Order of the Paladins

The Order of the Paladins, founded in 1717 AN, is a small but well resourced organisation within the Imperial Humanist Party of Shireroth tasked with defending the interests of the Humanist delegates elected to the Folksraad, the lower house of the Shirerithian Parliament. The Paladins are a group of twelve highly skilled individuals, each with unique abilities and skills that make them valuable assets to the organisation. To maintain the Humanist aesthetic, the uniforms, armament, and equipment provided to the Paladins is designed to be consistent with the wider Imperial Republic and the Raspur Pact.

Organisation

Membership

Current Membership of the Order of the Paladins

Portrait	Name	Rank	Age	Date of Appointment	House
	Alaric Stern			4.XIV.1717 AN	Folksraad
	Baldur Falkenrath			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Conrad Steinmetz			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Dietrich Feuerbach			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Eberhard Nachtigall			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Franziskus Adlerauge			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Gerhard Schatz			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Heinrich Falkenstern			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Johann Goldfluss			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Karl Himmelsklang			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Leopold Silbermond			4.XIV.1717 AN
	Matthias Sonnentau			4.XIV.1717 AN

Armament

The primary weapon provided to each Paladin is a M1610 7.9mm semi-automatic rifle chambered in 7.62×67mmB. This weapon is highly effective at medium ranges and can be relied upon for delivering a constant rate of fire with well aimed shots. In addition, each Paladin is equipped with a M1690 machine pistol, a Benacian automatic pistol chambered in 9x19mm. This weapon is highly accurate and reliable, making it a valuable secondary weapon.

The Paladins additionally have access to a variety of grenades, including the M15 White Phosphorus Anti-Lich Grenade, M16 Mustard Gas Anti-Singer Grenade, and the Clinger Bomb - an adhesive anti-tank grenade that requires a certain level of basic courage to manually deploy against an armoured target.

Equipment

To ensure their safety and effectiveness in combat situations, each Paladin is equipped with a standard set of equipment. This includes a leather bandolier to hold rifle magazines, a leather cartridge belt for pistol ammunition, grenade pouches, and a leather canteen for hydration. In addition, each Paladin is equipped with a gas mask, necessary due to the widespread use of mustard gas during the great wars of the preceding century. The Paladins are also provided with a sturdy backpack, suitable for carrying any necessary supplies.

Uniform

When not in combat situations, the Paladins wear a distinctive uniform designed to reflect the era's gilded age aesthetic. This uniform consists of a black fez, a black uniform tunic with gold trim, grey jodhpur trousers, and brown riding boots. The black fez is adorned with a gold tassel and emblem of the Humanist Vanguard, while the black uniform tunic is decorated with gold epaulets and a gold Humanist Vanguard emblem on the breast pocket.

The Paladins also wear a black leather belt with a gold buckle and a leather sword frog, though the sword is purely ceremonial and not used in combat situations. The uniform is completed with white cotton gloves and a black cape with a gold clasp. The cape is made of a high-quality wool blend and is designed to provide protection against the elements.

In combat situations, the Paladins wear a more practical uniform designed for their safety and effectiveness. This includes a dark grey tactical vest with multiple pouches for ammunition and other necessary supplies, as well as a black tactical helmet with a gold emblem of the Humanist Vanguard. The vest and helmet are designed to provide protection against gunfire and shrapnel.