Oath of the Plaguetouched
Toruk killed the final ghoul, but he was too late to save his friend. All he could do was offer him comfort as the light left his eyes. A few moments later, when his lifeless body began to stir once more, Toruk gripped his mace tightly, ready to lay him to rest once and for all.
Toruk, Oath of the Plaguetouched Paladin
When faced with a grave disease, a mortal wound, or even the curse of undeath, some paladins turn to desperation, calling out to any power that would answer their prayers. These paladins pledge that they would do anything asked of them, if only to be spared their grim fate. When those prayers are answered, they come with a price, forever imbuing them with the power to save others from a similar fate. These are the Plaguetouched.
These paladins can channel their divinity to summon a shining aura of protection, strengthening themselves and allies, bolstering their defense, and even imbuing their weapons with radiant light. The most powerful among them can call upon the light to become a shining scourge to the undead, as bright as the sun itself.
Roleplaying Tips.
Paladins who swear the Oath of the Plaguetouched follow four tenets:
Bravery. In the face of terrible creatures, you stand like a wall between them and the innocent people who those creatures would devour or transform.
Stop the Spread of Undeath. Fight to ensure the undead don’t snuff out the light of life in the world.
Relentless. Creatures of undeath never tire; you must remain vigilant.
Mercy. Those who suffer disease must be cared for. If you could survive certain death, so can they. But when it is clear they are about to transform into a monster, you must end their suffering quickly.
When playing one of these paladins, ask yourself how these tenets will be reflected in your character, and consider which among them you consider the most important. When choosing a background, the darkling makes for some rich roleplaying opportunities, creating a situation in which your character may struggle with the darkness within them. You could of course be a member of a church, either an acolyte or a healer, using your Plaguetouched powers to care for the faithful. Or perhaps your near brush with death, and your new powers, resulted in some form of exile, either self-imposed or not, making the recluse a perfect background. In any case, remember the tenets of the Plaguetouched, stay vigilant, and keep your wits about you, for the undead never sleep.
The Oath of the Plaguetouched was created by our partners at Kobold Press, and it is one of the many subclasses available to subscribers, along with others like the Soulspy or the College of Entropy, as well as races such as the Shade or Spindrift Dwarf. Build your own Oath of the Plaguetouched paladin and tell us about it in the comments below or on any of our social channels. Join us on on Discord, Reddit or Facebook to meet other members of the community and take your game to the next level, or follow us on Twitter @shardtabletop for regular updates.
