|
|
Basic Elements |
|
|
Extra Elements |
|
|
Paladins
Definition (taken from Microsoft Encarta Reference Suite 2001):
paladin [pαllədin] (plural paladins) noun
1. medieval champion: a champion or hero, especially in medieval legend or history
2. champion of a cause: somebody known for championing a cause
3. one of Charlemagne’s companions: any one of the 12 legendary companions of Charlemagne
[Late 16th century. Via French, from, ultimately, Latin palatinus, (see PALATINE 1).]
A Paladin in role playing games doesn't differ much from the definition above. Most of us picture Paladins as knights in shining armor, traveling with their trusted steed across the land, delivering justice and leading by example. Still, the knight stereotype is based on Western (Christian) tradition. So, there are many who picture Paladins not as virtuous knights but as other virtuous champions. So, it is more accurate to refer to Paladins as champions of a cause. There is however a significant detail that we must take into account if we are to understand what Paladins really are. Should we define them as champions of a cause, terrorists, murderers or even Hitler may as well be defined as Paladins. Paladins are not mere champions of a cause. They are Holy Champions, Heroes of the Light, Deliverers of Justice, Bringers of Peace. All Paladins follow a Universal Code that shapes and guides their vision of a better world. All Paladins are subject to the Divine Law that "All Life is sacred". A terrorist, who grossly violates this commandment, is not a Paladin. A fanatic of any religion or cause, who usually resorts in the extreme acts of killing and destroying, is not a Paladin. These acts are accounted as Evil and invoke the wrath of the Paladins. The Paladin is a Champion of Light and Goodness (universally defined).
Role Playing Games have, thus far, adhered to the above definition. And while the Essential Paladin Code seems to be the same, the exact definition of Paladins, their ethos and powers, differ from one role playing game to the other. In the subpages that follow, Paladins are categorized and analyzed in different games. Before that though, a discussion of the Paladin Code is necessary.
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
The Paladin Code is the cornerstone of a Paladin's life. It is the heart and mind of a Paladin and guides him towards further Goodness. It is the Will of the Paladin to be what he truly is, a Champion of Light. No Paladins defies the Code, for no Paladin can exist without the Code. The Code links the Paladin with the righteous forces of the Universe. It is the common ground for all Paladins, the common father. A Paladin does not follow the Code. He is the Code. A true Paladin doesn't act against Evil because of an order or expectation of reward, but rather because he feels that the Light must prevail. The Code is what being a Paladin is all about.
THE CODE: There are eight basic elements assembling the Paladin Code. A Paladin may add more elements as part of his Code when he starts his career as a Paladin but he can't remove any of the basic elements, unless he doesn't want to be a Paladin. First, the eight basic elements will be analyzed and a small definition of some extra elements will follow.
BASIC ELEMENTS
I. Fealty: A legacy from long-lost knights, Fealty described the relationship between a feudal lord and his knights. The Knights swore to protect the land and his lord in exchange for protection, support and property. When monarchies were established, the knight swore fealty to the king. In the 11th century, knighthood became a holy duty and knights were called to pledge fealty to the church. Fealty involves obeying commands from a law-abiding good patron, protecting and guarding him and his ideals, even sacrificing his life for the cause. A Paladin must pledge fealty to something. As a minimum, he can pledge fealty to a good church or philosophic movement or organization. It is this pledge that gives the Paladin his power. He can then pledge fealty to a lawful and good government (if one exists) or organization . He can pledge fealty both to a church and philosophy and he can't pledge fealty to the government alone. Typical fealty obligations involve obeying the patron's edicts, promote the patron's ideals and guarding the patron and his ideas with one's life. Fealty is intertwined with other elements of the Paladin Code, Faith and Honor.
II. Courtesy: Courtesy involves more than following rules of etiquette. A Paladin is polite to everyone, maintains self-control, considers the feelings of others and take care not to offend them, speaks with kindness, behaves with dignity at all times and respects friends and foes alike. A Paladin though should not be lost in the typical forms of etiquette. He need not concern himself with trivial matters such as "which is the right hand to use the knife with". Nor will he keep his silence, when the truth must be spoken, to avoid offending someone. A Paladin will do his best to be polite when addressing anyone but he has to be true to his word and not fall into the "False talk" trap of etiquette. Courtesy involves calls of judgment and is developed through constant exercise. Novice Paladins usually have a hard time balancing Courtesy with another element of the Paladin Code, Honesty.
