Holy Warrior

An Archetype for Monks, Warriors, Archers, Scouts, and Paladins from the Celestial Codex.

Description

History abounds with examples of what might be considered a holy warrior, from the armies of the Crusades, to church sanctioned groups like the Knights Templar, to anyone who answers the call for Jihad. What truly marks a holy warrior as different from his secular counterparts is a profound faith in his god or gods, and the willingness to fight, and perhaps kill, to see his religion spread or to protect the temples and fellow believers. Often a holy warrior will pray silently for the sins they are about to commit in order to serve the greater good or for the souls of the heathens now laid low before his righteous blade. In a fantastic context, a holy warrior may fight at the forefront of a magnificent host of angels, or have been personally selected by his god for continued soldiering after death, like the warriors of Valhalla.

Garb

Wear white with golden ornamentation. Adorn yourself with the holy symbols of your faith. It is not uncommon to carry a holy book or prayer fetish, to renew one's faith between battles.

• Essential/Suggested Abilities: Any abilities granted to these fighters can be used to serve the will of the divine, although obviously supernatural ones like Resurrection and Sanctuary will always be attributed to the Holy Warrior's faith. Abilities that can be used to protect the flock or holy places are premium, as are those that can weed out unbelievers and the forces of evil.

Role-Playing Notes

Always be clear about the reasons you march to war - you are on a Mission From Heaven, you are the Hammer of God, the Mallet of Providence. Most religions eschew the use of violence, so ensure that you and those around you understand the weight of choosing warfare to advance your cause. Always strive to uphold the virtues of your chosen religion - usually chastity, honor, valor, and above all, faith. Avoid the baser temptations battle brings such as taking of spoils, burning villages, attacking non-combatants, and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Always go for clean kills, keeping the suffering of one's enemies to a minimum and seek absolution for your sins afterward.

Weaponry

Weapons that cause a minimum of suffering and bloodshed (though no less lethal) are common - staves, maces and flails for example. Swords and other blades might also be used, but the blades will be as sharp as possible, to lessen the possibility that survivors will later succumb to disease and gangrene. Shields are also common, since they may be used to protect rather than harm.

History

In the past in amtgard, this was the name of an Alternate Class which was created in Pegasus Valley. It seemed to serve the role of a class for those who wanted to play Paladin but could not. It saw use in many lands throughout the 90s but was gradually phased out as alternate classes fell into disfavor.