Paladin

A Paladin of Iskatel is a holy warrior, a knight with sworn allegiance to a higher power. All Paladins swear themselves to a divine power, and all swear to do good in the service of the peoples of Iskatel. While there are gods of the Twelve who's tenets and goals are more nefarious than chivalrous, no Paladin would openly admit to following such ideals and no order would accept an applicant desiring to do so. However, as is true with all powerful, influential organizations, it is rumored that certain hidden cabals of knights with alternate purposes hide within the orders that they serve and subvert them from within.
More often than not, Paladins are members of nobility or other privileged classes. While the oldest son of a Baron or King inherits the land and title of their father, a younger sibling may seek their own place among those who swear off allegiances to worldly organizations and dedicate themselves to the gods or to the betterment of society as a whole. Members of the peasantry may share similar desires to serve such lofty ideals, but the reality is that they have not enjoyed the same privileges of privately tutored religious education or daily swordplay practice that the nobility takes for granted. Further, administrators of the knightly orders look much more favorably upon a potential knight who has come with their own horse, their own armor, and their own sword. As such, when those of the 'lower classes' are allowed into the knightly orders, it is most often to serve as pages, craftsmen, laborers, or servants.
Before reaching level 3, Paladins are considered aspirants or squires. Upon achieving 3rd level, the Paladin should travel to the headquarters of their Order and perform an initiation ritual to become officially knighted. These rituals vary between the orders, but generally include a solemn night of fasting and solitary contemplation on the night before initiation and a grand religious, ceremonial ritual during the initiation itself.

Class Features

All standard class features of the Paladin remain as they are in the official source material.
Paladins who stray too far from their Tenets (generally by unrepentantly breaking them two or more times in a row) will loose all of their Oath features and all spellcasting abilities until they have redeemed themselves.
None of the standard Oaths are available to Paladins of Iskatel. You must choose from one of the Oaths listed below.

Oath of the Shoremen

With claim as the first Knightly Order established in Iskatel, the Shoremen have a long and storied history. Their origin coincides with the founding of Firsthome as a last refuge for the many Ambari, Catori, and Nifyrr human tribes near the end of the Age of Extinction. These peoples had been pushed to near extinction and huddled together in desperation along the shoreline near what is now Firsthome. Despite this desperate situation, petty bickering and power squabbles among the various chieftains and warlords prevented any organized defense against the marauding orc threat. That is, until the founder of the Shoremen, Raxtus Vicingetor, abdicated his claim on any potential land or title in order to convince all other tribes to grant him warriors and mount a defense against the orcs. It worked, the orc hoards were pushed back from the shoreline, and Firsthome was founded. Afterwards, the Shoremen continued to swear themselves to the protection of Firsthome, and of humanity in general. They are a constant presence among the people of the Nine Kingdoms, looked to as the guardians of all society and protectors of the weak and vulnerable.

Members of the Shoremen follow the Twelve, with the majority of them favoring Japheth. Azmir and Shukriya are also favored, but to lesser extent. Shoremen who favor other gods of the Twelve, the Great Wyrms, or no god at all, must do so in secret and at least feign favor of one of the gods mentioned above. To do otherwise would be to invite suspicion and possible explusion from the ranks.
The shield of the Shoremen is iron-grey on it’s top half, with a line of waves cutting across the shield in the center and the color of the blue ocean covering the bottom half of the shield.

Tenets of the Shoremen
Defenders of All. You must always protect Firsthome and protect the people of the Nine Kingdoms from all external threats, no matter how dire. You will not retreat, even in facing certain death, if such retreat will risk harm coming to those whom you have sworn to protect.
Loyalty to the Whole. You will never swear fealty to any lord, nor will you take sides in any conflict arising between peoples, tribes, or kingdoms within the Nine Kingdoms. Your role is to protect from external threats, not to take sides in internal politics, regardless of the circumstances.
Always a Protector, Never a Lord. You must never take land or title (outside of titles given within the ranks of the Shoremen) to yourself. Refuse it always. You are a servant of the people. Any wealth you achieve is to be shared to the Shoremen without question or hesitation.

Because they are defenders of all, it is rare that a Shoreman cannot persuade a noble lord to open their castle for a night's stay or gift a horse and sword to a knight in need. The Shoremen may not be allowed to keep wealth for themselves, but the resources of the Nine Kingdoms (at least those within reason) are almost always open and available to them without cost.

