Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
except very little in the Cleric abilities says they are spreading the faith or tending to the flock, especially with someone like the Dragon Queen as diety.My take on it, partly from lore, partly from game.
1) Any member of a faith may try to become a cleric. It’s a hierarchical position that seeks to spread the faith and tend the flock. They handle the ceremonies. If the mortals running the church say you’re a cleric, you’re a cleric, unless & until the divine says otherwise.
2) Paladins are chosen by divine beings or philosophies to be their martial champions. They generally exist outside the hierarchy of the faith. There are few ceremonies they can actually do, and those they can are generally minor.
DnD Clerics tend to be militant, trained to fight with weapons and magic while also being on call for healing of the injured and sick.
Problem is Paladins are also militant, trained to fight with weapons and magic while also being on call for healing of the injured. The only thing Paladins get extra is Smites per alignment.
I tend to think of Clerics as Temple Guards, faithful to their religion and trained to defend it, whereas Paladins are Zealots on a crusade against their dieties Enemies (capital E), they embody their dieties blessing not just channel it.
The priest attending the congregations are Acolytes and Sages rather than clerics