"Palantharin Parables" by Erik Jensen

The goblinoids often depict Palantharis carrying a mighty bow and a quiver with many arrows. The priests of Palantharis often compare Valorian society to arrows. The metal arrowhead symbolizes the army, the tail feathers symbolize the priesthood, and the arrow itself symbolizes the common people.

An arrow with no head or tail feathers may still work. Add one or both and you have a more effective arrow, but without the main arrow, both tail feathers to guide and head to penetrate are worthless. Also, a curved arrow is useless, no matter the quality of the head and tail feathers.

***

Only in war is capital punishment used in Valorian society. Criminals are sent to priests who 'chase the darkness from their souls' before they are returned to society.

A veteran Red Kite and a young Red Kite once chased a murderer across the Valor. They caught up with him at night in a small grove and they sneaked up on him. As they came close, they saw him standing restlessly. The younger of the two Red Kites stringed his bow and took aim, but the older one stopped him.

"We may chase a beast, but we will catch a man. If you kill him now, the darkness in his heart and actions become yours. Shoot only to stop new darkness. Your arrows will not stop what was already done."

***

The family of the Redblades has guarded the gate to the central keep in Crossroad Keep for as long as Crossroad Keep has stood. They revere Torm, the god of guardians, as well as Palantharis, and the colonel in charge of the gate watch is armed with 'Towrinthor' the Sword of the Warden. Its steel blade is an unmistakable red, as if it always mirrored the light of the setting sun.

At one time in the evening twilight, a man entered the courtyard of Crossroad Keep and came to the gate in the central keep. He marvelled out loud at the greatness of the keep and the simple magnificence of the gates. He approached Colonel Redblade at the gates and commented that with such a mighty fortress, the Valorians surely feared no enemy. Colonel Redblade replied that the Valorians felt secure in their country. The man then said that only a truly powerful people could have built such a structure. Colonel Redblade replied that the full ingenuity of six peoples had been part of the construction. Finally the man remarked that so tall was the central keep that the sun must always shine on it, and indeed the top still reflected the last rays of light of the setting sun. Colonel Redblade then ceremoniously drew Towrinthor and said that though the sun left Crossroad Keep as surely as it returned the next day, the memory of its glory was all that was needed to warm the hearts of the soldiers that defended it. And when the light of Towrinthor fell on the man, he was revealed as a demon, and he turned with a cry and fled from Crossroad Keep.

***

Palantharin arrogance is legendary.

A paladin and his squire were travelling through foreign territory when they were asked by a local baron to help. Unemployed mercenaries were bullying his people, and since his own forces were off to war for his king, the baron had only a handful of men at his disposal. The paladin agreed to help, and he rode to the mercenaries' camp alone. There he commanded the raiders to cease their attacks and submit themselves to judgement. Their captain laughed into the face of the noble paladin and said that he did not fear one man. The paladin told him not to fear any man, but to submit to the right of justice. The captain drew his sword and said he would rather submit to the right of the strong.

"The right of justice is with me, and the right of the strong is with you," said the paladin and slew every one of the raiders.

***

Palantharins do caution lesser representatives of Valoria or Palantharis to know their station, however.

At one time, a young novice travelled in the countries around Valoria. He came to a small hamlet that was beset by nightly raiders. When the raiders came again, he stood in front of them, unarmed. He told them that the hamlet was under his protection, and if they attacked it would be their undoing. He commanded them to throw down their weapons and give themselves up. The raiders attacked heedlessly and slew the novice.

***

The relationship between Palantharis and his mighty brother Bain has always been difficult to understand, and it is no less confusing to the Valorians.

At one time, the High Paladin of Palantharis was fighting the High Avenger of Bain. Many mighty swings were traded before, by ill chance, the High Avenger managed to disarm the High Paladin. Recognizing his enemy's sword as superior to his own, the High Avenger took it up instead of his own. As he did so, an envoy from Palantharis appeared and said:

"This sword does not rightly belong to you. It belongs to the High Paladin as long as he lives." The High Avenger saluted the envoy with the sword and said:

"This sword belongs rightly to me now, as per the right of the strong above the weak." As he spoke, a mighty servant of Bain appeared behind him, and the envoy of Palantharis said:

"Then by that right the sword will be taken from you again." And the servant of Bain smote the High Avenger, and the envoy of Palantharis smote the servant of Bain. The envoy then returned the sword to the High Paladin.

***

To Palantharins, skills are only of practical use in society; competence is not a virtue, and not a measure of people.

A mighty baron once had a new castle constructed. He used the best of materials, artisans and workers for the part where he was to live, but saved on the parts of the castle where his servants would live.

When war came to his lands, the enemy laid siege to his castle, concentrating on the weak areas. They broke through in such a place, and after a tremendous struggle they enslaved the baron and his family and burned the castle to the ground.