Oath of the Shoremen Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity, Never a Lord
7th	Aura of Warding
15th	Unyielding Spirit
18th	Aura of Warding
20th	Exalted Champion

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	protection from evil and good, sanctuary
5th	calm emotions, see invisibility
9th	beacon of hope, dispel magic
13th	freedom of movement, guardian of faith
17th	conjure volley, dispel evil and good

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Champion Challenge. As a bonus action, you issue a challenge that compels other creatures to do battle with you. Each creature of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature can’t willingly move more than 30 feet away from you. This effect ends on the creature if you are incapacitated or die or if the creature is more than 30 feet away from you.
Turn the Tide. As a bonus action, you can bolster injured creatures with your Channel Divinity. Each creature of your choice that can hear you within 30 feet of you regains hit points equal to 1d6 + your Charisma modifier (minimum of 1) if it has no more than half of its hit points.

Never a Lord

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you must swear an oath to never take land or title and to freely share any wealth gained with the Order, without question or exception.
You are required to donate at least 50% of any monetary treasure you receive (gold, silver, non-magical gems and jewelry, etc) to the Shoremen. However, you are always able to find free food, lodging, and other services within the 9 Kingdoms (at least for yourself, not always for your companions). Further, so long as it is for your own personal use, any item available for purchase for a price equal-to or less-than your level x 100gp, is free to you. Items that carry a price higher than your level x 100gp will be discounted by that same amount. For example, a 4th level Oath of the Shoremen Paladin may purchase plate armor (price 1500gp) for 1100gp. While it is possible that there are locations outside of the 9 Kingdoms that would provide a similar discount to Shoremen, it is not guaranteed. When traveling outside of the area of the 9 Kingdoms, application of the discount is by DM discretion.
Paladins of the Oath of the Shoremen who attempt to circumvent or take advantage of this feature by failing to claim an equal share of treasure, failing to donate at least 50% of claimed treasure to the Order, or by gathering more equipment for themselves than they would reasonably need will be noticed, censored, and eventually expelled from the Order.

Aura of Warding

Beginning at 7th level, your training and resilience in battle grants you a divine ward against magics. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Unyielding Spirit

Starting at 15th level, you have advantage on saving throws to avoid becoming paralyzed or stunned.

Exalted Champion

At 20th level, your presence on the field of battle is an inspiration to those dedicated to your cause. You can use your action to gain the following benefits for 1 hour:

• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
• Your allies have advantage on death saving throws while within 30 feet of you.
• You have advantage on Wisdom saving throws, as do your allies within 30 feet of you.

This effect ends early if you are incapacitated or die. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

The Sword of the Twelve

In the year 73 AF, Primarch Venerous II made a call throughout the land for courageous warriors willing to swear allegiance to the Twelve and the church representing them. From this call, the Sword of the Twelve was founded. As the official arm of the church, the order grew quickly and filled with noble aspirants eager to prove their worth and piety. Soon, entire battalions of men lead by Knights of the Sword of the Twelve were spearheading holy crusades and expanding the territories of both the 9 Kingdoms and the church. It was the Sword of the Twelve that fought and won the famous Battle of Japhetheum in 85 AF, founding the holy city and calling it their home ever since.
As victory after victory brought forth a more peaceful, more orderly world filled with citizens dedicated to the Twelve, the need for crusades diminished. Knights of the Sword of the Twelve spent less time on the battlefield and more time building castles and fortifying land. They entered into politics, ostensibly holding land for the church and the protection of the 'one true religion', but also dealing among the ranks of nobility and attempting to secure land and title for themselves and their posterity across generations. As it stands, some who swear allegiance to the Sword of the Twelve are true crusaders of their religion. Others join purely in pursuit of the prestige and political clout that can be gained in membership. Most lie somewhere on a spectrum between these two extremes.

Members of the Sword of the Twelve all uniformly follow the Twelve and all uniformly hold Japheth as their favored god among the Twelve. Any deviation from these beliefs is grounds for disqualification from the ranks.
The shield of the Sword of the Twelve is twelve swords, points facing inward in a circle on the center of the shield. The swords are white (cleansing and purity) while the shield is black (the swords pierce the darkness of the world).

Tenets of the Sword of the Twelve
Unyielding Service. When acting under the orders of the church, members of the order are not permitted to fail in, deviate from, or abandon their duties; except in death.
Tithe. All members of the Order must give 10% of all monetary gain to the church.
Unquestioned Loyalty. The word of those who lead the Church of the Twelve is law and must never be questioned. Any higher ranking member of either the Church or the Order must be obeyed.

