This is a series of mini-articles that will cover some of the more popular paladin patrons on Faerûn and Amia. Until these pieces are posted into Rules & Lore, please do not rely on them as official Amia canon.
It is possible there will also be a general article on paladins, but that depends on whether we think it's necessary and have the time.
For now, focus on what the finished articles say. You can comment on them, suggest improvements and point out flaws, but please only do so based on D&D material published by TSR or WoTC, or something the game designers/authors have said in interviews or, for example, on Candlekeep. Everyone has their own subjective opinions, and we're not interested in those. Refer to source material in your criticism, and we're all good.
Absolutely do not spam or bicker in this thread.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Torm is the god of duty and loyalty and the patron of paladins. Paladins of the True God often embody the stereotype of chivalric knights in shiny armor.
They are especially devoted to obedience and service, which means they often pledge fealty to a mortal patron: a monarch, a military order, the local government or simply the paladin's family, for example. To a Tormtar paladin, the edicts of his mortal patron are second only to the edicts of Torm himself and the principle's the paladin is sworn to uphold. A paladin of Torm will lay down his own life if that's what it takes to serve their patrons. Their loyalty is not blind, however: they will not support a despot or enforce unjust laws. Instead, they work to change and improve those laws. While paladins of other faiths might be more individalistic and do what they think is best, Tormtar rigidly adhere to the orders of the patron they have sworn to serve. On Amia, one lord worthy of many a paladin's fealty would be Justicar Marinsbane of Kohlingen. Service to the Defenders, Cordor Guard, duke Montgomery or the church of Torm are also alternatives for Tormtar to consider.
Tormtar have a fourfold duty: to faith, family, master and all good people of Faerûn. They are traditionalists in many ways, and cherish chivalric virtues and high moral standards. Like all paladins, they are honest and brave, but they are also courteous and strictly honourable. A paladin of Torm does not resort to petty insults or behave inpolitely. A paladin of Torm accepts mockery made of himself with grace. If his patrons or cause are insulted by someone he knows to be a formidable foe, he is likely to challenge the opponent to a duel. A Tormtar paladin should not be petty enough to pay any mind to the insults of peasants, youngsters or drunkards, for example.
Tormtar are quick to punish any evil, and sometimes do so harshly and painfully. They allow their foes the same dignity anyone deserves, however. Even the foulest of warlords will be treated respectfully by a Tormtar opponent. They are not known to be particularly merciful, though.
There are many militant orders centered around Torm's faith. One of the most prestigeous is the Order of the Golden Lion. It is lead by sir Dylan Lionshand. The Golden Lions take good care of their appearance, wearing ornate armor and helms polished to a bright golden hue. The order is devoted to serving the Penance of Duty given by Torm. It consists of three debts to repay the crimes of Torm's faithful during the Time of Troubles:
The Debt of Persecution commands Tormtar to actively help other goodly faiths to re-establish their status. Therefore paladins of the Golden Lion are often found protecting the temples of other gods or on quests to recover relics of other faiths. They must perform services to these good churches regularly and obey their orders as if they came from the church of Torm, as long as the orders don't conflict with the paladins' faith or lead to their certain death.
The Debt of Dereliction means that Tormtar must do everything they can to oppose the faiths of Bane and Cyric and thwart the efforts of the Zhentarim. The Golden Lions defend the weak and embark on missions to defeat evil where ever it manifests.
Finally, the Debt of Descruction requires the Tormtar to help the Weave recover. They seek and report dead or wild magic zones and try to repair them. It's not unheard of to find paladins of the Golden Lion working together with goodly Mystrans to restore the Weave to its natural state.
A curiosity about the Order of the Golden Lion is that they may utilize undead before destroying them if it serves the greater good. In practice, this might mean forcing an enemy to fight between your group and a band of animated skeletons. A paladin will never animate the dead, however. They may only use those undead that exist already, and must do their best to return them to the grave when they've served their purpose.
The Loyal Order of Innocents is a knightly order dedicated to Torm. It is based in Tethyr and has a close alliance with Torm's church in Darromar. The order consists of both paladins and fighters honouring the orog saint Shield of Innocence. The order is loyal to Tethyr, having many noble patrons and the favour of queen Zaranda herself.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Tyr, the Even-Handed, is the stern god of justice. One of the more popular deities in Faerûn, he is a natural choice for many paladins. Tyrrans view the world in black and white moral terms, seeing just laws as the basis for society.
