holy warriors in Scarterra

To be a holy warrior, one must be willing and able to fight competantly and bravely on behalf of a deity's ideals.   Sponsorhip from a temple's leadership is technically not required, but it's a tough for a warrior to walk such a dangerous path without logistical support.   Most holy warriors are trained by an ecclesiastical order from a young age, but holy warriors can be recruited from secular armies and militias if they demonstrate great skill and great piety. Soldiers who manifest theurgy as one of the so called "self anointed" are shoe-ins to be asked to become holy warriors.

Warrior Priesthoods

    In general, the Tenders and Stewards do not have a universal warrior culture, but there are breakaway factions from them that do base their ethos around a warrior culture. Namely, the Paladins and Talons of Korus respectively.   Other religious groups have their own versions of warrior-aligned sub-factions, the Paladins and Talons are probably the most famous and well-known.  

Warrior Sub-Orders

    Other religious orders also have specialized warriors, but the Masks and Keepers have the biggest and best known system like this.    

Informal Warriors

    Likewise, the Lanterns are not formally a warrior faction, but they expect their members to be able to look after themselves. Most learn basic self-defense and some happen to be formidable warriors. Lantern warriors tend to focus heavily on fencing and swordplay because Zarthus himself is associated with fencing and swordplay.   Informally trained warriors are not exclusive to the Rovers and Lanterns, but these two factions are the best known for favoring informally trained warriors.

Some holy warriors moonlight as freelance adventurers and some freelance adventurers are able to make a big score and become quite wealthy.   This is not the norm for most Scarterran holy warriors, but since successful adventurers loom so large in the public imagination (thanks in large part to the stories and songs of overly dramatic bards), so it seems like most holy warriors are wealthy.   Most Scarterran holy warriors are not paid a whole lot, but very few are poor or hungry. Like priests and priestesses, holy warriors usually get their food and lodging provided for them either by their ecclesiastical superiors or by well-meaning pious civilians.   Sometimes it's allowed for a warrior to simulataneously be a member of a secular military order and a priestly order, assuming the secular military group is on good terms with the priestly order. In which case the holy warrior gets normal warrior pay on top of the free food and lodging they receive for being a holy warrior.

Holy orders are ubiquitous in Scarterra and Scarterra is often a dangerous place, so holy warriors are very much needed.   Temples, clergy, devout worshipers, pilgrims, and the like often require armed guards.   Religious groups in Scarterra frequently play politics and all too-often, politics comes at the point of a sword. Holy warriors often find themselves fighting against or along-side secular soldiers as part of some kind of political machination hatched by their ecclesiastical superiors.   Most famously, holy warriors are sometimes sent on far reaching and epic quests. These are the holy warriors that stories and songs are most often told about. Sometimes these quests are ordered by their ecclesiastical superiors, others are of their own volitions. It's not unheard of for a holy warrior to be sent out abroad and told "Go serve our Lord/Lady as you see fit".

  Being a warrior isn't the only way for a holy person to be respected. Most religious orders have a system of ranks and titles that transcends combat and non-combat roles. For instance, among the Keepers. A first-class Aurum that is a scholar and teacher is going to be considered fully equal with an first-class Aurum that leads men into battle, at least on paper. Holy warriors often wield more informal power than their paper-pushing peers and colleagues.

Holy warriors can come from almost any background.   Different cultures in Scarterra have different cultural norms about female warriors, but in almost every culture, female holy warriors have fewer cultural stigmas or barriers than female secular warriors.  

Thanks to the backing of their temples, Scarterran holy warriors usually usually have top notch weapons and armor provided for them. As living representatives of their deity's ideals and values, it doesn't behoove them to wear shoddy armor or have swords snap in battle.   Holy warriors also have greater access to magic weapons, potions and the like than most secular warriors though they usually have to pay for them even if they get a discount.   Holy warriors have a variety of gear loadouts they carry into battle. A lot of it is up to personal preference but there are many different cultural and ecclesiastical variants.   The Divine Trophies have a lot of bearing on the weapons that holy warriors carry.     Khemra's Divine Trophy is a blazing shield, so it's very common for Khemra-aligned holy warriors to carry shields with painted suns on them. A shield isn't a weapon per se. Khemra holy warriors often favor maces since maces are often symbols of rulership and justice.   Mera, Nami, Greymoria, and Phidas do not have weapons of war as their Divine Trophy, but that doesn't mean they don't have cultural ties with some weapons.   Mera aligned holy warriors often favor maces or staves because they are effective weapons that can potentially be wielded without shedding blood. Nami holy warriors favor fast nimble weapons, especially sabers which whistle in the wind when swung. Greymoria and Phidas aligned holy warriors like daggers for their concealability.   In Scarterra, one weapon is especially commonly wielded by holy warriors of a wide variety of affiliations and origins, especially if the holy warriors in questions are theurgists.  

Kormatin Portrait2 by Eron12 on Hero

"Sometimes called hand and a half swords or bastard swords, the longsword is a well balanced two handed weapon used for quick, devastating attacks. By sacrificing a shield a warrior gains more powerful strikes while still being able to carry the sword comfortably. The sword is light enough that spell casters are also able to remove a hand from the hilt to work magic. Sufficiently strong and skilled warriors can even wield the blade in one hand."   -Kormatin of the Order of the Lantern