Helga of St. Cuthbert

After a long hiatus I started working on some kitbashed figures. here's a new one.
Helga of St Cuthbert.


Every DM has a favorite NPC that they whip out to give the party a hand when they need it. In the Greyhawk Campaign I ran in Hawaii that Helping hand was Helga.

Helga was a no nonsense, kick ass and take names follower of St. Cuthbert of the cudgel. She was a member of the order of the Chapeaux (hence the funny hat).

She was the quintessential Cleric- she acted as the moral compass for the party of supposedly "Good" aligned PC's, She treated their wounds (If you were a follower of St. Cuthbert you got the Cure light wounds, if you weren't a follower she used her Healing proficiency on you.), and she was handy with a mace when the Orcs breached the front ranks.



Helga hated undead almost as much as she hated the unemployed. She felt everyone should be doing something to contribute to the greater good. If you didn't have a trade or a job then you volunteered to haul trash or till a garden. She would not abide sloth or laziness.

Helga was great with kids and old-timers, especially veterans.



She began every morning and ended every evening with a prayer. and was a font of homespun wisdom.

On a mission she would always volunteer for last watch and have breakfast ready for the group come sunrise. She would keep the party from going overboard on the looting and pillaging and made it a point to keep a close eye on any rogues in the group.

For those of you interested, here is a write up of St Cuthbert by Gary Gygax (Dragon #67 Nov.1982). Courtesy of my Dragon Magazine archive software.

ST. CUTHBERT

(. . . Of the Cudgel)

Lesser god

Wisdom, Common Sense, Truth,

Forthrightness, Dedication, Zeal

ARMOR CLASS: -3 (-8 if in his plate mail)

MOVE: 21”

HIT POINTS: 224

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type, +8 (strength bonus)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: +3 or better weapon to hit

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%

SIZE: M

ALIGNMENT: Lawful good (neutral)

WORSHIPPERS’ ALIGNMENT: Lawful good — lawful neutral

SYMBOL: Wooden billet, starburst, crumpled hat

PLANE: Arcadia

CLERIC/DRUID: 22nd level cleric/ 8th level druid

FIGHTER: Nil

MAGIC-USER/ILLUSIONIST: Nil/Nil

THIEF/ASSASSIN: Nil/Nil

MONK/BARD: 7th level monk

PSIONIC Ability: VI

Attack/Defense Modes: All/all

S:20 I:10 W:23 D:19 C:25 CH:19

St. Cuthbert appears as a stout, red-faced man, with a drooping white moustache and flowing white hair. He wears simple plate mail of +5 magic value. Atop his helmet is a crumpled hat, and a starburst of rubies set in platinum hangs on his chest. In his left hand he carries a billet of wood. This bronzewood cudgel is actually a +3 weapon equal to a Morningstar in St. Cuthbert’s grasp. Any human touched by this weapon must save versus magic or be beguiled for 5-20 turns.

In his right hand is the fabled Mace of St. Cuthbert. This weapon is +5, disrupting (as a mace of disruption), and any “to hit” score of a natural 20 permanently reduces by 1 point the intelligence of the creature struck (magic resistance check withstanding). This mace also has the following powers: bless (by tapping touch); know ‘alignment (once/day); tongues; exorcise (once/month); and

remove curse (7 times/week). St. Cuthbert hates evil, but his major interest is in law and order and the dual work of conversion and prevention of back-sliding by “true believers.” He seldom leaves his plane, unless some great duty brings him forth. When on the Prime Material Plane he will sometimes appear as a manure-covered yokel, a brown-and-green-robed wanderer, or a slight and elderly tinker. In these guises he tests the doctrine of the faithful or seeks new converts. He can gate to or from Arcadia or the Prime Material Plane at will. He otherwise has the powers of a

lesser god. There are three orders of the priesthood of St. Cuthbert: Members of the order of the Chapeaux dress in varying garb, but all wear crumpled hats. They seek to convert people to the faith. When they attain third level, clerics of the Chapeaux order gain the ability to cast one shillelagh spell per day. Members of the order of the Stars wear dark green robes with a starburst holy symbol of copper, gold, or platinum (depending on their status). They seek to retain doctrinal purity amongst the faithful. Clerics of the order of the Stars gain the ability to cast one ESP spell per day upon attaining fourth level. Members of the order of the Billets are the most numerous, serving as ministers and protectors of the faithful. Clerics of this order, upon attaining second level, gain the ability to cast one friends spell per day. They dress in simple brown and russet garments, and wear a holy symbol of an oaken or bronzewood billet. While St. Cuthbert has many large places of worship, wayside shrines and small, crude chapels are usual. His followers are found mainly in the Central Flanaess, around Greyhawk, the Wild Coast, Urnst, and Verbobonc. (See The Village of Hommlet, Dungeon Module T1.) A great rivalry exists between those who follow St. Cuthbert and the followers of Pholtus (of the Blinding Light).