Cleric, Reformed Criminal

Not every criminal was born bad and not every villain is irredeemably evil.

The Quintessential Cleric
Author Sam Witt
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2002

There are some who break the law out of desperation, stealing to feed their children or lashing out against cruel aristocrats that attempt to take liberties where they are not wanted. Others find themselves stumbling into a life of crime almost by accident, following along in the footsteps of friends or relatives from the ‘wrong side of town.’ Eventually, though, most of these ill-suited criminals wind up in the local gaol or pleading for their life at the point of a guardsman’s blade. While there are many who repent of their wicked ways under such perilous circumstances, a handful find themselves transformed by the experience, their souls opened to the wonders of the divine. These reformed criminals go on to become devout clerics and servants steadfastly loyal to their new master – the church.

Benefits: The reformed criminal knows who to talk to and what to say when looking for information. He receives a +4 competence bonus to Gather Information checks in his home city (where his familiarity with the local criminals aids him) and a +2 competence check to Gather Information checks elsewhere.

Penalties: His former life has left its mark and the reformed criminal carries with him the mannerisms and appearance of a hoodlum. When dealing with anyone other than a cleric of his faith or a member of the criminal underworld, the reformed criminal suffers a -4 circumstance penalty to all Bluff, Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.