My 3.5 D&D character - now

While I am waiting for Dungeons&Dragons 4th Edition, and generally think that everyone who is staying behind is an enemy of innovation, I was invited to join a 3.5 game now. Ironic?

Anyways this is my basic character idea. I wanted to fill a niche in a party with a sorcerer and a rogue/sorcerer. Obviously a defender would be needed, but also a healer. So Paladin seemed pretty obvious.
I decided to go for something angsty that is not introverted. I want to have a character that I can't turn into the funny relief guy. Happens too easily with me.
I also try not to go for the lawful stupid archetyp - as a Palladin screams for that.

Rius Diovrie

Rius is the first born of the current generation of a noble family, rulers over a small barony in the borderlands. Rius' parents, grandfather and countless generations before have served as Paladins. So it was pretty obvious since his birth that Rius would one day become a divine fighter too.
At the age of 14 Rius finally told his family he had heard his calling - everyone was already waiting hard if it would happen at all - and for the better part of the next decade he received his training - lessons in swordplay, morale, the arts and especially how to serve Dalanos - the father of the gods.
Sometimes Rius was a little worried that he did not feel many of the things he was told about, like compassion or charity, but he just pushed himself in studying harder to come up for that.
The closer the day of his final test and knightly accolade came, the more it became clear to him that all the studying would not help in front of the priesthood examining his heart. They would see that he just pretended perfectly all the years and that following the code with discipline was not enough.
So that very morning - waiting for the ceremony in his shiniest armor - Rius ran off.
Since this day he tries to do his duty as a paladin although he is missing the divine powers. Rius may look like a paladin and behave like one, but in the end he is just a fighter with a strict code. He follows this noble code the same way a lifeless machine would do.

He wants to be good and believes in divine law, he just does not feel compassion, charity or any of those things that would make him a real paladin. At the moment Rius thinks that if he serves as one, one day he will be "healed".

In the meantime he sometimes pretends to others to be a palladin and sometimes he whines about not being one instead. He also fights his tendencies to be a braggart.

His biggest wish is that one day he will be able to return to his parents' land and prove that he always was a palladin. Nearly a paradox as he would have to lie to a certain degree to prove that.

Important people to Rius:

Reto and Estenda, parents, palladins

his younger real palladin sister Franja, a prodigy,
his left behind (female) squire Sorin

(he also was sent as a kid for some time to other noble families/castles)

Stats:

Strength: 16 +3
Dexterity: 12 +1
Constitution: 16 +3
Intelligence: 12 +1
Wisdom: 9 -1
Charisma: 13 +1

Rius is 190 cm in height and athletic. He wears his blond hair long and bound and seems to be perfectly shaven all the time.

Alignment: LN

Human
Language: Common + 1 bonus
1 extra feat
4 extra skill points (+1 extra/lvl)

Palladin
Skills: (2+int)x4 start; +2+int/lvl

Feats:
Power Attack (double with 2 hands...)
Cleave
Mounted Combat [next: Ride-by-Attack]

Age: 19

Attack Bonus: 6 = 3 (BAB) + 3 (Str): Greatsword (2d6(+4,5) 19-20/x2 Slashing)
Power Attack: Attack Bonus: +3 Dmg: 2d6+10
AC 19 (Full Plate: Armor Bonus 8)


Skills: Rank Skill
Climb 3+3-6= 0 (+6 without Armor)
Diplomacy 3+1 = 4
Handle Animal
Heal
Knowledge (Nobility/Royality)
Knowledge (Religion)
Ride
Swim