The Sultansworn RP Guide

[111]

Sounsyy mentioned that the Sultansworn were formed 600-800 years ago? I -think- that means it was either Beladhian or first Ul reign?

 

Can more accurately pin the founding of the Sultansworn to 600 years ago, in line with the birth of Ul'dah. So Jhal Tristram protected the first Ul Sultan.

 

When Natalie Mcbeefers swore in Roen and Kage to the sultan sworn she made up a story, that the Sultansworn were created to protect against Beladhian assassins during that war.

 

Probably not true but it sounded cool.

[Jana]

Just thought I'd chime in: The comparison to the US Secret Service works way better than it has any right to, given that the Sworn come from a city of coin! It was originally meant to combat counterfeit currency and still has the responsibility to handle financial crimes. It was actually part of the Department of the Treasury for the longest time ever.

 

The mission of the Secret Service is to ensure the security of our President, our Vice President, their families, the White House, the Vice President’s Residence, national and visiting world leaders, former Presidents, and events of national significance. The Secret Service also protects the integrity of our currency and investigates crimes against our national financial system committed by criminals around the world and in cyberspace.

[Erik Mynhier]

Also, you guise with these 'FBI' and 'US Secret Service' comparisons! So geocentric!

 

The majority of the players reside in the US. We are making a comparison to something we are familiar with. When the majority of players reside in YOUR country, then you will have the right to make a comparison to something YOU are familiar with.

 

Those of us who have RP'd Paladins in the past and understand the term and archetype know full well how to equate the class and job.

 

People who never have can benefit from a real world example to base themselves off of.

 

Whether or not it is a geologically 'encompassing' comparison is irrelevant.

 

She is right, I mean I could have made my comparisons using the Dutch model, which frankly would have fit the Sworn/Blade/Flame model better. But since most players on Balmung are in the US, I use US terms.

[Warren Castille]

Free Paladins are not Sultansworn. If that's the path you're taking, you'd be mostly associating with Jenlyns and not really anyone else, as he's the point of contact for new recruits. Free Paladins are on good terms with the 'Sworn, mostly, but when it comes to matters of investigation and the like, we're separate entities.

 

The loose association I use is that if Sultansworn are Personal Security for the Sultana, Free Paladins are private investigators.

[Alothia]

//magicadminhat

 

Just a friendly reminder to please keep this thread to the discussion of Sultansworn RP.

 

If you want to have discussions about your own character, please move it to it's own thread. Thanks!

 

//returntoregularlyscheduleddiscussion

[Erik Mynhier]

To return this a bit more topic, as stated there have been in the past for most of not all current Sworn have been set through trials. This began with Nat, Anelia, and I as the first Sworn rpers, was carried on to the present to Crofte who does the majority of them now. So times must be set if you are wanting to be a part of them and scheduling must be worked out.

[Warren Castille]

That doesn't change the fact that, for the most part, everyone was already a paladin/sworn/whatever on the way to being MORE recognized, if I'm remembering correctly. I know the current school of "recruits" are all self-declared paladins, I know I am due to 1.0 backstory, and I'm pretty sure Crofte sort of spawned in the armor. For the most part the trials are akin to merit badges: You don't need to do them to be Sultansworn, but you need to be Sultansworn to do them.

 

I think. Feel free to correct me, folks.

[Gegenji]

I see it as a way to interact with your fellow 'Sworn (or Free Paladins), and get some interactions and cohesion going. You're going to care more about a mate you went through "basic training" with more than some guy who just happens to also be a member of the 'Sworn. Not that you wouldn't help them, of course, Oath and all... but you have HISTORY with that other person, either as a mentor or a fellow squire you trained with. 

 

To go with that, it's a great developmental tool if you want your character to grow. Sure, there's nothing saying you couldn't go "BAM! My guy's been in the 'Sworn for 20 years!" (though I suppose if you interacted with folks like Erik or Coat, they'd wonder were the hell you were for X and Y) if you want to just start in the role, but there's something to be said about gaining it. I don't think Chachan would have had as much interaction and development if I had gone that route, to be sure.

