Order of the Argent Fist

All argent fists—or, more properly, Seekers of the Argent fist, or Knights of the Argent fist—begin their training as monks or paladins. They then shift focus, moving from one to the other, until they have a basic mastery of both disciplines.

The Order of the Argent fist never recruits; only those who actively seek to join are considered for membership. The testing process is demanding: You must demonstrate martial skill, the mystical abilities of monk and paladin, a deep knowledge of the faith, and the ability to make difficult moral choices. Of the relatively few Purified who even petition for membership, perhaps one in ten succeeds. If you fail the entry tests due to lack of skill, you can try again, but a candidate who fails for lack of commitment or moral weakness can never make a second attempt.

Membership in the order is a life of ongoing training and service. When not actively questing or battling evil, you engage in training exercises and intensive study.

Few argent fists have time for any sort of life outside the order, but then, few of them want one. Argent fists must be well rounded, so you cannot simply focus on a single ability or skill set and expect to prosper. Choose weapons that complement your abilities and fighting style, and feats that enhance your class features, such as Extra Turning. While it is tempting to spread your ability increases across many scores, it is probably best to choose two or three to ignore in favor of others. If you have Weapon finesse and a good Dexterity, for instance, you can probably get away with leaving your Strength score relatively low. Your Intelligence will likely never be a strong suit, and you have enough hit points (and healing abilities) that even a slightly above-average Constitution might well be sufficient.

You are utterly committed to battling evil in the service of the Silver Flame. Your have trained your mind, body, and soul to become a weapon against the darkness and a channel for the divinity of the Flame itself. You have few interests outside the Order; service is not merely a part of your life, it is your life. You understand that some good people have not yet found their way to the Silver Flame, and you consider it part of your duty to lead by example. Those who worship other gods might be shown the error of their ways, but those who worship evil must be purged.

You belong to a branch of the Church known as the Order of the Argent Fist. Unlike most orders, the Argent Fist is considered both a knightly and a monastic order, and it possesses both monasteries and chapterhouses. For the most part, your official title depends on where you began your career of service; most who began as paladins are Knights of the Argent Fist, while those who began as monks are Seekers of the Argent Fist. These are primarily cosmetic differences, however, and all members of the order are brothers and sisters in arms.

Daily life in the Order is a strict regimen of training and study, with the occasional break for mass. Unless an argent fist is on a quest, life is largely limited to the chapterhouse or monastery. While this seems terribly confining for most people, argent fists consider it an honor, an opportunity to ensure maximum effectiveness when called to serve. Argent fists never seek positions of community leadership, which would distract them from their duties and drills. An argent fist who is also a military leader seeks the swiftest and most efficient means to victory that does not violate the Silver Flame’s precepts.

The argent fists are few, and most do not seek fame outside their own ranks. Still, some are warriors of such renown that their names reach the ears of others, and some do indeed seek prominence in the hope of inspiring those who hear of them. The most famous include Brother Micah, an Eldeen half-orc raised in the Church; Sister Ronas Kelur, said to have fought in more battles than any other argent fist alive today; and the changeling Sir Wyrren, who has mastered a fighting style that involves shapechanging in ways few others of his race can manage.