Tyrran paladins are sworn to uphold justice where ever they go. They must reveal the truth in all matters, punish rule-breakers and right any wrongs. All paladins value honesty, but to Tyrrans it is more than an honourable custom: staying true is an important part of their patron's dogma.
In civilized lands, Tyrrans often act as advisors in legal matters, being known for their just and even adherence to the law. A Tyrran will always uphold a just law, even if it isn't fair. A just law means one that is consistent with the principles of the legal system it is part of. This means that Tyrran paladins will sometimes uphold justice even when it is not quite fair. A good example of this are the Tyrrans in Calimshan. The laws of the land are very harsh, but a Tyrran paladin will enforce the legal institution of slavery and chopping off thieves' hands. If a paladin finds a law unfair, he may try to change it within the system. Breaking an unfair law is still unacceptable, and Tyrrans have to punish those who do so. Tyr's paladins will fight against the law to bring justice only if a legal system is so corrupt that it cannot be reasonably defined as lawful at all. Either way, a Tyrran will not enforce a law that is unjust.
In wilderness where there is no law, Tyrrans act as the judge, jury and executioner. Their decisions depend on personal ethics, but ”an eye for an eye” is a common principle. Often paladins lean towards mercy, however, and choose to forgive transgressions of those ignorant of their wrong-doing. One of the Tyrrans duties is to take just vengeance upon evil when the victims cannot do so themselves. They also capture lawbreakers and stay sharp to prevent crimes before they happen.
It is said that justice is blind. Tyr, however, is also a fatherly deity who is served by Lawful Good paladins. Granted, his paladins generally emphasize law at the expence of mercy and kindness, but nevertheless this duality has resulted in two notable paladin orders.
The Knights of Holy Judgement embody the lawful aspects of Tyr's philosophy. Hunting and punishing criminals is their main focus. They fight against devils in particular, since they see the Baatezu as horrible pervesions of lawfulness who mock the concept of justice itself.
The Knights of the Merciful Sword focus more on the goodness in Tyr's faith. They fight against monsters and demons, protecting goodly people from outside threats. While their duties are basically the same as the Knights of Holy Judgement, they try to focus on preventing damage rather than meting out punishment for crimes already committed. The greatest paladins of both orders may be invited to join an elite order, the Hammer of Grimjaws. They must be recommended by one of the Hammers and face a test by Tyr himself, however, so this order remains small.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Mystra is the lady of mysteries and guardian of the Weave. Unlike the previous incarnations of Mystra, the current goddess is of the Neutral Good alignment. This change has drawn some paladins into the ranks of Mystra's clergy. They are not common, however, and the amoral attitude many wizards have towards magic causes some disagreements between paladins of Mystra and the arcanists of the church.
Due to their rarity, paladins have no set role within Mystra's clergy. They act as the sword-arm of the church and often accompany clerics and mages on missions to recover lost artifacts or magical lore from ruins, tombs and other dangerous places. While most paladins have an aversion to grave robbing, paladins of Mystra understand the importance of bringing certain magic items and writings to safety, even from the crypts of the deceased. Mystrans are also charged with preserving magical lore, so a paladin would be most fitting a guard for a Mystran library. If a paladin comes across an evil spellbook or a horrible magic item, he'll take it to good Mystrans for safe-keeping rather than destroy it. Mystra expects her followers to create magic of their own, so sometimes her paladins will craft wands or scribe scrolls of the spells they recieve from her. They are directly responsible for what is done with such items, however, and therefore will not let them end up in the wrong hands. If a paladin gives such items to his friends, he will want to know how they are going to be used.
Despite the wide variety of alignments in Mystra's service, her paladins are still Lawful Good and take oaths of honour and virtue similar to other faiths. They do not approve of foul spells or an amoral view of magic. To them, magic is beautiful art that must be used for the good of people, not for personal gain. While a devout Mystran might argue that studying necromancy is a part of understanding the Weave, her paladins will do their best to stop the creation of undead peacefully. If a paladin of Mystra knows some faithful are practicing necromancy for purely academic purposes, he will try to persuade them to stop or use whatever honourable means he can think of to put an end to it. In the end, he might have to accept this part of Mystra's nature, and wouldn't be punished for not stopping the scholars with force.
