A Paladin Code

A code for "true" Paladins I've put together and wrote as if it was told ICly by an old Paladin to a young one. It adheres to the basic points of the typical Paladin code of conduct and expands upon it, drawing inspiration from medieval chivalry.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This code does not attempt to be the Alpha and Omega of Paladinhood. As long as your (non-Scarlet) Paladin character adheres to the basic points of a Lawful Good alignment, you'll do fine. Consider this guide a mere expansion of the basics.
Truly, you set on a long and arduous path to holiness by assuming the mantle of a paladin. For although we seem to be a numerous group we are truly but a handful, united from countless souls dwelling on this world of tears. Therefore remember to always have the courage worthy of ten.
Know that when the young do not see the difference between good and evil, the aged often wrap themselves in sinful haughtiness. Therefore, it might be that my words will aid all who hear them.
Beginning our lesson, I wish to point to an important matter – what is the difference between a paladin and a knight? Know, brothers and sisters, that while a knight is one of high standing, of great prowess in battle and who fights for his own pride and honour, a paladin is an agent of the Light and its church, working with a pure heart, immaculate language, vigilant soul and a sword pointed at evil which lurks among us.
Therefore remember: although you shall be mocked and taunted many times while walking the realms of Azeroth, you may not become like a bold knight or a proud swordswoman, challenging everyone to duels. You shall endure the shame in silence. May your pride and sense of honour never cause the death of those who can still return to the Light! For when your skill at battle increases and your pride swells and you start to ward off hatred by force only, you shall become impure and unworthy to the Light. Always let your deeds be righteous in your own conscience, for the public opinion matters not.
My dear paladins, be merciful! I ask this of you in lieu of tens and hundreds of mouths who shall scream for mercy when you begin to dispense justice. May justice be your companion even if you forgive the sins of the sinful. If you are certain of the fault of your enemy and twice as certain that he cannot be turned to the path of the Light again, kill him and pray to the Light for purity. For every slaying, even when done to aid a good cause is still a bloody stain on your hands. I forbid you to murder people by way of sword or spell or burning pyre only because they hail form a race or family that is considered a vile enemy. Entire crowds of people fight the Orcs and Trolls, the Tauren, the Forsaken and the accursed Sin'dorei, but you, paladin, you shall only deal in justice. If you ever murder a thinking being whose only fault was the skin or eye colour or a mark on its body, you shall be judged severely by the Light when you die.
Therefore you must never forget that your mission is not to kill your enemies, but to convert them, for sudden death is an abomination. By killing that which is evil, you prevent them from changing and turning to the Light and their souls shall never find peace and happiness within it. Thus, may you never forget that by killing you become like a thief to the Light. Strive to perfection, so that the only souls you wrest from Light's forgiving grasp are irredeemable scraps with no other destiny than being fed to demons.
But do not believe in destiny! Your hands are not guided by invisible and arcane forces, but by the will of the Light and your own. When people say “Over there is a maid whose fate is sealed with death”, do not believe them and go try to save her, even if there are no obvious solutions.
You shall deem the life of the innocent and the just and their faiths to be of utmost holiness. As a servant of the Light, strive to deepen your faith and follow a code of honour. Do not teach falsely, for those of us who teach will face much harsher judgement than others. Do not judge wrongly, for you will be judged with your own justice. Do not kill yourself or others unless absolutely necessary, for if you become unworthy to the Light, your spirit will die for all eternity.
Treat every brother in Light with respect, showing exceptional courtesy to women. Everyone deserves respect and show them the same kind of treatment you would like to experience yourself. Do not give false praise to the body or to the soul, for if you falsely exalt a kinsman once he shall not trust you for much longer, not knowing when you speak the truth and when you simply wish to lick his toes.
Speak of your emotions in words both polite and elaborate, never blaspheming, never in anger, always mastering fear and fury. Your stance shall be straight and proud, never showing weakness, lending itself not to anger, haughtiness, grief or sadness, but to joy, not seeking quarrel, but peace of mind and humility.
Do not trust strangers too much, but do not hide your past from them – speak of any deed you are not ashamed of in a tempered tone, never wandering into excess pride or humility. Always accept a just punishment for deeds you should repent for. Forgive freely, but never forget about deceit or betrayal so that you may not be deceived again. Show genuine sympathy to your paladin brothers and sisters and never strive to convert them to your views, for every paladin walks the righteous path of the Light, even if you don't share the same outlook.
