"Drongol on Clerics"
by Drongol

If you've read any of my previous articles, you had better know how I always start them. Why don't you lot just keep your traps shut and spare me the ink this time?

For this article, I'm going to address something near to my heart (and oftentimes near to meeting the business end of Elfcleaver)--Clerics. Love them or hate them, they share a bond with Paladins as the only other guild in direct service to the Immortals, so they warrant a bit of consideration.

First, a bit of a confession. Yes, Clerics are in many ways "closer" to the Immortals than we Paladins are. As such, they warrant respect to begin with, even if you have never heard of them. Through a Cleric's bond with the gods, he or she can enchant your weapon to harm spirits, protect you from the assaults of the unholy, or even raise the dead--truly impressive feats, to say the least. While we Paladins can lead troops on the battlefield, it is a Cleric who truly commands the raw power of the Immortals.

A Cleric can serve as a sort of spiritual advisor for a Paladin, using his or her ties to the Holy to aid you on your path. Remember that Paladins serve all 39 aspects of Immortality, so even that Cleric of Damaris might have something to say that is worth listening to.

No matter what, though, remember that it is a Paladin who is, as Darius himself says, "a holy warrior and leader of men." This calling has been given to us by the Immortals themselves, and should be thought of as a truly sacred thing. Now, there are a number of so-called Clerics out there who wish to undermine this divine role, reducing Paladins to mere brawlers or, worse still, their own personal lackeys. While I personally advocate the judicious application of deadly force when dealing with these preachers, perhaps the best way to deal with such sniveling, conniving morons is to ignore them. Their impotent words affect you only if you choose to let them, and charlatains like them often thrive on conflict and controversy.

Remember that, while a Cleric is in fact close to the gods than you, they are not Gods themselves (which may surprise a few Clerics), and as such do make mistakes. Take their words with a grain of salt and all should be well.