Champion
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Champion is the term used to refer to individuals who were chosen by their patron deity as the right hand, enacting the deity's will in Exandria. The champions proved their dedication to their deity or the deity's cause, often undergoing a trial of faith. Some of the champions are blessed by their patron, granting them devine abilities.
Divine champions[edit | edit source]
Due to the Divine Gate, neither the Prime Deities nor the Betrayer Gods can interact directly with Exandria. Divine champions are usually the ones who take care of their deities' interests in the Material Plane, defeating their enemies, defending their cult or representing them in great quests.
Divine champions don't necessarily have to be active followers of their god in order to obtain that position: a moment of need and common interests can forge that relationship (sometimes requiring a trial; see Champion of Pelor section for reference), and sometimes it leads to the champion becoming an actual follower of their divine benefactor. In a less ideal situation, it can also be possible for a deity to forcefully obtain a champion through blackmail, torture and/or corruption; in those cases, the champion becomes a tool for the god, obeying orders without choice (Champion of Torog section for reference).
Most gods have champions. In some cases the champions hold their title indefinitely and in another champions are retired in times of peace and only summoned when it's necessary, for a certain mission, then stripped of their powers.[1] A number of gods have more than one champion, but each of them receives only a fracture of the deity's boon.[2] The Betrayer Gods have more reason to have champions of their own to help them influence Exandria in a more directly, since their cults are not as widespread in comparison to the cults of the Prime Deities.[3]
Blessings, magical weapons or artifacts can be both the beginning of the process for an individual to become a champion or a gift that the deity bestows upon their champion to make them stronger.
Asmodeus[edit | edit source]
Teven Klask is one of many champions of Asmodeus, specifically employed as his field agent throughout the Planes of Existence.[4]
Ioun[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as the servant of the Knowing Mistress, goddess of knowledge.
Ioun aided Vox Machina against the newly ascended Vecna. As a part of her help, she chose Scanlan Shorthalt to undergo her trial to become her champion. Ioun preferred Scanlan, the weaver of stories and a speaker of histories, over the more customary knowledgeable Percy de Rolo due to Percy's relation to secrecy.[citation needed]
In addition to the goddess' blessing, Scanlan was given the Tome of Isolation to aid their efforts against Vecna.[5]
Kord[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as the servant of the Stormlord, god of competitions and storms.
After The Divergence, before returning to his realm beyond the Divine Gate, Kord created an entrance to the Dreadnest as a passage his champions could use in case it was necessary to chase Lolth and her forces into the Abyss. He trusted the secret of the passage and the way of opening it to a line of mortals who went extinct at some point between 536 and 836 PD. However, the nether gnome Dryca found one of the last members of the line and learned about the entrance, acting as the Stormlord's mortal champion when it needed to be opened.[6]
At some point before 835 PD the Xhorhasian barbarian Yasha Nydoorin, magically dominated by Obann, found a shrine to Kord, and the god's influence freed her from mind control.[7] From that point, Yasha became a devoted follower of the Stormlord, following his commands whenever she could, and being particularly interested in any sight of storms.[8] He, on the other hand, was particularly interested in the aasimar's potential and the darkness that still tainted her soul; occasionally, the deity would send her dreams with messages, warnings and challenging encouragement.[9] At some point, he even sent a creature made of pure lightning to fight Yasha at sea, in order to test her strength.[10] Kord cares in his own way about Yasha, showing his pride and welcoming her when she was freed from Obann for the second time,[11] and sending her signs of her redemption,[12] which eventually became physical when Yasha's aasimar wings became feathered and functional again.[13]
When Yasha and her friends were preparing to face the Tombtakers, she obtained the Holy Avenger, a powerful sword owned by Kima of Vord. The weapon could only be used by a paladin, but through dreams the Stormlord encouraged her to focus her strength, calling her an "avatar of the Storm Lord".[14] Later, he challenged her in a dream, making her battle multiple storm spirits alone. When she succeeded, she became a champion, and she attuned to the Holy Avenger despite the weapon's requisite.[15] Kord's care for the zealot barbarian would only grow from that moment. After the Mighty Nein destroyed Cognouza, Yasha decided to visit her home with her girlfriend, facing the anger of her tribe; when the Xhorhasian warriors were about to attack the adventurers, the Stormlord sent a lightning bolt that charred a line in the ground between the two groups, which intimidated the charging cavalry into calling off the attack.[16]
Lolth[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as the servant of the Spider Queen, goddess of deceit and spiders.
