Garradan of the Gatebound Oath

Patron of Toll-Keepers, Roadwardens, Bridge-Chaplains, and Repentant Souls

Garradan was born into lawlessness, the son of a roving bandit-lord in the rocky marches of Torrach Vale, a place where the only authority was the blade, and every caravan was fair game. For years, he led raids against merchant wagons and temple convoys, growing rich off others’ risk. But legend holds that during a storm-choked night, Garradan ambushed a wagon bearing the relics of Exemplar Amandus, bound for a distant temple. Within it was The Ledger of Golden Weights , wrapped in cloth and tied with twine. He opened it not expecting coin, but something in the careful, clean script changed him. He read by lightning for three days without sleep, and when the caravan guards returned, they found him kneeling in the mud, the book protected by his cloak. From that moment on, he vowed to never again take what was not freely offered, and swore an unbreakable oath at the Temple of Crossbridge to protect the roads he once terrorized.

Garradan spent the next two decades building and guarding trade roads, waystations, and tollgates, organizing the first Brotherhood of Roadwardens, a religious-militant order dedicated to free but lawful passage. He established the Gatebound Oath , a solemn vow spoken by toll-keepers and patrol guards that binds them to fairness, protection of all lawful travelers, and refusal to extort or abuse their station. Garradan is one of the few Exemplars whose military deeds are entirely defensive. His philosophy held that “A toll is not a tax, but a trust,” a sacred duty exchanged for security.

The Gatebound Oath

“I keep the gate, but do not close it.
I take the toll, but do not steal it.
I guard the road, but do not rule it.
I weigh no traveler unfairly.
By Garradan’s name.”