Knights.

[Briek]

opps must have missed that bit.

[Harroghty]

A reminder: when your PC becomes class paladin, they are not automatically entered into any particular order. Further, they do not ever need to enter into any order. A paladin PC enters an order over time as a result of their role-play and at the discretion of the paladin administrator (Kelemvor).

Knight PCs (PCs of any class who have applied for and been accepted to complete the special role-play of a knight) are not mentioned in the above article (but I know of no reason why they would be prevented from those orders if they met the requirements for entry). Below are some more options from a variety of sources:

RELIGIOUS ORDERS
CYRIC
"The Order of the Black Sun"
Based in- The Citadel of the Raven
Chapters in- Zhentil Keep, Mulmaster, Melvaunt, Darkhold, and Llorkh
Membership- Approximately 600 members
Leader- Dark Lord Yorel (LE 13th level human Warrior)

HELM
"The Order of the Watch"
Based in- Elturel
Chapters in- Berdusk, secomber, Everlund, Kurth, and Elmwood
Membership- Over 400 registered members
Leader- Watchlord Taramis Dar (LN 18th level human Paladin)

"The Vigilant Order of the Silver Gauntlet"
Based in- Athkatla
Chapters in- All Amnish cities, Helmsport/Ulatos, and Helmhall in Tethyr
Membership- There are 2,020 registered members
Leader- High Paragon Rebarro Veliz dela Montoya (LN 15th level human Paladin)

"The Holy Order of the Northern Protectors"
Based in- Helmsdale
Chapters in- Heliogabalus, Valls, and Ravesburg
Membership- At last count there were 306 members
Leader- Lord Protector Hevarim Dragonstone (LN 16th level human Paladin)

ILMATER
"The Order of Blessed Suffering"
Based in- Yhaunn
Chapters in- None
Membership- There are 65 registered members
Leader- High Lord Mathros Imparail (LG 14th level human Paladin)

LATHANDER
"The Sacred Order of the New Dawn"
Based in- New Sessrendale (sometimes called "Dawndale")
Chapters in- Archendale, and Featherdale
Membership- There are 220 registered members
Leader- Dawn Lord Justerian Whitehelm (LG 13th level human Paladin)

LOVIATAR
"The Order of the Red Whip"
Based in- Westgate
Chapters in- None
Membership- Approximately 80 members
Leader- High Scourge Kindria Vategg (LE 14th level human female Warrior)

"The Order of the Crimson Hook"
Based in- Calaunt
Chapters in- Mulmaster, Melvaunt, and Zhentil Keep
Membership- Over 300 registered members
Leader- Crimson Lady Biera Vranik (LE 16th level human female Warrior)

"The Order of the Ebony Whip"
Based in- The Nation of Dambrath
Chapters in- None
Membership- At last census over 9,000 members
Leader- Agonatrix Elythyr Emenis (LE 20th level 1/2 drow female Warrior)

RED KNIGHT
"The Righteous Order of Battle"
Based in- Hillsfar
Chapters in- None
Membership- There are 35 registered members
Leader- Lord General Mintria Greldenharm 9LN 13th level human female Paladin)

TORM
"The Loyal Order of the Lion"
Based in- Tantras
Chapters in- None
Membership- Approximately 240 members
Leader- High Lord Keva Berthan (LG 21st level human Paladin)

"The Order of the Mailed Fist"
Based in- Arabel
Chapters in- Suzail, Marsember
Membership- Over 600 registered members
Leader- High Lord Barstam Wyvernspur (LG 17th level human paladin)

"The Order of the Sword"
Based in- Nation of Ulgarth
Chapters in- None
Membership- Numbering in the thousands
Leader- High Lord Ulvin Evenhand (LG 23rd level human Paladin)

TYR
"The Order of the Justicars"
Based in- Suzail
Chapters in- Cormyrean cities
Membership- At the last census 445 members
Leader- Lord Justice Harmeen Kennath (LG 16th level Paladin)


KNIGHTLY ORDERS

"The Order of Alturic"
Based in- Priapurl
Chapters in- Elversult, and Iriaebor
Membership- There are 321 registered members
Leader- High Protector Damno Crimtor (LG 14th level Warrior)

"The Order of the Blooded Blade"
Based in- Mulmaster
Chapters in- None
Membership- There are only 46 registered members
Leader- Red Lord Venth Brokenblade (LE 15th level Warrior)

"The Order of Dark Blades"
Based in- Tyraturos
Chapters in- Thayvian cities
Membership- There are 580 registered members, and rising
Leader- Black Blade of Death Myrkos Drathengaub (LE 18th level Warrior)

"The Golden Order of Delhuvaan"
Based in- Suldophor
Chapters in- Tulmor, and Theymarsh
Membership- Over 200 registed members
Leader- High Lord Sorar Al'Tomash (LN 16th level Warrior)

"The Mighty Order of the Glaive"
Based in- Fortress of Mal (Impiltur)
Chapters in- Sarshel,and Ilmwatch
Membership- There are 468 registered members
Leader- High Lord Hramman Mounthammer (LN 15th level Warrior)

"The Order of the Golden Bow"
Based in- Delthuntle (Aglarond)
Chapters in- None
Membership- There are 359 registered members
Leader- High Lord Halmaris Griffonmane (LG 13th level Warrior)

