Description

The Paladins of Wyrlde are driven, empowered, and enabled by the sacrifice of their Sacred Oaths, which contain immense power. Paladins do not necessarily serve a God, yet few and far between are the ones who have not spoken of hearing that calling before they found themselves on the Path towards taking the Vow and the Oath.

Paladins take their Oaths at 3^rd level, but they take a Vow at 1st – sort of like a practice run. The taking of both the Vow and the Oath are ritual ceremonies, usually overseen by a Priest, Cleric, Paladin, or similar person with a connection to The Powers That Be. A spell is cast, and in that process, they are bound to the Vow (without much consequence) or to the Oath (with enormous consequence and horror) for their lifespans.

It should be noted that while Paladins can multiclass, they can never give up being a Paladin or following the tenets of their oath once they take the Oath, without suffering. The Oath of a Paladin is for life and should never be taken lightly – by the Paladin themselves, or anyone around them.

Creating a Paladin

Paladins can come from anywhere, but not all Paladins are alike. Paladins start later in life than others, in part because all Paladins undergo some transformative experience, an Ordeal which forges them into the type of people who can forge a pact through the taking of an Oath that changes the very nature of their lives.

Race	Starting Age	Race	Starting Age
Dwarf	65	Gnome	25
Elf	125	Half-Elf	35
Human	23	Half-Orc	27
Halfling	18

Paladins also have four aspects to them that give them challenge.

Personal Goal

This is a goal that lies beneath all the other stuff that feeds into the desire behind a Paladin. IT is a goal that drives them through their Vow, becoming a sustained force that feeds into their taking of the Oath.

What is your goal?

Symbol

All Paladins have a symbol that exemplifies and symbolizes the Oath they have taken and communicates that to those around them, and especially those in opposition to them.

What is your symbol?

Nemesis

There seems to be a greater power in the world that seeks to create a sense of balance, a structure that ensures that for everything as good and true as a Paladin, there is an evil and corrupt nemesis that will be called on to stand against them. Paladins are made aware of this the moment their Sacred Oath is taken, and thereafter must always find a way to oppose and defeat their Nemesis.

Who and what is your nemesis?

Temptation

The most terrifying thing in the universe that one can hurl at a Paladin is temptation. As mortal beings, Paladins are subject to the flaws and weaknesses of all people, and only their Will can ever serve to resist such.

What is the temptation that your character faces?

Proficiencies Options

Weapons: Firearms, Explosives, Glaive

Skills: Firearms, Explosives

Sacred Oaths

The Oaths that can be found in the PHB and XGE are all found on Wyrlde. There are, however, some oaths that require some aspects of the setting to determine where they can and cannot be taken.

There is also a horrific penalty for breaking the Oath, one which twists the mind and spirit and very flesh of the Paladin, weakening them physically and slowly consuming their soul.

Sacred Oath	Available	Restrictions	Source
Oath of The Ancients	Any		PHB
Oath of Chivalry	Any		TWB
Oath of Conquest	Prussia, Shangrila	No Halflings	XGE
Oath of the Crown	Prussia, Thule, Aztlan	No Halflings	SWAG
Oath of Devotion	Any		PHB
Oath of Redemption	Any		XGE
Oath of Roland	Dorado	Must be a native and a noble	TWB
Oath of Vengeance	Any		PHB

Oath of Chivalry

These Paladins seek to uphold a tradition that some have said predates the World itself.  They follow the path of Arturia, called the First Paladin. Arturia was a sherpherd’s daughter, who fought to be recognized as worthy as a soldier in the God’s War. She rose in the ranks, and went through many trials, including a time when she was unable to even touch a weapon. She eventually rose to become the First Paladin, and her story and her cause endures to this day, a beacon for those who would think to do harm to those lesser than them. Chivalrous Paladins are not Knights, they are the example that Knights are said to strive for.

