Paladin - The Knight of Virtue

Author's Note: Although we use the Paladin discipline in our campaign, it is probably quite difficult to assimilate the "christian" beliefs to the Earthdawn setting.
One possible solution to this problem could be that one of the warrior orders in the campaign changed slowly over the time into a chivalric order just like the templers of the middle-ages.
The Paladin is similar to the Horror Stalker in the Horrors Sourcebook by FA$A, viewed from the outside both disciplines follow the same goal, the extinction of the horrors on earth, although their methods are very different.
A Paladin never 'stalks' his foe, he is subject to the principles of his knighthood, he fights fair using neither venom nor other 'dirty' tricks.
The rules by which a Paladin has to live are detailed here.

Important Attributes : Strength, Willpower and Charisma.

Artisan Skills : Calligraphy and Runic Carving (metal and stone only).

Racial Restrictions: all, except humans.

Karma Ritual : The Paladin kneels on his knees and starts to pray, seeking enlightenment from the 'one'. The Paladin must perform his Karma Ritual twice per day once after he rises (or before breakfast time) and once before he goes to bed (or after dinner time) and may therefore get twice the number of Karma Points normally possible.
The Paladin must pray even if he does not require or has no more Legend Points to invest in Karma points.
Failure to comply to this strict rhythm cause the Paladin to become 'unclean' and require him to fast and pray for two full days (48hrs, no sleep, no food, no break, quite simple) until his body and soul are pure again.
An 'unclean' Paladin suffers a 2 step penalty on all tests, cannot use or gain Karma and cannot use his Lightbearer talent.
A Paladin who is severely wounded may refrain from kneeling and, if the wound is located at his mouth or tongue, may refrain from speaking.
Unconscious Paladins are not required to pray. (kinda' hard, isn't it?)

Paladin (clerical) Spells: Will be available soon.

* denotes a Discipline Talent
(K) indicates that (a) talent knack(s) may be learned

FIRST CIRCLE :

Charge
First Impression* (K)
Karma Ritual
Lightbearer*
Melee Weapons* (K)
R/W Language
Wound Balance

SECOND CIRCLE :

Avoid Blow*
Durability ( +7/+6 )
Unarmed Combat

THIRD CIRCLE :

Bear Mark*
Heartening Laugh

FOURTH CIRCLE :

Karma:

Thread Weaving* (Praying) (K)
Angelic Stride ( aka Tiger Spring )

FIFTH CIRCLE :

Spell Defense:

Abate Curse
Blood Share

SIXTH CIRCLE :

Karma:

Cold Purify
Grand Prayer* [see below]

SEVENTH CIRCLE :

Physical Defense:

Lion Heart* (K)
Purify* [see below]

EIGHTH CIRCLE :

Karma:

Read & Write Magic
Winning Smile

NINTH CIRCLE :

Initiative:

Social Defense:

Chanting ( aka Spellcasting )* [see below]
Spell Matrix
Spell Matrix

TENTH CIRCLE :

Refusal:

Willforce
Detect Falsehood*

ELEVENTH CIRCLE :
Karma: Increase the Paladin's Maximum Karma by 40.(no mistake)
Physical Defense: Increase the Paladin's Physical Defense by one.
Talents:

Disarm
Enhanced Matrix

TWELFTH CIRCLE:
Spell Defense: Increase the Paladin's Spell Defense by one.
Social Defense: Increase the Paladin's Social Defense by one.
Talents:

Defense
Rhyme of the Angels* [see below]

THIRTEENTH CIRCLE :
Truthseeker: For the cost of two permanent points of damage the Paladin may increase his weapon's damage step by four steps, should he use the weapon at any time in a matter not true to the 'one cause' he loses the ability and the two damage points permanently, otherwise the ability is the same as the swordmaster power of keen blade.
Talents:

Lasting Impression
Armored Matrix

FOURTEENTH CIRCLE :
Physical Defense: Increase the Paladin's Physical Defense by two.
Karma : The Paladin may use on point of Karma on any action using Strength only.
Talents:

Ethereal Weapon
Blood Guilt Weapon

FIFTEENTH CIRCLE :
Initiative: Increase the Paladin's Initiative Step by two.
Recovery Tests: The Paladin gains two Recovery Tests which he may use for either himself or any other believer. Talents:

Multi-Strike
Confront Horror* [see below]

NEW TALENTS :

   Step Number: Rank+Willpower    Action: Yes, many
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No         Strain: No
   Discipline Talent Use: None
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
   May not be used by an 'unclean' Paladin.
   The Paladin can use the Grand Prayer as a method to strengthen his will against a horror's influence.
To use this talent the Paladin has to sacrifice one of his Recovery Tests for this day.
The Paladin kneels down and prays to his Lord for guidance in the forthcoming endeavor. Needless to say this takes some time (about 5 to 10 minutes). He then makes a Grand Prayer test against his own Spell Defense (which he may not lower in this case) and for each success level beyond poor he may add a number of steps or points on any defense value or talent made against horrors or horror constructs equal to his rank in Grand Prayer.
(Note that this does not necessarily include damage unless the damage step is modified by a talent, like charge)
One use of the Talent lasts for 24 hours and a Paladin can only profit from one Grand Prayer (Although he could make another one if he is dissatisfied with the result).
Of course the Paladin has to state the use of the extra steps/points before the actual roll is taking place.
Cruel masters dispel this talent before attacking...