"The Order of the Goldenhammer"
Based in- Telflamm
Chapters in- Phent, and Phsant
Membership- Varies regularly but is about 300 members
Leader- High Lord Pelias Ravenmane (LN 19th level Warrior)

"The Great Order of Raundos"
Based in- Memnon
Chapters in- Myratma, and Calimport
Membership- There are 850 registered members
Leader- High Lord Vendali Ben Horass (LN 17th level Warrior)

"The Order of the Shining Sword"
Based in- Castle Blackmoon (Trielta Hills)
Chapters in- None
Membership- Currently 75 members
Leader- High Lord Rhogan Dragonheart (LG 16th level Warrior)

Rodriguez, Eric K. "Military Orders of the Realms." Candlekeep. <http://www.candlekeep.com/library/artic ... hthood.htm> (1 February 2009).

Order of the Azure Maces
150 members, 200 squires(knights in training)
Base of Operations:Daerloon, Sembia
Leader:Ulyin Granitefoot(CG dm F11), wields Brightstar, a +3 mace with
the ability to cast cure light wounds x3 and cone of cold x1, per day at
9th level of ability.
Underswords Calthas Tiohan(NG hem F5) and Harngith Juothas(CG hm F4)

All knights wield magical maces, most of +1 enchantment, although 5%
have +2 or higher. All maces have the ability to cast blue faerie fire
upon itself upon command, unlimited times per day. This effect only
serves to show the doomed enemy who their slayers are.

Order of the Crimson Wyverns
90 members, 34 squires
Base of Operations:Urmlaspyr, Sembia
Leader: Lord Navary Ilthingsar(LG hm F9), wields a spear +2, named
Deathnail.
Underswords Vherin the Cocksure,refers to either his prowess in battle
or his prowess with women(CN hm F5) and Reetha Rivenfire(LN hf F3)

This order is currently rebuilding after devastating raids by hill
giants. The giants have been striking with more frequency and order. No
one knows the reason why.

Order of the Prancing Bear
12 members, 3 squires
Base of Operations:Urmlaspyr, Sembia
Leader:Bartheolomew Stoutfeet(CN half-m P6) wields Bearclaw, a spiked
warhammer of +3 enchantment,, able to cast speak to animals with
unlimited frequency. Given to him by Arvoreen, halfling god of war.
Underswords:Fanny Tallshears(CG half-f F3) and Jaleem the
Bearfriend(LN half-m T5)

DM Celtic, "Re: Misc: Sembian Military (long)." 25 October 1999. <http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.ex ... R7121&I=-3> via <http://oracle.wizards.com/scripts/wa.exe?S1=realms-l> (1 February 2009).

Order of the Purple Dragon
Based in: Cormyr
Chapters in: High Horn, Skull Crag, and many other cities or fortresses
Membership: Several thousand
Leader: Sir Bren Tallsword, His Majesty King Azoun IV
Note Bene: The "Purple Dragons" generally refers to the entire army of Cormyr. Cormyrean (Cormyrian or Cormyte) soldiers are often called "Dragoneers". Knights in the army often serve with the rank of Swordcaptain or Lionar (the equivalents of a senior non-commissioned officer or lieutenant) but the crown does grant membership in this order to knights errant and even, in some rare cases, to foreigners.

Greenwood, Ed. Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Random House, 1995.
Haddock, Eric. Cormyr. Random House, 1994.

[Jaenoic]

Watchlord Taramis Dar (LN 18th level human Paladin)

Uhm, what? A Lawful neutral paladin? Shame on you, Eric Rodriguez.

[Harroghty]

Just a reminder: Fourth Edition Dungeons and Dragons allows paladins to be of any alignment and describes them as "champions of their deity" instead of only the holy warriors described in previous editions. Further, while Forgotten Kingdoms still has restricted the paladin class to the Lawful Good alignment, it is possible to make any character a knight (with an application accepted by the game's administration) and therefore I encourage people who are interested in this kind of role-play, but not in following a Lawful Good alignment to investigate that route. All of the recent talk about Blackguards and Anti-Paladins demonstrates that there might be some interest in this. Variations of current themes could produce interesting results: a Lawful Neutral knight of Tyr or Helm (the relentless, unmerciful lawman), a Lawful Evil knight of Cyric or Bane (the archetypical "black knight"), or a Chaotic Good knight of Torm (the reckless crusader).

[Harroghty]

Below are excerpts from S.D. Church's The Household Knights of King John (that is King John of England 1199-1216 CE). The full text is available from the Cambridge University Press, but I was very interested to only read the excerpt of fifteen pages or so that they have kindly made available.
http://assets.cambridge.org/97805215/53 ... xcerpt.pdf

The article discusses the tradition of the king's military household. It discusses its history and its products, but admits that there is little discussion among historians about its "non-martial" duties because, frankly, historians and chroniclers (and most of us) find war and great battles more interesting. At the least, it is a fine contrast to Mr. Rick Swan's silly portrayal of Sir Jounville, the household knight, and it adds some sense of the purpose of household knights.