Mystra's clergy keeps an eye on promising new mages. A Mystran paladin may take it upon him to teach an aspiring arcanist the ethical use of magic. Some spellcasters are too rotten and blinded by power to be redeemed, however. To prevent reckless use of magic and damage to innocent bystanders, paladins sometimes have to hunt down these Weave-abusers and bring them to justice – or more likely, knowing how hard it is to capture a wizard, bring them swift death. Halruaa, a land where Mystra is very popular, regulates the use of magic heavily. While paladins are uncommon there, the few that do serve the local temples are often charged with capturing corrupt mages. Mystrans are particularly hostile towards Sharrans, and work against the Shadow Weave. Protecting the Weave and repairing Dead and Wild Magic Zones are a part of their duties, as well.
There is one paladin order working in Mystra's church: The Knights of the Mystic Fire. They are mostly an adventuring order, going on quests to find and secure ancient hoards of magic or to destroy liches and other evil spellcasters . They have no particular dress code, but shades of blue and the symbol of Mystra on their shields are preferred. Mystra's church is rather relaxed in organization, so her paladins also have to work a lot on their own. Their loyalty is to magic and the goddess who governs it, which is why it's uncommon to find Mystran paladins working for a mundane patron of any sort.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
You may also post requests about deities to be featured. In general, I prefer to only do those who have actual followers on Amia.
If there's some vital information I've missed, do point it out. What would you like to see discussed more? What do players need to know about paladins?
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
They will go, when they're finished. I posted them here for some feedback, first. I got some from the rest of the team while writing them, but we're only a few people. I'm sure there are players who will spot some mistakes or have valuable insights to add. Comment away.
I'm doing a bunch of them still, anyway. I'll probably want to post them all at the same time, so I can have them in an alphabetic order or something.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Eilistraee is Chaotic, so she doesn't actually have paladins. A paladin patron deity needs to be Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral or Neutral Good. Sune is the only exception to that in the Forgotten Realms, being Chaotic Good. There's also a paladin order of Selûne and another deity, so we might assume there are Selûnite paladins but that was probably a mistake the game designer made with Champions of Valor.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Both are possible. There is so little information on Lendys, though, that I doubt there's any point in writing about it.
Ilmater, Helm, Hoar, Bahamut, Mielikki, Sune, Lathander and Red Knight are those that have been suggested. I don't know if I have time for them all. I suppose I should do Salandra, as well.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
I suggest you tackle the said suggested deities in popularity of following on Amia. Just a suggestion.
Also, if you are interested in some more information on Paladins of Helm, I can always dig up my old Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn game and play through all the way up to that point in the story. May seem a bit lame, but it's canon.
Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Location: In an armchair, stroking a cat
Caomhin wrote:
the dwarven pantheon has many paladins....
What I can think of:
Gorm Gulthym, Dumathoin (No LG followers wanted, at least not by the R&L section, but a paladin dedicated to killing undead/guarding the tombs of dead dwarves?), Moradin, Haela Brightaxe, Clangeddin, Berronar Truesilver, possibly Marthammor Duin (Has LG followers, but a paladin of a deity who encourages Dwarves to travel a lot, not linger in their underground Holds? I dunno, sounds weird?)
Dugmaren Brightmantle, no paladins there, I'd say. No LG followers and Dug is nearly a Dwarven copy of Oghma. Sharindlar also doesn't seem to support any LG followers. Vergadain is out of the limits, being the god who encourages profit by trading, and it seems it's okay to have a wee swindle on the other participant's expence if it gives more profit to the dwarf. Also it's important in life to always seek to make profit, not that paladin-like in my opinion.
Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Location: [st]Ultrinnan[/st] [st]Edonil[/st] Nec'perya
i think im going to make a paladin of bane next...
i just wont use the pray function... he'll follow the lawful tendencies of bane to the letter.
edit - we got scolded >.>
_________________ Slander [Zanthair Akarupa of the Horsemen of the Apcalypse] - Sorcerer 'Mediocreare' Isendu't'tar Ussen'd'Vhid d'My'ana'd'Xull'd'Vharcan - possibly the longest name in Amia Tiffany Seagrass - weak and fragile weaver of words
Last edited by Zanthair on Tue, Feb 19 2008, 19:56 PM, edited 1 time in total.
Ilmater, the Crying God, is the deity of perseverance and martyrdom. He encourages his followers to comfort the suffering and take the pain of others upon themselves. The paladins in Ilmater's service are especially dedicated to helping the helpless and giving hope to the hopeless. While paladins of Tyr or Helm might be more interested in upholding law and order, Ilmatari focus on treating the wounds of those harmed by evil and preventing atrocities.
