The Farm Boy Paladin

"Every one of you will bow your heads," the snarling figure in the black iron helm bellowed as he walked among the gathered people of the square. The voice was deeper than it should be... more awful than any human throat could produce. "The Lord of Shadows will be merciful. You will be allowed your lives, in his service. Those who do not accept his terms will receive no others."

Men and women shrunk back from the figure as it stalked along the ranks. All but one. Dann Tanner stood tall and proud, his hands folded atop the hickory walking stick he always used when he made the journey into town. His rough woolens were patched with dirt and stained with sweat, his thick hair held back by a leather cord. He had his lips pursed thoughtfully, watching the creature. There wasn't a single line of worry, or fear on his face. The shadowy figure turned, and glared through its helm at Dann, but the farmer's son spoke first.

"Got to say, I don't think much of your master, or his terms," Dann said, shaking his head. "But I don't want people thinking I can't be fair. So you take your men, and you get on out of here. Show me a clean pair of heels, and we can all forget this ever happened."

"Or what?" The creature asked, a bloody laugh in its voice.

Dann lashed out, reversing his stick in his hands and putting his shoulders into the blow. The creature had ignored arrows and blades alike, but the knotted head of Dann's stick dented the side of its helm, and sent the figure sprawling into the dirt. It howled in agony, clutching at the steel, trying to roll to its feet. Dann kicked the figure with the strength of a mule, and the sound of bones cracking was audible to those who stood nearby. He hammered his stick down one more time, and the figure juttered before going still. Black blood poured from beneath the helm, smoking and scorching the ground where it touched. Dann looked round at the others, slapping the head of his stick into his meaty hand.

"You all heard my terms," he said, glancing around. "You accepting? Or are we going to have ourselves a disagreement?"

I'm ready whenever you all are.

More Than Knights in Shining Armor

When many of us think of paladins, we think of members of knightly orders with flashing blades and shining shields. Even if they were raised in another fashion, we usually think of them as leaving that old life behind once they hear their divine calling.

The Farm Boy Paladin is in direct opposition to this idea/aesthetic.

How in the hell does anyone see out of this damn thing?

Rather than simply being a character raised on a farm who then goes on to become a knight, the idea is that this origin defines not just who the character was, but how they continue to be. Because while a childhood of hard work in a remote area would give them strength, endurance, knowledge of how to survive in the wilderness far away from a town and neighbors, while also teaching them to use a variety of tools, it could also set their personality in meaningful ways. Everything from maintaining the values of hearth and home, to a reliance on one's neighbors, to honest work and helping those in need, it shapes a character in interesting ways.

And as I mentioned in 5 Tips For Playing Better Paladins, this makes for an ideal organic paladin (which is to say a character who hasn't joined any organizations, formally taken oaths, etc.). While the character might be raw and untutored, they still have all the power of any other paladin to throw around.

For those who want to go all-in on the idea, you can even apply the aesthetic to their weapons, armor, and mount. Maybe they start off with leather armor that looks more like a butcher's robe, and a quarterstaff. Since smite ignores all DR on evil enemies, it's entirely possible for a paladin to lay some serious hurt onto anything wicked with a stick, a thrown rock, or even just a boot in the ribs. The stocky plow horse they ride might be seen as just a common animal, but much like their master that horse could have a spark of the divine power within them that lets them ride into battle, trampling the corrupt and wicked under their hooves, allowing them to fulfill the paladin's mount feature if the player goes that route. The longbow he carries might be the same one he used to hunt game for the stewpot back home, and the raw Charisma he boasts could allow him to make friends and earn trust wherever he goes.

The idea behind the Farm Boy Paladin is that it puts his class all the way in the background, allowing the character's personality and mannerisms to stay in the foreground. In fact, if you don't actually tell the rest of the table that you're playing a paladin, you might be able to go half a dozen sessions before one of them finally puts the pieces together and realizes you're not a fighter, a ranger, or an unusually friendly barbarian.

For those who'd like a bit of comedy to go with this week's concept, take a moment to check out The 5 Awful Paladins You Meet in Your Gaming Career... I have a feeling we've all shared a table with at least one of them. And for those who love little tidbits of obscure history, or who want some insight into how this class became what it is in our popular fiction, take a moment to read What is a Paladin? to delve into the etymology of the word itself!

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That's all for this installment of Unusual Character Concepts. Hopefully this one gave you something to chew over, whether you're a player, or a game master.

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