One day Barius and his father's most trusted servant, Silvan, ventured out to the marketplace to purchase a new training sword for Barius. Naturally Barius was quite unhappy to be forced out of the estate, especially with old Silvan, whom he viewed as "beneath" him and nothing more than someone who fetched his father's clothes. As they made their way to the marketplace, they passed an alleyway where they heard the screams of a woman in distress.

Barius continued walking, thinking that it was probably some peasant woman in trouble and not worth his attention. Silvan, however, grabbed him by the collar and growled "Come with me, whelp, but stay back. There is business to attend to."

Too shocked to admonish Silvan for treating him so roughly, Barius did as he was told and followed Silvan into the alleyway. There they spied three scruffy looking characters brandishing knives who had a servant girl backed into a corner. She was obviously very scared and very young, and knew that the men meant her harm. Silvan pushed Barius down behind a box in the alleyway and placed a finger to his lips, silently admonishing him to keep quiet.

As "old" Silvan approached the men from behind, he tapped his quarterstaff on the cobblestones. The men heard the sound and turned their attention to Silvan. "This ain't your concern, old man," warned one of the men, who appeared to be the leader. "We just want to have a bit o'fun with the lass. Move along."

As he and his cohorts turned their attention back to the girl, Silvan boomed in a voice strong and true, "Move away from the girl and no one need know about this, especially Lord Tiber." The men turned back to Silvan and laughed. "Lord Tiber? He wouldn't concern his noble self with the likes of us...or her." The leader gestured with his knife back at the shivering girl. "She ain't nothing to a noble like Lord Tiber."

"Oh, I beg to differ sir. It's been awhile since I had to do this, but if you insist..." With that, Silvan brandished his staff, which Barius had incorrectly identified as a walking stick. The way that Silvan held the staff made it quite obvious that it was a weapon, not a cane. Doubt creeped into the ruffians' eyes, but they saw one old man against three dagger-wielding toughs and figured that it would be easy pickings. "First you, old man, then the girl. I bet that cloak would look quite nice on me, eh?"

The men advanced on Silvan from three sides, hoping to overwhelm him with their numbers. None of them got within five feet of Silvan. His whirling quarterstaff made the air hum as he deftly held off the futile attacks of the three men. As the contest continued, Barius looked at Silvan's eyes. At that moment he saw a strange fire burning behind his eyes, not of hatred but something else. He then looked over at the girl and saw something in her eyes as well. Where once there was fear and hoplessness, there was now awe and hope. For the first time, he saw her not as a peasant, but as a living, breathing person...a person whose eyes shone with the light of hope.

"I grow tired of this game, good sirs," said Silvan casually. "Justice shall be done." As he spoke those words Silvan lowered his staff to his side. The three men, dazed from the numerous blows they had taken from the staff, saw their opening and charged at once at a seemingly defenseless Silvan. But just as they got close enough to use their daggers Silvan brought his staff up with blinding speed. In a single, fluid motion Silvan had disarmed the men with one end of the staff while giving them each a sharp blow to the head with the other end. The three men lay motionless on the cobblestones.

Barius saw that Silvan wasn't even breathing hard as he again lowered his staff to rest by his side. Silvan walked over to the girl and took her hand, leading her from the depths of the alley. As Barius followed, speechless, Silvan kissed her hand gently and said "My dear, do keep away from those alleys from now on. All sorts of dangerous creatures lurking about." Silvan gave her a wink and again Barius could see the light of hope shining in her eyes. As she hurried away, Silvan turned back towards the way to the marketplace, as if nothing had happened.

Barius stood there for a moment before hurrying to catch up. "What-What just happened there Silvan? How did you do that?"

"Ah, the young lord speaks," he said, with a serious look on his face. "What just happened there was something you would know nothing about. That was real life, my boy. You're surprised by my skill with the staff? Well, I haven't always been an old servant of your father's. I once served as Paladin for King and country...until I got on in age. Royal Paladins never retire, but are are sent to serve lesser nobles like your father. I might appear to be a lowly servant to you, Barius, but I am sworn to serve him as I was sworn to the King. And, by extension, I am sworn to protect his people, people like that young lady back there."

"Could you show me how to do that, Silvan?" asked Barius.

"The trick with the staff? No, boy, I don't think so. I've seen you at your lessons with the sword. You take nothing in life seriously Barius. Teaching you tricks would be a waste of my time and would serve no purpose."

"No Silvan," Barius said meekly. "That's not what I asked. Can you teach me how to give people hope, like you did with that girl?"

Silvan stopped and turned back to Barius, and looked at him squarely in the eyes. "Why yes Barius, I suppose I could do that." They turned and continued on to the marketplace to purchase the training sword for Barius.

On that day a Paladin was born.