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The Paladins

The Realms

  • "As Tall as Towers; as High as Honor"
    The Grand Duchy of Sarleon
    Sarleon is one of the constituent regions of the Tridents of the Northern Realms of Man and the second-largest among the three. It is considered to be the second most fertile lands of all the Continental Region, famous for its wines, ancient elven towers, vineyards, and knighthood. Chivalry is looked upon with the highest regard in Sarleon, it is also the place where the rules for tourneys are the most stringent and managed. Sarleon is ruled from the Hightowers, the ancestral seat of the House of Arundel, Grand Duke Williams of the Many Towers.

    "Forward; As Sure as Rivers Flow"
    The Kingdom of Ebbings
    Ebbings is one of the constituent regions of the Tridents of the Northern Realms of Man and the smallest among the three. Despite its size, the kingdom stands as a bulwark that defends the Northern Realms against the encroaching invasion of the Imperium Invasion. Because of their central position directly atop the great Westlants Divide, the Kingdom of Ebbings has been a frequent battleground. The men of Ebbings are known as the 'rivermen' or more insultingly 'bridge trolls', they are a mixture of hardy warriors, peaceful fisherfolk and devout smallfolk. House Fishers rules from the Twin Crossings, King Garred Fishers.

    "Many for One"
    The United Northern Kingdoms of Belgora
    By far the largest northern realms among the constituent of the Tridents of the Northern Realms, the United North Kingdoms is a coalition of many lesser kingdoms under a single banner. Though the largest, the regions they inhabit are mostly sparsely populated, with vast wilderness, forests, pine-covered hills and snow-capped mountains, speckled with tiny villages and holdfasts. Its climate is cold and harsh in winter and occasionally it will snow in summer. The populace is a diverse mixture; to local Highland natives to Valhöll Islanders. The elected ruler of the United North is High Queen Jovina of Belgora

    The Kingdom of Eldereth
    Before the Independence of Man and even the Advent Sundering, Eldereth stretched far and wide within the Continental Realms, with only the Uteffinid Imperium, a strictly Tiefling supremacist kingdom and the long-extinct dwarven kingdom of Mahggrom to contend. Despite being shadows of their former selves, they still are a nation to singlehandedly rival the military and economic might of the collective Tridents of the Northern Realm. The kingdom relishes the most fertile lands among the Continental Realms due to the volcanic soil and ideal combination of sunny and rainy days, with gilded towers of white marbles for homes. Queen Aerin, the current avatar of Nysphina rules the land.

    The Tierangaard Imperium
    Tierangaard Imperium is the most powerful empire in the known world. It is located at the southern part of the Continental Realms and has expanded through the conquest of many foreign lesser countries, turning them into the Imperium's province. Subjugating them by force through vastly well-trained armies and a strong economy. The Imperium is ruled with an iron fist by an emperor and his aristocratic magocracy. Famed for their magecraft; the Imperium allows any and all school of magic to be practiced. Even the forbidden ones.

    Teliek'vhran Forests
    Teliek'vhran Forest also known among humans as the Forest of Death, is an ancient forest queendom on the Continental Realms that the humans of the north have failed to conquer repeatedly. Just as the Eldereth Kingdom was, it is a strictly nonhuman state. Once the ancestral home of the High Elves, the elves that remained are known as the Wood Elves. They protect the forests alongside the Dryads and the Hamadryads against any invaders that dares nature's wrath. Not much is known of it, for no explorer was able to map out the insides only from an outside view, the terrain of the large expanse of the forests can be as beautiful and breathtaking as unpredictable and deadly.

    The Jarldom of Valhöll
    Valhöll or commonly known as the Isles of Valhöll is an archipelago and one of the Northern Realms. A group of seven islands off the western coast of Belgora, with each island ruled by a respective clan that often bickers with one another to the point of war. Though they are all united under one High King of the Isles and Seas, Ragnar the One-Eyed. Despite being the smallest known kingdom of all the Continental Realms, they are still exceptionally deadly, with their raiders and corsairs, and their hardy longboats that have sailed and terrorized many seas.

    D'Shar Khanate
    In contrast to the green lush lands of Eldereth, the great steppes to the south are a vast region of dry grassland. With harsh weather and little resources. Due east of the Cintron Mountain ranges, is the Steppes of D'Shar, where the others dubbed it the Warring Lands for the belligerent of races have called it their home. The many tribes of orcs, goblins, and ogres that continuously battle one another and the fierce D'Shar Khanate, a semi-nomadic group of hunters and horsemen who, much like their Steppe Horses, are lean, hardy, swift, and temperamental.