"If the military household was the royal army, then it followed that it was the household itself which made preparations for, and organized the conduct of, the campaign. It was the king's stewards and the king's marshals who were responsible for the administration and discipline of the army..."

"...stressing the importance of the military household in both the martial and non-martial spheres. He suggested that there was enough evidence to show that the household was vitally important to the 'political, administrative, and military history of the Norman reigns'. Through their attention to the military household, historians have increasingly come to appreciate that the royal household knights played a dominant role in this organisation."

"The knightly element of the king's household', he said, 'was not there to fight, but to administer, though being knights by habit and training and in this case also by profession, it could always use swords if the need arose.'"

"This was certainly how the household knights perceived themselves; they were seperate from the rest of the household in a way that only fighting men can be, and they thought little of household clerks, seeing them as worthy only of ridicule."

"The military functions of the household knights were just one aspect of their lives, and it is important to see the martial role of the king's knights in the context of their general role as members of the king's familia, a word that implies a closeness which is lost in our translation of the word as household."

Church, S.D. The Household Knights of King John. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 1999.

[Harroghty]

Here are some letters from the crusaders describing their lives and times. The authors here range from female nobility, to male nobility, to masters of monastic-orders, to clergy, and beyond. Each letter describes its author before the text. This does not detail the day-to-day matters that took place in the form of a schedule, but rather the general events ("today we did siege this city or that" or "today we escorted the people of Jerusalem with a battalion of knights"). I commend particularly the statements of purpose to you because they speak to the mindset of the authors and may be applicable to the mindset of a knightly role-play. For example, the master of the Hospitalers writes to Lord de Melaye:

...the enemy afterwards said in admiration to their prisoners: "You voluntarily threw yourselves in the way of death; why was this?" To which the prisoners replied: "We would rather die in battle, and with the death of our bodies obtain glorification for our souls, than basely give way and take to flight: such people, indeed, are greatly to be feared."

http://www.shsu.edu/%7Ehis_ncp/Cruslet.html
(Citations are provided on the linked site. This was accessed on 4 February, 2009.)

[Harroghty]

I have included a few links about the conduct of jousts and tournaments in this thread, but here is an account of the formalities preceding one. This document is a translation (the image of the original document is linked from the web site) of the "Challenge of John Astley, Squire, to Philip Boyle, Knight of Aragon" and the subsequent event of John Astley being raised to chivalry on account of his victory. You will notice the web site uses the more contemporary (and still acceptable) verb "to knight" but that the original document describes that "...kynge of his hines for to make him knyth..." ("...the King, his Highness, made him a knight..."). This is an example of an accolade, that is a(n ostensibly) spontaneous occasion where a knight is created for a feat of arms or a particular achievement.

http://www.chronique.com/Library/Tourne ... llenge.htm
(This was translated by Brian Price, the appropriate citations are on the site. I accessed this on 5 February 2009.)

http://www.thehojos.com/%7Estmikes/Masse.htm
(A previous adventure of squire John Astley circa 1438 CE. Citations on the web site. This was accessed on 5 February 2009.)

[Harroghty]

The adoubement. The formal, severe ceremony where a knight is created. If you refer back to my earlier post about the differences in ceremonies to make knights you will see that there are looser definitions for adoubement and accolade. In practice, we can call an accolade a "battlefield promotion" (as Sir John Astley's) and the adoubement is the formal, organized ceremony of promotion. This ceremony is very similar to the one described by Geoffroi de Charny in his A Knight's Own Book of Chivalry, but he delves more into the meaning of the symbols involved in the ritual.

"According to Maurice Keen, there was an early separation between the 'religious' ceremonies dubbing a man to knighthood and the secular versions. The Knights of the Bath seem to have been an informal group of knights in England elevated in a special manner, giving them a lifelong distinction from knights raised to the accolade in other ways."

This example is from the Hastings manuscript and the Middle English version is available.
http://www.chronique.com/Library/Knights/Bathmodern.htm
(Citations available on the web site. This was accessed on 5 February 2009.)

[Harroghty]

I thought this was really cool, but I may not be the best example (I sit at home and listen to polyphony while leafing through catalogs of antique swords). This is another piece in the Hastings manuscript from the 15th century. This one describes what armor a knight would wear and how he would wear it. Further, it has a diagram from the original with links so that you can click on a piece of armor and be directed to the appropriate entry in the site's glossary. So enjoy How a man schall be armyd at his ese when he schal fighte on foote...

http://www.chronique.com/Library/Armour/armyd1.htm
(Links provided on the web site. Accessed on 5 February 2009.)

[Horace]

Awesome! Booze is a requirement for the last one...fantastic. But if you start speaking in middle english on Harroghty, I'll headbutt.

[Harroghty]

The Knights of Christ in the Temple of Jerusalem, The Poor Knights of Christ, or (most commonly) the Templars are regarded by numerous sources to have been a force to be reckoned with. They endured as a formidable enemy on the battlefield even if, over a few hundred years, they came closer to the counting table and farther from the prayer bench. The French historian Georges Duby remarks on William Marshall's admiration for the Templar's skill in battle in his narrative "The Flower of Chivalry", writing that, "as a connoisseur, he admired how joyously, how effectively they outstripped all others in battle". King Richard I of England gave them similar praise by saying that no one else had the skill or discipline to lead his army at Arsuf in 1191 CE (in fact, this bore out as the Hospitalers's nerve broke and they launched a charge against the Muslim army before being ordered to do so).

