Sample file Castle Oldskull Supplement OAP1: Oldskull Anti-Paladins Sample file Page 2 | 54 Wonderland Imprints ~ Kent David Kelly Oldskull Anti-Paladins An Old School Supplement For Fantasy Role-Playing Games Created By Kent David Kelly Cover Art By Tan Ho Sim Interior Illustrations By James Archer, Ivan Bibilin, Harry Clarke, Gustave Dore, Albrecht Durer, Henry J. Ford, Christof Grobelski, William Hatherell, Rick Hershey, Theodor Kittelsen, Gustav Klimt, Aaron Lee, William McAusland, Bradley K. McDevitt, Arthur Rackham, Alfred Rethel, Frederick Sandys, Tan Ho Sim, Et Alii Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with permission PUBLISHER’S CHOICE QUALITY STOCK ART © RICK HERSHEY / FAT GOBLIN GAMES Wonderland Imprints © 2019 Only the Finest Works of Fantasy SampleOSR file Page 3 | 54 Castle Oldskull Supplement OAP1: Oldskull Anti-Paladins before being relegated to oblivion. They Description only ever returned in a sanitized form as the diluted “Blackguard.” But for those who want to include and glorify the original Beyond mortal comprehension, iconic class as first presented in a Beyond redemption, Draconian magazine almost 30 years ago, Some insidious fiends this supplement — likely the most detailed treatment of anti-paladins ever created — Just want to watch the world burn … should be received with delectation. The class has been reimagined and fully expanded upon within the context of the World of Oldskull campaign (as featured in the Oldskull Adventure Generator and other tomes), with elaborations pertaining to demonic worship, the enigmatic Knights of Saigoth, and the Great Old Ones who represent the Cthulhu Mythos. Systems featured in this old school gaming supplement include: a history and literary justification of the class (using Lord Mordred as a primary exemplar, among others), an overview of the Arthurian Knights Perilous, demonic empowerment and vigil systems, level titles, weaknesses, powers, spell casting rules, and ruling clarifications (based for example on a contemplated inversion of official Sagely paladin rulings made throughout the years). Lacking in lechery or gore yet replete with sinister gothic atmosphere, the reimagined Oldskull Anti-Paladin is a perfect villainous archetype rendered for your enjoyment as a Non-Player Character, or even as a PC option pending Game Master approval. Ofttimes controversial, always vexing, but never boring, the ANTI-PALADIN is a However you decide to play them, I can specialized chaotic evil fighter sub-class assure you that your players will never which represents an irrepressible remnant forget these terrible nemeses. Why not give order of the unholy black knights of yore. your most skilled and daring players a Whereas paladins represent ultimate light challenge, and a nefarious villain they’ll and the might of purity, anti-paladins are love to hate? the harbingers of abyssal darkness, Another fine gaming supplement from Kent despair, and overpowering evil. David Kelly and Wonderland Imprints, Only Anti-paladinsSample were introduced to the game the Finest Works of Fantasyfile. in 1980 and were even briefly made official by accident (via the 1981 fiendish bestiary) Page 4 | 54 Wonderland Imprints ~ Kent David Kelly monster. That question tends to unnerve Face to Face with Evil: people. Arguments for and But the resistance to anti-paladins does not stop there. Even outside of the highly Against the Anti-Paladin confused early precedents, some Game Masters might say that they don’t want anti-paladins to be a valid character option, As grandiose and evil knights resplendent because the associated behaviors (cruelty, in their not-quite-shining armor, anti- torture, treachery, etc.) are disturbing paladins have a long and somewhat qualities which should not be represented notorious history in Fantasy Role-Playing in a game of heroic imagination. But that Games. The idea premiered all the way stance is abjectly incorrect, because those back in 1980 as an anti-heroic inversion of behaviors are already enfranchised in the the favored — and some would say game, under the moniker “Chaotic Evil.” overpowered — paladin-fighter sub-class. And evil Player Characters have been When E. Gary Gygax read over the first specifically written into the game since at published NPC anti-paladin archetype in a least 1976 (with Elric being celebrated in certain Draconic magazine, he declared the 1971, and FRPG play examples in Gary’s idea “as useful as a third leg.” But this was campaign dating back to 1972). a bit disingenuous, considering that in 1978 he wrote up descriptions of the dark elf homeland, complete with chaotic evil noble fighters wielding “death lances” and riding about on nightmare steeds. And by 1983, he had introduced his own knightly cavalier class which specifically embraced the tenets of evil alignment alongside the more staid options of chivalric good, law, and measured neutrality. So from the early years on, the idea of the evil knight was resisted and stigmatized, yet obliquely offered. Very interesting, to say the least! The