Those Paladins who have taken the Oath of Chivalry serve not a Lord or noble, no leader nor potential tyrant. They serve the people, and, first and foremost, they serve the people who are served the least. They are seekers of equanimity, equality, and equilibrium for all people.

Tenets of Chivalry

• Liberality Be generous and tolerant. To fight for the welfare of all. Share resources, especially with those who have the most need.
• Good faith Be honest and keep promises. At all times to speak with honesty and truthfulness.
• Courtesy Treat others with respect despite how they treat you. Give honor to those above your station. Earn the respect of those below your station. Never to refuse a challenge from an equal. Never to turn the back upon a foe. Always mind your manners.
• Lawfulness Laws exist to bring prosperity to those under them. Unjust laws must be overturned or changed in a reasonable fashion.
• Humility Do not boast or accept rewards undue to you. To despise pecuniary reward. Lead by example. Let your deeds speak your intentions.
• Good-temperedness Render service cheerfully and without disdain. To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit. To refrain from the wanton giving of offence
• Wisdom Cause the most good through the least harm. To serve the people in valor and faith. To see beyond the rote to the heart. Love is precious and to be defended.
• Piety To fear the Gods and maintain Their Temples. To keep faith. Be faithful to the precepts of your god
• Kindness Protect the weak. Grant mercy to those who seek redemption. To protect the weak and defenseless. To give succor (aid and support) to widows and orphans.
• Honor Hold true to the code. Death before dishonor. To guard the honor of fellow warriors. To respect the honor of women. To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun.

Oath Spells

All Chivalric Paladins can call Holy Light up to three times per day. It centers on one of their hands, and they cannot use that hand for anything but that light, which fills an area 30 feet with bright light, but only 10 feet after that with dim light.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	command, compelled duel
5th	warding bond, zone of truth
9th	aura of vitality,spirit guardians
13th	banishment, guardian of faith
17th	circle of power, geas

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3^rd level, you gin the following two divinity options.

Light of Hope

As an action, you can have your light bring advantage to those within 10 feet of you on all rolls for 1 minute. This can only be done once, and requires a long rest to recharge it.

Ray of Hope

As an action, you can raise your weapon or shield and have it emit a strong, bright light in a 30 foot cone that will dispel illusions and glamours and reveal to you those hidden behind cover for 1 minute.

Chivalric Aura

Beginning at 7^th level, you and friendly creatures within 15 feet have resistance to Charm, Curse, and Harm spells.

Purity of Spirit

Beginning at 15^th level, you are always under the effects of a Protection from Evil and Good spell.

Legendary Defender

At 20^th level, you can assume the form of mythic hero, your skin suffusing with light, your hair floating and arcing with electric-like discharges, your weapons suffused with light, your armor gleaming, and a light wind around you wherever you go. This light shines from you in a ten foot radius as a bright light, and a dim light for another ten feet.

For your action, you undergo a transformation. For one minute, you gain the following benefits:

At the start of each of your turns, you regain 10 hit points.

Whenever you cast a paladin spell that has a casting time of one action, you can cast it as a bonus action instead.

Enemy creatures within 30 feet of you must save at a disadvantage or take 1d10 additional damage from any damage you do.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until after a long rest.

Oath of Roland

Roland was a Paladin who stood firm against a curse from a Devil, even though it cost him his friends, his home, and his heart. Roland ended up pursuing this Devil into the desert north of Dorado after his mother was seduced and slain by the devil and his father, The Duke, was driven mad.

Paladins who take the Oath of Roland gain the firearms proficiency, and can only choose one skill, as the other is taken up by Ammunition Crafting. This is because the firearms they carry are the finest in the world, and not encumbered by the usual restrictions, and so they are a very unique kind of Paladin.

Paladins who take this Path must always originate in Dorado and it is in the Hall in Dorado that they must make their Oaths, after having proven themselves worthy of the honor, and able to bear the burden.