I have found a letter believed to have been written by Hugh de Payns, the first master of the Templars, that emphasizes the mindset behind this prowess on the battlefield. Hugh tells his knights to ignore the complaints of European clergy and layman. He sums up these complaints by saying these people believe "that [the knights's] profession was illicit or harmful, a sin or an obstacle to greater progress". He tells them to be constant in their activity regardless, saying, "So you should see, brothers, that under the guise of piety the enemy is striving to lead you into error’s trap. Men should not flee from virtues, but from sin. You should not avoid physical activity, but mental confusion."

I believe many players of paladins may consider for themselves how to strike the balance between prowess and piety in their role-play. This article, written by a commander of the closest historical parallel to the paladin class, will hopefully be interesting and illuminating.

http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/s ... plars2.htm
(Citations are included on the linked web site. This was accessed on 6 February 2009.)

[Lerytha]

Not to be too presumptuous to comandeer this thread. But if you want very high-quality representations of knights, in fantasy fiction, please, please, please read George R R Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

The titles so far:

A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast For Crows

The accuracy of court life, etc, is humbling. It is a really tremendous work that crackles from the page. There are good knights, evil knights, knights with neutral beliefs, priests, nobles. But with magical themes. In a sense, these four books (I feel) combine the sorts of medieval themes Harroghty has posted above - with immense accuracy and attention to detail, thank you Harroghty! - with fantasy.

Well worth a read for anyone who wants to play a knight. Or for anyone generally. One word of warning. It is brutal. There is no guarantee that any of the characters you will grow to love, will actually survive. It is truly epic!

[Harroghty]

You will hear me talk a lot about William Marshall if you ever have the misfortune to engage me on the subject of knights. Like Geoffroi de Charny, he was a warrior first and had a soldier's kind sort of ideals. He was a terrifically successful knight errant (he went from being the fourth son of a moderately successful father to being the master-at-arms, teacher, and regent for the king of England). Here is an excerpt from The Flower of Chivalry by Georges Duby discussing Marshall's ethos. We can take this as representative of many other knights errant of this period because of Marshall's status and the publicity of the panegyric poem commissioned by his son to record his life and times.

Loyalty first of all. To keep one's word, not to betray one's sworn faith. This requirement was gauged according to a strict hierarchical framework. The knight was situated at the center of several interlocking structures who coherence was sustained by his loyalty. He had to be loyal to the members of all these structures. But in the face of contradictory requirements, he would be loyal first of all to those closest to him and chiefly to the man at the head of this initial body; more distant friends came next, the faith owed to them being flexible and yielding -though without breaking- in the presence of firmer kinds. If it would serve the head of the house, the direct and immediate master, then betraying his other friendships was not a fault. No one could take umbrage at such behavior. Benedict of Peterborough was wrong to tax William Marshall with treachery, and as we have seen, Henry II was not deluded as to William's behavior.

The second duty of these warriors was to conduct themselves as champions: feats of valor - to do battle and to triumph, but conforming to certain laws. The knight does not engage in combat as foot soldiers do. In 1197, at a turning point of the harsh war the Anglo-Norman troops were waging against the king of France, William remarked upon this one day to Count Baldwin of Flanders. Followed by the troop of his foot soldiers, the count offered to form a kind of enclosure with the victualers' carts. Here the sheltered knights would await the adversary's assault. William strongly opposed this plan. Rather let these carts be arranged so as to keep the enemy foot soldiers from intervening: let villeins face villeins. But for men whose function and honor it is to bear noble arms, no fortress; they will confront the enemy without "foxing" (eager to behave not like foxes but like lions), in open fields, despising all ambush, in battle array, altogether exposed. The champion seeks no other protection than the expertise of his charger, the quality of his armor, and the devotion of comrades of his own rank whose friendship sustains him. Honor obliges him to appear intrepid, and to the point of folly. Of this temerity, William's companions were to complain -fraternally- before the walls of Montmirail, during the wars of Maine: he went too far. Over the moat around the stronghold to be taken, a single narrow donkey-back bridge had been thrown. On its crest were posed ten enemy soldiers, one mounted, all armed with pikes. William rode at a gallop against this obstacle; of its own accord, his horse turned round -- had it deviated by an inch, his rider would have been cast over the side. Of such temerities the earl [Marshall] was later to boast. When he was instructing young Henry, he urged him to take risks of this kind without considering the danger, even rushing to his pupil's rescue in order to protect him from too fateful an encounter, thereby appropriating glory for himself.

Perhaps here I ought to insert a fourth precept: in quite a bold manner, to win the love of women -- of ladies. Following this principle afforded William the disappointments I have related. But women play so small a part in the our narrative that I shall pass over courtoisie and confine myself to the third of the necessary virtues: largesse, or generosity. This is what truly makes the gentleman, establishes social distinction. The biography says so quite clearly: "Gentillesse [nobility] is nourshed within the house of generosity." The knight owes it to himself to keep nothing in his hands. All that comes to him he gives away. From his generosity he derives his strength and the essentials of his power, in any case, all his reknown and the warm friendship that surrounds him. The only praise William liked to hear of his father was that he spreads his riches in adundance; and it was doubtless primarily for his munifence, for his inability to keep anything back, for the conspicuous waste of which he was the overflowing source distributing all his possessions in order to delight those he loved, that the hero of the chanson de geste sought to be admired.