Oath of the Sword of the Twelve Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity
7th	Aura of Devotion
15th	Purity of Spirit
18th	Aura of Devotion
20th	Avatar of the Sword

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	command, sanctuary
5th	warding bond, zone of truth
9th	aura of vitality, spirit guardians
13th	banishment, guardian of faith
17th	circle of power, geas

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Sacred Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.
Turn the Unholy. As an action, you present your holy symbol and speak a prayer censuring fiends and undead, using your Channel Divinity. Each fiend or undead that can see or hear you within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, it is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage.
A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly move to a space within 30 feet of you. It also can’t take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.

Aura of Devotion

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed while you are conscious.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Purity of Spirit

Beginning at 15th level, you are always under the effects of a protection from evil and good spell.

Avatar of the Sword

At 20th level, you manifest a spark of divine power in defense of the mortal realms. As a bonus action, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

• You gain truesight with a range of 120 feet.
• You have advantage on attacks against aberrations, undead, and fiends.
• When you hit a creature with an attack roll and deal damage to it, you can also force it to make a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC. On a failed save, the creature is magically banished to its native plane of existence if it’s currently not there. On a successful save, the creature can’t be banished by this feature for 24 hours.

Once you use this bonus action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.

The Shield of the Innocent

The Spellwars were a time of great tumult in the Nine Kingdoms. The Conclave, allied together with many kingdoms and the Sword of the Twelve, fought to exterminate those with naturally-born magical talents (sorcerers) and the elves who desperately tried to protect them. In this war, it appeared to many as if the Church and its knights focused all of its will on fighting and forgot all about the suffering of the common people they were sworn to serve. A small group of brethren from the Sword of the Twelve left the order and swore themselves to a new order -- the Shield of the Innocent. Their focus would still be in following the edicts of the Church of the Twelve, but with a primary purpose of protection and defense of the helpless. Where the Sword of the Twelve might charge into battle, the Shield of the Innocent would man the gates and tend to the people. These services were desperately in-need during the Spellwars and this new Order was quickly embraced by both the people and the Church. Its numbers swelled. The reputation of the Church among the people improved.
And then the Spellwars ended. While there are always those who need assistance and protection, the role of the Shield of the Innocent was less crucial in times of peace. However, as an order already well-established within the population centers of the Nine Kingdoms, they found themselves also in positions of great political influence and power. Even further, a noble son who swears allegiance to the Shield of the Innocent finds himself more likely to lead a life of comfort and privilege within a lavishly decorated fortress than a member of the Sword of the Twelve. This nicety has not gone unnoticed by the other orders, and so members of the Shield of the Innocent are sometimes mocked for not being true warriors. To combat such a reputation, many members of the order strive to prove their mettle in tournaments -- especially when there is opportunity to do so against members of other orders.

Members of the Shield of the Innocent follow the Twelve, with a majority favoring Shukriya. Other favored gods include Azmir, Yakivolo, and Japheth. Anyone in the order who follows other gods or systems of belief pretends a favoring of one of the above four gods, otherwise they would face both shame and expulsion.
The shield of the Shield of the Innocent is a circle of 12 gold stars on a black and white background, split down the middle with the left (when facing the shield) side black and the right side white.

Tenets of the Shield of the Innocent
Help the Helpless. A member of this order will go out of their way to grant assistance to the poor, downtrodden, or otherwise suffering.
Tithe. All members of the Order must give 10% of all monetary gain to the church.
Defender of the Faith. At any point, the Church may call upon the order to protect a given city, territory, or landmark. A member of the Shield must always heed this call to stand in defense of the people and the Church.

Oath of the Shield of the Innocent Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity
7th	Aura of the Guardian
15th	Vigilant Rebuke
18th	Aura of the Guardian
20th	Avatar of the Shield

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	protection from evil and good, sanctuary
5th	lesser restoration, calm emotions
9th	counterspell, hypnotic pattern
13th	Otiluke’s resilient sphere, stoneskin
17th	commune, wall of force

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Watcher’s Will. You can use your Channel Divinity to invest your presence with the warding power of your faith. As an action, you can choose a number of creatures you can see within 30 feet of you, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). For 1 minute, you and the chosen creatures have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.
Rebuke the Violent. You can use your Channel Divinity to rebuke those who use violence. Immediately after an attacker within 30 feet of you deals damage with an attack against a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to force the attacker to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker takes radiant damage equal to the damage it just dealt. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage.

