Paladins of God
Originally, paladins were a group of 12 knights, the foremost members of Charlemagne's court. Those original paladins are said to have been the exemplars of chivalric virtues. They later served Charlemagne's son, Louis the Pious. After the treaty of Verdun of 843 CE, when the Carolingian Empire was divided into three parts, the paladins served Emperor Lothar I for a short time, but later were conscripted by the Papacy as guards during the election of a new pope after the death of Gregory IV. The new pope, Sergius II, offered the paladins a permanent place as papal guards. Initially, the paladins rejected the offer. They were bound by oath to Lothar and the Carolingian dynasty.
In Pope's service
Paladins remained loyal to the dynasty until the death of Charles the Fat, the last Carolingian Emperor. The fragmentation of the empire and lack of a legitimate emperor from the Carolingian dynasty forced the paladins to look for a new master. Pope Stephen V offered them a job as papal guards. This time the paladins accepted. To indicate their transition to the Church's service they were called the Paladins of God. They remain in Pope's service to this day.
Composition
Manpower
Since there beginning of the formation there have been 12 paladins. Only men are allowed to serve as paladins. However, there are people who pressure the Pope to allow women to be paladins. Additionally, every paladin has a squire, who he trains as his successor. It is said that every paladin is a magic-user.
Weaponry
Paladins are trained in sword fighting, both on foot and on horseback. They are also very good horse riders and magic-users. Today, paladins are also trained in using rifles, machine guns and pistols. However, they rarely use them. Modern weapons are treated as a last resort. Paladins believe that a gun isn't a knight's weapon.
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