Duby, Georges. William Marshall: The Flower of Chivalry. Random House, 1985. 87-89.

[Harroghty]

Another household knight's account of his career, his master's career, and his ideas of chivalry. Gutierre Diaz de Gamez's The Unconquered Knight: A Chronicle of the Deeds of Don Pero Nino. This is all from the very early to middle 15th century. I enjoyed this gentleman's opinions, but his syntax is a little awkward (this is translated from Spanish of course).

Now is it fitting that I should tell what it is to be a knight; whence comes this name of knight, what manner of man a knight should be to have a right to be called a knight; and what profit the good knight is to the country wherein he lives. I tell you that men call knight the man who, of custom, rides upon a horse...they have not been taken from among the feeble or timid or cowardly souls, but from among men who are strong and full of energy, bold and without fear; and for this reason there is no other beast that so befits a knight as a good horse.

(This document was translated by Joan Evans in 2000. The citations are available on the page here: http://www.yorku.ca/inpar/gamez_evans.pdf This was accessed on 12 February, 2009.)

[Harroghty]

There are two answers to the posed question of "Why did knights fight?". The first is simply that it was their duty to support their feudal obligations. The second is that honor demanded it; there was honor to be gained by winning and honor to be restored sometimes by defeating another.

Fealty is allegiance and, in this case, it is fidelity to a knight's lord. Historically, knights were generally controlled by the household that mustered them (again, for clarity, I am speaking mostly about the English and French models that are so closely derived after 1066 CE). So, a knight may be commanded in battle by the marshall, the master of his lord's household, or by the lord himself. The knight's lord was often a baron but could be a noble of any rank that had retained him by supporting his basic needs and supplying him with arms. The Song of Roland (written circa 1050 CE)reinforces this theme over and over again throughout.

3555
Pagan Arabs coyly themselves contain;
That Emperour calls on his Franks again:
"Say, barons, come, support me, in God's Name!"
Answer the Franks, "Question you make in vain;
All felon he that dares not exploits brave!"

Those who are not loyal to the demands of their lord are condemned. It was not enough to merely appear on the field of battle in support of your lord. William Marshall (paraphrased by Georges Duby) cites the highest virtues of chivalry as prowess, generosity, and loyalty. To keep one's word and not break one's faith was the most important virtue of a knight.

Honor is a difficult word to define but the famous knights of history seem to define it as "a state of being honored or respected". Honor is earned by being victorious at tournaments, in jousts, and in battle. Your success was measured by the prisoners that you took in battle (knights were very rarely killed and even then usually by accident) or the gear you took from those you were victorious over in tournaments. Honor could also be lost though and, when lost, many knights fought to regain it. Consider this example from 1386 CE (Dalvyn will be pleased to see that it is also provided in French).

At this time there was a noble knight named Messire Jean de Carrouget, who had married a very beautiful and worthy lady, from whom he had been away for some time. And when he returned, the weeping lady told her husband that she had been taken by force and carnally known by a squire called Jacques le Gris. That squire, when he knew that he had been charged with such a deed was very displeased and often affirmed by oath that such a thing had never been done by him. Carrouget, however, did not believe him in the slightest, and had him summoned to the royal presence for a trial by battle

Knights fought to gain, preserve, or retrieve honor. They fought for their own honor and that of their lord, often the two were linked in one battle (you fought to preserve your lord's honor but also your own because you would be less of a knight did you not fight). This concept began to fade away as early as the 13th century, but we find it still echoed in the works of the more prolific chivalric authors.

des Ursins, Jean Juvénal. ed. Michaud and Poujoulat. trans Steven Muhlberger. Histoire de Charles VI, Roy de France, from Nouvelle Collection des Mémoires pour servir a l'histoire de France, depuis le XIIIe siècle jusqu'a la fin du XVIIIe. Lyon and Paris, 1851.
(Available here: http://www.nipissingu.ca/department/his ... ursins.htm)

Duby, Georges. William Marshall: The Flower of Chivalry. Random House, 1985. 87-89.

Trans. Charles Scott Moncrief. The Song of Roland, c 1050.
(Available here also: http://omacl.org/Roland/)

[Harroghty]

TSR 2147 The Complete Paladin's Handbook is a book that we can admit has its shortcomings, but there are some things of value to extract from it. One of these things is a list of paladin kits (different niche roles within the paladin class) that might be helpful for people wanting to either find a niche for their paladin character or those who would like to develop some interesting role play for their "application knight" (a character with another class than paladin who is still made knight after an application).

