Paladin's Pledge

Lulutsu

Oh, there you are, [name]. Perfect timing! I've just heard a juicy bit of gossip that I know you're going to be interested in...

Apparently─and remember, you heard this first from me─the Sultansworn elite are sharing the secret skills and training of paladins! Incredible, I know.

The Sultansworn have an exclusive monopoly on the instruction of paladin skills. Once upon a time, if you weren't one of those officer-track elites, then you had no chance to learn the arts. And competition to get to the top was very fierce indeed, let me tell you.

But anyone who joined had to swear an oath of fealty to the Ul'dahn sultanate. Which meant no more adventuring, no more derring-do, and no more Coliseum─just languishing about in the palace all day polishing plate mail.

• FR Quoi de plus barbant pour une aventurière/un aventurier qui rêve de conquête, de gloire et de fortune ? ‘What could be more boring for an adventurer who dreams of conquest, glory and fortune?’ English jokes about lazing in the palace polishing plate mail; French asks what could bore a glory-seeking adventurer more.
• DE Das ist ja schön und gut, aber wer hat denn schon Lust, den ganzen Tag Wache zu stehen und über den Hof zu marschieren? ‘That's all well and good, but who really feels like standing guard all day and marching across the courtyard?’ English jokes about lazing in the palace polishing plate mail; German pictures standing guard and marching all day.

That's why this news is so big. Now anyone with a bit of commitment can learn the skills of a paladin, and no memorizing the Fifty-Five Commandments of the Sworn or any other nonsense, either.

• FR Il est désormais possible d'apprendre ces techniques sans avoir à s'engager pour la vie ! ‘It is now possible to learn these techniques without having to commit for life!’ English jokes about not memorizing the Fifty-Five Commandments of the Sworn; French says without committing for life.
• DE Aber jetzt soll es möglich sein, die Paladin-Techniken zu erlernen, auch ohne der Palastwache beizutreten. ‘But now it is supposed to be possible to learn the paladin techniques even without joining the Palace Guard.’ English jokes about not memorizing the Fifty-Five Commandments of the Sworn; German says simply without joining.
• JA それがぁ～、「銀冑団」に入らなくても、「ナイト」の技を覚えられちゃうんですからぁ～出血大サービスですぅ～！ ‘The thing is, you can learn the "Knight" arts even without joining the "Silver Helm Corps", so it's a bleeding-big bargain sale!’ English jokes about not memorizing the Fifty-Five Commandments of the Sworn; Japanese says simply without joining.

This is a golden─no, a platinum opportunity that comes but once in a lucky adventurer's lifetime. Let this slip through your fingers and regret will be your just deserts.

• FR Quand les gens apprendront qu'un paladin va bientôt faire ses débuts dans l'arène, ils seront hystériques et s'arracheront les places ! ‘When people find out that a paladin will soon make his debut in the arena, they will go hysterical and fight over the seats!’ English calls it a golden, no, platinum opportunity for you; French pictures crowds fighting over arena seats.
• FR J'entends déjà le son des gils qui tombent dans ma bourse, hihi ! ‘I can already hear the sound of gil dropping into my purse, hee hee!’ English warns you of regret if you miss it; French has Lulutsu gloating over the gil she will earn.
• DE Wer sich diese Gelegenheit entgehen lässt und daraus keinen Profit schlägt, muss ein hirnloser Fungus sein! ‘Anyone who lets this opportunity slip and doesn't profit from it must be a brainless fungus!’ English says regret will be deserved; German says whoever misses it must be a brainless fungus.

You need to go to the Royal Promenade in the Hustings Strip. Find the captain of the Sultansworn elite─Jenlyns is his name─and tell him how you're just dying to become a paladin.

• FR Attention, il s'agit du capitaine des casques d'argent, alors mettez-y les formes ! ‘Careful, he is the captain of the silver helmets, so mind your manners!’ English says to tell him how eager you are to become a paladin; French says to be properly polite with him.

Jenlyns

Yes, I am Jenlyns, member of the Sultansworn elite and servant to the Ul'dahn sultanate. Unless my instincts deceive me, you have come to inquire about training as a paladin. If so, I would have your name, good woman/sir.

• FR La moindre des choses serait que vous vous présentiez avant de me demander quoi que ce soit, jeune demoiselle/homme. ‘The least you could do would be to introduce yourself before asking me anything, young lady/man.’ English politely asks for your name; French scolds you for not introducing yourself before asking.

...[name]? A fine name. I bid you welcome, and salute your noble resolve. But if you aspire to paladinhood, you should understand what it means.

A paladin swears allegiance to the sultanate. A paladin shall be the sword and shield of the sultanate. A paladin defends the people of the realm.

• FR Un paladin doit être loyal envers ses compagnons d'armes. ‘A paladin must be loyal to his comrades in arms.’ English says a paladin is the sword and shield of the sultanate; French says loyal to comrades in arms.

Sellswords and gladiators and others of their ilk wield their blades for themselves, but a paladin serves the greater good. Do you understand me?

The battle arts that the paladin learns have been held secret, nurtured, and perfected within the ranks of the Sultansworn elite for nigh on these six hundred years.

