The Paladin School

The Paladin school has been around for centuries, and has recently needed to espand into new premesis. It is run by the Order of Light. The school only teaches grades 7 - 12 at this time. Oddly enough, although those who attend the school are trained in the areas particular to paladins, most of the students never become paladins.

This one is located in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Order of Light

The Order of Light is primarily Paladin focused. However, every Paladin needs his supporting crew! The Order of Light also includes clerics, blacksmiths (for those holy weapons, shields and other items), knights (not all are called to be a Paladin), and obviously school staff amongst other things.

The Order of Light expects every member have Faith and Honour, and encourages all of them to walk in the ways of the Paladin code.

There are two methods of entry. The first is for the person to approach the Order of their own free will. The second is for the Order to approach the canidiate. The latter are usually 'Paladin Potentials' and the Paladin numbers are primarily made up of this group, although it has been known for members of the former group to also be Paladin potentials.

Becoming a Paladin

The school recognises that not all who desire to be a Paladin is truly capable of becoming one. Their range of subjects is extensive, and they have a strong emphasis on the values of the Paladin code.

To become a Paladin, the first step is to become a knight. Knights are capable warriors, and often support Paladins. Knights have no special abilities, but may use the lower class weapons etc, as crafted by their blacksmiths. In addition, knights are expected to pledge Fealty, and be Valiant.

Once a knight has proven himself, the ceremony initiating him into the Paladinhood is conducted. Paladins are expected to uphold every element of the Paladin Code. There are also three optional vows that a Paladin may make at any point in his life. The taking of these will put him into the "inner circle" of Paladins, but breaking any of these vows will have thim thrown out of the Inner Circle, and he must complete a pilgrimage of repentance before he can regain his Paladin abilities. He can never again return to the Inner Circle. Breaking any other part of the code, also requires a pilgrimage of repentance. These pilgrimages can and do last years. Paladins have numerous abilities.

The Code

Faith
Honour - respect, moral, never compromising or denying your principals or your faith
Fealty - obeying, protecting the patron, and promoting their ideals, in exchange for support
Valour - courage even when facing great odds
Curtosy - being polite, dignified, tactful
Honesty - never intentionally misguide someone whether friend or foe but may choose to be silent or withhold information
Humility
Selflessness

Optional Vows

In addition to being admitted to the Inner Circle, Paladins who take these vows are usually considered "True Paladins".

Chastity - staying pure in thought, body and deed
Celebacy - never to marry and to remain chaste
Industry - when not working he is studying, exercising or practicing

Paladins

There used to be female Paladins (although a knight is traditionally male exclusive), however, they stopped being able to find potential female Paladins roughly about the same time Slayers became female exclusive.
As a Paladin progresses in his walk, he gains more abilities. In order:

Strength
Shield - auguments defensive equipment
Immune to disease/poison
Detect evil
Healing
Courage - for encouraging peers in battle
Cure disease/poison
Destroy undead
Ward - defends against magic
Demon Strike
Protection - makes it harder for enemies to hit the Paladin or anyone in the immediate area he is protecting

Some of these abilites are capable of bing imbued in various works created by the smithy. It should be pointed out that these abilities of the Paladin are stronger than the imbued version, although imbued versions can help enhance the Paladin's skill.

Abilities may be added to at later date

Clerics

Clerics are both genders.
They are also trained at the school, however, no one becomes a Cleric (not even one in training) until after gradutation. So while there may be female Clerics at the school, none of them are students.
They have the following abilites, in order of accumulation in their walk:

Bless
Dazzle - used for blinding/distracting enemies
Healing
Cure disease/poison
Hide - cannot be harmed, unless Cleric attackes, which dissolves it
Remove curse

Clerics serve in the church, support Paladins in their travels (usually documents also) and teach. They are also capable of sensing Paladin Potentials, and conduct the ceremony for initiating a Paladin. They are also expected to have Honour.

Abilities may be added to at later date

The Smithy

The Smithy is open to either gender, but few women choose to become a blacksmith.
The blacksmiths can construct various holy weapons, armour, shields and other items of that ilk. These items can be augumented with various characteristics, but some characteristics are restricted as to who can use them:

Anyone

Shield (defensive)
Courage (misc item)
Seeking (ranged weapons)
Whiplash (weapons - double damage)

Clerics

Healing (misc item)
Ward (misc item)

Knights and Paladins

Demon Strike - (weapons)
Turn Undead - lesser version of Destroy Undead (weapons)
Healing (misc item)
Ward (defensive)

Paladins only

Flaming (weapons)
Truth - indicates when someone is speaking a falsehood (misc item, usually rings)

Blacksmiths, like Clerics and Paladins, accumulate the ability to imbue items with these characteristics according to where they are in their walk. First the 'anyone' category, then 'cleric', 'knights' and finally 'paladin', which naturally makes the restricted Paladin items rare and greatly cherished.

Blacksmiths also make a unique style of armour with the use of adamantium. They actually mix adamantium into cloth to create armour that is not only comfortable and inpenatrable, but also light weight and avoids the wearer from receiving strange looks. This armour generally has to be custom made for the wearer. However, it has been known for knights and paladins to grow out of their armour. The pieces are kept (they don't wear out very quickly) and sometimes other knights or paladins are able to fit into them.

Auguments may be added to at later date

Priests

Both men and women
The priests lead the church. They are the teachers and the missionaries, often moving throughout the world to witness to people. They are warriors only in the spiritual sense, and are usually accompanied by Paladins, Knights and/or Clerics in their travels when they go abroad. All priests are capable of blessings and cursings (although the latter is rarely exersiced). After this point, however, they tend to be more specialised, depending on what gifts God has given them:

Knowledge - insight into people's lives
Discerning of spirits - able to identify the presence and alignment of spirits, and cast out the bad
Teaching
Giving
Service
Prophecy - able to see the future of someone's life if they choose to remain on the path they're on, amongst other things like that. Not silly little mystical rhymes and riddles.
Healing

Gifts may be added to at later date

That's all well and good, but where do the students fit in?

Generally a student must have studied there for two years before he may become a knight. Knighthood may be granted at any time during their school career. A career as a clerk or blacksmith starts after graduation, although all students learn the basics of all these careers.
Additionally, not all students will become knights (or Paladins). The school teaches the principals, ways and standards of the paladin, and no student by any means is required to pursue this path. In fact, the students are encouraged to seek God's Will for their life and not to decide to take the vows based on their own, personal ambition or out of a misplaced sense of obligation.

Campus Map:

While the idea of Paladins is consistant, there are different versions of how they operate. This is the version created for HR use

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