Priam Agrivar

"When you fail, it doesn't mean you've fallen off the mountain. If you've slid downhill a little, you can climb back. But you need help to do it. You need friends."

- Priam Agrivar to Foxilon Cardluck.

Priam Agrivar was a male human paladin of Tyr of the North. He was a famous adventurer and a crewmember of the Realms Master.

Personality
Priam was taciturn and solemn in nature, keeping tight reins upon himself and acting with care. But this did not make him a grim, severe sort to quell others' amusement. He possessed a kind, good humor with his friends and allies, which made him likable among them. He was always ready to help out and to help others, making him a good team-mate and team leader.

Priam took his calling as a paladin seriously, bearing its great responsibility to both himself to others. He was courageous with a keen sense of justice. Nevertheless, he preferred the spirit of the law to its letter, and his understanding of people made him tolerant of others.

However, he was dogged by his depression and associated alcoholism, a problem he fought off twice in his life to believe in himself once more. He knew too well that even being a holy and honorable paladin couldn't save him from drowning himself in a tankard. In the depths of his depression, he wallowed in self-pity, was indecisive, felt he was a coward, and drank heavily. He did not wish to be a burden on others.

Description
Priam was tall (6'1") and lean, but with the muscular build of a warrior. After being struck with Imgig Zu's staff of withering his arms were thin and bony in contrast to the rest of his build, but these were magically restored with the latter's death. He had deep, violet-blue eyes and long dark black hair pulled back into a ponytail at his neck. Generally, he preferred to be clean shaven, but could have a few days' growth when depressed.

He appeared to be in his early forties circa 1358 DR.

Abilities
Priam possessed all the powers of paladin, with the ability to detect evil, to heal and remove disease at a touch, and to turn undead, as well as an immunity to disease. However, he did not summon a mount. He retained these powers even as a fallen knight, but took some time to relearn them. With his mind so clouded, he could not turn undead.

Relationships
A member of the Agrivar family, Priam Agrivar was the only son of the renowned wizard Ostus Agrivar. Ostus wished to prepare his son to succeed him as Lord Agrivar, though Priam was not done adventuring. Nevertheless, they remained close.

He also had a half-sister, Cybriana, who was later transformed into Kyriani Agrivar. They stayed in touch following their meeting and her transformation.

Priam developed an affection for and attraction to Ishi Barasume, a warrior from Kozakura and his shipmate aboard the Realms Master. The feeling was mutual and they were well matched in spirit and in battle.

Possessions
Early in his career, Priam fought with bastard sword, shield, and dagger, and wore chain mail. He later gained a +1 longsword, enhanced against magic-using and enchanted creatures; a +1 longbow with six arrows of illithid slaying; a set of plate mail; a blowgun; and a periapt of proof against poison.

Agrivar habitually wore his family's crest over his armor, a rampant black griffon.

Following his father's death, Priam Agrivar was the absent lord of the Agrivar family estate on Mount Sar, including the family home called Ostus's Hold. While Priam adventured in search of his father's killer and otherwise fighting evil, Lord Nasaqh held the Agrivar lands in trust. Some six years later, Nasaqh likely hoped for Priam to return to the family seat someday. He was still holding the lands for Priam by 1372 DR.

"His Most Valiant Knight"
Although the son of Ostus Agrivar the renowned mage, Priam Agrivar made his reputation as a paladin of Tyr, god of justice. As a young man, he was noted for his skill with the sword and his dedication to justice. Some felt he would rise to rule a city, much like Lord Piergeiron of Waterdeep.

Ostus and Priam performed many services for Lord Nasaqh of the neighboring land, for which Nasaqh was quite grateful. When Nasaqh's barons revolted against his rule, Priam Agrivar took service with him. The rebellion was finally quelled in the Year of the Dragon, 1352 DR and Priam's services were no longer required. Hearing rumors of a barbarian horde threatening Soubar, Priam planned to ride to their aid, but returned to his father's house to bid farewell.

However, at that time, an unknown foe—Imgig Zu—broke through the wall of Ostus's Hold and attacked father and son. He crippled Priam's arms and hands with the staff of withering and slew Ostus with a death spell. The attacker seized the Selûne's Eye, which Ostus had been custodian of, and left mocking the broken paladin. Agrivar buried Ostus in the family crypt, dismissed his servants, then ventured out in search of his killer.

Selûne's Smile
But with his arms withered and unable to wield a sword, his spirit broken and consumed with self-pity, and frustrated by his failure to find his foe, Priam fell into a deep depression and drunkenness. His reputation as a heroic knight faded, forgotten by many, and he never used his paladin powers. Some six years later, he'd wandered into Waterdeep and was reduced to begging on the streets.

Priam was begging outside the Selûne's Smile when Vajra Valmeyjar, champion gladiator of the Arena of Blood recognized him and gave him a coin. Inside, Vajra met Cybriana, Timoth Eyesbright, and Onyx the Invincible, who'd been seeking the "great paladin" Agrivar. Heading outside, they rescued the beggar from being beaten by thugs, and Priam Agrivar revealed his identity.