Aura of the Guardian

Starting at 7th level, you can shield others from harm at the cost of your own health. When a creature within 10 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to magically take that damage, instead of that creature taking it. This feature doesn’t transfer any other effects that might accompany the damage, and this damage can’t be reduced in any way.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Vigilant Rebuke

At 15th level, you’ve learned how to chastise anyone who dares wield beguilements against you and your wards. Whenever you or a creature you can see within 30 feet of you succeeds on an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, you can use your reaction to deal 2d8 + your Charisma modifier force damage to the creature that forced the saving throw.

Avatar of the Shield

At 20th level, as an action, you can emanate an aura of protection. For 1 minute, a dome of bright blue-white light shines from you in a 30-foot radius, and dim light shines 30 feet beyond that.
You and every ally within the bright light gains resistance to all types of damage dealt by other creatures (their attacks, spells, and other effects).
Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

The Prayerful Brothers

After the Spellwars, the Nine Kingdoms entered a period of relative peace and ease. With no external threats to keep their attention, both the Sword of the Twelve and the Shield of the Innocent fell into politicking, greed, and corruption. At least, that is how the Prayerful Brothers would say it. The Sword and the Shield may not agree with such a point of view. In any case, a small monastic brotherhood that saw the wealth and power being accumulated by both the church and their official knightly orders felt that they must do something about the situation. The monks gathered a selection of peasants and orphans from the surrounding area and swore them into the new holy order of the Prayerful Brothers. This order would operate independently of the Church, depending on it for nothing and free from its orders. Instead, it would follow the teachings and philosophies of the Twelve with the privilege of making interpretation of these teachings for themselves. As such, the Prayerful Brothers are expected to spend much time in meditation and study, with the holy writings of the Twelve being among their most prized possessions.
The Prayerful Brothers are small, relatively unfunded, and hold no political might. Those who dedicate themselves to the order do so out of a sincere desire to dedicate themselves fully to the gods and a life that is holy. While members have been known to defend a village or monastery in the borderlands, their primary purpose is in questing for further knowledge of the Twelve and the personal enlightenment they hope to achieve upon discovering this knowledge. This questing nature is so strong among the order, in fact, that others sometimes derogatorily refer to them as "The Questing Brothers". The Prayerful Brothers have no land holdings or headquarters, but often find themselves welcomed within cloisters of monks, especially along the edges of society. New members of the ranks are usually individually recruited as squires by lone knights (they rarely travel together in groups) and initiated to knighthood through a private ceremony between knight and squire.

Members of the Prayerful Brothers follow the twelve, with the majority favoring Kalani, Trygg, and to a lesser extent Shukriya, or Azmir.
The shield of the Prayerful Brothers is two hands, pressed together in prayer, red on a white background.

Tenets of the Prayerful Brothers
Quest for Enlightenment. Every brother is seeking their own enlightenment and will often spend many hours in study and contemplation.
By the Sweat of my Brow. A brother does not keep money, so they cannot pay for food, lodging, or equipment in a normal fashion. They will instead work for their rewards -- trading their work for what they require.
Follow the Gods, not the Church. The brothers feel that they each maintain a relationship with the Twelve and have a responsibility to individually interpret their will. They do not hold themselves subject to any earthly authority that may be subject to corruption, only to the gods themselves.

Oath of the Prayerful Brothers Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity, Poverty
7th	Aura of Devotion
15th	Glorious Defense
18th	Aura of Devotion
20th	Living Legend

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	Comprehend Languages, Identify
5th	Enhance Ability, Find Traps
9th	haste, protection from energy
13th	divination, freedom of movement
17th	legend lore, steel wind strike

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
Peerless Athlete. As a bonus action, you can use your Channel Divinity to augment your athleticism. For the next 10 minutes, you have advantage on Strength (Athletics) and Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks; you can carry, push, drag, and lift twice as much weight as normal; and the distance of your long and high jumps increases by 10 feet (this extra distance costs movement as normal).
Sacred Weapon. As an action, you can imbue one weapon that you are holding with positive energy, using your Channel Divinity. For 1 minute, you add your Charisma modifier to attack rolls made with that weapon (with a minimum bonus of +1). The weapon also emits bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light 20 feet beyond that. If the weapon is not already magical, it becomes magical for the duration.
You can end this effect on your turn as part of any other action. If you are no longer holding or carrying this weapon, or if you fall unconscious, this effect ends.