True Paladin
Description: This is the typical paladin described in the Player's Handbook. An embodiment of lawful good, he represents the loftiest standards of heroism and righteousness. He is a superb rider, a master of mounted combat, and a fearless fighter. The True Paladin lives to promote his ideals; he seeks to join others who share his commitment to good.
Role: The True Paladin is pious and forthright, sworn to uphold a just code of behavior and determined to rid the world of evil. He serves as the conscience of his party, setting an example of high moral standards, and nudging them back on track when they stray from their mission. He respects all lawful good authorities and defers to the elders of his faith.
(p.46)

Chevalier
Description: A gentleman warrior, the Chevalier epitomizes honor, courage, and loyalty. Modeled on the knights of the feudal age, the Chevalier serves his king (or other ruler) as a soldier in the royal military of a powerful kingdom. While primarily a fighting man, the Chevalier also performs ceremonial duties, household chores, and any other functions necessary to promote the liege's interests and secure the welfare of the state.
Role: A Chevalier's training begins at childhood and continues throughout his career. He acquires new duties and responsibilities as he rises through the ranks. Typically, a Chevalier begins as an aide to a more experienced paladin, undertakes missions for his liege as he grows in stature, and eventually acquires a stronghold of his own.
Because Chevaliers of all ranks are considered part of the aristocracy, they command the respect afforded other members of the noble class. Tradition demands that Chevaliers remain apart from society; consequently, Chevaliers seldom socialize with anyone other than paladins. Fully aware of their privileged status, Chevaliers carry themselves with pride. They maintain an immaculate appearance, are unfailingly courteous, and behave with dignity in all situations.
A Chevalier of any level may join an adventuring party, assuming the party's goals agree with those of the state. The Chevalier's companions will find him the consummate professional. As a friend, however, he may leave much to be desired; a Chevalier often impresses others as vain and pretentious. More comfortable with taking orders than giving them, a Chevalier rarely volunteers for leadership roles, though he dutifully assumes command if asked or assigned.
p.46-47

Divinate
Description: Devoutly religious, Divinates serve as the military branch of their church and consider themselves soldiers of their gods. Their religious discipline imbues them with a clear sense of purpose; promoting the principles of their faith is not only morally correct, but a sacred duty.
Role: Divinates were originally responsible for accompanying disciples of the church on religious pilgrimages, fighting off bandits and monsters that lay in wait. In time, church elders decided that all evils were potential threats to their disciples, and sent Divinates into the world to eliminate them. To a Divinate, evil is an affront to his faith; destroying an agent of evil is a holy act.
Though a Divinate becomes a raging avenger when confronting evil, he is otherwise thoughtful and compassionate. He sees himself as an advocate of the common man, a source of solace to the downtrodden and disadvantaged. A Divinate may insist that the party share its treasure with destitute families and impoverished communities. He may offer temporary employment to a pauper too proud to accept charity. He conducts impromptu prayer services in makeshift chapels, and officiates at the christening and burials of peasants. Though completely devoted to his faith, a Divinate respects all lawful good religions and has little interest in proselytizing.
p.48-49

To be continued with "the Envoy"...

[Harroghty]

Envoy
Description: Skilled in diplomacy as well as combat, an Envoy serves as an official representative of his government in other countries. Though he uses force when necessary to achieve his goals, he prefers compromise to hostility. He seeks friendly alliances with good-aligned governments, common ground with neutral societies, and a quick efficient end to evil cultures.
Role: An envoy's duties range from the routine to the life-threatening. One month, he may be asked to deliver a banquet invitation to a friendly monarch. The next, he may be required to open hostage negotiations with a tribe of cannibals. He represents his country in treaty discussions, files reports about foreign military activities, and ventures into unexplored territories to scout for new trade routes. Although an Envoy rarely has the authority to make decisions on his own, his superiors take his recommendations seriously.
The Envoy prides himself on his sensible, practical approach to problems. He is thoughtful, analytical, and appeasing, the logical choice for negotiator in an adventuring party. He is the voice of reason, hesitant to engage in drawn-out, bloody wars before exploring less extreme options. Rather than engaging an evil regime on the battlefield, an Envoy prefers to work behind the scenes, perhaps engineering a political revolution or quietly dispatching the tyrannical leaders.
p.49

Equerry
Description: The Equerry is a master horseman with a natural affinity for mounts of all species. She and her steed are inseparable companions, their special bond transcending mere friendship.
Role: An Equerry often serves as a cavalryman, scout, or guide. Whatever her duties, she remains with her mount; she's reluctant to enter underground passages or any other site that her mount can't easily traverse. She prefers to sleep near her mount, staying in an inn or hospice only if no alternative is available. The mount's life means more to the Equerry then her own; without a second thought, she would give the mount her last drop of water or her last crumbs of food.
Because an Equerry spends so much time with her mount, her companions may perceive her as shy or humorless. But an Equerry enjoys human company too; with a little coaxing, she's usually open to conversation and recreation. An aggressive fighter and shrewd tactician, the Equerry makes a valuable addition to any adventuring party.
p.50-51

