Here to Raze Hell

If I may go off on a side tangent, one thing I particular dislike is purposefully building a loophole so you can claim you're still "playing fair". Rules as written instead of intended, essentially.

I figure if there's someone who knows all the details of the oath, its likely higher ups who don't get out much. Say... a pali who's too old to keep fighting, so they train the new generation instead. The goal of this would be less about "here's what each rule is" and "here's the reason we do so-and-so"

Of course their patron diety or what-have-you certainly knows the whole thing too, but that's probably obvious.

Rules as written is how Hell works, so unsurprising you dislike that.

That said, I think there’s merit in the idea, just try to keep it simple. If the truth of the oath is mired in endless complexity to keep it secret, something of the key message is at risk of being lost in the process.

Justice is blind, the written law may have exceptions and loopholes, but again justice itself cares little for that. Those who try to exploit those rules for their own gain... say, Devils, will quickly learn how fast that plan falls apart when nobody knows the rules themselves.

Oh what's that? You're trying to read an oath to force it to break? That's cool now check this out.

Paladin order that purposefully tries to forget the details of their oath, under the belief their god would prefer someone who does right because its right, rather than just 'cause they gave their word they will.

Said diety is a little confused, but gets the spirit.

Hmm. At first blush, kind of silly, doesn’t sound like it would last a generation if no one is remembering critical details of to whom, what, and why Oaths are being sworn.

But!

Me personally, if find her interesting, and a compelling performance by Emma Gregory. Character wise, she’s a deliberate contrast on what to expect from Paladins, but still has convictions and values, even if they are oft antagonistic ones. She’s also largely “evil” in the ambitious and ruthless sense, rather than any of the truly heinous characteristics I would find abhorrent. Her ambition is vast and she is slow to extend empathy to outside her circle of worthiness, but these are traits that are hardly scorned if applied in a healthy manner. A desire to lead and being loyal to your companions is another way of looking at it.

That said, if you feed her excess, then they will only grow, as excess does.

Ultimately though, my favorite part about Minthara, or at least, the bit of her writing and character that sneaks past my objective thoughts to hit me where I live, is that especially in the Dark Urge playthrough, she see’s the darkness within her paramour and does not fear it or become repulsed by it. As someone who often wrestles with my own shadow and how I feel about myself, a lover who sees that same darkness and continues to love me unconditionally, or sees that same darkness as beautiful, touches me where I live.