"Paladin Justice"
by Drongol

Alright, once again I am going to make something very clear to the lot of you: This article is solely my opinion, and just because it is right does not mean it reflects anyone else's. If you have a problem dealing with the truth of what I say, bring it up with me, not with any of the staff of Waerd Aev.

I am going to bring up something that touches all Paladins: justice. One of the many purposes of the Paladin guild is to uphold justice, no matter what the sewer-dwelling scum might do to defy it.
But what, precisely, is justice? Perhaps the best definition is "finding a fitting punishment for a given crime." Taken to extremes, justice becomes revenge, and the gods do not favor such a course of action. However, if justice is too soft, it does nothing to discourage a crime, so care must be taken to ensure that justice is served.

The fitting punishment can be difficult to find, however. When some low-bred, disgusting, lice-infested sneak of a Thief takes it upon himself to steal your hard-won Kronars, how does a Paladin go about righting the wrong? The answer depends largely upon where you are when you catch the criminal. Should you happen to catch a Thief within the boundaries of a town, find the local guardhouse and let the officials therein know about the misdeed. This will let them handle the situation properly (if such can be said of town guards), and the Immortals look favorably upon such actions. A hunted Thief is often too nervous to be very effective, as he or she has to watch everywhere to ensure that no guard sees him or her.

However, if the robbery occurs outside of town, a Paladin is faced with quite a problem. Many weak-willed poor excuse for a Holy Warrior will allow the miscreant to go about his or her foul business without harm, especially if he or she returns the ill-gained coins. This is the worst thing anyone could do, as it only encourages the villain to steal again. If a Thief takes your coins from you, ensure that you get their worth out of said Thief's hide. Note that Thiefskin sells for little, so you will most likely have to peel the whole thing off before justice is served. The Immortals will forgive your retribution after a moment of service to them, and that Thief will have learned not to steal from the Warriors of the Gods.

Bear in mind that those who flaunt breaking the law are the lowest form of life in Elanthia, second only to those heretics who openly and pridefully defy the will of the Immortals. Their actions have left them without honor, and there is nothing a Paladin can do to give a Thief back his or her worth to society. By tolerating such worthless scum, a Paladin approves their intolerable actions, and as such does not deserve to be called Paladin. Such idiots will undoubtedly pay in full when the Gods learn of their ignoble actions.
In regards to graverobbing, a Paladin should treat it much the same as any other theft, except that the main goal is to get the items back. Unfortunately, we cannot accuse someone of graverobbing, so it is upon your hands to retrieve the items and serve justice. Do everything in your power to return the items, including searching the corpse of the fallen criminal, and do not hesitate to be heavy-handed in dealing justice. Justice does not fudge its toes, nor blur its lines, but rather is swift and unblinking.

No matter what situation a Paladin finds him- or herself in, they should always strive to be just. Be swift in your actions, but do not be rash. Kertigen's beard, the difference between stupidity and justice might be crossed with only a second's worth of thought.