[Kage]

I think it took about 1 month (or less I honestly don't remember) for Kage to get to level 50 as a PLD. I took that opportunity to use this as a way for Kage to develop relationships with those he could view as mentors (or in some cases mentors who took on that role quite happily and with great fervor..)

 

Admittedly, at the time, it had already been in my plan that I wanted to try to use dungeons or trials as a way to sort of... "complete" Kage's journey. (Though it didn't happen in the end but I believe that the end result was for the very best and it served for better story.) That is what I viewed the onset of the Sultansworn trials and I know it's not the same now or was for others.

 

The trials were to confirm and essentially say Kage proved his worth. As a swordsman and Ul'dahn citizen loyal to the Sultana and the sultanate. That included not only learning the sword and board, but it included needing to learn from people. Learning about himself.

 

I am pretty sure that neither Roen or Kage really considered themselves Paladins and certainly not Sultansworn before the trials were over.

[111]

That doesn't change the fact that, for the most part, everyone was already a paladin/sworn/whatever on the way to being MORE recognized, if I'm remembering correctly. I know the current school of "recruits" are all self-declared paladins, I know I am due to 1.0 backstory, and I'm pretty sure Crofte sort of spawned in the armor. For the most part the trials are akin to merit badges: You don't need to do them to be Sultansworn, but you need to be Sultansworn to do them.

 

I think. Feel free to correct me, folks.

 

Anyone can RP as sultansworn, no one has a patent on it. However the trials were a part of the long term mentor/student relationship that many RPers have wanted. No one has to do them, they're more of just a tradition used by Sultansworn RPers to 'graduate' their pupils after long periods of apprenticeship. Roen and Kage took 3 or 4 months, if I recall.

 

Natalie just Rped as a sultansworn, as did Crofte, and I have nothing against anyone who does that.

[Coatleque]

Anyone can RP as sultansworn, no one has a patent on it. However the trials were a part of the long term mentor/student relationship that many RPers have wanted. No one has to do them, they're more of just a tradition used by Sultansworn RPers to 'graduate' their pupils after long periods of apprenticeship. Roen and Kage took 3 or 4 months, if I recall.

 

Natalie just Rped as a sultansworn, as did Crofte, and I have nothing against anyone who does that.

 

When I came into the game, Anelia was not playing, Erik was away on medical leave and Natalie, Roen, and Kage were demoted to Brass Blades. I would have preferred going the mentor/student route, but the way things were going it made more sense to jump right in.

 

Romy, Roysia, Anita, Chachanji, Aiden all want to go the the same route. That's great, I'll accommodate everyone I can as time/creativity allows! Shas went the route of "left on good terms, came back a few years later". Nyalie's background is that she's veteran to the point that she sits and does administrative work in the armory rather than standing guard. I've seen one or two others who wear armor and say they do mostly paperwork.

 

It all meshes together in the end and I think it makes the group as a whole feel more realistic.

[Alothia]

Again, if you want to talk about your character, do so in a separate thread.

 

Cynel1, it's probably about time for you to move your discussion to it's own thread so that you're not cluttering up this one with talk of your personal struggle. If you need me to move posts into a thread of it's own, let me know, or you can just start a thread for yourself. Thanks!

[Cynel1]

No.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squire

@Coatleque

okay thanks for the info

 

@Alothia

 

Alright alright im still new to this Forums Give me a break.

[Aldotsk]

While I've been hiatus away from RPing, and RPC majorly. I've not forgotten about this thread. I've finally had some chance to respond.

