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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Sigil" data-source="post: 223338" data-attributes="member: 2013">Thoughts...just a few random musings...Some of the code you have outlined, Shark, could force a paladin to walk a razor's edge..."<Goblins> are declared anathema and irredeemable and should be slain on sight." (or words to that effect)Now that can raise some really fun questions:1.) Is this the will of the paladin's deity, or just the will of the uppity-ups in the church heirarchy?  Hm....2.) Let us assume for a moment that it is the will of some of the uppity-ups but not the deity... in which case a paladin who follows orders from the uppity-ups might slay innocent non-combatants and despite being in good standing with the church, finds his powers "ripped" by the deity.3.) Similarly, he might refrain from attacking noncombatants and retain his paladin powers but be censured by the church.A whole host of similar situations can arise any time you get a code and a church heirarchy that is not directly led by the deity.Now, granted, some of these infractions probably tick off both deity and church (e.g., rape) but what about the paladin who comes to be "enlightened" through experience rather than dogmatic following of the church?While I like the idea of a set of rigid codes and tribunals, I would like to add one more condition... the paladin's ability to irrevocably prove his worthiness/innocence.  If the paladin is convicted in tribunal, he may appeal to his deity... and the proof comes in the pudding.  An injured person is brought before the paladin, who must use his/her "lay on hands" ability to heal the injured (alternatively, the paladin must allow himself to be injured - flogged perhaps? - and then heal himself).  If the paladin is in favor with his deity, he will retain the power to heal and hence his worthiness; if he is not able to heal, it is demonstrable proof of his unworthiness.  In fact, such a request could obviate the need for trials altogether.I suppose it would go without saying that someone (an uppity-up cleric?) who condemns the paladin as having committed an evil act and censures him for being unworthy - or someone who wrongfully accuses the paladin - will quickly find that by wrongfully censuring/condemning the paladin, he himself has come under displeasure of the deity and has his OWN powers stripped.  Makes for serious judges and knocks down the number of frivolous charges, eh?If the person honestly believed the paladin was unworthy, perhaps the god is lenient.  For example, the cleric might honestly believe the charges that the paladin spared goblins and condemns him.  When he finds out that these were goblin children, he lifts the condemnation.  OTOH, a clergyman who condemns a paladin for staying his hand and exhibiting mercy to goblin children might well feel the displeasure of deity by having his OWN powers revoked until HE atoned for his bigotry. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Just some thoughts... hope they were clear enough.  It just seems to me that all that is needed for a paladin to clear himself is to use his abilities... unless, of course, that falls under, "thou shalt not tempt the lord thy god..." <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />--The Sigil</blockquote>

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