tensions of resistance Anti-paladins are embodiments of both seemed to arise not from the class concept intelligent chaos and evil incarnate. As directly, but rather from the idea of such they share that foundational allowing such an evildoer to potentially villainous distinction with Great Cthulhu, take center stage at the forefront of the demons, demon lords and queens, the campaign. But in the end, why should a drow, and even red dragons, which are black knight seem to be more unnerving arguably the most iconic villains in the than a demon lord, an arch-devil, a Great game. Anti-paladins — being mortal and Old One, or any of the other terrible evils beginning their adventures at experience featured in the game? Perhaps it is the level 1 — are certainly no more evil than anti-paladin’s mortality which makes these already-established creatures of people nervous, calling into question greater power are. If chaotic evil clerics, whetherSample any human being could ever make fighters, and magic -usersfile are all allowed in a conscious choice to become a soulless play, why not an unholy amalgamation of the three? The FRPG is already built to Page 5 | 54 Castle Oldskull Supplement OAP1: Oldskull Anti-Paladins support the existence evil characters, and Tepes) was declared “noble” and a student logically a viable anti-paladin can simply be of the unholy Scholomance, making him constructed to be “no more evil” than any both a vampire and a devil-magic wielder; of the other options already provided by the Elric is possessed by a demonic sword- game. spirit; Randall Flagg is a lesser demon lord Other GMs have said to me that anti- incarnated as a man; and Vader is paladins shouldn’t exist because there’s no corrupted by the spirits of the Sith. We can historical or mythic precedent for their see that anti-paladinhood doesn’t just existence. However, there actually is. The embody the idea of the martial, sword- prototypical noble evil villain is the fallen bearing black knight; it also incorporates angel Lucifer, especially as represented in the concept of unholy power acting through John Milton’s Paradise Lost. While an armored mortal vessel — whether it be honoring his personal code of behavior willing or unwilling. Lucifer fights in armor against good, And that concept, I think, is unique and conquering the weak and eventually distinctive enough to be fairly regarded as establishing the infernal stronghold of the creative basis for a specialized FRPG Pandaemonium (“Kingdom of All Demons”). character class. Of course it can be argued that Lucifer is So, the beleaguering question as to whether an immortal example, yes, and perhaps as or not anti-paladins should exist is in a devil therefore too far afield; but there are essence a deeply misguided one, because mortal examples of the noble villain-knight the legendary archetype is already well- as well. established. You need to overlook a lot of In mythic folklore, the prime example of the existing material, going back to Sir Thomas archetype is found in Mordred, slayer of Mallory’s Le Morte d’Arthur (1485), if you King Arthur. The 1980 book of gods and want to argue against that evident reality. demigods — as scribed by the esteemed The more pertinent question however messengers Ward and Kuntz — lists a remains as to whether those fabled evil baker’s dozen of evil knights (Mordred qualities should be role-played by the foremost among them) in the Arthurian players, which is an entirely separate issue Heroes section. And of course there is of genuine importance. That is a decision more, because the idea of the evil that should be left exclusively to the GM for supernatural knight has been played with his or her own campaign. I can only say for many years. Further iconic examples that if you already allow your players to celebrated in modern literature and cinema play the roles of evil PCs, there’s no reason include Dracula, Elric (he is a noble sword- why “anti-paladin” could not be added to wielder, after all), Randall Flagg (who the class roster alongside Gygaxian Evil stands diametrically opposed against a High Priests and Priestesses (EHPs) and gunslinging paladin), and even Darth Vader Arnesonian assassins. Conversely however … from a certain point of view. if you have any doubts whatsoever, there’s The historical trend of the evil knight no reason to start allowing evil PCs in your becomes more interesting when we game now. Take a measured approach to consider that each of these characters is the matter. Talk to your players, come to a instilled with supernatural villainry: consensus about the themes, styles, and Lucifer is an angel who becomes a devil, motivations that you all want to play with. wieldingSample black magic; the rebellious Lord file No matter how you prefer to play your Mordred is frequently associated with the game, I can whole-heartedly recommend dark faerie Morgan le Fay; Dracula (Vlad Page 6 | 54 Wonderland Imprints ~ Kent David Kelly the anti-paladin as an iconic NPC villainous yet charismatic (and almost noble) fashion.