    The Quabet Sultanate
    Inhabiting the southernmost part of the Continental Realms, before the Unknown Beyond is a rocky, mountainous, arid, dry, and desert region of the Dunes of Al-Kharid ruled by the Quabet Sultanate, currently Sultan Hakim the Sixth. The desert people of this nation have a reputation for hot-bloodedness and sexual licentiousness. Famed for successfully repelling the Tierangaard Imperium's conquest many times over, the Tierangaard Imperium has instead decided to form a close pact alliance with the Quabet Sultanate.

  • Guilds & Factions

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    Paladins of the Sun and Moon
    "To rid true darkness from our world, the Sun and Moon must work in tandem — even if the world does not believe it just."
    - Regent Metram Quzod

    Paladins of the Sun and Moon are an Order of Warriors who have undergone extensive training, ruthless mental and physical conditioning to combat the growing number of monsters throughout the Continental Realms. The Paladins of the Sun or commonly known as the Suncasters are headquartered at the home of their founding at Saint Elspeth Castle leagues east of the Hightowers. While the Paladins of the Moon or Nightshades are headquartered at Greymore Refuge, at the mountainous regions in the far north.

    Paladins of the Sun
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    And indeed, did Saint Elspeth smiled forlornly at the Paladins, her children, and claimeth "Nay a sacrifice greater than thee, mine Holy Ones." - Canticle of Joshua 1:5

    Also known as Suncasters. They are the original ideation of the Paladin Order. These Holy Battlemages are guided by the altruistic code of light by Goddess Nysphina, led by Regent Metram Quzod. Their defensive-based magics reinforce mortal vitality, dispel other magics, and heal injuries. Because their acuity for the arcane is not as advanced as a Magi, a Suncaster must undergo severe mental and physiological conditioning in order to wield the power of light. This is initiated by first ingesting the Bread of Morning Light. Within the wheat are extracts magically-altered from a Mage-made photosynthesis. This begins a rapid fungal growth throughout the body. It becomes an agonizing process that forcefully reformats the body to become more attuned with Holy magic. It also allows them to drink amplifying elixirs that boost magic use, without risk of poisoning themselves. The process can also take a significant psychological toll as the growth enters the bloodstream and alters the mind. If the Paladin survives this ordeal, the Magi will infuse permanent healing wards to prevent overgrowth. These wards are annually maintained, usually by the Suncaster themself, through meditation.

    Paladins of the Moon
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    Godless mutants that disdain the Great Mother Nysphina—All. Without even a conscience and without virtue. No good deed they'll do without coin.

    Also known as Nightshades. As the Suncasters continued to police the lands, the monsters they hunted grew intelligent over time. They learned to adapt by learning how to sense a paladin’s magically-altered body. Some were even capable of sniffing out their distinct scent from afar. Sentient creatures like the Lycanthropes and the Vampires used this to their advantage, eluding the Suncasters as they strategically began to terrorize the land. A Paladin named Tor Lungan went before the order to propose a new school of thought. What followed would alter the course of the Paladin order for the rest of its days.

    Tor Lungan’s body was unable to withstand the Bread of Morning Light. The Magi and their Alchemist tried to prevent the overgrowth from spreading with a concoction of elixirs, but nothing seemed to work. Tor Lungan decided he’d much rather die fighting than suffer a long and painful death, so he braced a vampire’s cave alone in hopes of taking it with him to the afterlife. The battle was fierce. In the end, Tor Lungan outlived the vampire. He laid on his back in the darkness, waiting for death’s embrace as the beast’s marks scathed him open. Yet death never came. The Magi and Alchemist would later conclude that the vampire was gravely sick, poisoned by a mineral (later called Imygdilite) in the cave. The mineral, having circulated through its bloodstream and transferred onto Tor Lungan, not only created an antigen for the growth but turned him into something else entirely. It would take many years of refinement, but The Midnight Moon’s Wine would eventually touch the lips of many Paladins.

