Oath of The Mageguard

Paladin Sacred Oath

The Dark Carnival extends itself across the Multiverse at a rate few can fathom. Led by the enigmatic and clearly insane Hughe Percival Lockcross, the entities that comprise its tents and caravans are eager to aid their leader in whatever way they can. Unfortunately for the Dark Ringmaster, his reputation precedes him on occasion as well as the potential danger he presents. Assassins specifically trained or crafted to slay mages are often sent at the behest of Hughe’s adversaries, fully aware that a creature as powerful and arcane as the Dark Ringmaster should never be taken lightly. Such occurrences may not be common, but often enough that Hughe established an order of paladins within his Dark Carnival to combat the very same foes that were engineered to target practitioners of magic like himself.

Paladins who take up the mantle of Mageguard are not just the personal bodyguards of the Dark Ringmaster, but also for any spellcaster within the ranks of the Dark Carnival. From the start of their training, they are made painfully aware of how strange and dangerous the arcane can be, emphasizing the importance of protecting wizards, sorcerers, bards, and even warlocks who harness such power. Although not respected or even recognized by other paladin orders, their fellows in the Dark Carnival look up to them like older siblings. In turn, these paladins repay such adoration with a shield to protect at all costs and a sharp blade to smite those who intend their leader or fellows harm.

Tenets of the Mageguard

The tenets of the Mageguard concern the protection of the Dark Ringmaster, as well as all spellcasters under his care, as their highest priority.

Arcanist Over Arcane. Magic is powerful, but without experience, it is without purpose or even dangerous. Spellcasters must be preserved long enough to master their art, even at the cost of setback, for no knowledge is worth the loss of those who may yet wield it properly.

Rebuke the Superstitious. The arcane arts, as well as their practitioners, are misunderstood at worst. Those who hold their potential greatness in contempt should hold their tongue or cut it out.

Love of Family. Even when the world cast you out, the Dark Carnival gave you a home. Nothing shall come between the Dark Ringmaster and his dreams, nor your fellow darklings and theirs. Worlds will burn and kingdoms will hate us, but the Dark Carnival and its loving embrace are forever.

Eccentric Quirks

The nature of the Dark Carnival is an eldritch one, and those who call such a place home are often no different. By the end of their extensive training, Hughe's Mageguard often find themselves beset with a strange new behavior or two. This is all par for the course and often seen as a rite of passage to others within the Dark Carnival; even if it is still considered bizarre to outsiders.

Eccentric Quirks

d6	Quirk
1	You always refer to yourself in the third person, regardless of intelligence.
2	There are select words you feel quite passionately about -- enough so that you must EXCLAIM them when they leave your lips.
3	You are enamored by adorable animals/aesthetics and you will go to any lengths to protect them from harm.
4	When you believe no one is looking, you pretend to cast spells you cannot cast that you think are cool.
5	You become entirely enthralled with adoration when a spellcaster is excited and/or vocal about their passions.
6	You speak almost entirely in vague metaphors of wisdom, despite whether they mean anything.

Oath of the Mageguard Features

Paladin Level	Feature
3rd	Oath Spells, Channel Divinity
7th	Aura of Concentration (10 ft.)
15th	Arcane Scion
18th	Aura of Concentration (30 ft.)
20th	Eldritch Juggernaut

Channel Divinity

When you take this oath at 3rd level, you gain the following two Channel Divinity options.

Fortify the Weave. You can use your Channel Divinity to funnel further arcane energies into allies. As an action, one ally that you can see within 60 feet of you recovers a number of expended spell slots with a combined level equal to or less than your proficiency bonus.

For example, if your proficiency bonus is 2, you can recover up to two levels worth of spell slots for a target ally. They can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.

Additionally, you may expend your own spell slots to add to the combined level of spell slots restored in this way. Each expended spell slot increases the combined level by 1, regardless of the level of the spell slot used. Restored spell slots cannot exceed the maximum spell level available to the target ally, and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

For example, if you expend a 1st-level spell slot and 2nd-level spell slot, the combined level of spell slots restored increases by 2.

Burn the Witch Hunter. You can use your Channel Divinity to smite those who would think to endanger those under your charge. When you make an attack roll, you can use your Channel Divinity to grant yourself advantage on that roll.

Additionally, if the target of the attack had cast counterspell, dispel magic, antimagic field or intentionally brought harm to a creature with the Spellcasting Feature since the start of your last turn, the target takes an additional 3d6 fire damage as their crimes against the arcane spew forth in blazing retribution.

Oath Spells

You gain oath spells at the paladin levels listed.

Oath of Devotion Spells

Aura of Concentration

Starting at 7th level, you become a conduit through which your allies can channel their spells. Once per turn when an ally within 10 feet of you casts a spell that requires concentration, you can use your reaction to become the one who maintains concentration of the spell instead so long as the original caster remains within the aura. If at any point the caster is no longer within the range of the aura, the spell ends.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

Arcane Scion

At 15th level, exposure to the magic of your comrades and fervent desire to protect them has altered the Weave around you permanently. You have advantage on saving throws against spells and resistance against damage of spells.

Additionally, you suffer none of the drawbacks of old age, and you cannot be magically aged.

Eldritch Juggernaut

At 20th level, your will to protect and bolster the arcane has granted you the ultimate power to fulfill your oath. When you use this feature, you take on an appearance you choose. For example, your skin may turn a deep blue or purple as torrential winds of magic whirl around you.

As an action, you become an avatar of the arcane, gaining the following benefits for 1 minute:

• The Weave that passes through you strengthens considerably when you assume this form, restoring a number of your expended spell slots with a combined level equal to or less than your paladin level.
• You emanate an aura of flooding magical energy in a 30-foot radius for the duration. Once per turn when you or an ally within the aura deals damage to a creature or object with a spell, deal an extra 10 force damage to that target. Additionally, successfully ending a spell cast from within the aura with dispel magic or counterspell deals 10 force damage as any magic originating therein proves dangerous to hinder.
  
  (Clarification, the damage is against the person casting Dispel Magic or Counterspell, not the person who's spell got ended.)
  
  
• The radius of antimagic field cannot enter the aura and the radius of the aura cannot enter an antimagic field as the polar opposite forces clash to an impassable standstill. Additionally, antimagic field cannot be cast while within or near the aura if it would cause both to overlap and this feature cannot be activated within or near an antimagic field if it would cause both to overlap.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.