Poverty

Upon taking this Oath at 3rd level and forever after while continuing to follow this Oath, you must donate all of your monetary wealth (gold, non-magical gems and jewelry, etc) to the Church, the poor, or some other noble cause (the recipient and cause can change with each donation, but may never directly benefit you or your party). You are a holy warrior seeking enlightenment and the gods will provide you with what you need. When you have need of food, shelter, or equipment, you will trade your own labor for it -- washing dishes for the privilege of sleeping the night in a tavern's kitchen or sweeping out a bakery for a loaf of bread.
In general, assume that you are able to provide 1sp/hour or 1gp/day worth of manual, unskilled labor. You are not allowed to be paid in coin or treasure for such work, only to trade such work for services (like a bed to sleep in) or products (like a meal to eat) that you need. At the DM's discretion, a long period of labor may be broken up into multiple different segments, allowing for you to perform work between quests and adventures. For example, it requires two and a half months of work to gain chainmail from an armorer (not to mention any work required to feed and give yourself shelter during this time). If you will return regularly to the same town, this labor can be broken into multiple segments that may actually occur over 6 months (or more) of game time.
Though you often spend nights huddled in a cave away from the rain and are at frequent risk of starvation, this life of poverty grants you an incredible resilience, granting you a +1 CON score every time your character receives a level-based Ability Score increase (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th). Your Constitution still may not increase by more than 2 at any one time and your maximum Constitution score remains 20. If your score is already 20 when you receive this benefit, it remains at 20.
Further, at 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter (6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 18th), your adherence to this vow of poverty is smiled upon by the gods and one piece of your equipment is granted radiant, magical properties.

Paladin Level	Benefit
3rd	Any armor or clothing you wear benefits from an additional, magical +1 AC. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses from magical armor (a +1 armor therefore becomes a +2 armor, etc)
6th	You backpack becomes a Handy Haversack. If you do not have a backpack, you gain one.
9th	Any weapon you wield benefits from an additional, magical +1 to hit and damage. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses from magical weapons (a +1 weapon therefore becomes a +2 weapon, etc)
12th	Your holy symbol functions as a Ring of Mind Shielding. If you do not have a holy symbol, you gain one.
15th	Whenever you take a long rest, you are automatically considered to be protected by the Leomund's Tiny Hut spell
18th	Any steed you ride can move as if wearing Horseshoes of a Zephyr

Any failure to strictly adhere to this oath (absolutely NOTHING may be purchased with 'money' and the paladin may not accept any sort of gift except that which is given in trade for sufficient/appropriate labor) results in the next +1 CON bonus and the next equipment bonus both being forfeited. Forfeiting these bonuses twice results in being expelled from the order. If your adventuring party receives a monetary reward for services performed, you must immediately forfeit or donate your share of the reward. Land or property rewards must similarly be forfeited or donated. However, rewards of useful personal equipment (magic items, weapons, armor, etc) may be accepted. A Prayerful Brother will never make any overt request for reward, nor will they engage in any sort of haggling or bargaining for rewards.

Aura of Devotion

Starting at 7th level, you and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you can’t be charmed while you are conscious.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Glorious Defense

At 15th level, you can turn defense into a sudden strike. When you or another creature you can see within 10 feet of you is hit by an attack roll, you can use your reaction to grant a bonus to the target’s AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. The bonus equals your Charisma modifier (minimum of +1). If the attack misses, you can make one weapon attack against the attacker as part of this reaction, provided the attacker is within your weapon’s range.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Living Legend

At 20th level, you can empower yourself with the personal enlightenment you have gained through study and meditation. As a bonus action, you gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

• You are blessed with an otherworldly presence, gaining advantage on all Charisma checks.
• Once on each of your turns when you make a weapon attack and miss, you can cause that attack to hit instead.
• If you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to reroll it. You must use this new roll.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a 5th-level spell slot to use it again.

