Lucianos - Paladin of Ragathiel

Background:
Growing up poor is never easy.  Even harder is being a poor tiefling in a slum.  I developed 2 talents.  First a knack for dealing with people, and second a propensity for overwhelming violence when needed.  This led to me forming my own gang in the slums while I was young.  A gang I later converted to a small but successful mercenary company.  Our company had rules regarding the jobs we took.  No kidnappings, no child targets.  You wanted us to run off some bandits, protect a caravan, be a bodyguard; sure, no problem.

Then I took the job.  In part the biggest mistake of my life, and yet also the one that would set my down the proper path.  A wealthy merchant hired us because bandits had captured a caravan of goods, but even more important to him than the goods, his sister was in the caravan.  Simple job.  Find and kill the bandits, liberate the sister, return her unharmed.  We found the bandits moving what was left of the caravan along the road, presumably to get it to whatever hiding spot or lair they had.  Kill off the bandits? Check.  Find the sister?  Oops.  We find her sure enough, but she was gravely injured, presumably during the bandits assault on the caravan.  We rendered the aid we could, then took her and a map to the caravan's location to where we to meet the merchant and his guard.  This is where everything went sideways.  We handed over the sister to the merchant's care, handed over the map, then were ambushed by his guards.  My men slain in seconds, and I fell, left for dead.

Later, when I had recovered from my wounds I learned the truth from some old friends.  It was all a setup.  The 'bandits' we were sent to kill, were what was left of the caravan guard.  The battle they were in, was against a less scrupulous company the merchant hired before us.  As for the 'sister' she was the wife of a business rival.  The merchant had her kidnapped then used the wife as a bargaining chip to expand his trade and fortunes.  We were at best expendable, and at worst the patsies to take the fall if things went badly.

Unfortunately for the scheming merchant I was not dead, I was very angry, and I am very good with a blade.  Fortunately for me I was not the first to go after the merchant seeking vengeance.  When I arrived to exact my retribution an older aasimar was already there, having cut through the guards like wheat before a scythe.  Who was I to interfere with the death of the merchant, so I stood back and watched as he was executed in his office.

Ozas, as I learned in our later conversations, was a Paladin of Ragathiel.  Contacted by the son of a dead caravan guard, he was exacting divine Vengeance.  At his behest I went with him to the temple of Ragathiel in Mendev.  I spent the next 2 years relearning skills with the paladins of the temple, dedicating myself to the service of Ragathiel, and fighting alongside the crusaders and clergy of Iomedae at the Worldwound.  Once I completed the rites and was ready I set off into the world.  Now an avowed of Ragathiel, I am ready to balance the scales of suffering in the world.

Paladin Code:
 - I will avenge evil wrought upon the innocent
 - I will not give my word lightly, but once it is given, I will uphold a promise until my last breath
 - Those proven guilty must be punished for their crimes.  I will not turn a blind eye to wrongdoing.
 - Rage is a virtue and a strength only when focused against the deserving.  I will never seek disproportionate retribution.
 - Redemption finds hearts from even the cruelest origins.  I will strive not to act upon prejudice against fellow mortals based on race or origin.
 - A life for a life. One death does not justify a hundred acts of Vengeance.  The path of the sword is one of balance, and every act of Vengeance may beget another. A paladin of Ragathiel seeks to balance the scales, not fill them to overflowing
 - Torture is not Vengeance.  There is enough suffering in the world.  I will not add to it in Ragathiel's name. A clean death can be an act of just Vengeance, but a torturous one is almost always an act of evil.
 - No Vengeance but Ragathiel's.  Once I have agreed to take Vengeance for someone, the matter is finished.  The wronged party must move on with their life as soon as I agree to enact Vengeance.  They are not to witness the deed themselves.  They are not to seek further Vengeance against the friends and family of the target.
 - The silence of the grave. The matter is never to be spoken of again. You are never to speak of the Vengeance you request with anyone.  Ever.  You may only make a silent sacrifice to Ragathiel once a year in remembrance.  Otherwise you are to act as though your loved one died a natural death.  Mourn them, but do not hold onto anger or resentment.
 - No Vengeance for yourself.  I may never entreat myself for Vengeance.  I take Vengeance only for others, at their request, and only if they are worthy and willing to follow the rules set out by Ragathiel.
 - Do not suffer a demon to live.  Demons are anathema.  All demons are assumed to be worthy of Vengeance.  I am called to destroy Demon-kind where ever I find them.  This is not a requirement to suicide recklessly


Character

Race: Tiefling(Pitborn)
Class: Fighter(Two Handed Warrior)3/Paladin(Oath of Vengeance) 17

Stats
Str 20
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 18

Racial Abilities
Additional +2 Cha
Horns
Glowing Eyes
Fire Resistance 7
Cold Resistance 7
Electricity Resistance 7
Prehensile Tail
Darkvision 60'
Shatter 1/day

Class Abilities:
1 Detect Evil, Aura of Good, Smite Evil 1/day
2 Lay on Hands, Divine Grace
3 Aura of Courage, Divine Health, Mercy(Shaken)
4
5 Shattering Strike
6 Overhand Chop
7 Channel Wrath
8 Divine Bond(Weapon)
9 Mercy(Sickened)
10
11 Aura of Resolve
12 Mercy(Injured)
13
14 Powerful Justice
15 Mercy(Fatigued)
16
17 Aura of Faith
18 Mercy(Exhausted)
19
20 Aura of Righteousness

Feats:
1 Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)
3 Step Up
4 Power Attack
5 Furious Focus
5b Following Step
7 Vital Strike
9 Step Up and Strike
11 Improved Vital Strike
13 Extra Lay on Hands
15 Extra Lay on Hands
17 Greater Vital Strike
19 ???