III. Honor: Honor involves behaving in a morally sound manner even when the Paladin is by himself. Honor involves respect for anyone who shares the Paladin's ideals of goodness and justice. The Paladin shows mercy and refuses to inflict undue suffering even to his worst enemies. A Paladin acknowledges the dignity of all law-abiding good people, regardless of race, by treating them with respect. A Paladin dies before compromising his principles, betraying his patron, renouncing his faith or abandoning his duty. Honor is a matter of being true to one's self. Honor couples with Honesty and Fealty, two other elements of the Paladin Code.
IV. Honesty: While Honor is a matter of being true to one's self, Honesty is defined as "being true to others". A Paladin always tells the truth, as he knows it. He may choose to remain silent or withhold information but he will never intentionally misguide anyone, even his enemies. Speaking the Truth is tricky, as it may violate another element of the Paladin Code, Courtesy. The Paladin, if he chooses to speak, will tell nothing but the truth. Usually the answers have to be carefully spoken, since bluntly speaking the truth will violate the Courtesy element. A Paladin will not make promises lightly but once he gives his word, he will always keep it. Honesty balances with Courtesy and couples with Honor.
V. Valor: A Paladin demonstrates unparalleled courage at all times. He will face the greatest dangers to fulfill a promise or a duty. A Paladin will never yield or flee in battle unless he is greatly outnumbered or receives a direct order from a peer. Nevertheless, a Paladin will never retreat if the life of another is at stake or other elements of his Code will be compromised because of his retreat. Valor embraces and supports most elements of the Paladin Code, protecting the whole from compromise and enabling the Paladin to uphold his sacred duty with a true heart.
VI. Humility: A Paladin remains humble in spirit and action. Humility keeps the Paladin's feet on the ground and protects him from the vilest enemy of the Paladin Code, Pride. A Paladin knows what he is, and that is enough for his self-esteem. He will never preach his status or his achievements with arrogance. He never speaks highly of himself. Praises embarrass him and the knowledge of a job well done suffices as thanks. A Paladin's only reward is the happiness of the people, the victory of Light over Darkness and world peace. A Paladin's inner pride flows from the Paladin Code, not from human praises or rewards.
VII. Selflessness: Paladins will not seek excess wealth for themselves, but strive to build home for the homeless, heal the sick and feed the poor. A Paladin will give his food to a hungry child even if that will mean starvation for himself. He will use his excess funds to help all those in need. He will cover his friends retreat even if he has to die. He will sacrifice his life to save another. Selflessness is the desire of the Paladin to become one with his principles.
VIII. Faith: The last but not the least basic element of the Paladin Code is Faith. Faith is as simple as eating. It cannot be acquired by exercise or philosophy reading. It's the ultimate state of the Paladin's mind. Faith makes the Code whole, assembles and connects the other virtues. It can only be described as "believe in yourself". Faith gives life to the other elements. Faith and Fealty give the Paladin his supernatural abilities. Faith in a virtue, faith in a deity, faith in a philosophy, faith in one's abilities, faith in Light, faith in Goodness, Faith in Justice, Faith in Peace, Faith in one's self, the element that transforms the Paladin from a mortal Champion of Goodness to a Divine Warrior of Light.
EXTRA ELEMENTS
A few words about three extra elements that Paladins can follow as part of their Paladin Code.
Ia. Chastity: The Paladin avoids even the appearance of impropriety, remaining pure in word, deed, and thought. Lusty thoughts about someone violate this are all impure thoughts caught in the Paladin's mind. Chastity always couples with Celibacy.
IIa. Celibacy: Always following an oath of Chastity, a Paladin, besides remaining chaste, vows never to marry. The oath of Celibacy never stands alone in the Paladin Code.
