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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Sigil" data-source="post: 1164995" data-attributes="member: 2013">You suppose the paladin is authorized to take the role of judge, jury, and executioner.  I contend that this is not always the case in all campaigns... and in fact is RARELY the case.  Most campaigns, being modeled on 20th century notions of law (not medieval ones), have it as a principle that the authority given to the executioner does not give  him the authority to act as judge and jury.  A paladin may be authorized to return a person for judgement, and to use lethal force if necessary, but he'll have to explain himself to the satisfaction of the grantor of that authority - in this case, his deity - if he deems lethal force necessary.In short, the paladin is NOT the judge, jury, and executioner.  The paladin is the executioner and his god is the judge and jury.  The god HAS to be the judge and jury (else a paladin would never be stripped of his powers for abuse - after all, someone has to judge the paladin and the paladin's god is that someone).  And if his god decides that the paladin has overstepped the authority granted him (by the god), woe be unto the paladin.--The Sigil</blockquote>