Paladin (villainized)

This article or section contains information from Lori and Corey Cole’s (Transolar Games) extended Hero Universe (Hero-U Canon and/or Apocrypha).

Details may include information from Hero-U and Summer Daze, other published sources (pre-QFG & later) including books, comics, documentation and DnD supplements. It may also contain information from unreleased novels (and games), notes, concept materials, and developmental ideas from Quest for Glory outside of the original series canon.

Paladins who have fallen, failed, or whose actions are misunderstood may be remembered as villains by those they tried to help or save, and in some cases, those who they turned against. They are seen as "dark" paladins or a "fallen paladin" or "honorless" paladins, or simply remembered as a villain (no longer being acknowledged as a paladin by others).

Background

A true paladin simply does what they think is right, and rarely thinks of herself (or himself) as special for it. However, even a paladin in doing what they think is right, may do something very, very wrong. Paladins have the potential to do something they think is for the greater good but actually backfires and does great harm. Often the most successful of villains of history, do not know they are villains but do things because they think it’s for the greater good or out of their best intentions... The road to hell is paved by such deeds as they say... They may be reviled as long as they live, and long after they have died, these 'fallen' or 'dark' paladins maybe remembered for their dark blot on history (or even erased from history if their deeds are too horrible to speak of or for other reasons). They may be remembered as villains, even if they felt that they themselves were in the right (even up to their own deaths).

Whether an historical figure is called a Paladin largely depends on their judgement and success. If they choose poorly or fail, history will revile them as villains.

Independently rebellious paladins ('dark paladins') are probably less likely to be tied down to the Paladin Council or its nudging.

The average paladin in Gloriana can be described as 'neutral good' (having little for laws or traditions) and like all paladins highly independent, however some do lean more towards lawful side of the fence at times (depending on the quality of the nation and its rules)

A neutral good character does the best that a good person can do. He is devoted to helping others. He works with kings and magistrates but does not feel beholden to them. These characters value life and freedom above all else, and despise those who would deprive others of them. Neutral good characters sometimes find themselves forced to work beyond the law, yet for the law, and the greater good of the people. They are not vicious or vindictive, but are people driven to right injustice. Neutral good characters always attempt to work within the law whenever possible, however. To a neutral good being, life and the assurance of other creatures' rights take precedence over all else. This is not to say that this character will have an aversion to taking another's life when faced with a choice between an attacker's and his own, however. Neutral good beings also believe that law and chaos are merely tools to use in bringing life, prosperity, and happiness to all deserving creatures. Neither numbers nor individual concerns have any bearing on decisions regarding the needs and rights of any given creature. In other words, in the view of a neutral good being, rarely will either the needs of the many or the personal desires of an individual outweigh the needs of any other creature. All life is given even-handed treatment. As with all alignments neutral with respect to law and chaos, self-reliance is a cornerstone of a neutral good being's personality. In a crunch, neutral good characters trust in themselves and in no other individual or group. This doesn't mean they can't make friends and develop trusting relationships with others, however. Neutral good beings aren't normally as independent as chaotic good beings, and they can cooperate in groups. But they won't always trust a group to be more effective than they could be themselves.

Villainized Paladins might fall outside of such a strict description/definition.

Prideful, self righteous, glory-seekers

It is likely that that more prideful, self-rightous, holier-than though (possibly glory-seeking) paladins that lead many in the public to think all paladins as goody-two shoes, or 'goody-goody'. These terms often have negative connotation suggesting the person is smug/stuck-up/arrogant/prideful/snobbish and self-righteous, and nobler than though/better-than-though/holier-than-though. These kinds of paladins do not necessarily lose their abilities do certain choices they make, because under their own code of honor, they always think they are doing right, or that it's for the 'greater good'. In most Paladins, it may be their their own Will (or internal conscious), which makes the difference, giving them feelings of guilt or remorse for their own actions which lead to them losing 'honor' and with it their abilities. However, a haughty or prideful paladin may never feel admit to their own mistakes, and simply justify or rationalize their own actions, believing their honor is without reproach, at which point they still have access to their abilities. If there is any corruption of their abilities on some level, perhaps creating darker versions of paladin skills is not known. Most paladins don't usually 'quest for glory', but those who do may be candidates for becoming 'fallen' or 'dark' Paladin as they bask in their own hubris. Even if they do 'lose honor' they can easily regain it by more deeds.