IIIa. Industry: The Paladin engages in productive activity at all times. He accounts vacations and leisure activities to be time-wasting. He will work hard until he completes his word. When not working, he will study, exercise or practice his various skills.
Finalizing the Code (Violation of Virtues):
This is the Essential Paladin Code, adopted in most, if not all, Role Playing Games, or so it should. A Paladin will strive to live up to the Code and die for the Code if need be. In some Role Playing games (such as the Ad&d games) there are more parameters defining a Paladins ethos (such as strictures). Those will be discussed later on. The main idea is that it is difficult (if not impossible) to be a Paladin, so people who aspire to become Paladins and remain thus, must be willing to bear the burden of the Code. The Path of the Paladin is not for the false and the faint-of-heart.
It is difficult to be granted Paladinhood and still harder to remain a Paladin. Humans err and a Paladin may occassionally perform an act inappropriate of his status. This act is a violation. The Paladin must atone for those violations by contemplation and other acts of sincere apology and atonement. Evil (Execrable) Violations are another matter. A Paladin who intentionally performs even a single evil act is immediately and irrevocably stripped of his status and his name. He must call himself by another name from now on and may NEVER regain his lost paladinhood. He is forever a fallen.
Category 1: Incidental Violations
Incidental Violations include accidental or careless violations that don't jeopardize the safety of non-evil people in any way. Examples:
Hesitate before entering a dark room (violating the Valor virtue). If the Paladin is too fearful to enter, this becomes a Category 2 violation or higher, depending of whether his action result in harm of good people.
Failing to return a friendly greeting. If this is due to the Paladin arrogance rather than a mistake, it becomes a Category 2 violation. Also, it's a Category 2 Violation if the stranger takes offense.
Accidentally knocking a drink onto a stranger.
The Paladin must apologize to anyone slighted by his actions and to anyone observing the accident.
Grave Violations includes serious violations of trust and judgment, including accidental acts that might jeopardize the safety of non-evil people. It also includes intentional acts that offend, dissapoint, or mislead non-evil characters but don't jeopardize their safety. If the intentional act jeopardize others' safety, it becomes a Category 3 Violation. Examples:
Neglecting personal hygiene (violation of Courtesy - maybe even Honor).
Lying to a vendor about the quality of his merchandice. If the paladin lies to take advantage of the vendor (better price or co-operation), the violation becomes category 3).
Telling a "white lie" or couching the truth (Honesty violation). If the lie results in harm of another person, the violation becomes AT LEAST category 3.
Lose or misplace a person's item (either loaned or given for safekeeping).
The Paladin must seek a good cleric and perform an atonement immediately. He must forfeit a small sum to a charity, and make double or triple donations to his church for the next 1-4 months.
Category 3: Extreme Violations
Extreme Violations cover acts that put in question the Paladin's commitment to the Code, such as intentional acts that endanger non-evil people. Examples:
Delaying the execution of an edict, or failing to satisfactory complete it.
Failing to give accurate information, thus jeopardizing the safety of non-evil people (telling the road ahead is safe, declining to mention the rumors of bandits).
Inflicting great harm on the patron's cause, such as failing to guard an item or official assigned to you.
Avarice, usury or preoccupation with worldly goods (preoccupation with sexual pleasures falls in this category. Unless the lawful good religion states otherwise, a Paladin must be involved in a romantic, serious and sexual relationship with only one person at a time- Islam is another matter). Repeated violation becomes evil.
Failing to aid a dying person.
Panicking or retreating from a battle.
The Paladin temporarily loses his status. He must seek a cleric and perform an atonement, forfeit most of his year's earning to charities and perform a great service for the patron. Should the Paladin refuse to atone, he permanently loses his status.
Category 4: Execrable (Evil) Violations
Execrable Violations include the worst acts a Paladin can commit, the unforgivable ethos violations. Any direct violation of a Virtue or edict is an execrable violation as are violations that result in physical harm of good characters. Any violations affecting an official of the paladin's government or church are execrable violations. Examples:
Refusing or ignoring a just edict
Habitual Cowardice
Committing an act of blasphemy.
Betrayal of the patron.
