I am posting this in a private journal totally OOC simply for documentation in case there ever becomes an issue. Clarissa is a Champion of Toran and I am trying to play her as such. If anyone has any thoughts on alignment issues related to Champion of Toran I would appreciate feedback and since this is in a private forum that as I understand only myself and GMs can see I don't have a problem having a discussion about this either in this thread or another that a GM might create in this forum. It seems that with the description of Champion of Toran that the alignment of a Champion will of necessity be a bit more on the Neutral Good side than strict Lawful Good but at the same time I would think that a champion's actions would not result in a loss of Paladin powers since the Paladin and Champion are itegrally related. Thanks.
There is a dicotomy within her character that I am trying to strike a balance between. On the one hand she is a caring, respectful, and compassionate individual to any in need. She sees the reputation of Toranites as having been tarnished by arrogant, hypocritical, bad examples so she tries very hard to be respectful and gracious even to those she disagrees with. On the other hand she is a great weapon against evil and seeks passionately to pursue those who would harm the innocent or prey on the weak. The LORE page on Champions of Toran states the following:
The final stage is the Divine Champion. These elite few have found the path of temperance. They have progressed beyond the code of the paladin. Oh, they follow it when they can, but they also fully understand that evil doesn't play by rules. That it's rarely that easy or black and white. They do more than fight evil, they seek it out. They climb down into those black pits and let the light of Toran shine there. Where the Paladin combats any evil they find, the Champion's duty is to seek it out. Fight it head to head. Tooth and nail, smite it hip and thigh. Where the paladin tries to sway away from baser emotions, the Champion fills themselves with righteous indignation and divine wrath, for they know that there is power in emotion. They aren't afraid to get dirty, in fact that is part of their duty. Toran forgives them all, as long as their fight is pure and their duty unwavering. They aren't above taking the quicker path if it means Toran's greater purpose is served. They understand the greater good and are willing to make the sacrifices that the others of their ilk are not willing or capable to do.
They are the elite because they must be. They know all too well that white shows dirt easier than black and so they know they must occasionally dirty themselves for the greater good. They tend to be quiet and reserved, given to bouts of depression, for many of them often hate the decisions they must make for the needs of the many and miss the easy times of their youth when they were able to fit good and evil into the molds of black and white, they mourn for the loss of that innocence and know that their lives will always be lived in shades of grey now.
So when it comes to alignment the actions of a Champion of Toran are sometimes going to be more grey than the Lawful Good absolutes of the Paladin.
During a quest recently Clarissa thanked Daralith for raising her friend Steel since she thought there were no clerics to raise him. Even though she had been told that Daralith followed Bearon C'duz she felt it was polite to thank someone for something that they did that they did not have to do and that she was grateful for. She saw this as being polite and respectful even to one's enemies. For this she was given a two point shift to Chaotic. I understand the GM's reasons and since there is no direct impact of this there is no issue to deal with but since an alignment shift could eventually result in a loss of powers to a paladin I felt it necessary to document the situation so I don't forget the context. Below is an exerpt from the log of the quest surrounding the issue.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:42:26] Clarissa : [Party] Yes we should allow Steel to recover
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:01] Clarissa : [Party] By the way sir, I was unaware that you were a priest. I thank you for raising Steel
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:22] Pyyran : [Party] He's a priest of Baraeon Ca'Duz, in case you coudln't tell.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:31] Pyyran : [Party] **Absently, as he checks the door.*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:38] Nyeaeana Irylanam: [Party] Perhaps warning were not..... hmm
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:54] Clarissa : [Party] Well he raised Steel I thank him for that
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:43:58] Nyeaeana Irylanam: [Party] Ca'duz temple good hunting
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:13] Pyyran : [Party] Right, then. Some Toranite... **He shakes his head, continuing his search.*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:20] Daralith Del'Mar : [Party] *looks to Clarissa and smirks* Save your thanks for a pathetic fool interested. If you think I raised him out of Charity, then you are a bigger fool than he is for dying.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:24] Steel : [Party] **appears as calm and silent as ever**
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:32] Nyeaeana Irylanam: [Party] lots of spiders and snakes to hunt
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:39] Clarissa : [Party] *nods*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:47] Kalin Sundar: [Party] it's ok clarissa he said the same thing to me after I thanked him for raising me
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:44:53] Kalin Sundar: [Party] *grins*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:07] Your actions have shifted your alignment 2 point(s) toward Chaotic.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:10] Pyyran : [Tell] Is, er, Clarissa a Paladin or Champion?
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:15] Daralith Del'Mar : [Party] *looks to Kalin* A shame I"m not into second chances...
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:23] Clarissa : [Tell to Pyyran] Champion
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:27] Kalin Sundar: [Party] indeed
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:32] Kalin Sundar: [Party] *chuckles*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:35] Daralith Del'Mar : [Party] *smirks* Come, lets continue
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:45:49] Wren Thendor: [Party] told me he was going to take it out of my hide once *laughs*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:46:00] Pyyran : [Party] Left it is. **He crouches low, and tries to open the door a crack.*
Here I sent on the DM channel the following tell: I guess I shouldn't be thanking bad guys huh?
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:46:16] Coyote : [Tell] nope, not even if they have performed good acts once. puts you closer toward neutral good.
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:46:35] Daralith Del'Mar : [Tell] hehe be thankful, i also healed u P
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:46:55] Daralith Del'Mar : [Party] *looks to Clarissa and smirks*
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:47:06] Clarissa : [Tell to Daralith] Thanks
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:47:36] Clarissa : [Tell to Coyote (GM)] I was just thinking that it was polite to thank someone
[CHAT WINDOW TEXT] [Sat Jun 02 21:48:01] Clarissa : [Tell to Coyote (GM)] no big deal. Lesson learned
