Paladin

Paladins (Hands).

Paladins are mortal individuals invested with a special spark of an ascended being or god. The concept was originally pioneered by Naiya during the days of the Infinite Order. The Pantheon later adopted the concept after they overthrew the Elder Gods.

Some theorize that Paladins are called so that the Gods may war and struggle against each other without wrecking widespread carnage that way the egomaniacal Infinite Order did.

Creating Paladins are important for gods because they allow the God to retain agency. Without Paladins, the subtle pressures on a god cause them to conform or adopt idea prevalent in their worshippers. It is unclear if the Infinite Order had worshippers, or if this subtle twisting effect is a consequence of the second form of ascension used by the Pantheon after they changed the fundamental rules of godhood.

Some sources have indicated that Paladins are critical to the existence and independence of the gods. Shaath, for example, was bound in terrible ways by the treachery of his paladin Agthinor who taught a whole cult of worshippers things that were deliberately wrong. The continued wrongful beliefs of the Huntsmen cult kept Shaath bound and muddled, until Ingvar freed him with Tellwyrn's help.

Notwithstanding this function of godhood, most of the gods have not publicly called Paladins and held them out as Hands of the respective gods. Ellilial called this non-publication of paladins as a smart idea, because it prevents a paladin, dedicated to an idea, from acting against a God's broader strategic wishes out of principle. However it appears that all the gods, where possible, nonetheless invest trusted mortals with a portion of themselves to keep them anchored from the drift of their cult.

According to Elilial, every god who has not gone crazy or been twisted beyond all recognition have paladins (15-75).

Some Gods over the centuries have publicly called successions of Paladins, publicly identified as Hands of their god. In this vein are the Hands of Avei, Omnu, Salyrene, Sorash. Other gods like Vesk, Eserion, and Elilial have invested specific individuals with the paladin-like spark but not publicized their identity or existence. It appears that this event may even occur without the individuals knowledge or consent. Publicly called paladins/hands have long histories of fighting demons, chaos, undead and other magical phenomenon. Apparently publicly called Hands have also never gotten along well, by some accounts being just as apt to battle each other than demons.

Earlier on, closer to the Elder War, it appears the Pantheon gods would invests differing levels in different classes of Paladin-like groups. Avei had both Hands and Silver Huntresses. Sorash had both Dark Riders and Sorashi Chosen. It seems that the lesser tier of mortals invest with divine spark were those whom the Gods could act through, while the Hands (proper paladins) the Gods actually accepted a two-way tie and received feedback. A paladin can influence a god, much more than a cult because of that highly invested relationship (15-75). Angthinor was a Huntsmen, back before the cult existed in its current form, and this special subjugation a god is connected to his paladins through allowed Angthinor to betray Shaath.

Gods have never been restricted from calling more than one Hand, but apparently are careful about doing so.

Paladins typically have the ability to reach divine power, through the auspices of their god. However most priests in the Pantheon cults also share in this power to a lesser degree. Paladins typically are granted the right to call upon their god and even physically converse with them. Almost like brand building, the Patron gods have worked to distinguish their paladins by gifting them with useful tools generationally passed from paladin to paladin. Hands of Avei have divine swords, armor, wings, and access to the divine horse assigned to them (normally Arjen). Hands of Omnu can access Omnu's Holy Nova. Hands of Sorash (Dark Riders) are given black armor.

__________________________________________________________