   Step Number: Rank+Willpower    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No         Strain: 4, then 2 per round
   Discipline Talent Use: Paladin
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
   This talent can only be used in conjunction with the Lightbearer Power of Radiant Circle.   [See ED companion p.111]
When the Paladin forms a radiant circle he may chose to imbue this circle with a special cleansing power that can purify the astral space surrounding the knight up to a radius of yards equal to his Rank in Purify.
The Paladin makes a Purify test against the Spell Defense of the astral space surrounding him or the creature which is currently in this section of the astral space, the 'normal' spell defense of the astral space is considered to be 6, although the GM may modify this number as he sees fit.
For each success level over poor, the Astral Space affected, shifts one level in the direction of safe. E.g. Lord Cherubyal (WP:6; Purify:13+5(karma)) uses this Talent in a Kaer breached by a horror during the scourge, the horror has however left the terrain, leaving only a few constructs behind. The area is tainted and the GM assigns the astral space a SD of 10. Ivanhoe Cherubyal rolls a 22 in his talent test, resulting in an excellent success level and shifting the terrain by three levels from tainted over safe to holy.
Holy terrain has several disadvantages for horrors or horror constructs which have entered the area. First they suffer an amount of damage each round equal to the characters natural (no patterns) rank in Purify resisted by mystic armor and second the Paladin may use his Purify Talent in exactly the same way as the Horror Power of Corrupt Karma against the horrors.
Initiating Purify costs 4 points of strain and an action, maintaining the power costs two points of strain per round but no actions.

   Step Number: Rank+Perception    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No         Strain: No
   Discipline Talent Use: Paladin, Priest
   May NOT be learned with the Versatility Talent.
   Chanting is treated in almost the same way as the Spellcasting talent, with some exceptions. The caster can only cast priestly spells with it and can cast spells in armor without suffering any penalties.

   Step Number: Rank+Charisma    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: No         Strain: 4
   Discipline Talent Use: Paladin
   May be learned with the Versatility Talent only by troubadours.
   May not be used by an 'unclean' Paladin.
   The rhyme of the Angels is a talent widely feared by horrors since it can prevent them from entering astral space and escaping via that route. Secondly it is the most effective methods to keep horrors and undead at bay or even kill them.
To use this talent the Paladin has to take of his helmet if he is wearing one so that his voice can be clearly heard, he then begins to sing the holy song (invent one) and has to continue singing (and spending his actions) if he wants to sustain the effect.
Unlike normally the Paladin has to roll the dice for this talent each round, which means that if he wishes to use Karma he has to spend one point each round. (in other words the talent lasts one round)
Each round he uses Rhyme of the Angels he suffers four points of strain, but any horror within hearing distance suffers extreme pain due to the purity of the song, resulting in Rank Step damage each round which are not resisted by any armor, unless the terrain is corrupt (then MA). Note that it is unnecessary for the Paladin to make any kind of test to damage a horror with this song. If a horror (or undead etc...) fails to succeed in a willpower test against the Paladins test result it loses all actions and may (and will probably) only move away from the Paladin (Combat Movement).
A horror within hearing range who wishes to enter astral space has to make a perception or spellcasting test, in a feeble attempt to find an imperfection in the song, against the Paladin's test result and achieve at least a good success level, if it fails, it suffers an amount of damage equal to the Paladin's test result not resisted by any armor under all circumstances.

   Step Number: Rank+Charisma+10    Action: Yes
   Skill Use: No    Requires Karma: Yes         Strain: 1
   Discipline Talent Use: None
   The talent ends with the use of the Rhyme of the Angels talent, which in this case has to defeat the social defense of the horror and has a fixed route. The Paladin first has to use the First Impression talent, then the Heartening Laugh and thereafter make a Lasting Impression on the horror in question.
Since this is even more difficult than the bardic version of this talent (First Impression may only be used once and it has to be the first meeting) the horror is not only banished for the Paladins lifetime, but until this Paladin has left the great pattern.
(Lightbearers can form Incarnations and theoretically exist forever...)

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