These paladins might be described as 'lawful evil' (or 'lawful neutral' depending on where their allegiance lies) by others (they might be straight up 'lawful good' on some level if they conflate justice/honor with the 'letter of the law', unlike most of Gloriana's paladins). However, this is 'lawful' in a loose sense of the term, meaning they have their own code/ethics/concept of what honor/justice means. Like most paladins who are considered 'good'... even "dark" paladins, may not be considered entirely 'lawful', because paladins are sometimes willing to break the laws of the land which they might feel are 'wrong' or 'unjust', even though they might try to remain within the law for the most part, to avoid destabilizing a country or rocking the boat to much. Those remembered for 'falling'/'going dark' may actually take things too far, for example by starting a civil war or waging a coup, committing regicide, destabilizing a government, only for outcome to create a worse situation for the nation. They become the definition of 'taking the law into their own hands', become vigilantes, and become 'judge, jury and executioner' in their attempt to 'save a nation'. Alternatively, they might agree with a nations laws, and choose to help enforce them, siding with the current ruler/leadership, also leading to a terrible outcome.

However, it may be argued that neither laweful good, nor lawful neutral fit 100%.

A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. He combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. He tells the truth, keeps his word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished. These characters have a strong moral character. Truth, honor, and the welfare of others is all-important. They are convinced that order and laws are absolutely necessary to assure that goodness prevails. Lawful good beings will not want to lie or cheat anyone, good or evil. They will not stand for treachery and will not let obviously dishonorable people use their own honor against them, if they can help it. They will obey the laws and customs of the area that they are in, but will attempt to find legal loopholes to disobey a law which is clearly evil or unjust.

A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs her. Order and organization are paramount to her. She may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or she may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government. The lawful neutral being normally sees law and order as of prime importance, with the well-being of the group put ahead of the individual on almost every occasion. Such persons see good and evil as immaterial and unimportant in the structuring of the universe into perfect order and harmony, in which lies society's only hope for survival. Whether a law is good or evil is of no import as long as it brings order and meaning. Thus, personal gratification of needs and desires is well and fine, as long as this doesn't interfere with the ultimate ordering of the cosmos; all other considerations are secondary. Life, to the lawful neutral being, has no meaning without order, and is thus expendable when faced with the choice between it and harmony. A lawful neutral character will keep his word if he gives it and will never lie. He may attack an unarmed foe if he feels it necessary. He will never harm an innocent. He may use torture to extract information, but never for pleasure. He will never kill for pleasure, only in self-defense or in the defense of others. A lawful neutral character may use poison as long as poison use is not illegal. He will help those in need only to advance the social order. He prefers to work with others. He responds well to higher authority, is trustful of organizations, and will always follow the law. He will never betray a family member, comrade, or friend. Lawful neutral characters respect the concepts of self-discipline and honor.

Cynical types

Most paladins sees the world as full of hope and promise and wants to fulfill that promise. They see mostly the good in people, and believe most laws are just (athough they may not necessarily agree over which method of government and its rules are the most fair and balanced). However, if a paladin is more cynical, a more cynical paladin may also use thief skills, if it lies within their own concepts of morality, if he feels it will bring about 'greater good', like Robin Hood stealing from the rich to give to the poor. These paladins may not even care about the reputation they get, even if they get caught... However, these kinds of paladins may not necessarily go as far to 'give to the poor', but rather rationalize that stealing and using those funds to support his agenda, is for the greater good, and ultimately just/honorable within his own personal code. In this way, these paladins stride moral grey area, somewhere closer to a Rogue (Hero-U) than what is traditionally thought of as a paladin. Rogues tend tend to have a more more cynical view of the world. Rogues are more apt to choose to break laws rather than support laws, than Paladins who tend to lean more towards supporting laws and governments they feel are just. However, Rogues believe laws are seldom just. Laws are written to maintain the status quo and protect the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.

Rogue/Paladin hybrid types like Thomas Kent may fall into this category. However, Thomas is not as cynical and is more hopeful than Urwald on views of the world

The Headmaster, aka the Famous Adventurer is a hunter, explorer, raconteur, educator, knight, paladin, wizard, bard, and rogue.

These might actually be considered closer to 'chaotic or unlawful good'...

Paladin-Thieves (Mixed Character (Hybrid types))

This borders the Paladin-Rogue types as mentioned above, but rather covers paladins who choose to walk the thin-line between dishonorable acts (at least from others perspectives) and honorable acts that might bring glory to the individual. These are characters who maybe thieves, rogues, or other classes of 'dubious moral value' (at least in public's eyes), but may not be as cynical as 'rogues' tend to be.

This a potential character class that Hero of QFG can walk throughout the series. Each personality based on the player's own experiences and values.

Another famous example includes Famous Adventurer.

Similarly these might fall closer to chaotic/unlawful good depending on the situation.

A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he's kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society. Chaotic good characters are strong individualists marked by a streak of kindness and benevolence. They believe in all the virtues of goodness and right, but they have little use for laws and regulations. They have no use for people who "try to push folk around and tell them what to do." Their actions are guided by their own moral compass which, although good, may not always be in perfect agreement with the rest of society.

