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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 9361464" data-attributes="member: 63">I ran a Pathfinder campaign with a party of four paladins, and I tried to make it a compelling analysis of what it even means to 'do good,' and how that interacts with prejudice and systems of oppression. Not every foe is a demon summoner; some are poor gnolls who just want to have access to the lush land the humans deny them, and who are willing to kill so that their children might have a better future. How do you deal with that while maintaining your morals?I think it went fabulously well. Best campaign I've ever run, and I've f***ing published two previous campaigns I ran (War of the Burning Sky and ZEITGEIST).So I'm writing a book right now, loosely inspired by the campaign. It's set in a Bronze Age society - think Sumeria or Babylon, where the great ziggurat that holds the holy tablets of the gods is called the Palace Hill.Some centuries ago, servants on that hill who represented the interests of one of the gods of the pantheon, but who were not themselves called priests, were called paladins (which is the same etymology as the real world, coming from 'palatine,' meaning palace). There were a few somewhat arbitrary restrictions on who could be a paladin - they could not be a member of the sprawling royal family, and while there were a few dozen gods recognized by the Palace Hill, no god was permitted to have more than 12 paladins, and they had to be the 'only child' of a parent (or at least not have any siblings within 12 years of them). In exchange for their child serving the Palace Hill, the parents and their village would receive extra support, serving as a way to strengthen the social fabric between the great central city and the smaller towns, remote villages and nomadic tribes.At four different points in history, different crises arose where the Palace Hill needed people it could trust to fight for it. Each time, the high priest during that crisis decreed that paladins would be granted a new magical accolades to serve the will of the Palace Hill, so long as they remained in good stead with their gods. One also expanded the limit from 12 paladins per god, now allowing 12 'gallants' who had basic powers, and up to 12 'champions' who had superior powers.Over time there came to be four accolades, after which further were forbidden, out of concern the paladins might become too powerful. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Blessed Health. Paladin gallants are granted superior stamina, protection from supernatural threats, and the ability to heal simple wounds with a touch. Paladin champions enjoy further protection and may heal other illnesses if they can name the affliction.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sacred Bond. Paladin gallants can bond with an animal who will understand their commands. Paladin champions provide to their chosen animal the protections granted by the first accolade.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Divine Sense. Paladin gallants gain the ability to open their senses to normally invisible signs created when one person harms another, though the intensity of the mark fades quickly for most acts. Paladin champions can further detect invoked divine magic and otherworldly entities.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Holy Smite. Paladin gallants can call upon divine ire against a single creature each day, draping their weapon in a power in keeping with their god’s nature. Paladin champions can do this against two creatures.</li> </ul>In this dynamic, paladins often come from humble backgrounds, but then are drawn into a very dominant power structure of the nation, which depending on the era might not be so pure and noble as the rhetoric claims. Some temples have found the value of paladins so great that they have strict limits on who attains the station, requiring shows of loyalty. Others treat the boons as incidental to more traditional power like money and soldiers, so they hand out paladinhoods to people who are politically connected, somewhat perverting holy blessings into trophies and perks.But there are still honest and decent paladins, those who roam the wilds to protect travelers, to hunt wild monsters, to advocate for the weak, negotiate for peace, and stand in defense against the wicked.Like any institution, there are dark parts of the history. There are present abuses. But that's the point of heroes: to inspire us to be better.</blockquote>

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