Name: Ganelon
Title: The Paladin of Treachery
Class: Saber
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Personality: A cynic to his core, Ganelon is a pragmatic man who despises pretension. He has no regard for the concepts of loyalty or honour, and will happily betray any Master who sends him on a suicide mission. To Ganelon, a 'hero' is nothing more than a murderer, and a 'traitor' is someone unfortunate enough to be on the losing side.
He doesn't attempt to hide his cynicism, but will often frame it as humour when talking to people he's trying to deceive. He likes to poke holes in other people's philosophies, but hides the level of venom he often feels for them. If he were to meet a 'true hero', someone without the flaws that his peers had, he would attempt to prove them wrong, to bring them down to his level.
Still, he doesn't desire revenge, or to undo the past, or to destroy others. His wish is for a world without hypocrisy, a world where murderers aren't glorified, where traitors aren't vilified. Perhaps, such a person longed to be a hero, once. But he has long since forgotten such a pointless wish.
History: The treacherous villain from
The Song of Roland. He is the titular Paladin's uncle, and though not often counted among the twelve peers, was also a member. Upon being volunteered for what he considered a suicide mission - taking a message of peace to the Muslim forces in Spain - by his nephew, Ganelon secretly swore vengeance upon him and Charlemagne's court. Instead of delivering the treaty, he sent a declaration of war, and then offered to betray the Franks, plotting to kill Roland. After the battle, Ganelon's treachery was discovered, and though he defended it as legitimate revenge, he was found guilty. He was then gruesomely executed, torn apart by horses.
Unrecorded by the histories is Ganelon's part in Charlemagne's earlier conflicts. While most of the other Paladins took part in romantic adventures, Ganelon served as Charlemagne's black ops Paladin, one who assassinated and massacred any who opposed the king. For somebody who had seen the dark side of such a 'hero', Ganelon grew to despise the hypocrisy of those who surrounded him. Those who called themselves heroes, but rampaged across the country. Those who called themselves Christian, but massacred thousands. Such people were as deserving of death as those they visit it upon.
Weapon: The sword Murglais, his Noble Phantasm. His second sword is nameless, a gift from Valebrun, that he uses when wishing to disguise the nature of his Noble Phantasm.
Parameters:
STR: B
CON: C
AGI: B
MGI: C
LCK: D
Class SkillsMagic Resistance: C
Cancels spells with a chant below two verses. An essential skill for a Paladin of the Saber class, though it seems his lack of piety has reduced the rank somewhat.
Riding: B
Most vehicles and animals can be handled with reasonable skill. This does not extend to Phantasmal species. A natural skill for a knight.
Personal SkillsGolden Rule: D+
A skill reflecting the rewards Ganelon received for his betrayal of Charlemagne. Under normal circumstances, acquiring moderate amounts of money is possible, but after betraying another, Ganelon's fortune regarding wealth will spike massively.
Eye of the Mind (True): C
Heightened ability for observation, improved by years of experience. It is an ability allowing for the avoidance of danger through skill, intelligence and prediction. In this case, it is the ability of an old cynic, one who never had the divine gifts of the other Paladins, but has survived through tenaciousness and skillful observation of others.
Espionage: B
The ability to make one's presence fail to register as hostile. The perfect skill for a 'traitor'. Ganelon's hostile intent is very difficult to discern, until he attacks or makes his plan known.
Noble PhantasmMurglais: Black Brand of Death
B-Rank Anti-unit
Range 1-2
Targets: 1
Some say that Murglais was once a holy blade, blackened by Ganelon's oath of treachery upon the relics sealed in the blade's pommel. This is not the case. Murglais, now and always, was a tool for efficient murder. No matter how bright the sword might seem, no matter how pure the wielder, it is still simply a way of killing others. This is the concept that the sword embodies. Anyone viewing the drawn Murglais can tell that it is not a hero's weapon, that it is a cursed blade, nothing more than a tool of murder.
Upon striking the enemy's flesh, Murglais leaves a black mark on the target. If Murglais touches the mark for a second time, the target will die. A high luck-check may prevent this, as might certain skills, but otherwise, the target simply perishes. It is a weapon more suited to an Assassin than a Saber, more to a spy than a paladin.
Nallore,
The Irish Tree