Paladin: Difference between revisions

*'''Preserve Your Own Light.''' Delight in song and laughter, in beauty and art. If you allow the light to die in your own heart, you can’t preserve it in the world.

*'''Be the Light.''' Be a glorious beacon for all who live in despair. Let the light of your joy and courage shine forth in all your deeds.

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*'''Rule with an Iron Fist.''' Once you have conquered, tolerate no dissent. Your word is law. Those who obey it shall be favored. Those who defy it shall be punished as an example to all who might follow.

*'''Strength Above All.''' You shall rule until a stronger one arises. Then you must grow mightier and meet the challenge, or fall to your own ruin.

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*'''Freedom.''' Mortal creatures are meant to be free. Like the fish of the sea, no one should be forced to follow rules that they did not personally agree to or have a voice in creating.

*'''Loyalty.''' Those that betray their allies are the lowest of low creatures. Traitors must be dealt with swift judgment. Loyal allies are rewarded with glory, prestige, and treasure.

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*'''Courage.''' You must be willing to do what needs to be done for the sake of order, even in the face of overwhelming odds. If you don’t act, then who will?

*'''Responsibility.''' You must deal with the consequences of your actions, and you are responsible for fulfilling your duties and obligations.

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*'''Honor.''' Treat others with fairness, and let your honorable deeds be an example to them. Do as much good as possible while causing the least amount of harm.

*'''Duty.''' Be responsible for your actions and their consequences, protect those entrusted to your care, and obey those who have just authority over you.

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*'''Embrace the Changing Future.''' You must be ready — and perhaps even eager — to discard old traditions as the world changes around you. The world will always change, just as all energy changes forms.

*'''Be Decisive, But Flexible.''' You must be confident in your choices once you have made them. But should you learn you are definitely going in the wrong direction, be quick to shift to a new unwavering path, just as lightning does when it arcs and dances.

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*'''Hone the Body.''' Like raw stone, your body must be worked so its potential can be realized.

*'''Discipline the Soul.''' You must marshal the discipline to overcome failings within yourself that threaten to dim the glory of you and your friends.

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*'''Immutable Forms.''' All creatures of the world have a natural form. Those that would seek to physically alter their form or obscure it with magic must be reprimanded.<br>

*'''Swift Retribution.''' Those who break the laws of the multiverse deserve a punishment to fit their crime. A thief may lose a hand, but an Oathless may forfeit their life.

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*'''Lead and Follow.''' Know when your guidance is needed,  and listen to those who have something to teach you.

*'''Nurture the Flame.''' Help others excel, so that they may carry your light with them into the world.

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*'''Purity Only Through Pain.''' There is no painless method for cleansing corruption, even within myself. Those who seek to purify without causing pain will fail to purify anything.

*'''Share the Flame.''' As one torch can light another, my righteous flame of purity can inspire others who are not yet corrupted to take up my cause, and I will lead those with smaller flames until they grow like a blazing beacon against the night.

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*'''Patience.''' Change takes time. Those who have walked the path of the wicked must be given reminders to keep them honest and true. Once you have planted the seed of righteousness in a creature, you must work day after day to allow that seed to survive and flourish.

*'''Wisdom.''' Your heart and mind must stay clear, for eventually you will be forced to admit defeat. While every creature can be redeemed, some are so far along the path of evil that you have no choice but to end their lives for the greater good. Any such action must be carefully weighed and the consequences fully understood, but once you have made the decision, follow through with it knowing your path is just.

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*'''By Any Means Necessary.''' My qualms can’t get in the way of exterminating my foes.

*'''Restitution.''' If my foes wreak ruin on the world, it is because I failed to stop them. I must help those harmed by their misdeeds.

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*'''Loyalty.''' Never accept gifts or favors from fiends or those who truck with them. Stay true to your order, your comrades, and your duty.

*'''Discipline.''' You are the shield against the endless terrors that lie beyond the stars. Your blade must be forever sharp and your mind keen to survive what lies beyond.

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Not all paladins are able to hold to their Sacred Oaths. Some break their Oath and fall into evil, becoming Blackguards, but not all who falter become paragons of evil. These paladins are known as the Oathless, those who abandon their divinely appointed cause. They wander the wilds as lost warriors, often becoming bandits and mercenaries. Some quest for purpose, some turn evil and use their power to dominate others, while others fall into despair.<br>

An Oathless paladin owes allegiance to no one. They hold to no tenets and are loyal to nothing but themselves. Oathless paladins are often selfish, with their own safety and power being their only concern. These lost warriors won't hesitate to obtain what they desire, even at the expense of others.

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