In 843 PD, the Spider Queen connected with the a group of adventurers through the Circlet of Barbed Vision, tempting them with power and the possibility to follow her amendments.[17][18] She finally succeeded when Opal put the circlet on her head to try to help her sister. Afterwards, Opal found she was unable to remove the crown.[19]
Months later the circlet had changed Opal's appearance, making her scarier, and Lolth was able to communicate with her easily, and even affect her magic. The goddess tried to convince the warlock to seek the Children of Malice, while the adventurer proposed they improve Lolth's image so she wouldn't be associated with evil among the mortals. The Spider Queen responded by proposing to make Opal her champion, and offering her a test that would have turned her into a horrible monster if she failed; however, the human succeeded, becoming a champion and awakening her vestige in the process.[20]
Not long after the apogee solstice of 843 PD, Lolth, in an effort to ensure Opal was entirely loyal to her as her champion, overtook her physically and forced her to battle the others. Opal's form change—she gained two more sets of arms and she becomes taller.[21] Opal tried to negotiate with the Spider Queen her conditions as the champion. The Spider Queen showed her a vision of Predathos, and told her the gods feared it. The Spider Queen then promised to let her friends go free without issue, if Opal killed two of the Crown Keepers of her choice. Opal cast Mass Suggestion hoping to save everyone by forcing them to run away as far as possible. Both Dorian and Dariax fell under the effect of the spell. Morrighan Ferus left on her own volition, and only Fy'ra Rai remained. Opal told her to leave, but the two realized that, as long as the Wildmother and the Spider Queen were on the same side, they could remain together for now. The Spider Queen tried to get Fy'ra to leave, pointing out she needed to find Fy'ra Kai, but Fy'ra and Opal refused, and eventually the Spider Queen agreed to let them travel together.[22]
Pelor[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as a servant of the Dawnfather, god of the sun and the harvest.
In history there had been at least five Champions of Pelor; one of them, Yos Varda, leader of the Beacon of Arms, fought and was defeated by Vecna during the lich's first attempt at becoming a god.[23][24]
Centuries later, Vecna managed to achieve divinity, and Vox Machina tried to obtain the support of different gods to defeat him. When Pelor asked if any of the adventurers thought themselves worthy of being his Champion, Vex'ahlia remained silent. To encourage her friend, Keyleth tried to claim the title, motivating the ranger to offer herself to be the Champion.[25] The Dawnfather tested Vex and found her worthy, granting her his blessing and making her the sixth known Champion of Pelor.[26]
The five of the known champions have been memorialized with a star on the Crest of Whitestone, as Pelor is the patron god of the city. After Vex'ahlia became a champion herself, Percy de Rolo pointed out that they would need to add a sixth star to the crest,[27] following up on his promise at some point before 832 PD.[28]
Raven Queen[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as a servant of the Matron of Ravens, the goddess of death.
One of the earliest accounts of the Raven Queen's champions mention the individuals known as Clay, Dust and Stone. The three of them gave great importance to funerary rites, and when one great hero died in battle, they debated what to do with the body. The goddess, explaining that she had already taking what was rightfully hers (the soul of the hero), advised them to seek instruction from The Wildmother; Melora solved the debate by making the champions part the body in three parts: Clay kept the head, Dust the main body and Stone the limbs, and each of them proceeded to apply the funerary rites they deemed correct, honoring in the process different gods. Their families continued taking care of the dead after them, honoring their ancestors' mission.[29]
In the Age of Arcanum Purvan Suul, another champion, faithfully served the Matron of Death with the help of Galdric the Moonlit Wolf. As part of the ritual in which he pledge himself to the Raven Queen, Purvan gave his name to the goddess, being known thereafter as simply "the Champion". When he died, he was interred with his powerfully-enchanted armor, the Deathwalker's Ward.
