Paladins

Introduction

The Paladins of Westingham are an elite force sworn to protect the monarchy and enforce the king's law. Their legendary deeds have shaped the realm's history, earning them a reputation unmatched by any similar orders in neighboring nations. These warriors are deployed only for the most critical and perilous missions, serving also as the king's personal guard.

Weapons and Armor

Being the most elite of warriors, they wear custom-made mithril armor, designed specifically to suit their personal needs and fighting style. The plate of deceased members is melted down for reuse, but not the helmet, which is kept in the Paladin Crypt.
This is in part because they are each given a mithral mask, helmet, designed to reflect their individual personalities.

Swords

Besides their impressive armor, the Paladins are even more well known for their ancient swords. These blades have been handed down from Paladin to Paladin since the start of the order.
They are made from pure folded mithril and are adorned with gold-plated crossguards. Because of the Mithril's light weight, they have been made quite long for sword standards. Each of them is different, but they all follow the long-sword archetype.
They bear detailed and intricate runic inscriptions on the side of the blade. Their exact purpose is not fully understood, but it is widely believed that it is to these that the swords owe their strange magical properties.
Their pommels are made from a black material that has since been identified as Jet-Glass, which powers the runes.

Magical Properties:
Besides not going blunt, not experiencing wear, and being completely unbreakable, these blades are said to have a personality of their own. Many Paladins claim to be able to communicate with their swords, something that develops over time as they grow more and more experienced with it.
It is said that the swords remember all who have wielded them in the past, and they are able to share all this collective experience with their new wielders when they are passed on.

The Inner Workings of the Order

The Order is strictly limited to twenty-nine members. When a Paladin falls, their apprentice takes their place, inheriting their blade and duties. In rare cases where the apprentice is deemed unready, another Paladin steps in to complete the training. During this time, the corresponding sword remains unused.
When an apprentice ascends, this is when they are granted their Mask-Helmet. Their plate is made for them throughout their time training, and is often redesigned many times as their skill and style develop.

New recruits are selected through rigorous trials held in the capital. Promising candidates are chosen based on their skill, strength, magical ability, and dedication to the Order's ideals. Magical aptitude is critical, as the Paladins' power relies heavily on their ability to channel and wield magic.

Duties and Leadership

The Order is led by its most senior member, who also commands the king's guard. At any given time, eight Paladins are stationed near the monarch, guarding him in shifts, often two or four at a time, depending on how safe the monarch feels. The remaining members take on various missions, from defending the kingdom against supernatural threats to serving as bodyguards on diplomatic assignments.

History

The order was founded by the human factions of the Yavinian plains preceding the events of the holy wars, and each of the twenty-nine factions provided a paladin, and their blades were constructed.
Because they were founded before the invention of Mithril forging, it is generally a great mystery how exactly they managed to acquire these weapons.
This secret is supposedly passed between members, but they deny knowing any more than the general public.

Magical Practices

Magic is an important part of the Paladin's toolkit, but this magic isn't required to be the mainstream variant, as the order also accepts those with other powerful magical abilities, such as telepaths or others.
They largely focus their magical skills on defense, healing, and self-enchancing spells, which are the most important in their function. Some paladins are also much more focused on their magical abilities than their actual sword fighting skills, the order doesn't mind, as long as they fulfill their purpose with skill and efficiency.