How do you conceive of a ceremony wherein a character attains paladinhood and is inducted into a local Heironean order? More specifically, a 1st-level character paladin receives the call and is recognized by the local church.
Now, I am mostly interested in a small church in a backwater area. I am sure the occasion would be more ostentatious in a big city, Like Rel Mord or Chendl. And different societies might have slightly differing trends and rites. But, generally (or specifically if you've handled this in your campaign in a specific area of the Flanaess) share your thoughts either way.
For those that made some suggestions in chat on Thursday, please share your ideas again. I did not feel comfortable posting without permision.
Happy gaming. _________________ Don (Greyson)
Some ideas I shared on Thursday's chat, plus a few added ones, and all cleaned up and organized a bit more:
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The Induction Ceremony for Paladins of Heironeous
The prospective paladin's preparation begins a full week before the induction ceremony, which is always scheduled to take place on a day holy to Heironeous. The supplicant begins by spending the first 5 days in solitude, as they clear their mind of outside influences, focusing on the importance of the vows they will take at the end of a week‘s time. This time of solitude is spent in religious introspection.
The 6th day begins a period of fasting and purification. The candidate wears only a simple shift and maintains a 24 hour vigil before the high altar in the chapel of Heironeous, from pre-dawn onwards.
Pre-dawn on the 7th day, the supplicant makes their final prayers and is escorted back to their chambers, where they bathe and dress for the induction ceremony. The supplicant is then escorted back to the high altar, where the members of the church have gathered to bear witness to the supplicant's induction as a paladin of Heironeous.
The supplicant enters the chapel and remains at the entrance until the presiding high priest asks a series of ritualized questions, to which the supplicant responds. When all of these questions have been asked and answered, the supplicant approaches the altar and kneels, where the high priest invokes the blessings of Heironeous upon His humble servant, imploring Heironeous to watch over him and guide him along the path of truth and righteousness always. During the ceremony, the supplicant is anointed upon the forehead with meersalm in a jagged line representative of the lightning bolt of Heironeous at the end of each individual blessing.
When the anointing is finished, the supplicant is made to stand, and the high priest begins to intone the Rites of Arming. As the high priest calls upon the blessings of Heironeous to guide and guard the supplicant in battle, other priests come forth bearing the supplicant’s armor and dress them in it. When the supplicant has been armored, they are made to once again kneel. The supplicant’s weapon of choice, usually a battle axe or sword, is then brought forth and blessed by the priest and then presented to the supplicant. The supplicant then takes solemn vows to uphold the tenets of Heironeous, and defend those unable to defend themselves. To further remind the supplicant that all that they are, and all that they carry is in the service to Heironeous, the presentation of the supplicant’s holy symbol is saved until the very last. The holy symbol is consecrated and anointed before all those assembled and presented to the supplicant. A final blessing is spoken by the high priest, and the supplicant is made to rise.
As the final act of the ceremony, the supplicant is introduced for the first time to those gathered as a paladin of Heironeous. The induction ceremony is timed to coincide with the coming of the dawn (a feature of many of the ceremonies of good deities), heralding the emergence of a new servant of light. Congratulations are given to the newly made paladin by those in attendance, and a period of subdued celebration follows thereafter.
After a bit of reflection I put the meersalm in Don. ;) Seeing as it is a rare substance, and one that is unique to the church of Heironeous, it only made sense to include it in some way. Such a small dose of meersalm as is used in the ceremony has no lasting effects upon the supplicant, but it initially gives a feeling of invulnerability which, although it fades, has a lasting impression on the supplicant’s memories of the ceremony itself and of the power of the blessings of Heironeous. The “Code of Conduct for Paladins of Heironeous” by Aaron Wilber (located here at http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=307) is excellent and could be worked into the ceremony as added detail, and to great effect. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
In the Gran March project we are diligently trying to flesh out and make whole many of the Churches common in the March. Heironeous is one of the most popular gods there, for obvious reasons. I would like to incorporate most or all of this into the description of the Church of Heironeous and its Warrior Sect. Any objections?
If not, can I get a written statement that we can use the work?
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