Judge

* Judge
* Hanfred

House Vel

Adventurer (Formerly)

Cyra Vel - Daughter †

Valorika Vel - Great-Granddaughter

Panikkaria Vel - Granddaughter-in-law

Ireena Kolyana - Several-times Great-Granddaughter

Van Galethon - Former Son-in-Law

> *"Misfortune hangs heavy on a head once held high. Such is poor cover for when the heavens fall."*
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**Judge**, known in life as **Sir Hanfred Vel** was a mysterious knight of Muir and a hunter of evil creatures operating in the Plains of Mayfurrow. An absolutely monolithic warforged made almost entirely of pure steel, Judge was a near-unkillable warrior that faced his enemies with fanatical zeal and loudly shouted prayers to the goddess of virtue and truth.

After stopping in the town of Saltmarsh, Judge and his occasional hunting partner Wixlixilplix Vespertilio Cantus accepted a job from Gellan Primewater that bade them to investigate the abandoned Oweland Manor in town. Joined by fellow adventurers Fabian Arcadius, Katrina Strongcloak, and Mofi, Judge spearheaded the expedition into the strange depths of Oweland Manor, finding all sorts of horrors hidden within. Upon the party's escape from the haunted manor, they found themselves trapped in the dark realm of Barovia, an ominous landscape of beleaguered souls all under the rule of 'the devil' Morrigan Oweland.

Judge dedicated himself with his usual brand of zeal to the destruction of Morrigan, as well as the protection of Ireena Kolyana and her brother Ismark Kolyanovich. During the party's exploration of Argynvostholt, Judge's true identity as the returned soul of **Hanfred Vel** was revealed, and his true motivations were revealed; because of his actions concerning the Ioun Orb and his son Gilean Vel's abuse of the relic, Morrigan was able to acquire the artifact and use it to plunge the Briny Marsh into darkness. To atone for his guilt, Hanfred was returned to life as Judge, with the singular task of slaying Morrigan and stopping the influence of the Ioun Orb.

## Description

In life, Hanfred was a tall and handsome human man. Depictions of him often depicted him with fiery red hair that slowly faded to pure white with age. He was typically clad in well-maintained armor as was befitting a high-ranking Paladin of Muir.

As Judge, he was a hulking mass of steel in the shape of a man, with a silhouette broadened by a thick fur cloak. Judge was simply massive, standing at seven feet and two inches and weighing nearly a quarter of a ton. His face was akin to a steel helm chiseled into a permanent, contemplative grimace.

Judge's torso was decorated with an array of medallions and badges, with the most prominent of them being a holy symbol of Muir. He was rarely seen without his sword and shield close at hand.
During his bouts of rage-like holy devotion, Judge's eye sockets emitted powerful rays of golden light.

## Personality

In life, Hanfred was a contemplative, heroic, and pious individual that often indulged in introspection. As evidenced in his journals, he had many regrets from his adventuring days.

His death and subsequent resurrection changed his demeanor significantly. Judge was severe, stoic, and practical to a fault; his no-nonsense attitude often put him at at odds with those engaging in what he considered to be frivolity or time-wasting. With such an authoritative personality, Judge easily came off as overbearing and strict; brands that he carried with pride and honor. Evil, after all, did not spare one's feelings.

As demanded by followers of Muir, Judge was notably humble, prone to self-sacrifice, and capable of immense displays of loyalty. In spite of his severity, it was clear that he was a kind soul at heart. However, Judge's stoicism blinded him to the feelings and wants of others. He was a poor empath and often struggled with deep conversations.

Judge had a notable soft spot in his heart for children, and quickly discarded the harsher edges of his personality when in their presence. This shift in tone was also shown in his conversations with Ireena Kolyana.

His greatest fear was the fear of being rejected by Muir in the afterlife.

## Abilities

Judge was a nearly unparalleled melee combatant, possessed of great strength and immense fortitude. He was capable of delivering devastating blows with his longsword, a weapon which he wielded with expertise and fervor alike. While not possessed of the same outright raw strength as Mofi, his strikes were still capable of breaking bones, shattering skulls, and outright bisecting enemies.

Most notable among Judge's virtues in combat was his incredible resilience and ability to persist in the face of great adversity. Judge's steel plating and deft shield-work made him nearly impervious to most conventional weaponry, easily shrugging off all but the most well-aimed strikes with minimal effort. Even when his defenses failed him, Judge was capable of sustaining incredible amounts of damage without losing the ability to fight. In a pinch, Judge was even capable of brief bursts of self-rejuvenation, seemingly healing damage to his plating in quick order.

When possessed of enough righteous fury and holy conviction, Judge was able to empower himself with holy energy, which rendered him unto a rage-like trance where his combat abilities reached their peak. His already incredible durability was bolstered by this state, and his sword strikes landed with even greater force.

Outside of combat, Judge was surprisingly capable in studious pursuits. He was rather well learned in the field of history, but his true expertise was in the field of religion, of which he demonstrated an impressive knowledge. Judge had memorized many holy texts of the Muiran faith and was capable of reciting passages and prayers on command. When idle, he would often pass time with woodcarving, and would sometimes fashion toys for children.