Concealing funds
Intentional acts of:
Theft
Treason
Cowardice
Betrayal
Greed
Cheating
Blasphemy
Deliberate harm against a good person
There is only one penalty for evil violations : The immediate and irrevocable loss of the Paladin status. The person can never regain his Paladinhood and must call himself by another name from now on.
Further discussion about the Code and Violations can be found in the "Paladins Today Section".
II. AD&D (or Baldur's Gate) Paladins
AD&D 2nd Edition (now the game moved to another D&D Edition. which, in my personal opinion, has given little concern to Paladin Ethos and obligations) is the product of TSR Inc., the Leader company in Role Playing Development. Most of the information about Paladins was gathered from AD&D 2nd Edition Paladin's Handbook (published by TSR Inc.). In this book the D&D Paladin is described in all detail and I strongly encourage you to buy the book, should you find it anywhere. Don't pay attention to the game mechanics.
A difference between the Core Paladin Code described above and the AD&D Paladin is the definition of Strictures. Strictures are the core principles of a Paladin characters, the main elements that separate him from other classes. Should a Paladin intentionally violate a stricture, he commits an evil act, which results in the immediate and irrevocable loss of the Paladin Status.
Another difference is that while the Paladin Code is Universal and always active, the Paladins of AD&D refer to knight stereotypes of medieval ages. The Paladins of D&D games adhere to the Core Paladin Code along with the strictures and edicts.
1. Lawful Good Alignment: A Paladin must always obey the just law and strive for the greater good. A Paladin who ceases to be Lawful or Good, is no longer a Paladin.
2. Tithing: A Paladin must donate 10% of his income to his church.
3. Alignment of Associates: A Paladin may never associate with an evil character. His hirelings and henchmen have to be lawful good.
4. Wealth limits: A Paladin retains all funds needed for :Food, Weapons, armor, clothing, tack and harness for the mount, Lodging (not luxurious), taxes and licenses, training costs, miscellaneous provisions, salaries, stronghold expenses. A Paladin must forfeit all excess funds (usually through donations or charity).
5. Magical Item Limit: A Paladin can not hoard more than 10 magical items (1 armor, 4 weapons, 1 shield, 4 miscellaneous magical items).
A Paladin who violates even a single stricture, commits an evil violations and permanently loses his Paladin status.
As a general rules, the standard Paladin is assumed to have most of the Powers and Abilities associated with the Paladins of the D&D. Details about the Paladins of the W.P.U. can be found in the "Union" section (see the menu frame in the W.P.U. main page).
Detect Evil Intent: The Paladin can detect the mere presence of evil in a 60' radius. This ability cannot detect evil through walls.
Saving Throw Bonus: This ability involves AD&D game mechanics. Simply put, it's the divine help the Paladin gets for throwing himself into danger. The Paladin's faith offers increased immunity to poison, death magic and similar hazards.
Immunity to Disease: The Paladin is immune to all diseases, natural and magical. He is still subjected to physical trauma, poison (not virus or bacteria based), curses, effects of aging and psychological disorders.
Cure Diseases: The Paladin is not only immune to diseases but he is able to cure diseases. He can use this ability 1-4 times a week depending on his power (the more experienced the Paladin, the more he can use this ability).
Laying on hands: The Paladin can cure his or others' wounds by briefly pressing both palms against the wounded character. This ability functions once per day and is relevant to the Paladin's power (the more experienced the Paladin, the greater his laying on hands power is.) The Paladin must be alive, conscious and willing to use this ability. Laying on hands can't bring back the dead.
Aura of Protection: The Paladin is surrounded by a 10' radius holy aura that protects him from evil beings. It has a disrupting and disturbing effect on evil characters, making it harder for them to fight the Paladin.
Holy Sword: Once in his career a Paladin may come across a holy sword, a weapon of awesome power that protects him against evil magic and has other special magical and combat abilities. Only the Paladin may take full advantage of a holy sword's incredible powers.
Turn Undead: By tapping into the powerful forces of his faith, a Paladin is able to terrify undead or blast them out of existence.