    The difference in the wine is that the growth isn’t fungal. While the bread gives magical acuity, the wine enhances the entire physiology, enabling the Paladin to do near superhuman feats. Increased stamina, strength, and durability, along with night vision and enhanced senses to name a few. The real power in the wine comes from the fact that it makes Nightshades difficult for monsters to detect. However, while this comes as a great advantage against creatures, Nightshades are not well-liked by most people. They are viewed as abominations, especially by the Incantors of Faith, who would like nothing more than to see their order wiped from the history tomes. The Grandmaster views them as a necessary evil and prefers to acknowledge them from a distance for fear of sullying his public image. With this in mind, the Paladin order greatly emphasizes a strong fellowship between both schools of thought.

    The Initiation of the Paladins

    The initiation can be summed up into three sections: The Request, The Lantern, and The Mirror.

    The Request
    This is an informal invitation that can either be initiated by a Paladin or a hopeful recruit. The two are to agree to the terms of a non-lethal sparring match using wooden practice weapons. If the recruit remains standing after one hour against the Paladin, they have passed the first part of the initiation. They are given three tries within the span of a year, and each try may or may not be against the same Paladin. Should they fail all three attempts, they will be deemed unworthy of enlistment, and cannot, under any circumstance, be allowed to move forward with the initiation.

    Notes: When individuals agree to the terms of The Request, they are temporarily given the title of Requester. If a Requester fails the first attempt, they receive a small wooden carving of a hand with its middle and index fingers pointing out. If they fail a second time, the Paladin breaks off a finger. If they fail a third, the Paladin breaks the other, signifying the end of the Requester's initiation.

    If the Requester loses the hand, they cannot make any more attempts at the Request and are denied initiation. If the Requester attempts to recreate a false hand, they'll be denied initiation. Sometimes a Paladin won't call the Requester out on their forgery and will use the sparring match to chastise them for their falsehood. The hand itself is seen as a symbol of respect. It is not uncommon for failed Requesters to display said hand as a trophy, or used as an offering into Knighthood.

    The Lantern
    The Requester becomes The Journeyer as they embark on the path of The Lantern. This is unofficially considered a Squire's title in the Paladin ranks. It is here where they will learn the fundamentals by studying the two different schools, and their respective philosophies. They are assigned to a Paladin, typically the same one they sparred against during their Request, who will guide them on their journey. The duration of a Journeyer varies, but it is ultimately up to the Paladin to decide whether the Journeyer is ready for the final step.

    Notes: At some point in time the Journeyer and their Paladin will embark on a mission with another pair, usually of the opposite school. This gives the Journeyer better insight into how both Paladin types operate in the real world. This also lets the Paladins observe the behavior and skill set of their Journeyers, which can influence what school they might recommend for them. Not all Journeyers move onto the final step. If they are not deemed worthy to be a Paladin, they're often reassigned to other roles within the Order. While their chances of becoming a Paladin are not completely ruled out, it is a rare instance for a Journeyer in this position to be reconsidered.

    The Mirror
    When The Journeyer reaches the final step, they must not ask themselves: Whom Shall I Serve? for they should already know.

    The time of observance and enlightenment is over. Within The Ritual of Mirrors, one peers into their reflection while reciting the Rite of Holy Ingest :

    As Requester, I've fared thy invitation
    As Journeyer, I've carried thy lantern
    The eyes of my brother and The eyes of my sister,
    See me, as I see myself, in The Reflection Eternal
    I embrace the path, wholeheartedly,
    Without acquiescence, but conviction
    I hereby invoke the Rite of Holy Ingest...

    The Journeyer will then step towards the Master Suncaster or the Nightshade Master. If the former, the Suncaster Master will offer the Bread of Morning Light. If the latter, The Nightshade Master will offer wine, The Midnight Moon. Once the choice has been made, only then does the Journeyer truly begin on the Paladin's road.

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    Brotherhood of the Woods
    The red-ones from the Seventh Singuardian Brigade laughed, "Brotherhood of the Woods?" the Captain jeered, "Fancy names for bandits! Rhymed too!" Then with another roaring laugh, he marched his detachment into the Calemore bog. None of them were seen again.

    The Brotherhood of the Woods is an elite ranger corp that independently and unofficially aid in the border defense of the Kingdom of Ebbing. Their prominence came when they aided in the liberation during the Independence of Man against Eldereth in the Gloomerwood and later, in the Quag of Calemore against Tierangaard.

    They mostly consist of former assassins, dauntless swashbucklers, interrogation specialists, retired scouts, and skilled huntsmen—All fiercely loyal to their unidentified leader.