 

According to what everyone has said in regards to Sworns in this thread, especially what Natalie said - she is right about one thing. When you create a character, you can feel free to start as "I am a Sultansworn" without doing trials OOCly or ICly at any time. And then you be creative about how you became one before 2.0 or during 1.0. However it is not obligated to any of veteran players to accommodate all the time by doing the trials for you and training etc and such. You can just be creative and do the trial yourself in your own plot (Like being trained by Jenlyns or doing the trials under him or ABC XYZ). I understand that you want to focus your character, and if I wasn't on hiatus... I'd definitely accommodate for you, but I am not RP active as much anymore.

 

ICly, Anelia re-did her trials for reinstatement and then went missing ICly because I OOCly wanted to go on hiatus. I did not ask anyone to do the trials because 1. I had been busy with my own schedule IRL 2. Timing was not always right between me and others. 3. I was busy looking after my FC. 

 

It's not the -best- way to go when I could have done something to work with others and interact by gaining character relationship/developments with others... but that's not what I wanted since everyone and I had disagreements yet also some schedule conflicts. So other best method is to just be creative and write a story or tell others about how you completed the trials.

 

They have their own things too. Like some others said in this thread, we aren't really NPCs. But you can just be creative to make your own character and you can try to brainstorm on how you became a Sultansworn. However, this is indeed Sultansworn discussion thread. So it's not always bad to ask questions on how you can become a Sultansworn, since this discussions and informations can be useful for newcomers too who read this thread. But just try not to ask questions that goes beyond the Sultansworn related discussions. For that part, it is for you to decide how you want your character to turn out

[Seriphyn]

Some dialogue with RP utility from the first PLD quest, "Paladin's Pledge".

 

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.

 

Obviously, the captaincy of Jenlyns has changed this, but previously, the Sultansworn were very exclusive. But in bold, it appears Eorzea has the concept that exists in real life as well, where you can become an officer purely on the basis of something like higher birth or education, not necessarily on earned merit.

 

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.

 

As per being "royal guard", that makes sense, but we've already seen Papashan mention that he went all over Eorzea. Reconciling the two, it appears that is one of the two main duties they do; guarding, or going on a great quest on behalf of the Sultana, like knights of yore!

 

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.

 

This is probably central to being a paladin, but rather neat.

 

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

 

Swears allegiance to the Sultanate AND serves the realm of Eorzea? Deferring on this one.

 

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.

 

This has probably changed given the events of the PLD questline. If you talk to Jenlyns post-50, he says that the Sultansworn "are now growing", and no longer "dwindling".

 

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.

 

I've noticed an interpretation that the Sultansworn are not military, but that's an erroneous assumption of how the militaries of Eorzea's historical era work. Our modern day definition of a military is a professional standing force, but in Eorzea's era, all fighting forces who exist lawfully and fight on behalf of the state are military. The Brass Blades are referred to as military by at least one NPC; they are not "law enforcement" (this isn't a modern legalistic state) but a force paid to keep the peace. Even then, royal guard are always considered military, in contemporary monarchies too. For example, this is in line with how in feudal states, the "military" were made of the knights sworn to the nobility (i.e. exactly like the Sultansworn), any drafted militia, and hired mercenaries. 

 

There were no standing armies, but Eorzea seems to be going into its own Enlightenment era (Sultana contemplating popular democracy, Chief Admiral trying to bring proper statehood to a pirate city), and Grand Companies fit the emergence of professional militaries in that real life time period.

 

A free paladin has no master. Instead she 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.

 

Obviously they're trying to reconcile the PC being an adventurer and also having the paladin class in-game, but I wonder...is there really any historical precedence in Ul'dah to this? Or can it be argued that Jenlyns is full of shit? Again, since Ul'dah is not a legalistic state like modern polities, everything exists at the whims of individuals with power, so...I would argue the concept of a free paladin is "new" to the Sultansworn (which is confirmed by the first pieces of dialogue, really).

[Coatleque]

...is there really any historical precedence in Ul'dah to this? Or can it be argued that Jenlyns is full of shit? Again, since Ul'dah is not a legalistic state like modern polities, everything exists at the whims of individuals with power, so...I would argue the concept of a free paladin is "new" to the Sultansworn...