Bonded Mount: A Paladin is able to gain a Bonded Mount, a fearsome, faithful mount, more intelligent and strong that others of his species (usually a heavy warhorse). The mount serves the Paladin to the utmost of its ability, fearlessly fighting the Paladin's foes. A mount's service lasts 10 years and the Paladin's has to acquire another bonded mount.
Clerical Magic: As the final ability, a Paladin may cast some cleric spells. His ability though very inferior to that of a real cleric.
The Paladins as they are known are actually the Paladins of the AD&D Role Playing World.
This used to be a Paladin's Guild oriented around Quest For Glory Paladins. The Old Paladin's Guild (or most of it) is still up (click the QFG Logo of the Menu in the W.P.U. main Page.)
Quest For Glory Paladins are the image people get when referring to knights and
Champions of Light. The ethos of a QFG Paladin is neither so carefully
defined as the Paladin Code nor as strict. A QFG Paladin is a Champion of
Light that does what is needed to further the cause of good, usually within the
boundaries of the law. The Ethos of a QFG Paladin is based on Honor.
Honor in the QFG is vaguely defined. It is a summary of the Paladin Code,
representing Honesty, Valor, Generosity, Kindness, Goodness, Courtesy, Humility,
Selflessness. Because it is vaguely defined, it is seemingly more humane,
understandable and accessible by more people. People want to define
Paladins as the Quest For Glory games define them rather than the strict,
precise Paladin Code. Still, one who finds the Paladin Code restrictive is
not yet ready to move towards being a True Paladin. Being a Paladin is not an
obligation. It is an Inner Call that people answer to with all their
soul. A True Paladin, the highest of Paladins, follows the Paladin
Code. Other Paladins (QFG or others) follow the less
"restrictive" Codes. One who aspires to learn the True Way of
the Paladin has to be a True Paladin. But, in honor of the great Quest For
Glory games, we will count OFG-Oriented Paladins as another type of Paladin
character.
The Powers and Abilities of QFG Paladins are identical to the Powers of a True Paladin. Below lies a presentation of the Powers of QFG Paladins as they were defined in the last chapter of the QFG series (Quest For Glory V : DragonFire). Hopefully, they are in ascending order (Abilities further down require a higher Honor stat with Awe being the final ability).
INNATE
ABILITY: Sense Danger: This ability is the
only one that is always active, without using Stamina Points. It informs
the Paladin of impending danger, living or otherwise. This and the Sense
Aura Ability combined match the Detect Evil Intent Ability of the Standard
Paladin.
| Name | Description |
 Paladin Sword |
A Paladin with a holy sword can make it bathe in the blue flames of Honor. This power enhances the attack and damage ability of the weapon, spreading holy fire to the Paladin's foes. |
 Heal |
Heal allows the Paladin to heal himself or others. This ability drains Stamina in order to heal. |
 Magic Ward |
The Magic Ward protects the Paladin in the presense of a spellcaster by nullifying offensive spells cast against the Paladin. This ability uses Stamina to neutralize magic attacks. |
 Peace |
The Paladin Peace relaxes everyone in the area, much like the QFG Wizard's Calm spell, effectively preventing most opponents from attacking the Paladin. Attacking while this spell is in effect is a dishonorable act. |
 Honor Shield |
Honor Shield protects the Paladin from physical harm by adding to the Paladin's Defense, much like his armor and shield. |
 Sense Aura |
Sense Aura allows the Paladin to determine the basic mood of its target, and gives the Paladin a general impression of the person's feelings and thoughts. It's more like the Detect Evil Intent Ability of the Standard Paladin. |
 Destroy Undead |
Destroy Undead annihilates Undead, striking them down with the Power of the Light. |
 Holy Strength |
Holy Strength boosters a Paladin's Strength , increasing it proportionally to the current Stamina Points, thus enhancing a Paladin's Combat Skills. |
 Awe |
Awe, the most Powerful Paladin Ability, causes most opponents to flee or retreat. Only the greatest enemies may resist the Awe Ability. |
IV. Paladin(- Like) Characters of History and Fiction
Most people have some strange conception of Paladins. According to them, every person who does good is a Paladin. The greatest misunderstanding of the Paladin Character lies in judging historical figures as being Paladins or not. Something that most people need to understand is that the Paladin is more an Ideal than a Reality. People may at times fulfill some aspects of the Paladin Code, but their commitment is always questionable and most of the time, they have acted against the Paladin Code. Remember that while Paladins are always Heroes, Heroes are not always Paladins. Characters of fiction are more probable to be real Paladins, but even that is questionable. Last time I checked though, Hitler is still a butcher today, even for Germans. Another mistake people make is counting the knight and the Paladin as being one and the same. This is not true at all. A knight can be a murderer, a thief, a liar, etc. A Paladin IS a knight, but he is a special type of knight. He is the Holy Champion of Light.
