Darvin Zonvloek
My D&D Clerc character!
The Beginning
Darvin Zonvloek (Solbane in English) was born in a small border village where war and raiding were part of everyday life. His childhood was not a time of play, but of survival. Every plume of smoke on the horizon could mean disaster, and he learned early that caution mattered more than dreams.
The village lived in constant uncertainty. His parents were simple farmers, hard working and full of love for their children. Darvin loved working on the farm with his brother. They taught them compassion, courage, and justice, even in a world that rarely offered any.
When war finally reached their home, his parents were killed during a raid. Darvin and his older brother Eldric survived, but the loss weighed heavily on them both.
Eldric became his companion, his support, and sometimes his conscience. Together they navigated the chaos, protecting each other in the shadow of violence. They joined the army, not out of pride or ambition, but out of necessity. The uniform offered food, shelter, and protection in a world that otherwise offered only chaos.
Years at the Front
On the frontlines, Darvin quickly learned the brutal truth of war: the greatest danger often came not from the enemy, but from human mistakes and cruelty. He found brotherhood among fellow soldiers, but every victory felt hollow when innocents paid the price. Because he lost so many people before, he did not make friends in the army being afraid to loose them again.
His life changed forever during a bloody battle. Mercenaries and his own regiment attacked villages at the same time. Eldric tried to save a child and was cut down by Captain Bront Karsek for not charging forward. Darvin held his brother in his arms as the life drained from him. That moment and the guilt that he couldn’t save him, still burns in Darvin’s heart.
The Call of Ilmater
Darvin was overwhelmed by chaos, Priestess Aelira Dawnwhisper found him among the fallen. She tended to his wounds. Darvin left the army and took Aelira as a teacher. Under her guidance, Darvin learned the teachings of Ilmater: that true strength lies not in domination, but in endurance. Not in winning, but in healing.
Returning to the ruins of his childhood, Darvin discovered a broken shrine to Ilmater, the god who carries the world’s suffering. The walls were cracked, the altar shattered, yet the silence was powerful. There he knelt. No thunderous voice. No blinding vision. Only a quiet truth settling in his heart: “Carry their pain. Ease their burdens. Do not let others suffer where you can act.”
Darvin understood that true strength lies not in domination, but in endurance. Not in victory, but in healing. He chose Ilmater because he wanted to make a difference where once he could not.
Inner Struggle
Darvin fears the day he must again choose between obedience and saving a life. The guilt of losing his brother haunts him, and he fears he can never make up for the deaths he has seen—some even caused by his own hand. Yet this drives him forward. Every life he saves is a small redemption.
His Mission
Darvin now travels the land as a servant of Ilmater. He still carries his old shield—not as a weapon, but as a promise. His military experience helps him foresee danger and protect others. His hands, once hardened by war, now exist to heal.
He fights only when necessary. He heals whenever possible.
His mission is clear: protect those who cannot protect themselves, bring relief where pain reigns, and watch over the weak and innocent. Each life saved mends a small part of the damage he once witnessed or caused.
Symbols of His Past
He always carries Eldric’s dagger, a tangible reminder and a personal oath. Around his neck hangs the symbol of Ilmater, a constant reminder of his calling and the strength of compassion.
Darvin Zonvloek once fought to survive. Now he lives to help others survive. His sword is no longer meant to kill but to protect. His strength lies not in destruction, but in healing. With every wound he mends, he honors the brothers and friends he lost and carries their memory into the world.
Personality & Behavior
Core Values: compassion, protection, patience
Ideals
“Everyone deserves healing and protection, no matter who they are.” “Victory means nothing if innocents suffer.”
Allies
Darvin feels a deep responsibility to protect his companions, sometimes at his own expense.
- Sergeant Maera Tovak
His former sergeant. Harsh, but fair. She always sensed something good in Darvin and often gave him extra responsibility. She taught him everything a soldier needs to know. She is still alive, though disappointed that Darvin left the army, yet deep down she understands why he did. They haven’t seen each other for a while now. Their paths will cross again.