The Children of the Wyrm

Long before the founding of the first great cities, before the glory of the Ireacht Empire, even before the existence of the Twelve, those who would become the druids learned the secret magics that emanate from the world itself. In doing so, they drew the attention of the Great Wyrms who were born from such magics. The Wyrms mentored and guided the druids, helping them take humanity from its primitive beginnings into an era of learning, clans, and prosperity. In doing so, the druids needed also men and women-at-arms who would act on their behalf. Thus, the Children of the Wyrm were born. However, as humanity continued to grow and develop and as the Twelve rose to positions of godhood, the influence of the druids and of the Children of the Wyrm waned. Ambitions for power and dominion did not mesh well with an organization dedicated to maintaining a balance of powers in the world. The order fell from prominence, even acting in secret in order to avoid almost certain persecution and death. The Twelve were the new gods now, the Great Wyrms all but forgotten. That is why the Shoremen claim to be the oldest and first of the knightly orders, because few even know that the Order of the Children of the Wyrm exists or, indeed, ever existed. They were erased from history. Members of the order identify themselves subtly with marks of the Great Wyrms in ways recognized by their own order, but often ignored and unnoticed by others. And they go about quietly, always pursuing balance, always attempting to prevent the accumulation of too much power or influence by one species, group, or philosophy.

Members of the Children of the Wyrm follow the old gods, the Great Wyrms. They may favor one of the Wyrms more than the others, or all of them collectively. It is of no consequence either way. None of the Children of the Wyrm worship the Twelve or any other pantheon, nor are any of them atheistic.
The shield of the Children of the Wyrm is the silhouette of a dragon on a solid background. The shields vary in color combination, based on various sub-orders within the group. These combinations are (listed with color of dragon first, color of background second): gold/green, silver/white, brass/red, copper/blue, bronze/black.

Tenets of the Children of the Wyrm
Maintain Balance. It is ok for cities to exist, so long as wilderness exists also. All species -- orcs, humans, elves, etc -- deserve a place in the world. Sometimes, it is necessary to cull wolves to prevent them from stealing a village's sheep. Other times, it is necessary to cull the village and prevent it from encroaching on the territory of the wolves.
Long-term Outweighs Short-term. Each living thing occupies but a moment in time and a speck in space. Actions that benefit individuals in the short-term are much less important than actions that benefit the world as a whole over the long term. Many times, you will not live to see the long-term results of your actions ... but your grandchildren will.
Secrecy is Safety. The old ways are no longer respected in the world, even the Twelve are impetuous and childish when compared to the Great Wyrms. If the order is exposed, its very existence will be threatened and the balance of the world will certainly be thrown into turmoil. Stay anonymous, act with subtlety, guide the world from the fringes until it is again ready to accept the old ways.

Oath of the Children of the Wyrm Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity
7th	Aura of the Warding
15th	Undying Sentinel
18th	Aura of Warding
20th	Champion of the Wyrm

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed in the table below. See the Sacred Oath class feature for how oath spells work.

Paladin Level	Spells
3rd	absorb elements, longstrider
5th	animal messenger, dragon's breath
9th	elemental weapon, glyph of warding
13th	fire shield, ice storm
17th	commune with nature, legend lore

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.
The Wyrm's Breath. As an action you can create a thick cloud of fog that surrounds you and heavily obscures the area for 20 feet in all directions, following you as you move. You and all creatures within 5 feet of you instead treat this fog as lightly obscured. This fog lasts for 10 minutes, spreads around corners and cannot be dispersed.
Maintain the Balance. You can use your Channel Divinity to castigate unworldly beings. As an action, you present your holy symbol and each aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend within 30 feet of you that can hear you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is turned for 1 minute or until it takes damage. A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from you as it can, and it can’t willingly end its move in a space within 30 feet of you. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there’s nowhere to move, the creature can take the Dodge action.

Aura of Warding

Beginning at 7th level, ancient magic lies so heavily upon you that it forms an eldritch ward. You and friendly creatures within 10 feet of you have resistance to damage from spells.
At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Undying Sentinel

Starting at 15th level, when you are reduced to 0 hit points and are not killed outright, you can choose to drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Additionally, you suffer none of the drawbacks of old age, and you can’t be aged magically.

Champion of the Wyrm

At 20th level, you can channel the power of the Great Wyrms. Your skin becomes scaled and takes on one of the color combinations of the five Great Wyrms. Further, your eyes become dragon-like and take on either a gold or red color.
Using your action, you undergo a transformation. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• At the start of each of your turns, you regain 10 hit points.
• Whenever you cast a paladin spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can cast it using a bonus action instead.
• Enemy creatures within 10 feet of you have disadvantage on saving throws against your paladin spells and Channel Divinity options.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

Paladin Table of Contents
Class Features
Oath of the Shoremen
Oath of the Sword of the Twelve
Oath of the Shield of the Innocent
Oath of the Prayerful Brothers
Oath of the Children of the Wyrm