The church of Ilmater is famous and well-liked for its charity work, and it's also something many paladins choose to focus on. Ilmater tells his worshipers to emphasize the spiritual aspect of life over the material, and excessive wealth is considered inappropriate for Ilmatari. A paladin of Ilmater should therefore generally donate to charity any extra funds left after acquiring medicine and equipping himself properly to serve his god and cause. The church of Ilmater, independent orphanages and hospitals, or the temples of other goodly deities are good targets for their donations. While Imatari paladins don't always take an absolute oath of poverty, it's commonly agreed that riches are not something for them to have.
Many people misunderstand Ilmatari and their devotion to endure suffering so that others wouldn't have to. The church is often seen as weak and foolhardy, but this couldn't be father from the truth. Ilmater tells his followers to stand up to any injustice and tolerate no tyranny. While his paladins would prefer to tend to the sick and poor, they are also the ones who step up to challenge evil when no others dare – even if it means certain defeat. Ilmatari believe that there is no shame in a meaningful death and are more inclined to martyrdom and self-sacrifice than other paladins. On the other hand, life is sacred to them and they will not charge to pointless death when there's nothing to be gained.
While Tormtar paladins will specifically strike evil so that it hurts, Ilmatari are strongly opposed to any unnecessary suffering. A Tyrran paladin might accept some level of torture as a just punishment for crimes if that was the local legal system, but an Ilmatari will never approve of any kind of torture. Their respect for life usually makes them oppose executions, but they might have to accept it as part of a realm's law. They are no pacifists, however: they fill fight and kill furiously on the battlefield when faced with tyrants, torturers and other horrible wrong-doers.
There are two paladin orders serving Ilmater's church. The more militant of the two are the Companions of the Noble Heart. The Companions are heroes who aggressively fight those who advocate cruelty and suffering, especially followers of Talona and Loviatar. It's not unknown for them to attack a Loviatan shrine, kill every worshiper inside and then tear the place to the ground.
The more peaceful group is the Order of the Golden Cup. They are closer to the traditional image of Ilmatari, tending to the weak and protecting them, rather than looking for evil to vanquish. They won't hesitate to confront evil when necessary, but it's not their role to go on campaigns against atrocities. Rather, they choose to stay with the people and soothe their hurts. You might find a member of the Golden Cup distributing medicine to children or protecting a village so that the tyrant from the nearby village won't gain influence there while the Companions of the Noble Heart ride to war against the tyrant.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
I'd be interested in seeing some more evil deities paladins' codes. Specifically Cyric, as I've been doing research, and Cyric's paladins probably wouldn't be considered paladins at all by other deities/people. So, if there could be any info on that, I'd like to see it, if Cyric paladins would even exist.
Well, the most evil paladin patron there could be are the Lawful Neutral ones. Deities with more than one step away from LG (with the exception of Sune and possibly Selûne) simply cannot have paladins in the traditional sense. And that's what the paladin class is on Amia.
I haven't got around to Hoar yet, but that should be interesting to do. He's the god of poetic justice, so his paladins might tread a fine line between cruelty and almost evil acts of vengeance, and staying LG.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Imo, a LG Hoarite possibly considers GOOD as being able to remove any feelings of animosity from those who were wronged.
In another light (this part is mostly opinion, to emphasize GOOD part), they may also see acts of kindness as something that should be "exacted vengeance upon" (in other words, rewarded), as opposed to those of:
1. Lawful Neutral (which focuses on Poetic Justice part) and of;
2. Lawful Evil (who focuses on the vengeance by killing part)
Both of which tend to focus only on helping out those who were wronged.
The LAWFUL part of the LG Hoarite Paladin (imo) should be comprised mostly of the tenets of Hoarite faith, since a great deal of the Paladin code and the written laws of mortals come into conflict with the Tenets of Hoar (the Hoarite Paladin gray area).
In short, To maintain their LG status, Hoarite Paladins deliver poetic justice and vengeance(LAW), taking an eye for an eye, and ONLY taking a life WHEN a life has been taken, with the intention of helping (GOOD) and not for the sake of the delivery of poetic justice and/or vengeance itself. (an act for an act's sake)
Still, iirc Paladins of Assuran really are a far fetch, and most (if not all) of his followers are Clerics (The Doombringers), Rogues, Fighters and Assassins. At best, the only problem a Paladin of Assuran is going to face is conflicts with the Paladin code, which supposedly removes the Paladin status. But imo, as long as the Paladin performs in accordance to the his faith and maintains his goodyness, he still remains to be a Paladin of that deity.