Centuries later, when Vex'ahlia died during the retrieval of the Deathwalker's Ward, her twin brother Vax'ildan made a bargain for her life with the Raven Queen,[30] eventually donning the Champion's armor[31] and becoming a new Champion of the Raven Queen.[32] Vax'ildan served the goddess during his missions, and when he died, both established a new agreement: the Raven Queen would allow her champion to return to life as many times as necessary until Vecna, enemy of the goddess, was defeated, and only then would the soul of the rogue be hers. That deal was respected, and when Vax'ildan died permanently, he ascended to a new form of existence, still a champion of the Matron, but a celestial, an angelic entity known as the Champion of Ravens.[33]
In 843 PD, the Matron chose herself another champion, Morrighan Ferus, who became her paladin. She, along with the rest of the Crown Keepers, found themselves having to fight Opal when the Spider Queen overtook her with the intent of making Opal her champion.[21] During the combat, she asked the Raven Queen for guidance, and following Cyrus's death, served as the Raven Queen's champion and helped escort him between life and death. She fled the combat after killing several of the spiders.[22]
Sarenrae[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as a servant of the Everlight, the goddess of atonement and healing.
Sarenrae influenced Wilhand Trickfoot in dreams, inspiring him to leave his family's mischievous ways, and he did, teaching his descendants about the goddess. One of them, Pike Trickfoot, became a cleric of Sarenrae. She became a part of an adventuring party and channeled her goddess' power, becoming the main healer for her friends. However, after a particularly hard fight with a glabrezu, she was killed and subsequently resurrected in a small temple of Sarenrae in Emon.[34] That event made Pike more bellicose. While on one occasion the goddess limited Pike's power for her lack of compassion,[35] the Everlight generally cared about her cleric and supported her in her adventures. Pike, in turn, showed her devotion and helped restore her temples.[36][37][38]
Sarenrae, when aiding Vox Machina in the fight against Vecna, praised Pike's actions[39] and decided Pike was worthy to become her champion. The Everlight, before sending the party away, granted Pike with her blessing.[40]
After saving the world from the newly ascended god, Pike remained as Sarenrae's champion and the main support of the restoration of her cult as it is slowly being rediscovered.[41] During another of Vox Machina's adventures in Pandemonium, the Everlight answered her champion's calling and appeared on the battlefield, grappling a dust titan to help the adventurers.[42]
Torog[edit | edit source]
This champion acts as a servant of the Crawling King, the god of torture and tunnels.
Unlike other deities, Torog chose one of his most passionate enemies as his champion: a warrior called Ganix, who led an army against the god but was defeated. Torog captured and tortured Ganix, twisting him into a monster called The Laughing Hand and cursing him to an endless cycle of servitude by trapping his heart in an extraplanar space. Mad and loyal to its master, the Laughing Hand became such a dangerous menace that it was sealed in a hidden location near Bazzoxan, originally created by Sehanine and Moradin to seal the Crawling king himself; several celestials of the Moonweaver martyred themselves to seal away the temple, knowing they weren't able to permanently kill the monster once known as Ganix.[43]
The Laughing Hand was freed of its prison by Obann, a fiend who was following the commands of the Angel of Irons. With the help of a mind-controlled Yasha and Torog's champion, Obann freed another powerful entity, The Caedogeist, and continued the mission they were unknowingly doing: destroy the shackle fanes that kept Tharizdun sealed.[44] However, the Mighty Nein stopped them, and as part of the process they destroyed the Laughing Hand's heart, which allowed them to kill the monster for good.[45]
Exceptional cases[edit | edit source]
The Apotheon[edit | edit source]
Alyxian was a human from Wildemount who was born near the beginning of The Calamity under the full moon of Ruidus,[46] thus considered cursed by many. Alyxian tried to escape from his own destiny by becoming a warrior and doing good deeds in the world. Despite the horrors he witnessed during the battles of the Calamity, Alyxian did become a great hero, and on three different occasions, he asked the gods for assistance: Sehanine, Avandra and Corellon answered his prayers, helping him and giving him power to face his many challenges. While the latter was the most distant of them, the other two were more active in their support, and it is said that the Changebringer even grieved for the hero's dark destiny.[47]
The support of three of the Prime Deities, as well as their blessings in the Jewel of Three Prayers made Alyxian stronger than any other human at the time. He became a champion for his three divine benefactors, a demigod-like individual called the Apotheon by the people. Although he fought bravely, eventually he fell protecting a city in Marquet from Gruumsh. He survived a direct blow from the god but was trapped in a supernatural prison of his own making.[48][49]
By himself, the Apotheon is technically mortal, but far closer to divinity than others of his lineage. If he were to be absolved and freed of his imprisonment, the state he would be in would be equivalent to that of an empowered champion.[50][51]
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- The first wielder of Mythcarver, who helped forge it with her magical songs, was a champion herself, but both her name and her cause have been lost to history.[52]
- There is a subclass of fighter called Champion, although the concept itself focuses more on training and physical excellence.
