Breaking the stereotype of the chaste paladin

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Hey, Josh - if you aren't going to add anything, don't post, mmmkay?

 

[Desdichado]

Hey, Josh - if you aren't going to add anything, don't post, mmmkay?

That's pretty rich coming from one of the guys who's completely derailed the thread into a "who's got the best cut and paste skills from an online dictionary" discussion.

Or you may have noticed that I actually made the first reply in the thread saying that not only had it indeed occured to me, but it had occured to me to take it even further and create a character a bit like Aramis (unless I'm mixing up my musketeers) out of a paladin. In fact, if I ever play a paladin again, that's exactly what I'll do.

Anyway, if you want to add anything, you could do worse than respond to that.

 

[Desdichado]

That's fine, but you are hardly free of pedantry yourself.

Quite true, and fairly pointed out. Hopefully I'd let it go before I'd reached half a dozen posts in a single thread arguing about whether or not celibate or chaste was the correct word.

Besides, until one of you quotes the Oxford English Dictionary, your credentials are suspect. Don't give me this dicionary.com or m-w.com nonsense!

 

[LostSoul]

What the hell? Who in the world invited the pedantic freaks to hijack the thread

Sorry. I was messing around with a new spell called "Summon Pedantic Freaks".

I don't think that there is anything against a paladin being a sexual creature, but, like others have said, there are other considerations. Who is going to raise the child if one does arise from the union? (Does a female paladin have the time to raise a child while adventuring in the typical D&D sense? I would say yes, and it could be an interesting experience to role-play, but that's just me.) If the paladin's personal moral code goes against this kind of behaviour, it wouldn't be right to go against those beliefs.

However, in a magical fantasy world you could easily introduce spells of birth control. The paladin might serve a goddess who grants these spells to her worshippers, and the paladin might even be expected to "share the love."

I think the paladin should also make sure that any partner knows just how much the paladin is willing to give - if both parties are just looking to "hook up", and birth control is used, then I don't think it would be a big deal. If the paladin's partner is looking for a long-term relationship then the paladin might not want to get involved, if adventuring will prohibit such things.

At any rate, it sounds like it could make for some interesting role-playing.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Shall I point out my *other* responses in the thread, or would that just be a little too pedantic for you?

So lay off the insults and insulting tone of post.

In other words, I posted what I did because the discussion seemed to be focusing on an incorrect assumption - that paladins were prohibited from fathering / mothering children and being married. In other words, the discussion from the initial post seemed to be more about celibate paladins than chaste paladins.

By the by, it depends on which part of the Musketeer tale you intend to emulate. Aramis, by my recollection, was a bit of a womanizer but grew out of it, eventually joining the priesthood and becoming the head of the Jesuits (at least those in Paris) - thus becoming bound by vows of both chastity and celibacy.

Perhaps Porthos is more in the vein you're looking for?

 

[Desdichado]

Exactly; a character like Aramis (or was it Athos? Dang! Which one was it? I know it wasn't Porthos; he was the clothes horse, not the womanizer) from The Three Musketeers could make a great prototype for a randy paladin-type character.

At least it'd be a nice change of pace from your standard stuffy paladin #418 that everyone else plays.

 

[ajanders]

Paladin Variants

I want to play a paladin who debates his professional colleagues about whether he should be "celibate" or "chaste" and then settles what each word means via judicial combat.

 

[Vocenoctum]

I think the paladin should also make sure that any partner knows just how much the paladin is willing to give - if both parties are just looking to "hook up", and birth control is used, then I don't think it would be a big deal. If the paladin's partner is looking for a long-term relationship then the paladin might not want to get involved, if adventuring will prohibit such things.

That's basically how I see it, barring any Oaths or such for the specific paladin. As long as he's honest about the relationship, and it won't cause harm to the other individual or lead her on in some way, it's fine. That includes "ladies of the evening" where such is lawful and voluntary.
Heck, why else are paladin's immune to disease if not to avoid STDs?

 

[Impeesa]

Well, in accordance with lawfulness and goodness, the paladin should make sure his many children are all well cared for. Better keep up on those child support payments. Beyond that, it's a great idea.

--Impeesa--

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Well, in accordance with lawfulness and goodness, the paladin should make sure his many children are all well cared for. Better keep up on those child support payments. Beyond that, it's a great idea.

--Impeesa--

Poor guy better hope he hasn't taken a Vow of Poverty or his Paladining days may be over.