Though a veritable fortress on the battlefield, Judge was by no means invincible. His skill set and solid construction made him difficult to face in traditional martial combat, but he was quite vulnerable to spells and magical effects against which he had no defense save for his own physical capabilities.

Judge was also subject to the natural difficulties of his construction. His plating, although immune to rust by virtue of being composed of steel, required maintenance and polishing to maintain maximum effectiveness. His size and immense mass often made stealth difficult, and could often make entry into certain buildings and passageways impractical. Judge was also incapable of swimming thanks to his weight.

## Possessions

In life, Hanfred was fitted in the trappings of a knight of Muir, including several magical items of great power. He also possessed a number of treasures from his travels in the plane of fire, and also carried to *Ioun Orb* unto his death.

Judge held little worldly possessions beyond what was practical. Chief among his armaments was his finely crafted longsword known as the *Hand of the Muse*, forged in tandem with his shield the *Wall of Truth*. These arms were non-magical, but still quite powerful. Judge also briefly possessed a *silver shortsword*, but gifted the blade to Ismark Kolyanovich to help the young man better protect himself. Judge also carried with him a *light crossbow* and a number of *javelins* in the event that melee combat was impractical.

Wrapped around Judge's broad shoulders was a large, fur-lined *cloak of protection* that added to his already extraordinary fortitude. Draped upon the back of this cloak was a *banner of the sun* that rendered Judge immune to fear and lesser exhaustion, and allowed him to *bless* his companions.

## Relationships

### Wixlixilplix Vespertilio Cantus

Judge and Wixley worked together as undead hunters several times before their imprisonment in Barovia, having similar goals and motivations to do so. While not quite friends, the two held a mutual respect for one another, and Judge criticized Wixley far less than most. Despite their prior partnership, Judge revealed little about himself to Wixley, seeing it as unimportant in relation to their duty.

After Judge's true identity as Hanfred was revealed and his aggression towards Morrigan became more unchecked, a rift began to form between the two.

### Fabian Arcadius

Unfamiliar with most arcane arts, Judge would sometime question Fabian about the source and nature of his magic. Having seen several dire situations solved through the clever (and sometimes miraculous) application of Fabian's powers, Judge respected the young sorcerer. He did, however, disapprove of what he perceived as Fabian's lack of zeal and drive, and openly criticized Fabian's preoccupation with his physical appearance, stating that "vanity is a sin". Fabian was nervous concerning Judge's aggressive hatred of Morrigan and openly protested his more extreme actions.

Judge and Fabian were both able woodcarvers and sometimes partook in the hobby together during long treks.

### Katrina Strongcloak

Although they were knights of very different natures, Judge held Katrina to a high standard befitting the title. Like Fabian, Judge acknowledged the usefulness of Katrina's magic, although he knew little of it.

### Mofi

Of all of his companions, Mofi tested Judge's patience the most. As one to bear might for a particular cause, Judge found little common ground with Mofi's desire to seek out strong opponents for the sake of thrill through combat. He rejected her requests for a duel several times, viewing her fixation on besting him in combat as a waste of time.

Despite their differences, Judge still wished to see Mofi's body treated according to her wishes following her death at the hand of Morrigan, and saw her as yet another name in the long list of deaths that Morrigan would have to answer for.

### Qiao Tai

Judge was initially distrustful of Qiao Tai, seeing her sudden appearance in their hour of need as suspiciously fortuitous. Despite Wixley's assurances to the contrary, Judge found her even more suspicious following the exposure of Father Donavich's treachery. Judge's view of her softened after she aided them in mercifully executing Doru, but he continued to hold her at arm's length as he did with most people he knew.

### Ireena Kolyana

A rare exception to his intolerance of most people, Judge's disposition softened considerably around Ireena, as he was seemingly moved by her plight. Judge often tried to help the young woman overcome her grief concerning her situation and the misfortunes of those around, doing so by gifting her religious books and texts such as his personal collection of Muir prayers. In combat, Judge prioritized Ireena's safety and rarely allowed for anyone else to do the same in his stead.

### Ismark Kolyanovich

Ismark found himself the subject of Judge's criticisms on a regular basis as something of an informal student. Judge lectured the young man not out of spite, but out of a desire to see him grow into the role of Ireena's protector against the horrors of Barovia. Judge gifted Ismark a *silver shortsword*, displaying trust and respect for the young man's desire to protect his adopted sister.

### Morrigan Oweland

The mere mention of Morrigan's name was enough to send Judge into a cold fury. Upon discovering that she was the ruler of Barovia and the source of many of its woes, Judge made it his personal mission to purge the demiplane of her influence even at the possible cost of his own life.

Judge was not narrow-sighted in his desire to see the vampire's head roll, however. He was well aware of her immense power and widespread control of the land around them, and insisted upon building the party's strength and connections before fighting her head-on. Even when presented with a chance to fight Morrigan early on, Judge refrained from doing so in favor of protecting Ireena, watching Mofi die as she attempted to confront the vampire.