The historical basis of Paladins lays in the 11th century. Before that time, the idea of knight was slowly developed around the relationship between a feudal lord and a warrior. The warrior pledged to protect the lord of the land in exchange for protection, support and wealth. The knight class gained prestige as the centuries passed, and it was accounted higher than common folk but lower than nobility. In the 11th century, the Pope declared knighthood to be a sacred duty and the knights took up arms to defend the church. Thus the knights became holy warriors. Not necessarily abiding by the Paladin Code, but this is the closest historical example of Paladins.
Moving onto Paladinlike Characters of History, I must state again that True Paladins probably never existed. Saladin, Joan of Arc, Roland of the 12 Peers of Charlemagne may assemble Paladins but we cannot be sure if they really were. They probably worked for the greater benefit of their people and country, but no one can be certain whether they adhered to the Paladin Code as stated at the Beginning of this page. Still, they are the closest examples of Paladin characters. Alexander the Great could have been a Paladin if he had refrained from drinking too much and hadn't killed his friend while he was drunk.
Fiction gives the most common Paladin example (for the common folk at least). King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Galahad, Percival and most of the Knights of the Round table are defined as Paladins. This, of course, is not true. King Arthur may have been a Paladin, wielding Excalibur, the Holy Sword. Although he couldn't control his rage when he learned about Lancelot and Guinevere, he atoned later on so that might make him a Paladin. Sir Lancelot though did perform an evil violation, sleeping with a married woman, which happened to be the queen, the wife of his liege. This can be accounted as execrable violation so even if he was a Paladin, Lancelot could never regain his Paladin Status after than. The other knights could have been Paladins also, although a bit doubtfull.
One should be careful when categorizing Heroes of History and Legend as Paladins. Being a Paladin isn't just a result of one's desire to do good and behave with honor and dignity. Some people are law-abiding, good, and generous, but it takes more than that to be a Paladin, as the Paladin Code states. As a final guideline, True Paladins never really existed and never will. It is a Idea attained through constant effort and self-sacrifice. One who aspires to be a Paladin must have a steady heart and must be in love with the Paladin Ideals. The Way of the Paladin is a Path for the few Chosen to guide humanity to the Light and protect it from harm.
As
stated above, True Paladins never really existed, don't really exist today
and never will exist, unless humanity finds the Path to the True Light.
Most people don't even want to hear about the Paladin Code. They find it
too restrictive. Some people would admire someone who followed the Paladin
Code, but they would never become Paladins. Some others still, heard about
Paladins, wanted to be True Paladins but were disheartened when they viewed the
Paladin Code. Still fewer chose to become Paladins. It's doubtful if there
is even one of us who follows the Code to its utmost truth. Most of us
have compromised parts of the Code to fit into the current society. It's
usually an unconscious compromise and probably, whenever we can, we return to
the original Paladin Code. None is a True Paladin, but some of us are
Paladin Candidates. Paladin Candidates are accounted as True Paladins in
current societies. Paladin Candidates upholds the Paladin Code to the
utmost of their ability. Through conscious efforts, we will perfect
ourselves and bring greater good to the people and maybe someday, we will become
one with the Paladin Code, we will become True Paladins. The Divine Voice
is calling and the Paladins must answer the call once more.
Glory to the Light
To ride abroad redressing human wrongs,
To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it.
To honor his own word as if his god's,
To lead sweet lives in purest chastity,
To love one maiden only [...]
And worship her by years of noble deeds....
---credo of the Knights of the Round Table
(Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Idylls of the King)