Román Blackwater

Román Blackwater is a paladin who has sworn his oaths to the ocean. He was formerly a pirate captain until the day he met Lyana Flatfish, a mermaid, and was granted divine powers. Being a superstitious sailor, he originally believed her to be responsible for his newfound skills. He has yet to uncover what god or entity is truly behind them, and has instead chosen to keep his old oaths regardless. When referring to the ocean in prayer, he instead uses the name Okeanos.

A Personal Account

" Red sky at night, sailors' delight. It means clear skies and a beautiful new day is to follow. " - Román Blackwater

" It was during a crimson sunset just over a year ago when Román first looked at his hands and noticed the strange powers that he’d been gifted. Not long past, and yet what felt to him like a separate life. He'd crossed many seas and thousands of miles, but even still many of his habits have remained the same. In seems that in spite of himself he cannot forget the time when he was a different person altogether. A bad kind of person, maybe even a horrible one. "
" Román Blackwater had always been a superstitious man, even amongst the weathered crewmen of his old vessel. While most ships carried no organized cult of belief; having men forced to sleep next to one another, unwashed, and who’ve not seen a single woman for months begins to open those men up to adopting more than a few strange traditions. Of course this meant not having women aboard wasn’t about the commotion they’d stir, given the men’s own disgusting lifestyles, but because of how jealous the sea herself was. She needed the men of the ship to herself. Just like how the men weren’t allowed to sing or whistle either; not because they can’t carry a tune worth a silver shit, but because they were prone to whip up a storm. "
" There was routine that you could learn to respect in embracing these strange old traditions. In Román’s case, he needed the distraction they would provide. It was most likely for this reason that he’d started to wipe salt on the old captain’s blade before a battle. There was no basis for the tradition, but for whatever reason, it just felt “right” to do it. It was small blessings like these that he found himself performing most often. It was perhaps as a sign of respect, to the person he was about to commit violence against, or perhaps to the sea itself. It was a comfort at the very least. He wasn’t just another drunken brute who thrilled in bloodying his cutlass on the enemy's skipper; he had principals: A personal code and oaths. At least that's what he liked to tell himself, on those grim, hungover mornings he felt too ashamed to even rise. "

" ...Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning. "

" Each morning, Román's rituals start anew: A gold ring in the left ear. A silver coin in the sole of each boot, and words spoken to the old captain’s blade; wiping it once with the oil, and again with the salt. Dark spots of rust still marred sections of the blade, but each morning he’d swear they seemed a little less visible than they did the day before. Not gone, but better. A small sign he hoped that he was doing the right thing, but hadn’t yet fulfilled his oath to the sword. An oath he’d made when he was still that other person about "one day using the blade to level the scales." He had no ritual to perform for his other oath, the one he’d made to the sea while tossing a bottle of wine to the depths during his ugliest of lows. To make up for this lack of commitment he turns to his companion, the mermaid. A daughter of the sea itself, and the person whom he’d fought to protect that same day over a year ago when he’d discovered his gift. He’d thrown away a lot that night. His entire life as he’d known it up until then. Unlike most days, the sky on that fateful morning had been a majestic blue, a good enough reward in his own mind. Although he holds onto these memories dearly, Román knows he cannot delude himself for long. One good act would never make him a hero, and all the suffering and cruelty in the world wasn’t likely to take a break just for him. "

Divine Domains

Water, Oceans, Storms and Law.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Golden Jewelry, Román's Cutlass.

Tenets of Faith

Román upholds the tenets of his faith by performing specific rituals and by living his life according to a pair of oaths he has sworn: the first to his sword, and the second to the seas.

Román’s Oaths:

The First Oath (To his Blade): "I will never again use you to take innocent lives. I will even the scales by striking down as many cruel men and monsters as it takes to clean your blade, and my own slate."
The Second Oath (To the Seas): "I will fight on your behalf to protect the innocent who cannot protect themselves. I will never again find comfort in committing violence."

Mental characteristics

Accomplishments & Achievements

Captain Román Blackwater, the Roaring Lion.

During his young adult years Román Blackwater led a successful mutiny upon the Trident, a pirate frigate used by Sam Arden, either wise known as "the Gentleman Pirate". Stories of his brutality spread fast, his bloody swordwork and fierce battle cries granted him the nickname of "Roaring Lion", due to his fearsome reputation and control over the Roaring Expanse. He became the last captain of the Trident after it's untimely sinking off the coast of the Sapphire Isle.

Discovery of Acererak's Tomb

Román and Lyana were among the first adventurers to rediscover the tomb of the ancient lich near the city of Entropia, the Román himself pulling free the boulder which hid one of the dungeon's many secret entrances. Together they managed to successfully navigate and plunder its depths, laden with countless deadly traps and constructs which threatened to kill any who entered. By unknown means, the lich managed to capture a live siren, using her as yet another deadly trap to lure any potential grave robbers to their doom. Román managed to free the siren from the lich's curse, and the three eventually found Acererak's resting place, only to discover that his body had been reduced to nothing but a gemmed skull which contained a tether to his astral form. The skull held monstrous powers within it and was destroyed after a short but devastating battle, free the nearby land from the lich's influence for the time being.

Morality & Philosophy

Román is a man seeking redemption, who is still haunted by visions of his younger self's myriad wrongdoings. He believes his faith in something greater than himself is what eventually lead him to his current state of enlightenment. He no longer solely trusts in his own judgement, and oftentimes turns to his companion Lyana for guidance. Román has crafted a set of oaths which allow him to "act" on the behalf of others. By doing right by others, he believes that his own misdeeds will one day be forgiven by whatever entity has chosen him to be their champion. He has constructed oaths to act as his guide: swearing to only use his sword to only strike down the wicked, and to use his life to protect the innocent. He lives a stringent life which has been structured by strictly prohibiting himself of vices that tempted him earlier in life, including drugs, alcohol, women, and dueling. Although not officially one of his oaths, should he find himself slipping in this regard he offers his forgiveness to the ocean through special rituals he comes up with.
Despite his new outlook, Román retains much of his old self and is unlike other paladins in many regards. Román does not entertain any virtues of honor or fairplay in a battle, reverting to his swashbuckling style of deceptive swordplay and has no quarrels with using underhanded tactics in order to win. He believes there is no justification for holding back in this regard, especially with his allies lives on the line. The end justify the means so long as the goal is virtuous. Among other things he is not above lying or using other forms of social deception, and he still curses and swears on occasion.

Personality Characteristics

Personality Quirks

Román's Rituals

Each morning as Román prepares to set off, he performs a series of rituals. This includes putting a gold earring in his left ear, and placing a silver coin in the sole of each of his boots. These are to pay Okeanos, the mermaids or whatever other entity resides in the ocean depths to take his soul to the afterlife, should he ever find himself thrown overboard. It is because of his faith in the ocean that Román has never feared wearing heavy platemail while sailing in the open waters, knowing that the seas will reclaim him when it is his time.
He finishes his morning oaths by wiping down his cutlass to see how much of the rust he can remove. This is done by first using a standard weapon oil, and second with a thin layer of powdered and crystallized sea salt.

Hygiene

He keeps himself neatly trimmed to distinguish himself from the unwashed sailors he once rubbed shoulders with.

Alignment

Lawful Good

Eyes

Dark blueish, gray.

Hair

Sleek, medium cut brown hair.

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Fair skin, often tanned.

Height

6'1"

Weight

240

Known Languages

Common, Aquan.