That's very interesting input. I haven't researched Hoar yet, he'll probably be the next one I do. That was very helpful. Yes, I agree that a paladin who acts within the dogma of his patron and stays generally Lawful and Good is fine. Their first and foremost duty is to their god, after all.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
I posted a canon list of Paladin and Monk multiclasses back in late November that would probably come in handy for something like this. I'd post a link to it but every single page on this site is exactly the same (www.amiaworld.net/ ) and I can't figure out how to do it.
Also, if you're going to cover it, I'd like a firm, straight-from-the-manual, ruling on monstrous races being a) accepted by Sune as worshippers in general and b) eligible to become members of the Ruby Rose. I once met a Goblin claiming to be a Paladin of Sune and it was just wrong on so many levels.
_________________ "Where's my pony?"
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"Oh. Whose horse is this?"
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"Whose Warhorse is this?"
"Zed's"
"Who's Zed?"
"Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead."
Joined: 28 Nov 2007 Location: [X] <-- nail here for new monitor
Sokar Rostau wrote:
I posted a canon list of Paladin and Monk multiclasses back in late November that would probably come in handy for something like this. I'd post a link to it but every single page on this site is exactly the same (www.amiaworld.net/ ) and I can't figure out how to do it.
ah and you can do: "copy link" or "open in new window" and then copy the link Another possibility is open the forum in a new window (without the menu on the left of the page) then it'll show individual links.
What about Selune - paladins or no paladins? I think I remember hearing Sune is an exception (since she's Chaotic Good), but I don't know about any others.
There is an order that worships a dwarven deity and Selûne, introduced in Champions of Valor. This order sports paladin members, apparently of Selûne. To be honest, though, I believe this is an accidental screw-up by the authors, not an intentional exception to the general rule. If I ever find the time to continue this series, Selûne will not be one of the deities featured.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Finally got around to writing more. This is not canon until it's in R&L, the named Tethyrian temple and order are so far just a theory.
Paladins of Salandra
Salandra is the gentle demigoddess of healing and fighting illness. While not pacifist, she and her clergy are primarily concerned about charity and healing rather than fighting evil or upholding law. As such, not many paladins are drawn to her service, but they are not unheard of.
Much like their Ilmatari colleagues, Salandran paladins dedicate their efforts to aiding the common folk. A Salandran will sooner confront city officials about fixing the sewage problem of a town whose citizens are suffering from a lack of hygiene than go after a band of brigands harassing merchants on a nearby trade route. Salandra has a very specific purpose as a servant of Ilmater and the polar opposite of Talona, and therefore her paladins are often devoted to very specific tasks as well. Some join the Templars as protectors of the temple while others travel far and wide in search of rare antidotes and medicine, often having to slay exotic monsters for the ingredients. There are those who venture into warzones and other dangerous areas to help the wounded or stop the violence. The churches of Talona, Loviatar and Bane are perhaps the Salandrans' greatest enemies, and a few paladins strive to uncover and thwart their foul machinations. A select few dedicate their life to the eradication of the greatest disease of all, undeath, though there are faiths such as Lathander's and Kelemvor's who are more renowned for this. Law enforcement and retribution are of little interest to Salandrans.
Salandran paladins wish to avoid undue violence and suffering. That is why they often become cunning (if honest) and charismatic negotiators and speakers, or wise and insightful advisors; they will resort to violence only if all words have failed and evil must still be stopped. They are more likely to learn powerful spells, master their ability to heal wounds with but a gentle touch and specialize in commanding undead with the purity of their faith than practice combat manouvers. Even a Salandran paladin may not neglect martial prowess, however, for she must be able to defend the temple and the weak and sick against violence, as well as strike down undead, fiends and vile priests of evil gods who labour against the forces of good.
