The Paladins of Gorethar

Paladins were the very first holy warriors ever to appear on Avlis. They are almost as ancient as the Church of Gorethar itself. Because of their longevity, they have become very organized and learned the best possible training methods over the millenia for recruiting and maintaining their order. For this reason, they are able to recruit people at a very young age (for whatever their race is), and to continuously make them improve in skill and standing among the paladins of Gorethar.

Though the very first paladins were dwarves, many other races have taken up the mantle of holiness and glory in the name of Gorethar. Originally, paladins favored dwarf weapons, i.e. hammers, axes, and other short, heavy weaponry with any sort of plate armor. However, over the years, this has diverged somewhat depending on which races have joined the struggle. Human paladins have been known to heavily favor swords, whereas the rarer elven paladins have sometimes been known to employ bows. In the end, it has all become mixed up. Paladins are taught how to use the weaponry and armor of their mentors, whatever it may be.

Organizationally, paladins work very closely with the Church of Gorethar. They are often the brunt of the fighting force, if the Church ever gets into a conflict. They also can act as guards or companions for clerics on Church business. Still, they have their own hierarchy based on the virtue and power of their superiors.