Paladin

Hopeful paladin candidates are selected not only for their desire to protect others, but also their attunement with divine magic. They do not need to be immediate masters of all three branches of divine magic, but skill in one is sufficient to qualify for further training. It regularly takes over a decade of intense training and effort to receive blessings from all three prime deities, making paladins one of the professions with the longest span of apprenticeship before receiving the title proper.   It is vital to have the deity of war’s favor, as their duty is to throw themselves into danger without worry for themselves, and be able to dispatch the threat, sometimes singlehanded.   Death’s blessings are needed to shield them from sickness and slow decline, so that they can be at their best for as long as their bodies can fight off the forces of darkness. This also grants them longer natural lifespans, second only to Death’s High Priests.   Life is a more subtle blessing, as killing is not her favorite aspect of domain, but she allows for their ability to heal themselves from the wounds that come from their righteous combat.   Once the squire has received all their blessings, it is still years of training how to use their gifted abilities toward their ultimate goal. Only then can they be ordained into the title of Paladin.

Paladins are sworn to oaths, to protect those that cannot protect themselves, and to fight against the forces of darkness no matter what shape it takes; whether demons, beasts, or in the hearts of sentient races. These oaths are more important to them than their own lives.

Paladins reject the thought of being treated as nobility, but are still revered for their dutiful protection of the people. More so than the general guards, as the citizens can trust they are not corrupt or biased. Paladins are rarely charged for services, though they often will pay extra all the same of their own volition in order to keep those who would offer such kindness in business longer.   This prestige is what leads to a surplus of hopeful candidates seeking to become paladins, though any who attempt to join for the purposes of greed are quickly weeded out by the intense training and divine judgement.

Though there are over a dozen of hopeful candidates at any given time, those that stay long enough to graduate are very few. In any given city, there is only an average of thirty paladins, with the eldest amongst them being in charge of training the squires.