The paladins of Salandra aren't as numerous as those of other goodly faiths, but they do have one small order: The Fellowship of the Gentle Hand. Based in the Chapel of the Soothing Touch in Tethyr, they are a group dedicated to advancing social reforms that improve hygiene and health. As such, they've set out into various towns and hamlets around the kingdom and even beyond its borders to become established local figures and advocate their goals effectively. Their organization is quite loose: everyone is equal under the command of their leader, lady Tamaliss el-Pashar, who remains in Zazesspur to recruit and train aspiring Salandrans.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
I really can't wait to see what you do with Lathander personally. Good stuff IronAngel and I can't wait to see more. Also, what book says that Chaotic deities cannot have Paladins?
Faiths & Pantheons describes the "One-Step Rule" (clerics must be within one step of their patron's alignment). I personally don't give much weight to the One-Step rule, and maintain that Oghma, for example, can have clerics of any alignment (save perhaps CN). While it only refers to clerics, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting states paladin patrons must be Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral or Neutral good, with the only exception of CN Sune. Another exception might be Selûne, because Champions of Valor introduces a knightly order of Selûne and a dwarven deity, supposedly sporting paladins of both deities. I'd chalk that up to mistake, though, just like the statement that Eldreth Veluuthra have learned a way to cast druidic spells from nature itself, in Champions of Ruin.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Hoar is a dark, vengeful deity of retribution and poetic justice. Balancing between the influences of Tyr and Shar, and dealing with Beshaba to bestow bad luck upon the deserving, the Doombringer seems an ill-fit patron for paladins. Yet there are those who brave this narrow path and earn a fearsome reputation as uncompromising paragons of justice.
In Chessenta and the southern lands, Hoar is known as Assuran, the god of vengeance. Two temples, The Thunderous Hand of Vengeance in Akanax and the Amphitheater of the First Thunder in Mourktar, rival for leadership of the faith. Paladins from this region are uncommon, but are likely to swear fealty to either one of the temples and act as the priesthood's swordarm to mete out just punishment. In western and northern Faerûn, however, Hoar is considered to be more concerned in poetic justice and fitting punishment rather than vengeance. There, his worship is scattered and the only notable temple is the Hidden Hand of Fate in Archendale. Paladins from these regions are more common, and often act without the strict guidance of the clergy.
It is the Hoarites' duty to learn of injustice and repay it in full. Hoarite paladins often track down wanted villains, but refuse to collect the bounty unless it can be used as fitting compensation for the wronged party. Enacting justice is reward enough for the paladins. Feared and disliked as they are by many less-than-innocent people, they are often the only hope poor folks have of repaying those who've wronged them; whereas bounty-hunters demand gold and local authorities may not find evidence enough to press charges, the Hoarites will listen to the most wretched beggar, assess the truth of the account and decide the most fitting way to enact retribution.
Hoar instructs his followers to uphold the spirit of the law over that of the letter. After catching a criminal, a Tyrran paladin will take the captive for trial in the city where the crime was committed, if at all possible. A Hoarite, however, may suspect the captive will weasel his way free of any charges with his knowledge of local legislation. To make sure justice is done, he will simply administer whatever punishment is fitting on the spot. This has gained Hoarites the reputation of vigilantes, and the disapproval of many town watches and Tyrrans.
As instruments of poetic justice, paladins of Hoar are not without a sense of humour. Hoar teaches that revenge is at its sweetest with an edge of irony. While evil clerics of Hoar might think highly of the irony in feeding to the wolves someone who beat their dog, his paladins aim for punishments that teach a lesson but still compensate the crime committed. Violence will meet violence, but a paladin should avoid excessive violence whenever the foe's offence does not outright demand it. A greedy landowner who's kept his underlings in hunger would be better served with a task of sowing the fields, reaping the harvest and baking bread for his servants, rather than starving him to death; something a more malicious Hoarite might opt to do. On a similar note, retribution has two aspects: punishing injustice, for certain, but also rewarding good deeds. While far from charity workers, Hoarite paladins do their best to give suitable rewards to those they witness doing the just and right thing. If someone offers a room in their home for a travelling Hoarite to rest in, the paladin might later invite the family to spend a few nights in a fine inn in the nearby city, at his expense.