List of potential "dark" paladins

Some may compare such attitudes to that of Johann Gerhard Von Urwald, while known to be a knight in his past (and has mysterious ties to the Paladins), but very little is known about his choices or actions. He lived as a chief thief for years, helping the village of Spielburg (Hero-U) (Siegburg) against the Brigands in secret, seeking no glory, but reviled along with the other thieves living there. He is now known as a 'Rogue"; he still follows his own code of ethics/honor/justice without any glory for himself. He is the type that could be considered a 'dark' Paladin, to those who do not understand his ways or mistake him for a unscrupulous thief. For some history might write him off as a villain, or he may simply be forgotten over time. The only snag in this theory, is that Rogues are shown to have their own sort of abilities, although very little is known about what abilities Johann himself is capable of (short of some great dagger throwing skills, and implied magical enchanting abilities, which he uses to keep his door locked/trapped).

In a small sense, even Piotyr. He consider himself as too pridful, and it was his pride that lead to his downfall. He was considered a villain to most of the people of Mordavia, who believed he betrayed the town running out on Nadia (Magda (villager)). It took one of the "four heroes"; Falcon the Paladin the paladin to exonerate him, allowing him to be remembered fully as the hero he was, who had helped save Mordavia from the invasion of the Dark One Avoozl. It may have been in part the strong feelings the village had against him, and his own failure to find the rituals, and dying that led to his continued ethereal existence after death. With Falcon doing what he couldn't do he was able to finally have peace, and move on into the afterlife.

Rakeesh is nearly considered to have failed his missions to stop the Demon Invasions and bring peace. He is threatened to be Without Honor because of it. Had he been treated as 'without honor' he would be 'forgotten', and ignored in his own land. He would be receiving the greatest punishment that his people issue out to others. He would be treated as if he didn't exist. The worst fate of the criminals and villains of his kingdom.

After the destruction of Londinium, Sir Hans and Sir Jamus were summoned before the High King of Albion...the High Prince was dead; the High King blamed the knights for those tragedies and banished them from Albion... Later, the faith and trust the people of Sardonia once had in the Knights Luminar was damaged beyond repair.

One of the Paladin students at Hero-U is borderline, as he is a trouble maker of sorts with a large ego.

Behind the scenes

Much of this detail comes from discussions made with Corey Cole in facebook, and ideas discussed. This is not a true class but rather an interpretation of current paladins through the eyes of witnesses, victims, or historians who interpret the actions of paladins as sinister or worse. Hence, the paladins might still be 'lawful good', or 'neutral good' or some variation of 'good' but seen more as 'lawful evil', or some variation of evil by those who didn't understand the hero's motivations. That's not say that some of these character types still might not have a 'dark' flaw, such as pride.

This concept is used to partially explain and rationalize the actual existence of 'Mixed Character (Hybrid Class)'s that exists in the game, although mechanically speaking such characters existence, and how they function is dependent on specific game mechanics in the game. For example QFG2 allows any class to become a paladin, while QFG3 limits it only to fighter class. QFG2 gives opportunities even to a thief to become a Paladin, but game mechanics limit the player's ability to steal or do anything that might be considered illegal in intent. While later games are more lenient with it (only hitting a player with slight 'honor' penalties, that can easily be made up by doing other 'good deeds').

Corey Cole has said but that he would have liked to have more 'nuance' in way players rationalized or justified their in-game character's personalities. However the game (QFG2): "...was written, developed, lightly tested, and shipped in under a year. No time for nuance; it's a wonder that it holds together as well as it does." Had their been more time, and money the limits to becoming a paladin in QFG2 may have been less strict... and such as allowing the choice to become a paladin something that you could turn down at the end, or allowing the player to explain more of the reasoning for their actions throughout the game, and instead of penalties based on "Paladin Points", it would have been tied more to honor only, there for a thief with abnormally high, or maxed honor would have a chance to still prove themselves worthy to become a paladin, even if they chose to break and enter into people's houses... This would have allowed for more nuanced role-playing in the game, but particularly more independent and rogueish.

The Coles have said that Paladins are also individualists. This means that they may not all see eye to eye or agree on manners of what it means to be 'lawful', 'justice' (i.e. is it more just/lawful to kill a dangerous individual to protect others, arrest the individual in hopes that the system will reform them, or forgive, and let the criminal go in order to give them a second chance to change.), or 'honorable', they may not even agree on what it means to be 'compassionate' ("Is it more compassionate to give someone a fish or teach them how to fish?", give someone flowers or teach them how to grow flowers?, give them money or teach them how to make money (or rather make a living themselves?).

Our Paladins are total individualists. They do what they believe to be Good regardless of laws or conventions. A Quest for Glory Paladin is closer to Neutral Good than to Lawful Good.

Individualism would mean that each Paladin's own code of ethics could vary between individual, rather than a single written down code or doctrine held by a central organization, where any alternate thought would be considered 'heresy'. Thus the potential that any Paladin could end up being remembered more negatively by others or even other paladin.