probing his mind for information and offering the guardsman an easy way out of his duties. After weeks at sea, the group landed in the Vilhon Reach, traveling with a caravan as they fought off orcs and shades alike, before taking the Forest Way through the Chondalwood. Kleef demonstrated great fortitude and vigilance in stopping Yder from haunting his dreams further.
As the group finally arrived at Sadrach's Spire in the Underchasm, the group was briefly halted at its front gates. While they regrouped, Arietta expressed her willingness to sacrifice herself to complete their mission, offering up her own life to spare those of her people. Kleef became inspired. He set aside his meager resentment and dedicated himself to serving the young noblewoman. The avatar of Helm appeared for a brief moment, after over a century's absence in the Realms, and opened the way for his chosen and his allies. 
Lady Arietta accepted his service as a knight and the group continued into the spire towards an underground temple of Grumbar. Once inside the spire, Kleef defeated Yder in single combat, and they managed to place the Eye upon a dais within Grumbar's Temple. For a fatal love sacrifice to complete Sune's ritual to bind Grumbar to the Realms, Kleef dutifully volunteered himself because of his love to Arietta, but Malik turned on Arietta in the name of his god Cyric and Joelle sacrificed herself to save the young lady's life, completing the ritual. Kleef and Arietta sacrificed their choice to return with Joelle's corpse to chase after Malik.
After apprehending the traitor Malik at the drawbridge of the ruins of Sadrach's Spire then sending the unconscious him to Gingrid and her nearby undead, Sir Kenric accompanied the lady to which he had sworn himself back to Cormyr.
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
;Novels:
* The Sentinel
===Gallery===
File:SunderingEraHeroes.jpg|Heroes of the Sundering by Tyler Jacobson.
File:Community-Page-Header.jpg|Heroes of the Sundering by Tyler Jacobson.
File:Dungeons & Dragons Trials of Tempus Cover.jpg|Trials of Tempus Board Game Cover Art.
===References===
Category:Paladins
Category:Paladins (5e)
Category:Chosen
Category:Humans
Category:Worshipers of Helm
Category:Chosen of Helm
Category:Paladins of Helm
Category:Guards
Category:Knights
Category:Members of the Marsember Watch
Category:Inhabitants of Marsember
Category:Inhabitants of Cormyr
Category:Inhabitants of the Eastern Heartlands
Category:Inhabitants of Interior Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Toril
Category:Inhabitants