Paladins of Hoar are in a difficult position in their church, because some Hoarites are evil and even their neutral brethren may enact cruelties that would enrage many a goodly faith. Hoar's dogma speaks of an eye for an eye, and his paladins consider it a strict commandment that ensures fairness, whereas some others interpret the maximum severity of punishment more liberally. Especially in powerful temples, church hierarchy is established and paladins might end up subservient to evil clerics. That's one reason paladins are uncommon in southern lands where the rule of the church is stronger. Hoarite paladins in the Heartlands and the North are often loners who interact little with the rest of the clergy. A paladin of Hoar will not fight an evil priest of Hoar, because he knows they both apparently have the deity's favour, whether he likes it or not. The paladin may debate matters of moral and dogma and try to persuade the clergy to condemn excessive cruelty, or simply avoid or refuse to work with the evil clergymembers, though. However, it's not unknown for Hoarite paladins to thwart the plans of Hoarite assassins and other lay members when they go too far. Such incidents occasionally cause strife within the church and set the extremes of the clergy at odds with eachother. Fortunately, the neutral medium is by far the strongest group and has so far managed to maintain balance and relative unity.
Hoar's dogma tells to answer evil with evil, and that ”those who do not respond to attacks against their person or that which they hold dear only invite further attacks” Mercy is a luxury for those who don't take the fight against injustice seriously. On the other hand, it's important to a paladin that something good also results from the punishment. The path of a Hoarite paladin in narrow and paradoxical indeed: excessive cruelty results in a fall from goodness but showing undue mercy at the expense of rightful retribution is a breach of their code just as well. Likewise, working against the church they are sworn to serve is unacceptable, but neither may they actively partake in evil deeds. There are certain practices in the church of Hoar that would seem blasphemous to paladins of deities such as Lathander or Kelemvor: sometimes the victim of violence or betrayal begs with his last breath for a chance to take revenge. A Doombringer of Hoar may grant that wish and raise the victim as a revenant, an undead whose only purpose is to take vengeance upon those who wronged him. Once the task is done, the revenant crumbles and the spirit passes on to afterlife. Similarly, Hoarites may command undead to turn against their creator and crumble once he is destroyed. Paladins of Hoar understand the grim irony and justice in such actions, allowing these undead to complete their task.
There are no actual paladin orders dedicated to Hoar. However, the Fellowship of Poetic Justices is an order of bards, paladins and crusaders of both Tyr and Hoar who seek to spread tales of ironic justice and fight injustice in ways more efficent than violence.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Bumping so as to avoid pruning. Some day, I will get this done.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
The Fellowship of the Forgotten Flower is not a paladin order, though. It's a knightly order, with knights. There are no paladins of elven deities to my knowledge, and they would be in violation of the One-Step Rule even if they made any sense at all culturally. Which I don't think they do, since paladins are so human in outlook.
This is what Demihuman Deities has to say on the subject:
Quote:
Corellon is the divine patron of many knightly orders, many of which claim to trace their heritage and membership hack to the Time of Flowers. Such orders are typically composed largely of crusaders, warriors, and wizards (particularly fighter-mages), but their composition has varied widely over the millennia and from culture to culture. [...] Few orders have remained on the mainland of Faerun since the Retreat began in the Year of Moonfall (1344 DR), but of those that remain, the Swords of Evereska are the most notable for their unwavering defense of that alpine vale. Outside of elven homelands, the most frequently encountered agents of an elven knightly order belong to the Fellowship of the Forgotten Flower, a loosely structured organization dedicated to the recovery of lost elven relics from long-abandoned elven realms.
Not that you couldn't play a paladin of Corellon, but it wouldn't make much sense to me. Or maybe it would, if we used the idea of a paladin as loosely as I would, but I still don't think that every brave and devoted warrior has to be a paladin. There's plenty of crusader and champion classes/PrCs in D&D tradition to use.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Yeah, I'm just cheaply using it as a last line of defence against a concept that doesn't make sense culturally, IMO!
But yep, I see no problems with servants of Corellon with the paladin class. I suspect their name and codes would be somewhat different from human paladins, though. But whatever, if it's cool and works. Purely canonically and technically, anyway, there are no paladons of Corellon that I'm aware of.
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On Joon, Kjetta wrote:
The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!
Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Location: Land of the Scorching Sun, Empowered by Global Warming
I do not remember the source either, but paladins were first conceived as a human only class. Not even dwarves could be, because the 'religious' needs could conflict with their racial loyalties and all.
_________________ BlackDahlya
Once Upon A Time Played Adr'ael Ken'rahel, Auron Teken’ath, Aurora Mesodias, 'Daniel' Daoskinaxarijikkym, Eilin'ira, Helena Rios, Layla Faircurrent, May'Une Do'Ndar, Mellinda Tellus, Michael of Cliffside, Rizzen of Twilight, Valkirya d'Claddath
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