Paladins who seek to take this oath are peacekeepers, and mediators in disputes. In this world, metal is scarce, so pistols like these are few; thus, the Oath can only be given to a select few.

These people, all of them of noble blood, were rigorously trained from the age of six for their role from early childhood to adulthood, performing near-superhuman feats of strength, endurance, and concentration while also being taught the highest knowledge of their time.

One could forsake the training and remain an aristocrat. If they did, they were free to stay in their homeland, but would never become a Paladin.

But one who did take the final test, single combat with his physical instructor, and failed it, would not be given a second chance. Rather, they would be disowned and sent west into exile.

Tenets of Roland

The tenets of Roland are very difficult to walk, and even less enjoyable should things go bad.

Paladins who swear this Oath must abide, wholly, by the ten Laws:

1. You are the Way. Never forget the face of your father, always remembering where you came from and what you learned, and you will always honor your father.
2. You are the Way. Your actions reveal you, for actions speak louder than words, and words are how deception is performed. Always speak the truth as you know it, being honest, being true to your word, yet never speak more than is needed.
3. You are the Way. Once begun, be it a task great or small, or path winding or straight, you must always finish it; your Oath is your Way. To break faith with your Way is to break your Sacred Oath, and to cast aside your Word and Bond.
4. You are the Way. Always Stand before Evil, and pursue it no matter where it goes when it flees, for Evil will always flee so that it may return; you must be the implacable Foe, the unending Way and Path of the Endings.
5. You are the Way. Your weapons are death, and you must always recognize and understand this. Your Way is always going to be filled with death, and your burden is to bear it quietly and strongly; never speak ill of the dead, nor speak ill to living; never forget a courtesy that is due nor a wrong that is done and awaits punishment.
6. You are the Way. You do not aim with your hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. You aim with your eye. You do not shoot with your hand; she who shoots with her hand has forgotten the face of her mother. You shoot with your mind. You do not kill with your pistol; they who kill with their pistol has forgotten the face of their parent. You kill with your heart.
7. You are the Way. Your Way is to protect and to defend, to serve and to support, to aid and to assist. Your path is the Righteous, and you will serve The Nine and oppose the Five, and your blood is the offering and your life is the sacrifice.
8. You are the Way. You have come for a serious purpose, you have come as an outcast, and so you will return should you fail your Oath. Your Way is your Ordeal, your Path is your Oath, your Heart is surrendered, to never love nor be loved, to never take nor be taken.
9. You are the Way. You are the Instrument, You are the Path. You are the Compassion and the Caring, the Guardian; Let no evil be left unmarked by your passing and your presence.
10. You are the Way. Your Way cares not for the number, merely the presence; Your Way worries not for the future, only the present; Your Way bears the past with you, and in you resides all that we are, and all that we can be. You are the Way.

Oath Spells

Paladin Level	Spells
1st	Guidance, Resistance
5th	Create or Destroy Water, Healing Word
10th	Enhance Ability, Spiritual Weapon
15th	Create Food And Water, Speak with Dead
20th	Locate Creature, Freedom of Movement

Channel Divinity

When you take this Oath, you lose the Divine Smite ability, but you gain both of these Channel Divinity Options.

Fast reload: This feature starts at 3^rd level and allows the Paladin to reload one pistol without expending a turn, using one hand.

Two Guns: This feature starts at 5^th level and extends the fast reload skill to both hands while also enabling you to use a pistol in each hand.

These features only apply to pistols. IF not using pistols, the Paladin does not gain any benefit.

Smiting

At 10^th Level, when firing on an enemy, you can expend on spell slot so that each round from the Paladin’s weapons causes an additional 1d6 of damage. This amount does not increase with levels.

Guardian of the Way

Starting at 15^th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Mastery of The Way

At 20^th level, you can harness the power of The Whills, and become an Avatar, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

• You have resistance to all damage
• When you take an attack action on your turn, you can make one additional attack as part of that action.
• Your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a 19 or 20 on the d20.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until after a long rest.