Denethor, Steward of Gondor

ResRef

creature003

Tag

DenethorStewardofGondor

Race

Human

Appearance

Human

Class(es)

Fighter 60/Paladin 60

HP

11,000

CR

1046.0

Faction

Evil (id 6)

Conversation

—

Where to find

Placed directly

Abilities

Classes

As stated in the early chapters and the Appendices of The Return of the King, Denethor was widely considered a man of great will, foresight, and strength. However, he was ever placed second in the hearts and minds of the people (and his father, Ecthelion II) to Thorongil, an outsider who served Denethor's father with great renown. Thorongil vanished from Gondor after great deeds four years before Denethor would succeed his father as Ruling Steward. Thorongil (who was secretly Aragorn, the heir to Gondor's throne) had advised Ecthelion to put faith in the wizard (Gandalf), whom Denethor distrusted. He married Finduilas, daughter of Prince Adrahil of Dol Amroth. She gave birth to two sons: Boromir and Faramir. Denethor never remarried after his wife's death, and became more grim and silent than before. In the novel, he began secretly using a palantír to probe Sauron's strength. The effort aged him quickly, and the knowledge of Sauron's overwhelming force depressed him greatly. Unlike Saruman, Denethor was too great to be corrupted by Sauron's lies. However, it served Sauron well enough for the palantír to show Denethor the truth of the vast forces arrayed against him. Boromir's death depressed Denethor further, and he became ever more grim. Nonetheless he continued to fight Sauron with every resource at his disposal. Near the novel's climactic battle, the warning beacons of Gondor were lit, and forces were called in from all of Gondor's provinces. The civilian population of Minas Tirith was sent away to safety. As invasion seemed imminent, Denethor sent the Red Arrow to the Rohirrim. The Council decided that Gondor could make no stroke of its own but Denethor ordered Gondor's forces to the outer defences of Osgiliath and the great wall of the Rammas Echor. He wanted to make a stand, since the defences had been built at great expense and not yet been overrun. His son Faramir and the other commanders objected due to the Enemy's overwhelming numerical superiority and preferred instead to defend the city itself, but Faramir nonetheless obeyed out of respect for his father and late brother. Faramir's apparently lifeless body was returned during the retreat, as the capital city was under siege by vastly superior forces. This last loss finally broke Denethor's spirit. Denethor committed suicide, having ordered his men to burn him alive on a pyre prepared for him and Faramir. He took the white rod of his office and broke it on his thigh bone, casting it into the flames. He laid himself down on the pyre and so perished, clasping the palantír in his hands. He also attempted to take the grievously injured and apparently dying Faramir with him, but was thwarted by the timely intervention of Peregrin Took, with help from Gandalf and the guard Beregond. The Stewardship passed to Faramir, who remained in the Houses of Healing for a time.

Combat

AC extras: +10 AC Bonus, +8 AC Bonus

Saves shown = stored bonus + ability mod + item bonuses (Saving Throw Bonus: Specific); class-table progression and feat bonuses (Great Fortitude, etc.) are applied at runtime.

Abilities & combat properties

Dodge AC and save bonuses are factored into the main combat stats above. Dodge AC stacks (cap +20); haste adds +4 more (separate). All other same-type bonuses do not stack — only the highest is shown. Regeneration stacks without limit. Immunities marked (racial) are granted by the creature's racial type by the engine, not by its equipment.

Weapons

Spells

Paladin

Special abilities

Equipment

Inventory (12)

Feats (51)

• Alertness
• Armor Proficiency (heavy)
• Armor Proficiency (light)
• Armor Proficiency (medium)
• Aura of Courage
• Called Shot
• Cleave
• Death Attack (+10d6)
• Devastating Critical (bastard sword)
• Divine Grace
• Divine Health
• Dodge
• Epic Prowess
• Epic Weapon Focus (bastard sword)
• Epic Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)
• Extra Turning
• Great Cleave
• Great Fortitude
• Improved Critical (bastard sword)
• Improved Critical (longbow)
• Improved Critical (longsword)
• Improved Parry
• Improved Power Attack
• Iron Will
• Lay on Hands
• Lightning Reflexes
• Mobility
• Overwhelming Critical (bastard sword)
• Point Blank Shot
• Power Attack
• Quick To Master
• Remove Disease
• Shield Proficiency
• Smite Evil
• Spring Attack
• Superior Initiative
• Toughness
• Turn Undead
• Uncanny Dodge II
• Weapon Finesse
• Weapon Focus (bastard sword)
• Weapon Focus (longbow)
• Weapon Focus (longsword)
• Weapon Proficiency (exotic)
• Weapon Proficiency (martial)
• Weapon Proficiency (monk)
• Weapon Proficiency (rogue)
• Weapon Proficiency (simple)
• Weapon Specialization (bastard sword)
• Weapon Specialization (longbow)
• Weapon Specialization (longsword)

Skills

Scripts