1311031
Guardians are the closest you will get. Keep in mind that Binding Magic lends itself very well to protection, and the manipulation of the physical world. It can be used offensively, but most offensive spells are the purview of the Mage and Mentalist.

1311030
So the maker and their apprentice(s) are the only ones who know how to make their adamantium, how was the process first discovered? Is there even a record of that?

1311030
I don't suppose methods are shared between smiths.

1311047
So has there ever been any rogue paladins?

1311074
We know that adamantium was first created back in the days of the Equestrian Era, but we do not know who created it or how the secret has remained alive for so long. There was a time after the Celestial Wars when the process was all but lost. A thousand years of peace meant there was no real need for the material.

1311080
Not for very long.

And the final Major Discipline of the Paladin School. There exists a sub facet of the Masonic Disciplines that focuses on restorative and reparative magic with an emphasis on repairing magical items. These Masons have begun to distinguish themselves as a new Discipline, and refer to themselves as welders. Welders are extremely proficient at improving spellflow, finding weak points in existing constructs, and acting to rectify these problems wherever and whenever they can be found. Though this may sound useless or redundant, the shrewd Welder can also apply their talent in the other direction, introducing flaws, exploiting weaknesses, and generally causing perfectly normal equipment to act erratically and with poor performance.

Welders do not possess any formal training, are hardly recognized as a Discipline, and are considered a joke by many of their peers. However, they seem to have become the quiet pioneers of spellcraft, recognizing where magic falls short and then acting to ensure that the problem is rectified. Not much else can be said about these quiet tinkerers, but the reader can rest assured that the Welders seem to be destined for greatness in much the same was as Guardians are, as those silent sentinels against serious harm, acting by taking small steps before larger ones are required.

This concludes the section on the major Disciplines of the Paladin School. Keep in mind that many more are not listed, and that the lines between Disciplines blur rather easily. However, by taking a look at each individual part, we can begin to appreciate as a whole the Paladin School, and better understand what a Paladin is, what they do, and how they are recognized in such a positive manner. The ranks of the Paladins swell daily, and as the forces of Chaos and evil swell, we can rest assured that these proud warriors and spellweavers will stand against them, ready to defend and protect in the name of their craft.

1311132
Is there time for you to tell us about fallen Paladins?
I'm sure Paladins are mostly virtuous folk, but every now and again there is a bad one, right?

1311132
I thought it was mutually agreed upon on by the current Avatars that Discord was allowed to dissipate. Is he still commanding forces?

1311161
Heh. How does one organize madness and anarchy?

1311161
Not officially, but several cults and anarchist groups attempt to "spread the reign of Chaos" by committing random acts of violence and destruction. And Discord is to blame for the sudden surplus of hostile creatures in the world, this much is known.

1311157
Those Paladins who lose the way and are beyond help are a serious threat to themselves and others. Greed, lust, wrath, these things can be tolerated in a Paladin. But if it consumes them, and they renounce their holy vows or refuse to act in the best interests of the people, then they are stripped of their titles and cast from their order. Should they continue in their actions, justice is swift and sure. A team of magekillers is dispatched to eliminate them.

1311132
So I'm guessing that most other paladins see welders as just a side effect of the masons? And as a further question, based on their description it doesn't seem like they should be seen as a major discipline just yet so why are they recognized as a major discipline and other disciplines that aren't mentioned not?

1311192
They are currently petitioning for status as a Major Discipline, and meet all of the requirements to be recognized as such. If they succeed, they will be able to form guilds and orders of their own, and take on apprentices. Most paladins do see them as a subfacet of the Mason Discipline. I personally think their work is different enough that they should be allowed separate privileges and responsibilities.

1311209
What are the requirements to become a major discipline?

Which caste of the Magical Cross are we looking at next time?

1311215
They must demonstrate to a Council of their peers that their work is both useful and unique. This Council consists of eleven individuals from the Collegia Arcana, the heads of the major orders of Paladins, and representatives of each Court. They must have four hundred members who identify as Welders, and are willing to testify as to why their discipline should be granted status. And lastly, they must have the personal backing of one of the Avatars. Princess Mi Amore di Cadenza sponsored them.

*looks around*
Huh. It just feels so empty today.

1311276
I'm guessing a lot of people didn't get the memo that class resumes now.

1311239
Why wouldn't the welders' backer have been Celestia or Lady Everstar?

1311291
I'm not sure, myself. Politics among the Avatars is incredibly obscure. They've been dealing with one another for four hundred years, and that's a lot of history. There was that brief border incursion over a piece of cheesecake at a feast in Canterlot, the incident involving Lady Everstar referring to Princess Cadenza's husband as "Shining Armor", and the infamous one night stand between Lady Everstar and Princess Celestia a hundred and fifty years back at a conference in Ponyville.

1311284
Nah. I believe that it is just one of the laws of college. Expect students to stop attending in the second week of class.

1311316
...Were all of these events at the same function?

1311321
Well then let me be an exception to that rule. I have never missed a single class, even the two that I tried and almost succeeded in canceling.

1311316
I'm sorry. Did you say 'one night stand'? This is the first time I'm hearing this.

1311346
No, thank goodness. Lady Everstar was currently unmarried, and had been under quite a bit of stress, if I remember correctly. To be absolutely fair, the pair of them had been incredibly restrained around each other after the Celestial Wars. I imagine what occurred was something along the lines of what the younger generation calls "hate-bucking".

1311364
The newspapers had a field day.

1311365
Sorry for being late. Completely forgot it was Wednesday.

1311399
Quite alright. We're about to wrap class up, but the important parts were covered. Do you have any further questions?

1311365
I imagine that Twilight and Celestia have an on-off relationship now. Not sure how I feel about this.

1311425
I need to scratch my shipping urge somehow. The fandom is getting to me. Maybe I'll write one of those, too. Two immortals having hate-sex is hilarious to me. Nothing explicit, but definitely implied.

1311409
Could you give me a rough estimate of the number of even vaguely different orders? Just to get an idea of the magnitude of the variety of Paladins.

1311441
I guess the best word I have about this on-off relationship would be...concerned.

1311459
In the Evening Kingdom, there are approximately three thousand, two hundred Paladins. In the Equestrian Empire, there are about seven thousand.

1311521
That is a large number.

1311489
I don't see why. In terms of a story, that is some nice variation. I'd be inclined to say it's very good for the reader since we now add more mental screwing, among other things, to the mix of issues.

1311533
They are the most common type of magic user, believe it or not. Mentalists are the least common.

Right, no homework for tonight, but I do want you to look over the Disciplines presented to you this evening, and pick the one you feel identifies most strongly with you. Not which is easiest, or looks like the most fun, I want to see which one you identify with most. That goes for all of you in the class, not just the ones here.

PM your choice and a brief summary of why to me when you have come to a decision.

Finally, if you wish to know more about anything involving politics among the Princesses, I might be able to squeeze in a quick class on that tomorrow.

Dismissed!

*sneaks in*

*removes audio recorder from ceiling*

*exits to examine lesson recording*