- Priestess Aelira Dawnwhisper
During the siege, when Eldric died and Darvin was nearly overwhelmed by chaos, Priestess Aelira Dawnwhisper found him among the fallen. She tended to his wounds, not just of the body, but also of the spirit. Under her guidance, Darvin learned the teachings of Ilmater: that true strength lies not in domination, but in endurance. Not in winning, but in healing.
Aelira became his mentor, the guiding voice when he felt he had lost everything. Before he left on his own path, she gave him a personal mission that still drives him today: “Bring light where you once brought darkness.” Later, Darvin discovered the ruined Ilmater sanctuary from his childhood—where the quiet truth settled in his heart and his calling became permanent.
- The Mobile Field Hospital Unit “The White Flame”
A group of healers Darvin worked with for a short time. They respect him deeply and see him as someone who brought hope to soldiers.
Rivals / Enemies
— Captain Bront Karsek
To Bront mercy is a sickness to be cut from the ranks. He and Darvin crossed blades of will at every turn. On the killing fields, as Eldric paused to save a child, Bront’s judgment was swift and final. After that Bront branded Darvin a deserter, abandoning his post, a lie etched into the rolls like a scar. Their fates are now knotted in blood, and Bront waits at the edge of the story, ready to return like a shadow that never truly left.
— The Red Sickle
Uncle Garrick’s sellswords, steel for hire and loyalty for sale, once lured Darvin’s unit into a slaughtering ground. He crawled from the trap with life and rage, most never rose again. The Red Sickle marches beneath banners painted in cruelty, quick to betray and quicker to kill. They remember faces, they remember debts, and they would know Darvin anywhere.
— The Night Preacher
He moves like a shadow at the edge of campfires, a prophet of midnight promising strength wrapped in chains. Soldiers bent the knee to his honeyed poison, Darvin did not. Refusal is a beacon to men like him. The Preacher carries Darvin’s name like a thorn under the skin, and the night is patient.
Quirks
- Quiet and observant in groups
- Speaks only when he has something meaningful to say
Weaknesses
- Fear of failing again
- Overprotective of the weak
- Avoids violence even when tactically unwise
Motivations & Goals
- Short‑term: saving lives during adventures; keeping the group alive
- Long‑term: healing the world where he can; honoring Eldric and fallen comrades
- Personal Mission: perhaps one day rebuild or defend a temple or sanctuary of Ilmater
Relationships
Family
- His brother Eldric is dead, but his memory guides Darvin’s moral compass. His parents were also killed in war.
- The rest of his extended family was scattered—some may still be alive, but he knows he will never see them as they once were.
- Uncle Garrick Zonvloek Chose violence and betrayal, joining the mercenaries known as The Red Sickle, leaving fear and death in his wake. A living reminder of the darkness people willingly embrace and a challenge to Darvin’s ideals.
Others
- Lyra Darvin grew up with Lyra, a girl as pure as the fields where they played. He secretly loved her. Sh secretly loves him too. During the attack on their village, they were separated. Lyra survived and was taken in by traveling healers. Darvin hopes to find her again someday, marry her, and protect her as he once promised.
- All his other friends were killed in the same attack on the village as his parents.
Mechanical Style & Combat Approach
Class: Cleric Regilion: Ilmater Domain: Life Domain (top-tier healer, strong support)
Strategy
Combines military tactics with healing. Predicts danger, uses cover, heals at critical moments.
Fighting Style
Defensive, only attacks to protect others.
Tools
Shield: symbol of protection Eldric’s dagger: practical and emotional Holy Symbol of Ilmater: divine focus
Inner Conflicts
- Guilt over his brother and fallen comrades
- Fear of repeating past failures
- Torn between military discipline and compassion
These conflicts fuel dramatic moments, moral dilemmas, and rich role‑playing opportunities.