- Although paladins are archetypically the class most associated with champions, there are no limitations or requirements to becoming one. However, in the case of divine champions the forces they serve may have preferences: nature gods, for example, will be well disposed towards druids and rangers, while more intellectual deities may prefer wizards and inventors.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 10:50.
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 12:25.
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Why, Matthew?! Why?" (4SDx15) at 11:30.
- ↑ "4-Sided Dive: Kiss and Tell" (4SDx16) at 36:06.
- ↑ "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106) at 1:04:30.
- ↑ The Tales of Exandria: The Bright Queen #2.
- ↑ "Punishment and Politics" (2x87) at 2:29:25.
- ↑ "Steam and Conversation" (2x09) at 2:42:13.
- ↑ "Labenda Awaits" (2x20) at 47:45. Yasha's dream sequence
- ↑ "A Storm of Memories" (2x46) at 1:33:27.
- ↑ "Unwanted Reunions" (2x88) at 1:23:50.
- ↑ "Dark Waters" (2x98) from 2:50:00 through 2:57:25.
- ↑ "Rumble at Rumblecusp" (2x105) at 1:31:00.
- ↑ "The Neverending Day" (2x125) at 3:36:22.
- ↑ "Into the Eye" (2x131) at 1:07:29.
- ↑ "Fond Farewells" (2x141) from 6:20:20 through 6:25:19.
- ↑ "A Test of Worth" (E1x05) at 35:47.
- ↑ "Beyond the Heart City" (E1x07) at 2:40:11.
- ↑ "What Comes Next" (E1x08) at 3:20:16.
- ↑ "Exandria Unlimited: Kymal, Part 2" (E2x02) at 1:11:40.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Broken Roads" (3x92).
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93).
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 38. Here the army is called the Army of the Just.
- ↑ "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106) from 1:17:39 through 1:22:16.
- ↑ "Elysium" (1x104) at 2:25:33.
- ↑ "Elysium" (1x104) at 2:47:12.
- ↑ "Elysium" (1x104) at 2:50:03.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 6: "Allies and Adversaries of Tal'Dorei", p. 265.
- ↑ "Causatum" (2x70) from 3:30:56 through 3:34:42.
- ↑ "The Sunken Tomb" (1x44) at 4:30:20.
- ↑ "Those Who Walk Away..." (1x45) at 1:47:05.
- ↑ "Umbrasyl" (1x55) at 55:35.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 6: "Allies and Adversaries of Tal'Dorei", pp. 274–275.
- ↑ "D&Diesel" (OSx02) at 16:47.
- ↑ "Glass and Bone" (1x08) from 1:26:27 through 1:26:51.
- ↑ "Enter Vasselheim" (1x16) from 2:51:20 through 2:55:07.
- ↑ "Hubris" (1x17) at 15:07. Matt describes the Braving Grounds around the newly uncovered temple, then Pike's first plans for excavating the temple.
- ↑ "The Fate-Touched" (1x103) at 2:23:18.
- ↑ "Elysium" (1x104) at 57:35.
- ↑ "Elysium" (1x104) from 1:01:50 through 1:02:50.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, pp. 15–16.
- ↑ "The Search For Bob" (OSx31) at 3:15:20.
- ↑ "Beneath Bazzoxan" (2x66) from 4:09:25 through 4:10:37.
- ↑ "The Threads Converge" (2x85) at 4:24:43.
- ↑ "The Cathedral" (2x86) at 2:36:00.
- ↑ "Omens Above" (3x19) at 33:22.
- ↑ Call of the Netherdeep, Chapter 3: "Bazzoxan", p. 56.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 1: "Welcome to Tal'Dorei", p. 10. See also p. 15.
- ↑ Call of the Netherdeep, "Introduction: Answering the Call", p. 4. Introduction: Answering the Call. "Story Overview."
- ↑ Call of the Netherdeep, Chapter 7: "The Heart of Despair", p. 182.
- ↑ Call of the Netherdeep, Chapter 7: "The Heart of Despair", p. 184.
- ↑ Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, Chapter 5: "Game Master's Toolkit", p. 207.
Art:
- ↑ Official art of Vax'ildan as the Champion of Ravens, by Elliott Berggren from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, page 274. This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Depiction of Alyxian, the Apotheon from Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep. This file is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Wizards of the Coast Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
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