February 5th Writing Prompt: Paladin
Paladins are crusaders who uphold the will of their gods. They are devout and fiercely protective of those who share their faith. Write about a member of an order who worships a god or goddess that people wouldn’t expect, and how they carry on their task.
Ideas and questions:
Because this is a more open-ended prompt, you have a great deal more freedom to explore the possibilities. While a paladin might typically pray to a deity who is known for order, justice, or life, the one you write about might worship one known for war, for death, for the sea, for carnal pleasure. The potential you have for this story could be endless.
Just as important as who your paladin worships is why they worship them. Perhaps there was an event in the character’s life that led them to eschew the traditional gods in order to take up the cause for the one that they have drawn close to.
Though the paladin might be part of one order of crusaders devoted to a god, they might keep their true feelings hidden. Your story could explore the concept of keeping their worship in secret, even as they pretend to pray to a different deity.
Does the deity that your paladin worship ever appear to appreciate the devotion? Have they ever made their presence known to the paladin? Or does the crusader merely have faith in their relationship, without ever having seen communication reciprocated?
What would it mean if others found out that the paladin worshipped this god or goddess? Would it endanger them? Would it encourage others to feel the same way and join them in praying to this unusual deity?
Challenge:
After worshipping in silence and secrecy for many years, your paladin finally meets someone who they think might be willing to take up the cause. Write about a situation in which the paladin takes a risk in telling someone about who they truly worship, and how this affects their relationship, as well as what it could mean for both of their futures.