Errant
Description: The Errant is an independent warrior who roams the countryside searching for adventure and offering his assistance to any good beings in need. Though he technically owes fealty to a government or church, he has few, if any, formal obligations. His superiors have granted him an indefinite leave of absence to pursue his own interests and make his own way.
An Errant may be granted independence because his government no longer has a need for a standing army, or because his church elders have encouraged him to explore the world outside of their jurisdiction and report what he discovers. Most often, however, governments and churches grant independence for economic reasons. An Errant assumes responsibility for his own equipment and funds, freeing official treasuries for more pressing expenditures.
Role: An Errant is often amiable, cooperative, and eager to ally himself with any party or individual of lawful good intention. His destiny, he believes, is with the gods, and he readily agrees to undertake all good missions that come his way, providing they promise adventure and don't compromise his principles.
Between adventures, an Errant is preoccupied with earning a living. Tournaments provide the best opportunities for income. Because an Errant doesn't depend on government or church sponsorship, he can keep his winnings for training (aside from his tithe).
When tournaments are scarce, an Errant may work as a mercenary for any lawful good government or church. The Errant receives no benefits from this arrangement, other than those specified in his contract. A typical contract includes the following terms:
-Length of Service. This is often defined in quarter-year periods. Typically, an Errant serves no less than six months, and no more than a year. The Errant pledges temporary fealty to his employer during this time; all obligations to the employer end when the contract expires.
-Salary. An Errant is usually paid every quarter-year period, with the first period's payment made in advance. He usually earns 30-50 gp per period, depending on his experience, reputation, and special skills. Without the backing of a government or church, an Errant commands less of a salary than other mercenary paladins.
-Theater of operations. An Errant is not required to fight for his employer outside of a specified area.
-Financial obligations. An Errant furnishes all of his own equipment and assumes responsibility for his own food and supplies. The employer arranges transportation to and from the battlefield if the Errant has no mount of his own. An Errant is not allowed to use a loaned mount in battle, unless he agrees in advance to make restitution in case the mount is wounded or killed.
-Division of spoils. All hostages, weapons, land, and other spoils of war claimed by the Errant become the property of the employer. A benevolent employer may give the Errant a monetary bonus for such spoils, though the employer is under no obligation to do so.
-Loaning of services. While under contract, the employer may loan the services of an Errant to another lawful good liege, a church, or an adventuring party. The employer claims 50% of all treasure or salary obtained by the loaned Errant (because the Errant must also tithe from this money, he forfeits a total of 60% of his income).
p.52, 54

To be continued with the Expatriate...

[Harroghty]

Expatriate
Description: Like the Errant, the Expatriate has no permanent home, wandering from place to place in search of adventure and acceptance. However, the Expatriate is a nomad by circumstance, not choice. A warrior in exile, the Expatriate has renounced his allegiance to the officials or institution that originally granted him his paladinhood. His government or church may have become corrupt, his superiors may have betrayed their commitment to lawful good principles, or he have [sic] may have been dismissed for political reasons. In any case, his disillusionment is complete. He makes his own decisions.
There two points in his career when a paladin may become an Expatriate:
1. He may become an Expatriate at 1st level, taking this kit just as he would any other. Presumably, the character was unaware of the corrupt nature of his government of church while being trained, discovering the truth shortly after taking his Oath of Ennoblement. Alternatively, a political coup may have occurred early in the character's career, replacing a lawful good regime with an evil one.
2. A character with another paladin kit may abandon it when his superiors betray him or some other dramatic event occurs that prompts to renounce his fealty. The character may either become a standard paladin (described in the "Abandoning Kits" section later in this chapter) or -with the DM's approval- he may become an Expatriate, retaining his current level...
Role: Though still lawful good, an Expatriate distrusts most formal institutions, including lawful good governments and organized religions. He obeys the dictates of his conscience and his deity only, remaining skeptical of all self-proclaimed and elected authorities. Though courteous and respectful, he no longer automatically follows the orders [of] those holding positions of power. He weighs each request against his own principles, agreeing to a mission or favor only if completely convinced of its merit.
Expatriates are often moody, cynical, and bitter. An Expatriate may feel his good name has been permanently tarnished, a condition he struggles to correct by volunteering for demanding, even dangerous, missions. He remains loyal to his lawful good comrades but resists close friendships. He has little patience with most neutral characters, finding their lack of commitment insipid and contemptible. He crushes his enemies without remorse.
Few governments or churches trust Expatriates enough to hire them as mercenaries. Therefore, Expatriates must rely on treasure or tournament winnings to make a living.
p.54-55

Ghosthunter
Description: The Ghosthunter is obsessed with finding and destroying evil undead, including ghosts, spectres, liches, and vampires. To further his goals, the Ghosthunter's deity has provided him with special powers to vanquish his nemeses and resist their evil magic.
Role: A Ghosthunter allies with any acceptable adventuring party that seems likely to encounter his hated foes. Given the opportunity, a Ghosthunter will explore every crypt, cemetery, and abandoned castle to search for undead, attacking relentlessly until the last of them fall or the party leader orders him to withdraw. While a Ghosthunter shares all paladins' hatred of evil, destroying undead is his primary objective.
A singleminded Ghosthunter may try the patience of his most sympathetic companion. Often withdrawn and grim, he prefers solitude to socializing. His reticence makes him a poor leader, as he often has difficulty focusing on the party's overall mission. A Ghosthunter may resist following orders if he disagrees with his party's strategy (if he can do so without violating his ethos) and strike out on his own ceaseless hunt for undead.
p.56

Inquisitor
Description: The Inquisitor has devoted his life to finding and eliminating practitioners of evil magic. A scholar as well as a warrior, he is unyielding in his efforts to thwart the clerics and wizards who have aligned with the forces of darkness.
Role: To an Inquisitor, magic is a sacred force, and he detests those who use it for evil. An evil spellcaster who refuses to renounce his corrupt ways invites the Inquisitor's wrath.
The typical Inquisitor is intense and analytical, more interested in quiet reflection than small talk. Though private by nature, an Inquisitor establishes deep friendship in those he comes to trust, particularly good-aligned wizards and clerics.
p.57

To be continued with "the Medician"...