May money be of little concern to you. Do not spend it on pleasures of the flesh, but to ensure the peace of mind of others. Spend them on a sword and armour which will aid you in your tasks, on bread and simple food instead of rich and exquisite cuisine. Strive to live as long as you can by maintaining as little expenses as possible. The gold and silver you save will aid the work of the church of the Light in tending to victims of poverty, plague and war.
A paladin should wear simple clothing on a common day, for not gold and silver but the purity of one's hands and heart are a testament of one's devotion to the Light in its temple, and the greatest temple of the Light is the entire world. Thus, a paladin should care about the purity of his body, but without excessive beautification, for it's not your body nor your chest that are your pride.
You may wear the gowns and garments of the common folk, just like anything else. However, even though the Light shines upon those who stand against their foes armed by prayer and shielded by faith, you shall not give yourself to death and neither underestimate the power of darkness. Armour and shield shall not be unholy to you, but holy, for they save the lives of you and those under your protection. Remember, however, that the most infallible armour and shield is your faith in the Light and the love it gives you in return.
It is honourable but superfluous to have a lady whom your heart may love, for the Light deems the knightly custom neither righteous nor evil. It shall be your own pleasure, your own action towards increasing your honour.
Do not take your betrothed to bed with you, nor fulfil the husband's duty before you both are wedded – may your love be praised, treasured and immaculate, for good or for worse. May your bodies never become one to satisfy the cravings of the flesh, but those of your hearts and souls.
Remember that family will be like a great treasure to you, one that will lead you away from the Light and expose you to anxiety, fear and suffering – and not only you, but also many other souls. For it will be much harder for you to risk your life for an unacquainted female because you will be afraid for the fate of your life and children. Therefore, only a wise paladin with an equally wise wife should continue his service to the Light. May others learn that while it is a true blessing to have a child and a hearth, one's service to the Light is far more important.
Thus said, every married paladin should decide for himself whether or not to put the sword away and become a priest who would convert others to the Light and enjoy peace with his dearest ones. For the Light is good and taking an orphaned child into care is as holy and noble as the creation of new life.
Hear me and follow this code I give you:
The second most important virtue of a paladin is his honour. Honour disallows the paladin to break any single point of this code. Only your faith in the Light will be above your honour and only your faith may justify staining it.
If it happens that a paladin loses his honour by way of an accident or due to circumstances, he is obliged to repair his error and repent. If the code is broken knowingly and willingly, then the paladin is not worthy of his rank and should abandon his insignia.
A paladin, being a warrior of the Light, is obliged to show his devotion by following both its teachings and the laws of the church. He may never disavow his faith and, if need be, give his own life to protect it.
The greatest stain on the honour of a warrior of the Light is to treat women badly. For women are beings of purity and beauty and no paladin should raise his hand against them. Moreover, they should defend them, serve them and care for their good name. Only mortal peril may allow a paladin to harm a woman.
A paladin must be of a lawful disposition. He may not break laws and if faced with others doing so, he must try to talk them out of it or notify the criminal police.
A paladin must not stain his lips with a lie. If a paladin is being persuaded into lying, better if he stays silent, even in the face of death, than utter a lie.
A paladin must not take the property of others, unless it is given by the owner's own free will.
A paladin is a warrior whom the Light gave the right to kill in name of faith, justice, the life of others and his own. Therefore, he must not harm any innocents. Should one of us kill an innocent woman, child or elder, he deserves ultimate condemnation.
A paladin should be courageous. He must never run from a field of battle, nor refuse to attend a duel out of fear.
A paladin must not attack dishonourably. He must never ambush his foes, use poison, bow or crossbow against melee fighters, nor must he use assassination or traps.
A paladin must treat defeated foes with respect. He must treat them honourably and ensure the dead are always properly buried, even if they are mortal enemies to the paladin. Should a paladin be asked for mercy, he is obliged to be merciful, unless his foe is a wicked creature, seeking only to poison others' souls.
Compassion is a trait of the enlightened soul and those who show it are favoured by the Light. A paladin should not ignore poverty, suffering and misery, especially this of orphans, widows and cripples. Should a paladin be asked for aid, he is obliged to lend it to the best of his abilities, unless it breaks a point of the code.
A paladin should pray often, for in prayer he speaks with the Light and repents for his misdeeds. He must feel reverence towards priesthood and every time a foe is slain by his hand, he must pray to the Light for forgiveness, even if he kills in a righteous cause.
I can teach you nothing more, brothers and sisters. May your heart and the call of a righteous soul guide you all. May the Light lead you through dark paths. I wish you the best of luck.
Category:Guides
Category:Story
Category:Paladin