Together, the heroes journeyed into the wilderness to seek the famed smith Jogaoh, a dwarf smith whose forge it was said could create works of magic, whom Onyx believed could help restore strength to Priam's arms. However, Onyx doubted it would be any good against Priam's continuing drunkenness and self-pity, but Cybriana had faith in him. On the way, they were lured into a trap and attacked by a dustdigger—in truth a pet of Jogaoh named Ulala. Jogaoh also doubted Priam, yet upon hearing his tale, he agreed to help, provided the companions retrieved something from atop nearby Stoner's Needle. After battling ghoul warriors in the night, Vajra, Priam, and Jogaoh ascended the rocky tower. Reaching the summit, Jogaoh revealed he too was a victim of Imgig Zu, his arms similarly withered, but he had forged for himself enchanted gauntlets that gave him strength. Jogaoh gave these to Priam and took a basilisk-guarded gem that restored the dwarf to his true form, that of a fire elemental. At that point, the basilisk awoke and attacked Vajra and Priam. Although Priam had his strength back, he still lacked his courage, and froze from fear rather than the basilisk's gaze. It was Vajra who slew the basilisk, using the reflection of the gem so it would turn itself to stone. Ashamed, still a drunk, Priam left, intending to lose himself in the Realms rather than be a burden on the companions. He looked back—only to see them ambushed and captured by bounty seekers of Manshaka.

Finding his courage once more, Priam intercepted the bounty seekers, passing a dagger to Vajra, and ambushing the barbarian. The companions fought their way free, overpowered the bounty seekers, and left them tied up in a net dangling from a tree, before continuing on their way. Cybriana told her story and when she mentioned Selûne's Eye, Priam realized they shared a father. But, just then, the group heard chasme pursuing new victims and raced to the rescue. Priam slew one.

Meanwhile, Imgig Zu and Kilili observed Selûne's Eye glow like the moon, meaning that Cybriana was near his tower and had been found by his chasme. Kilili visited Cybriana in the night, and lured her close to Imgig's tower. Imgig's gargoyles attacked the party, snatching up Cybriana, Priam, and the rest. Cybriana was taken into their lair as Priam fought his way free and used his new-found strength to hold open the passage for his companions. But Imgig collapsed his own tower on them to cover his flight. The heroes escaped into the base of the tower, and Priam saved Vajra from being crushed, but not before she was badly battered. Timoth urged Priam to use his healing powers, and Onyx guilted him over the basilisk. Priam resolved that no more would he be afraid and self-pitying, and for the first time in years, used his powers to heal Vajra's injuries.

Entering the caverns, the heroes battled through Imgig's ogre minions, following a trail of flowers conjured by Cybriana to where she was held. Here, Imgig Zu announced he would use the combined powers of Cybriana and Kilili to open the Eye and release his long-imprisoned people to overrun and conquer the Realms. But, too late, Imgig's people escaped, and still the ogres subdued the heroes. An exultant Imgig taunted Priam and threatened to kill him as he had killed Ostus Agrivar. But, just then, the roof of the cavern tore open and the brilliant light of the full moon shone through, blinding the ogres. Cybriana urged her brother Priam to strike, and strike he did, slaying Imgig Zu in the name of their father.

Cybriana escaped and grabbed Kilili, and when they touched, they merged into one being, the living key to Selûne's Eye. The Cybriana-half gained dominance over the Kilili-half, and the merged being vanished inside the gem, drawing all of Imgig's people back within, saving the Realms from devastation at the cost of her unique identity. A merged being levitated down, passing the shrunken Selûne's Eye to Priam. Part Cybriana and part Kilili, she combined their names and named herself "Kyriani". Priam, Kyriani, and the others returned to the Selûne's Smile where Luna rewarded them. She revealed that with Imgig's death, the withering spell had faded, and Priam found his hands restored to full health and strength. Priam had slain his father's killer, had recovered his natural strength, his courage and his pride, at the same time discovering a new half-sister. Then came his longer battle against the bottle.

The Realms Master
Some time after, Priam discovered the Hand of Vaprak and rescued Vartan Hai Sylvar, a gold elf cleric, from gnolls. In an effort to destroy the Hand, the two joined the crew of Realms Master under the mage Dwalimar Omen, with Foxilon Cardluck, Minder, and Ishi Barasume, on a mission to locate and safely dispose of dangerous artifacts.

Priam was still adventuring as part of the Realms Master by 1372 DR. He also stayed in touch with his sister Kyriani.

Appearances

 * Comics:
 * Advanced Dungeons & Dragons comic series
 * "The Gathering"
 * "The Bounty Seekers Of Manshaka"
 * "The Secret of Selûne's Eye"
 * "Sorcerer's Moon"
 * Forgotten Realms comic series
 * Short stories:
 * "Reunification (Body & Soul)"