This time, however, the inconvincible were deemed evil. During the height of the Time of Troubles, the Church commenced a second campaign of conversion. Some decades later, Paladins were again called into service. However, once the Word had been spread to every major city of the West, the 'Protectors of the Word' faded from public view. Impressing the locals with daring deeds, powerful weapons, and martial prowess was far more convincing than the condemnations of a soft-spoken monk. In practice, these 'Protectors of the Word' proved to be more successful at converting the native peoples than the Priests that they were assigned to defend. To ensure the success of future missions, the Church set about training holy warriors, Paladins, to accompany and safeguard their missionaries. The priests who survived their missions recounted tales of harsh weather, inadequate supplies, attacks from bandits and even encounters with horrible monsters. Unfortunately, the Church had not prepared these men for the rigors of travel nor the hazards of the world. Thus, the Church selected a group of its most charismatic and devoted priests and sent them on a mission to proselytize the people of the West. During the mid-twelfth century, after the Church of Zakarum had gained prominence in the East, the Church decreed that the visions of Akarat would be spread throughout the known world in order to redeem the masses.

Diablo 2 paladin