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<blockquote data-quote="pawsplay" data-source="post: 3138466" data-attributes="member: 15538">I think, by Christianity, you meant to say &quot;Norse and Celtic paganism.&quot; Charlemagne's knights were a significant development in Christianity. However, the Knights of the Round Table tales are drawn from a pagan milieu, with only the barest veneer otherwise. Arthur is a Bretonish chief, Merlin (Myrddin) is a druid hero, Lancelot's stories were stripped from Bedwyr, Galahad is half-fey, Morrigaine is a goddress, the Lady of the Lake is a goddess, Excalibur is from the same legend as Aragorn's broken blade which is also retold in Poul Anderon's The Broken Sword. And, of course, martial honor is a pagan virtue, not a Christian one. Galahad is the main inspiration for paladins, and according to the stories, he was the son of the Lady of the Lake by Lancelot's adultery, was fair in form but immensely strong, completely morally pure, killed Saracens on the spot for disrespecting the cross, and occasionally would just smite someone for not being as noble as he. Joan of Arc is another source... she was a visionary, who led an army, who ended up perishing when her moral mission failed to coincide with certain political realities.The most significant RPG-related paladin I can think of is Paksenarrion, created by Elizabeth Moon, who is a pagan character and must contend with ritual purity related to a deity of harvest and nature, and spends much of her time wondering about the true nature of her powers. Lancelot is a fighter who multiclassed to paladin, then promptly discovered he couldn't hack it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pawsplay, post: 3138466, member: 15538"] I think, by Christianity, you meant to say "Norse and Celtic paganism." Charlemagne's knights were a significant development in Christianity. However, the Knights of the Round Table tales are drawn from a pagan milieu, with only the barest veneer otherwise. Arthur is a Bretonish chief, Merlin (Myrddin) is a druid hero, Lancelot's stories were stripped from Bedwyr, Galahad is half-fey, Morrigaine is a goddress, the Lady of the Lake is a goddess, Excalibur is from the same legend as Aragorn's broken blade which is also retold in Poul Anderon's The Broken Sword. And, of course, martial honor is a pagan virtue, not a Christian one. Galahad is the main inspiration for paladins, and according to the stories, he was the son of the Lady of the Lake by Lancelot's adultery, was fair in form but immensely strong, completely morally pure, killed Saracens on the spot for disrespecting the cross, and occasionally would just smite someone for not being as noble as he. Joan of Arc is another source... she was a visionary, who led an army, who ended up perishing when her moral mission failed to coincide with certain political realities. The most significant RPG-related paladin I can think of is Paksenarrion, created by Elizabeth Moon, who is a pagan character and must contend with ritual purity related to a deity of harvest and nature, and spends much of her time wondering about the true nature of her powers. Lancelot is a fighter who multiclassed to paladin, then promptly discovered he couldn't hack it. [/QUOTE]

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