Of all those sworn to protect the sultanate─the soldiers, the mounted guards, and the knights─we are the elite of the elite. Our conviction unwavering, our hearts true, our sword skills without peer.

But the glory of the Sultansworn... Well, much of it is buried in the past now. Our brotherhood grows smaller by the year, we are a shadow of what we once were, and the sultana turns to sellswords to defend her palace.

All this, because of one traitor─no, because of a blot of dishonor left by one who shall not be named... And because of him, we have been forced to seek the help of able-bodied adventurers.

• FR Tout cela ne serait jamais arrivé si cet homme, que dis-je, ce scélérat ne nous avait pas trahis... ‘All this would never have happened if this man, what am I saying, this scoundrel had not betrayed us...’ English corrects "traitor" to a softer unnamed one; French corrects "this man" to the harsher "scoundrel".

And here you are. We shall instruct you in the paladin military arts. You will not be inducted into the Sultansworn, but serve as a free paladin.

However, first you will show us that both your sword and heart have mettle, and you are worthy of the honor.

Jenlyns

Now, would-be paladin, show me the mettle in your heart and steel in your blade!

Jenlyns

Face the undead monsters who infest the ruins south of Little Ala Mhigo in southern Thanalan. Defeat them and return with proof of your deed.

Yes, that's what I needed. Proof that you have defeated the undead. You have shown that your heart is true and your sword has mettle.

I've no doubt that you will prove to be an attentive pupil. That is well, for there is much to learn. First and foremost is this: you are a paladin now─a custodian of traditions ancient and noble.

A free paladin has no master. Instead she/he travels all lands, and in every place takes up the cause of the unarmed and defenseless. You swear fealty not to a lord, but to yourself─you are nobility amongst adventurers.

You have taken your first steps on a new path, and you have earned the right to bear this, the Soul of the Paladin. Upon its surface are carved the deeds of paladins of eras past. She/He who bears it commands the respect of all knights of honor.

• FR Nul doute qu'il vous guidera sur la voie de la sagesse. ‘No doubt it will guide you on the path of wisdom.’ English says its bearer commands the respect of honorable knights; French says it will guide you to wisdom.
• DE Der Kristall birgt die Erinnerungen berühmter Paladine aus vergangenen Tagen und stellt damit eine unschätzbare Inspirationsquelle für junge angehende Paladine dar. ‘The crystal holds the memories of famous paladins of days gone by and is thus an invaluable source of inspiration for young aspiring paladins.’ English says its bearer commands the respect of honorable knights; German calls it inspiration for aspiring paladins.
• JA 騎士道を歩む者にとって、導きとなるものだ。 ‘It is a guide for those who walk the path of chivalry.’ English says its bearer commands the respect of honorable knights; Japanese calls it a guide for the chivalrous.

Bahamut's fang! You already possess a crystal? And you say it was given to you by an unknown free paladin, who told you to hand it to me?

Where is this crystal of which you speak? I demand you show it to me at once!

• FR J'espère que ce n'est pas ce à quoi je pense... ‘I hope it's not what I think it is...’ English angrily demands to see the crystal at once; French voices worry about what it might be.

Curse him, he has made a mockery of the trial. That crystal you bear is indeed the Soul of the Paladin. But it is disgraced, impure. It was stolen from the Sultansworn.

The man who gave you this soul is the very traitor whom I have been seeking these many moons.

He is an oathbreaker who bent the knee to the Ul'dahn sultanate and who swore allegiance to the Sultansworn, but then single-handedly sullied our name, and trampled it underfoot until it was lost, perhaps forever. How dare he give counsel on honor, on the paladin way!?

This soul is polluted, and I must dispose of it. When you come to wield your sword as a paladin, the only soul you may wear is that which is bestowed by a captain of the Sultansworn.

That traitor is no Sultansworn, still less a captain. By giving you a soul, he insulted not only the brotherhood, but you, too.

Perhaps an adventurer like yourself finds our rules nothing more than a nuisance. But through reigns long and short, our forebears in the Sultansworn have preserved its rituals and traditions, and we are duty-bound to uphold them─even if men and women within our own ranks scorn them as relics.

It has been my fate to be named captain of the Sultansworn in these troubled times. Though I did not ask for this honor, I have bent my knee to the sultana and sworn fealty, and I will fight to restore our honor and name.

You wield a skilled blade, and more importantly, you have met the traitor face-to-face. Your great task as a paladin will be to help me bring him to justice.

• FR Ce n'est certainement pas un hasard si vous êtes venu(e) jusqu'à moi. ‘It is certainly no coincidence that you came to me.’ English gives your sword skill and meeting the traitor as reasons; French says your coming was no coincidence.

You must ready yourself, marshal your resources, and hone your skills until the time comes when you are able to discharge your duty. The journey will be long, but you are a paladin now, and honor binds you as surely as an oath.

• DE Du wirst es bald brauchen. ‘You will need it soon.’ English says the journey will be long; German says you will need your sword soon.

In the ruins to the south of Little Ala Mhigo, you will find an iron brazier. Light it, and the undead nearby will be drawn to the flame. Slay these monsters and give their hearts to the fire. Return and present to me their ashes as proof of your deed.