Yuri Reikov, Saint of
Redemption
Yuri Reikov’s tale is as tragic as
it is inspiring. Reikov was a Russian colonel assigned to America in the Last
War and like so many other foreign soldiers he became stuck in America
following the Apocalypse. A kind soul by nature, Reikov spent the next few
years following the Apocalypse helping out settlements by defending them from
attacks by muties, gangs or the Black Hats. While resting in one town in 2089
he heard a tale about a Templar refusing to help a survivor settlement from a
Croaker attack because the settlement didn’t help other settlements when they
needed aid. Reikov was disgusted that such a group as the Templars, who called
themselves a force of Good would allow innocents to suffer. It was soon after
this that he first heard of the Anti-Templars. Led by a former Templar named
Modeen the Destroyer, the Anti-Templars were the sort of group that attracted
Reikov because they pledged to defend all
innocents.
Reikov joined them and became a
member of high standing.
It was soon after this that Modeen
announced he had discovered a way for the Anti-Templars to truly become the
greatest force of Good in the Wasted West. He had learned how to channel the
Reckoners power through himself, not only using it for Good in itself, but
also draining the power from the Reckoners, making them weaker. Reikov had
seen War ride through Kansas, he had seen the evil that radiated from War, he
knew the other Reckoners were also at least that evil. It was there that he
knew the Anti-Templars were no longer a force of Good but a tool of evil. He
spoke up, saying that if any Anti-Templar attempted to use the power of the
Reckoners then they would eventually become nothing more than servants of
evil. Modeen laughed this off, saying that Reikov sounded like a cowardly
Templar. It was there that Reikov took fate into his own hands. With great
care he removed his black tabard, folded it and then put it on the ground in
front of Modeen. He announced he would travel to Boise to seek forgiveness
from the Templars and attempt to join them if he could. He mightn’t have
agreed with all they believed in but he knew they were the best hope of
defeating the Reckoners.
On that journey to Boise Reikov
dreamt of his own demise.
As he reached the outskirts of
Boise a pair of Anti-Templars sent by Modeen to kill the traitor attacked him
and managed to mortally wound him before he escaped into the maelstrom. Reikov
staggered into the Town Square before collapsing. His last words before he
died were heard to be "I am redeemed."
The
Deed:
Reikov appears to Templars who
find their conscience guiding them to acts of mercy that would be frowned on.
He reminds them of the Oaths and the Path of the Templar but reminds them that
mercy is the the greatest act of valour. As a result of this he has
appeared to Templars who have found themselve black-balled for saving
people normally considered unworthy. Reikov has also strangely appeared
before an Anti-Templar who like himself was repulsed by how evil the
Anti-Templars became over time. He showed this man the path to Boise and told
him to seek forgiveness from the Templars. The man did so and has actually
become a great Templar. This is the only case of any Martyr appearing before
an Anti-Templar.
Yuri Reikov, Saint of
Redemption
In the military Reikov often had
to struggle with his conscience in the never-ending wars in the Balkans the
Russians were invariably drawn into. His sense of duty told him that it was
necessary to pacify the Balkans to ensure safety at home while his heart told
him such killing was wrong. Such struggles with his conscience plagued him
after the Last War, but in the end he felt he made the right choice even
though it meant his death. Those Templars who must make such decisions
mightn’t find Saint Reikov’s presence a particularly comforting one but they
know his presence helps them make the right choice in the
end.
Deed: Saint
Reikov will appear before any Templar who is Blackballed or performs a deed
that would normally have them black-balled but truly believes what she did was
the right thing. Saint Reikov will also appear to any Anti-Templar who
actually leaves the Anti-Templars because he believes them to be evil as long
as he will instead attempt to join the Templars.
White: Templars’
blessed by Saint Reikov can be real lifesavers but they won’t be the ones
laughing. By spending a white chip when an ally takes a wound, the Templar
takes the injury instead! It doesn’t matter whether this can be explained or
not, it just happens. You don’t need to vamoose to use this ability though it
will only take one wound if the person suffers more than that from the
attack.
Red: By
spending a red chip the Templar can prevent the Marshal from negating wounds
that a Templar, Squire or Companion (including the hero) dealt. In order to do
this the Blessed Templar simply throws the red chip back into the pot as soon
as the Marshal announces his intention to use chips to prevent some or all of
the wounds to stop the Marshal from actually being able to prevent those
particular wounds. This nifty ability can only be used once per
round
Blue: By
spending a blue chip, the Templar gains a greater reward of her choice for her
faith in hours. She doesn’t
have to have the reward at level 5 (or at all for that matter) but can only
have this ability active once at any one time.
Legend: "You
haven’t finished walking the path of Redemption
yet."
When the Templar dies she may
spend a Legend Chip to automatically return Harrowed. Not only that but she
returns with total Dominion.
Vexation: Reikov
will forsake any Templar who deliberately harms an innocent even if it is for
the "Greater Good". If Reikov blesses an Anti-Templar then he will remove that
blessing if the Anti-Templar fails to attempt to join the Templars (Any former
Anti-Templar blessed by Reikov is automatically accepted by the Templars.
Reikov is a good judge of character.)