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Courtesy. Treat others with respect despite how they
treat you. Give honor to those above your station. Earn
the respect of those below your station.
Lawfulness. Laws exist to bring prosperity to those
under them. Unjust laws must be overturned or
changed in a reasonable fashion.
Bravery. Gain glory through battle. Defend any charge
unto death.
Pride in one's actions. Lead by example. Let your
deeds speak your intentions.
Humility in one's deeds. Do not boast or accept
rewards undue to you.
Unselfishness. Share resources, especially with those
who have the most need.
Good-temperedness. Render service cheerfully and
without disdain.
Wisdom. Cause the most good through the least harm.
Piety. Be faithful to the precepts of your god.
Kindness. Protect the weak. Grant mercy to those who
seek redemption.
Honor. Hold true to the code. Death before dishonor.
Every paladin grades and emphasizes these virtues
based on his or her own personal ethos and religious
background. A paladin of Sune would emphasize as-
pects of courtly love and courtesy, whereas a paladin of
Tyr would be more concerned with justice and fair treat-
ment of foes.
Most paladins in the Forgotten Realms, like clerics,
are devoted to a particular deity. The most common
paladin deities are those that embody action, decision,
watchfulness, and wisdom. Torm and Tyr are both
popular deities for paladins, as is Ilmater, who stresses
self-sacrifice and the alleviation of suffering. Although
less common, there are paladins of the following dei-
ties: Helm, Hoar, Lathander, Sune, Corellon Larethian,
the Red Knight, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Arvoreen,
and Mystra.
Their devotion to a higher ideal makes paladins pop-
ular folk heroes in the Realms. Many tales are woven
about noble knights and oath-sworn champions, al-
though pragmatists note that the tales often end with a
tremendous sacrifice on the part of said champions.
The most common patrons of paladins of the Oath of
Devotion and the Oath of the Crown (which is described
below) are Helm, Torm, and Tyr-protection, courage,
and justice-although Ilmater has his share of devoted
champions. Those green knights sworn to the Oath of
the Ancients might honor Arvoreen or Corellon, while
avengers of the Oath of Vengeance follow patrons like
Hoar, although there are also avengers of Helm and Tyr,
meting out harsh justice.Paladin Orders
The following orders can be found in various parts of
the Forgotten Realms.ORDER OF THE COMPANION
Based in Elturgard in the Western Heartlands, the Or-
der of the Companion is sworn to guard that nation. It
formed in the wake of the Spellplague and helped to cre-
ate Elturgard, centered on the city of Elturel, overlook-CHAPTER 4 I CLASSESing the River Chionthar. The Companions safeguard civ-
ilization against dangerous and wild forces, particularly
unnatural creatures. Of the options in the Sacred Oath
class feature, the Oath of the Crown (described below)
and the Oath of Devotion (described in the Player's
Handbook) are equally represented among their ranks.ORDER OF THE GILDED EYE
The monastery and cathedral of Helm's Hold stands on
the edge of the Neverwinter Wood in the North as a safe
haven for travelers. The Order of the Gilded Eye safe-
guards the hold and serves the surrounding community,
but their mission has a much broader focus: to guard the
world from dangers originating on other planes of exis-
tence, especially on the Lower Planes. Many paladins
and non-paladins have joined the order in response to
its call to cast fiendish incursions out of the world. In re-
cent years, many have ventured forth from Helm's Hold
to do the order's work in the wider world.
Of the options in the Sacred Oath class feature in the
Player's Handbook, paladins of the Gilded Eye most
often follow the Oath of Devotion, although a few zealots
are followers of the Oath of Vengeance.ORDER OF SAMULAR
The Holy Order of Samular, also known as the Knights
of Samular, is made up of warriors in the service of Tyr.
The order is based at Summit Hall, while also maintain-
ing a chapter house in Waterdeep. Legendary paladin
Samular Caradoon founded the order in 952 DR after
the Second Troll War and the deaths of his brothers
Renwick "Snowcloak" and Amphail the just during the
war. When Tyr fell silent and the paladins in his service
lost their powers, many turned to other gods such as
Torm, but the Kights of Samular stayed true to Tyr.
Their patience was recently rewarded when, upon Tyr's
return to the world, many of their dwindling number
were invested with the powers of a paladin. Known for
their support of the law, many paladins of the order fol-
low the Oath of the Crown, which is described below.Sacred Oath
Paladins in the Forgotten Realms have the following
Sacred Oath option, in addition to those in the Play-
er's Handbook.OATH OF THE CROWN
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The Oath of the Crown is sworn to the ideals of civili-
zation, be it the spirit of a nation, fealty to a sovereign,
or service to a deity of law and rulership. The paladins
who swear this oath dedicate themselves to serving
society and, in particular, the just laws that hold society
together. These paladins are the watchful guardians on
the walls, standing against the chaotic tides of barba-
rism that threaten to tear down all that civilization has
built, and are commonly known as guardians, exem-
plars, or sentinels. Often, paladins who swear this oath
are members of an order of knighthood in service to a
nation or a sovereign, and undergo their oath as part of
their admission to the order's ranks.