 

I second this concept based on the quest dialogue. In fact, Coatleque disagrees with Jenlyns on this point whenever it is brought up in other RP. She sees Free Paladins as a dilution of their core, but is forced to accept them being the good drone that she is.

 

Very good points that were brought up though, all-in-all.

[Seriphyn]

Mm, so free paladins exist because Jenlyns says so...that gives us plenty of IC legitimacy to disagree then, yeah.

[Warren Castille]

I'm not sure if its as out-of-the-blue as it appears; We can probably safely predict that Jenlyns isn't making a rogue faction of paladins without the proper forms and filing necessary to start teaching secret military disciplines to the masses.

 

My head-canon is that, given the ever-shifting political nature of Ul'dah, someone in charge likely said "Hey, we're not really able to recruit or anything, and we're losing people on an annual basis and not replacing them. We should do something."

 

Re: Papashan, look at that bit posted without breaking it:

 

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.

 

It sounds to me that the "polishing plate mail" comment is meant to be in the same "once upon a time" as the old promotion methods. Papashan's able to go out and do his thing because times have changed since then.

 

Finally, this one:

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

 

Imagine him making a counting motion on his fingers as he goes. "One, a paladin swears to the sultanate. Two, a paladin shall be the sword and shield of the sultanate. And three, a paladin defends the people of the realm." It could be a loose outline of your priorities and responsibilities: Go out and do good, but be prepared to rush home if Mom needs you.

 

Double finally: I didn't read "paladin military arts" being the art of the paladin military. I read it as a paladin's military art, i.e., their martial prowess and ability to fight on a battlefield. XIV's got plenty of obtuse phrasing, so this could just be par for the course.

 

Double for real finally: Yes, plenty to disagree and posit upon.

[Alothia]

No.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squire

@Coatleque

okay thanks for the info

 

@Alothia

 

Alright alright im still new to this Forums Give me a break.

 

I understand that you're new, that's why I phrased it in the nicest way possible. (No need for you to have an attitude~)

 

On that point, I don't think that your posts are contributing to this thread, and so I'm going to try and split your posts from this thread into a new one so that we don't clutter up the discussion here.  Thanks.

 

Here's the link to the new thread. Please move your discussion there. If you don't I'm afraid I'll have to give you a mod warning. http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=10172

[Coatleque]

Additional Lore Time

---

Based on the Ladies Day event display in Ul'dah, it shows the first three Paladins as mannequins. They happen to be shown wearing the AF2 armor, blue on white. Based on this, I'd say there is no reason why someone role-playing as a Sultansworn cannot wear whichever color they chose.

 

Personally, seeing how Captain Jenlyns and Phillis both wear the white on silver, I think we could consider that the current 'official' uniform color. I consider the blue and white to be more of a formal affair. Akin to something Crofte would probably wear to the next Royal Ball.

[Seriphyn]

I reckon it's because all AF2 armour are 'vintage equipment' recreated by 'master artisans' from Rowena's House of Splendors. It makes sense to use Rowena's replicas given Gallant armour in-universe (as far being 200% to SE's lore) is only worn by the Warrior(s) of Light or Sultansworn officers. It'd also explain why the Curtana and the other swords are depicted as unfinished, lest the organizer actually went to kill primals to get the fully fledged versions.

[Coatleque]

Training with squires near camp Bluefrog.

Hmm, quite a ways removed from the palace isn't it?

 

[Madda]

Curses.

 

Madda really needs to hurry up and level so Towering can be a square.

[Erik Mynhier]

Miss that Sworn rp fun.

[Dat Oni]

Hmm, quite a ways removed from the palace isn't it?

 

I could've sworn we buried the naysayers.

 

Did they come back as lore-zombies in the wake of Heavensward? I'll go get my shotgun.