[Harroghty]

Medician
Description: The Medician seeks to treat the sick, alleviate suffering, and save lives. Much of her training has been devoted to medical art, and she follows a religion whose deities promote healing and compassion. On the battlefield, she is as likely to be found comforting a wounded comrade as engaging an enemy in swordplay. Though as much an enemy of evil as any paladin, the Medician has decided that she can best uphold her principles by fighting injury and disease.
Role: A Medician candidate undergoes rigorous training in a variety of demanding courses, including herbalism, anatomy, and diagnostics. After completing her academic studies, she must spend at least a year as an apprentice to an experienced medical practitioner. Because of the length of her training, a candidate rarely becomes a 1st-level Medician before she reaches her early-to-mid twenties.
A Medician assumes the role of healer whether at home or in the field with an adventuring party. She brews antidotes for poisons, sets broken bones, applies poultices to festering wounds, and stays up all night with ailing mounts. In her free time, the Medician experiments with new treatments, develops new diagnostic techniques, and compiles notes of past cases to share with other healers.
A Medician will never abandon or neglect wounded, diseased, or suffering lawful good characters (or creatures). Should no lawful good patients require attention, most Medicians will apply their skills to neutral characters and creatures. However, only in extraordinary circumstances will a Medician knowingly treat an evil character or creature.
p.58

Militarist
Description: The Militarist is a battlefield virtuoso. War is a sacred act, he believes, and a chance for spiritual redemption. By defeating enemies in combat, he pays tribute to his gods and secures his place in the afterlife.
Role: Typically, a Militarist serves as an officer in an army or other military organization. In wartime, he commands forces in the field, or engages in specialized operations, involving reconnaissance, rescue, or sabotage. He works alone or with a select group of elite soldiers. In peacetime, he protects his liege's stronghold, supervises training of recruits, and sharpens his fighting skills. He stands ready to travel to any part of the world to defend the interests of his government or church.
A Militarist commands the respect of nobles and peasants alike. Often, his reputation approaches legendary status; citizens line the streets and cheer when a renowned Militarist passes through their village. Militarists tend to bask in such adulation, pausing to exchange a few words with starstruck adolescents or kiss the hands of swooning maidens. They also enjoy the trappings of their station, eager to accept awards for military excellence and rarely refusing invitations to royal affairs.
In combat, the Militarist naturally assumes a leadership role. His companions will find him to be a shrewd and fearless commander who relishes every opportunity to engage the enemy. Off the battlefield, the Militarist tends to withdraw, maintaining a professional but distant relationship with his comrades. He has little interest in non-military activities, spending most of his free time discussing strategy and tactics with like-minded warriors, or brushing up on his combat techniques.
p. 59

Skyrider
Description: The Skyrider is a warrior of the air. Carried by his airborne mount, he soars through the clouds with the grace of an eagle and the precision of an arrow in flight. He serves as a defender of both the skyways and the earth.
The Skyrider owes his skills to his unusual relationship with his mount. In certain wilderness societies, tribal elders select the brightest and strongest children to be Skyrider candidates. The elders match each child with a young flying mount. The child and mount are encouraged to share much time training, playing, even sleeping together. Within a few years, their bond is so strong that the mount responds to the rider almost intuitively.
Role: Though Skyriders make excellent scouts and explorers, they're particularly useful as soldiers. Their flying mounts enable them to move quickly to distant locations, irrespective of rivers, chasms, or other obstacles. They can target enemies on the ground, breech stronghold walls, and swoop around enemy forces to attack from behind. They can undertake reconnaissance missions to determine the size of enemy armies and monitor their movement.
In peacetime, a Skyrider can take advantage of his bird's-eye view to look for virgin farmland and new trade routes. He can also watch for natural disasters, such as forest fires and floods. Some teach themselves to track tornadoes and hurricanes, warning those in a storm's path to take shelter. A Skyrider can deliver supplies to isolated villages, rescue trapped explorers, and visit distant islands without a ship.
A Skyrider fulfills many of these same functions in an adventuring party, scouting ahead for signs of trouble, attacking enemies from the air, and crossing hostile terrain to deliver messages and goods. Because a Skyrider often prefers the company of his mount to that of other people, his companions find him cold and aloof.
p.61

To be continued with "the Squire"...

[Briek]

As it has been said the complete paladins guide does have it's high points, if anyone is playing a squire and/or paladin character and would like a full PDF copy of this guide they can PM me, also I have alot of source books that have been quite helpful for playing my squire character such as: Book of exalted deeds, champions of valour, faiths and avatars etc likewise if any would like one of these in PDF form to avoid going out and buying it, I can get it to you