Paladin

## Overview

Paladins are individuals who take it upon themselves to hunt, track, defend others from, and kill the many hostile creatures of Karvoun, either by themselves or in a company. Though the means of which they go about this, and their method of being hired varies greatly from person to person, and company to company. The demand for Paladins has greatly increased since the Reawakening, due to the increase of harmful beasts that have sprung up near populated settlements.

## History

### Formation

The conception of Paladins first came about during the First Naga War, by Therin Otton; a captain of Aesear's miltary force that participated in the war. He believed that the many militaries and other defence forces of Aesear, Galanm, and Levoncroff, were not suited to the task of protecting those who lived outside those aforementioned cities, and needed a more flexible means of protection. After the end of the war, Therin had made numerous connections with fellow soldiers who saw things the same way he did, banding his followers together to form a vigilante-like group of outcasts, who tasked themselves with defending small towns and villages who needed aid. These tasks were anything from gathering crops for winter, dealing with dangerously feral animals, capturing brigands, and helping to pay off hefty debts. However, their militia never recieved the attention of more than a handful of towns and very little of those towns wished to join the Paladins, seeing it as an all too dangerous occupation. Before Therin could solve this issue, he was attacked and mortally wounded by a band of thieves. This would leave Kal Calinn to become leader of the Paladins.

### Reawakening

After the Reawakening, dangerous creatures started becoming more common in populated areas of Karvoun, some even making their way from the Outer Territories, and eventually, after its formation, The Charredlands. This would cause Paladin services to skyrocket, often beyond their capabilities, spreading their ranks thin. Even cities like Aesear, started making more frequent uses of Paladin Companies. The Paladins numbers increased further after Kal coming into contact with a warden of Aesear, allowing him to recruit a number of their prisoners into the Paladin ranks.

### Second Naga War

In the days leading up to the Second Naga War, the Paladins became more renowned due to the lurking threat of the Naga, as well as Kar coming into contact with a warden of Aesear, allowing him to recruit a number of their prisoners into the Paladin ranks. They would go on to participate in numerous battles of the war. One of these would include the siege and reclaimation of a Galandim fortress, Threndium. For their valour during that, and other battles, Galandim would reward the Paladins with the ownership of that castle after the end of the war.

### Dismemberment

After Kals passing of old age, the Paladins became divided, and their companies split into smaller factions rather than different brigades meant to cooperate with one another. A group of Paladins, declaring themselves the only true followers of Therin and Kal's dreams, managed to seize control of Threndium for themselves, and named themselves, the Hearts Defenders. Many other Paladin companies have attempted to bargain for, and in rare cases, siege fortresses throughout Karvoun. But these efforts have yeilded little results, forcing Paladins to construct makeshift bases of their own, or remain constantly mobile.

## Description

Paladins are tasked with killing or capturing creatures, and sometimes brigands, which pose a threat towards towns, villages, and on the rare occasion, cities. Some Paladins demand payment for such work, from anywhere between coins, or a coveted gem. Others will do it "out of the goodness of their heart", and some Paladins do not require villagers, or townsfolk to inform them of creatures that need dealing with. Rather, they go out of their way to hunt these beasts of their own accord, and during their own time, some seeing it as a sport.

There is, arguably, no official way of becoming a Paladin. Though the Hearts Defenders castle, Threndium, is considered by many among the ranks of Paladins to be a training ground for some, and a holy place to take the Protectors Vows, any ordinary folk can lay claim to being a Paladin, so long as they are adept in ways to kill a rabid animal, and defend townsfolk.

Those who do take the Protectors Vow, hold it above any other religion, its most devoted of fanatics never breaking a single one of its precepts.

## Known Paladins

* Corrore Lunther
* Edemy Hurve
* Engeler Rabal
* Kal Calinn
* Pgarme Eberon
* Therin Otton

## Known Companies

* Commoners Bastion
* Dark Hunters
* Hearts Defenders
* Marksmen