Paladin

The title of Paladin is awarded to any Knight of the Knightly Order of Palador that has distinguished himself as a worthy successor to Nardoras Palador's legacy. This entails both a proactive approach to the order's responsibilities and activities and the upholding of the last set of virtues, the Six Paladoran Virtues (as referrenced in the Grandmaster's speech during the paladin induction ceremony):
Humility - "...a knight has to be humble and tempered and not fall into hubris, for the gods have given him fortune and only they are above sin;"
Charity - "...a knight has to be kind and helpful to friend and stranger alike, for a pure heart is all that stands between salvation and hellfire;"
Ability - "...a knight has to master sword and shield, spear and bow, alchemy and wordplay, strategy and statecraft, for a man without ability has no power to protect good and punish evil;"
Wisdom - "..a knight has to be wise in every instance, for ignorance and shortsightedness dulls even the sharpest of blades;"
Duty - "...a knight must stand with his brothers and follow the orders of his betters to the letter, for no one can cast light into the darkness alone;"
Honor - "...a knight's honor must never be perverted and his just hand never arrested by corrupt thought, for his strength is an inspiration to all others and his example must be worthy of following;"

Knights who show years of dedication to the these principles and become masters of not only combat, but also philosophy, statecraft, rhetoric, alchemy and scientific disciplines, are offered the rank of paladin, which only the Grandmaster himself can grant - mimicking the original 30 paladins handpicked by Nardoras Palador as his elite guard during the Third Larentine Crusade. Being a paladin is thereby considered to be the final evolution of a Paladoran knight, with only the Grandmaster and the various Masters being of higher rank.

Paladins are meant to be politicians, scientists, theologists and philosophers as much as warriors. Education and a large knowledge base from all walks of life is key and taken very strictly, which is why many knights spend years in preparation for the honor of being named a paladin, despite already being excellent warriors.
Knights that are nominated to become paladins must face three trials, the Trial of Clarity, the Trial of Might and the Trial of Purity, focused on their knowledge and mental ability, their combat and magical ability and their moral and spiritual strength, respectivelly. The tests by which the Trials are carried out change constantly based on what the Council of Masters decides best reflects the challenges the knights and the order face at the time.

Whilst all paladins have to be able in all the afformentioned disciplines, this is the rank where the members become specialized based on what discipline suits them best. Most commonly, they become military officers, trainers, alchemists, philosophers, diplomats or bureaucrats, whilst still being required to maintain their broad set of skills, especially as heavy cavalry.

Accoutrements & Equipment

Paladins are required to carry an insignia denoting their rank and affiliation to the order at all times except for special cases such as losing it on a battlefield and missions that require anonymity.
All paladins recieve a suit of heavy armor that is largely standardized, but proportioned for the specific paladin's body type and dimensions. Limited personalization in shape is possible when the order blacksmiths deem it reasonable. The armor is stylized in a similar way to the original Knights of Palador and the regent himself - black steel with white and yellow features and a red sash across the waist.
Paladins also recieve new weapons should they need them ahead of regular Knights. They keep the horses they had as Knights, but new horses are always available to the higher ranks should one of their horses die or be injured.
A paladin also gains access to greater resources than the previous ranks, both in their specialization training and their specialization of choosing, in order to fulfill their new duties as well as possible.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

If a Paladin repeatedly breaks one of the Six Paladoran Virtues or commits an act of disobedience or treason, depending on the severity of the offense, they can be punished, demoted or even stripped of their membership and expelled.
The punishment is decided by the Council of Masters and is binding, with the present paladins acting as an advisory body. The judgement is passed by the Grandmaster himself, although it is decided with a vote among all Masters of the order. Should a Master be unavailable during the proceedings, he can nominate a paladin to represent him or is granted a reasonable length of time to return to the order headquarters for the trial. During this time, the paladin is temporarily stripped of his station and is regarded similarly to a somewhat unwelcome guest - he is supervised, has limied mobility and has all his needs provided for until the proceedings are resumed.

Type

Professional

Form of Address

Ser (Name)

Alternative Naming

Norwerts mistakenly call them Thellorians, despite the fact that they have no ties to the Eastern Order of Thellor

Source of Authority

Grandmaster of the Knightly Order of Palador; generally free of worldly authority, however often under the political influence of a powerful sovereign

Length of Term

The rank is held for life, unless the Paladin commits an act that gets him expelled from the order, or when he is promoted to Master