(Source: Hearthblood Mender, Legends of Runeterra)
The Hearthkeeper. The bonfire. The homestead. The haven. You are all of these things and more. Maybe you grew up in a close knit community and carry the love that raised you within you everywhere you go. Maybe you were an outcast and defied the loneliness of the world and now seek to break the cycle of societal rejection for others who are like you. Maybe you’ve been enslaved or imprisoned before and learned that the one thing that kept you alive during those years were the ones who suffered at your side. Whatever the reason, you have made it the labour of your life and faith to become a home, a sanctuary, a hearth of healing, shelter and sanctuary against the cold darkness of the world. There will be days when the despair is all consuming, but you, paladin, will carry the light of warm hope within you everywhere you go. Those who swear this oath are not always bound to a physical place. They become the very hearth themselves and as they carry the light into the darkest corners of the night, acting as a lighthouse and beacon to the lost and forgotten souls of the world.
Experienced Hearthkeepers often come to see the beauty of the Hearth in the world all around them. Since it is an oath grounded in the very fundamental idea of empathy and warmth extended compassionately to others, it is only natural to see the sanctity of the woods for the woodland creatures who call it home or feel the call to stand and protect a besieged village that is home to a small few from an impossibly more powerful invading force before that home is lost. Hearthkeepers will find themselves reverent towards the idea of "a place of belonging" for all creatures, big and small, divine and powerless alike, for it is their mission and oath to fight the cold, lonely, indifferent darkness of the world with the firelight of their very own souls. They do not feel they must be that place of belonging for the whole world, of course. That is why when they see a good home threatened, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect it.
When you swear this oath, you do not merely gain power through your vows nor your god alone. The faith with which you hold it and the power you are granted by it will transform your very self, given time and earnest dedication. You will transmute your very soul into a tender, yet roaring flame that you cultivate and nurture with every deed you do in the name of Hearthkeeping. You seek to foster community, sanctuary and compassion with all that you do and yearn to resolve conflict through empathy, common ground and a hearty meal before the drawing blood. That being said, you are no pacifist. It is your solemn duty and a core pillar of your oath to protect your hearth and all who dwell in it. Your greatest foe of all is the cold indifference of the world, ready to devour any who would slip through its cracks. To abandon those who need you to a grim fate for the mere sake of keeping your hands clean or to pursue personal and petty vengeance is to abandon your hearth and commit the most grievous of sins against your oath. You do not worship your sword, but you shall never neglect it. As one blessed with the power to change the very fates and destinies of those the world has scorned, broken or ensnared, your life belongs to that noble Hearth that promises a shelter from the darkness and the homes that will keep the spirits burning bright, not to the callous wrath and vengeance that may one day churn in your tired heart. You will not save everyone. You will always try.
Community. You are a living force of love and unity in the world. Everywhere you go, you seek to foster and protect community and compassion in the world. Making the village safer and better fed before the winter. Reuniting the lost with their families. Ferrying the exiled and untouchable somewhere they can belong. Fighting against the engines of empire and ceasing the cultural annihilation they would commit unchecked. Listening to and comforting the pains of the suffering and silenced. These are just some of the labours of love you shall dedicate your life to in the name of Hearthkeeping.
Equity. You are a font of empathy and welcomeness to all, not just the ones you like. All are equal in the eyes of the Hearth. You reject the notion of leaving those in need out in the cold, no matter what they’ve done. So long as they are not an active, hostile threat to the safety of those in your care, all shall find a seat at your table. The ones who suffer because they try to be better are the ones who shall need you the most sometimes, after all. No matter who it is, the door to your Hearth shall remain open for all who simply seek a safe place to rest, to heal or to atone.
Protection. You are the roof against the rain and the warmth that keeps the numbness at bay. Those who dwell in your care may be hunted or one day you may find that ill intentions seek an invite past the threshold of your open door. You will protect your Hearth and no true Hearth shall abandon those it warms and feeds. With open hand and hopeful heart you’ll always reach out first, but pacifism is neglect. Though you do not revel in it, you will not fear the day you must take up sword and shield against the loveless and wicked that prowl the night. A kind Hearth is a thing worth fighting for.
Guidance. You are the lighthouse in the storm. You are the hope that illuminates the shadows of the past, present and future. On your long journey of greetings and goodbyes, many shall seek you merely to rest before embarking the next journey of their lives, but many more will not know how to leave the shadows of their lives behind no matter how strongly they wish it, while others will see naught but crushing, hopeless darkness ahead of them. Guide them with your light towards the hope and inner strength they’ll need in order to grow and live unafraid of the world that once tried to snuff them out. A Hearth is a place of rest and growth, never stagnation.
Self Love. The hardest and most integral of the tenets. You are the first person you must learn how to save and care for with love. If you earnestly intend to swear to never abandon your Hearth, you must never forget that it is you yourself who BECOMES that Hearth. A Hearthkeeper who neglects the pain and suffering of their own heart, thoughtlessly spreads themselves too thin or turns a blind eye to their own dark and bitter feelings that gather in wall-thrown shadows, neglects the very home they sought to create. You are both a supplicant of, AND the Hearth itself. A dying flame heals none. This warmth you lovingly foster and receive from others in kind is the light you will use to better yourself, and in turn, better your hearth. You will never be above the same needs of those you save, after all. Is it not such a blessing then, that you too shall get to share in a good meal by the fire?
(Art Credit/Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
If people would really like me to cook up a spell list and game mechanics bit for DND 5e or PF2e, feel free to let me know, otherwise, enjoy!
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