Paladins: Guarding the Ashes

"So you're... a paladin of Nepthys, now?" Tarric couldn't help but looked puzzled, while Tanovir scowled in disbelief. Tarric wasn't sure whether the prelate actually thought the girl was lying, or whether he was just vaguely offended that she followed Nepthys instead of Helios. Either way, Laina was fiercely ignoring him. 

In the end, the brothel had gone up without a great deal of fuss. The remaining vampires -- mostly vampire spawn -- had burst through the back door, but Werendril had managed to turn them back inside and Laina had rolled the remaining barrel of lamp oil in after them. Tarric and Tanovir had been forced to fight, but their opponents had been half-blind from firelight and smoke, and a few well-placed smites had taken them down. With the building reduced to a pit of ashes, none of them could detect the presence of any further evil. A handful of citizens had wandered past to complain about how paladins took all the fun out of life, but Tarric figured that was Tanovir's problem to deal with. 

"Yes," said Laina firmly. "That's what She said Her name was. Why do you all keep asking me that?"

"Well," said Werendril, "Nepthys is the guardian of balance. I've never even heard of her choosing a paladin."

"No," said Tarric, shaking his head. "They do exist, they're just rare. Diplomats, moderators, justicars... and usually on the move. They don't like to get caught up in the existing power structures, which is part of the reason you don't hear much about them." He looked at Werendril. "The Abbess might know more."

"Do they serve tea?" asked Laina. "Because if I have my way, they're about to start."

Tarric looked back at her. "Why don't you come with us? I don't think the Temple of Amun can fully train you, but we can give you a bit of a head start and maybe get you connected with your order, or at least tell you where to find them."

Tanovir said, "So you're just going to go? All three of you?"

Werendril offered an elegant shrug. "As an elf, and not technically sworn to the service of your king, I'd prefer to be gone before Archon Le'Straide starts asking questions."

Tanovir opened his mouth, scowled, and then closed it again. "Perhaps you're right. And I've been given no orders to prevent it, so it might be better done now."

Tarric clapped him on the shoulder. "That's the spirit. And for whatever it's worth, it has been a pleasure to fight beside you."

Laina nodded. "I'll go. You're right, I probably won't stay with you two, but... I can make my own way if I have to. And if there are... other people... in my position..."

Tarric nodded encouragingly. "There are." 

"...then I want to find them."

(OOC: One more episode of this to go, I think. It really has gotten a bit out of hand. For the record, I don't think that paladins of Nepthys are all that different from standard paladins except that they tend to be Lawful Neutral or possibly True Neutral, and they can smite Good or Evil as needed.)