Champion

Fan art of several divine champions in battle, by Kent Davis.

Champion is the term used to refer to different individuals that become loyal supporters of either a deity or a cause. They are usually mighty warriors, powerful mages, or a combination of both. Many champions are mortals, and their condition grants them new abilities, sometimes even changing their very nature to something more divine.

Divine champions

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. In times of peace, a god may opt not to have a champion at all. For some gods, a champion may choose to discard the title, at least temporarily, when no longer needed. For other gods, such as the Matron of Ravens, it is a permanent commitment. A god can have more than one champion at a time.

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 (maybe after some sort of trial), 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.

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.

Before an individual becomes the full champion of a deity, they are considered a chosen, favored among that god's followers and servants.

A particularly devout champion of a god can eventually become their avatar, doing their will as living manifestations of their power on the Material Plane.

Champion of Asmodeus

Fan art of Zerxus Ilerez, champion of Asmodeus, by Aquarisma Arts.

This champion acts as the servant of the Lord of the Nine Hells, god of domination.

On the eve of the Calamity, soon after the release of Asmodeus from his planar prison by the archmage Vespin Chloras, the dark deity chose the paladin Zerxus Ilerez, the First Knight of Avalir, as his future champion. Through dreams and visions, the archdevil gained the paladin's sympathy and compassion, obtaining from him the promise of his support against the gods who had treated him unjustly; Asmodeus rewarded that commitment by casting Protection from Evil and Good on Zerxus, and giving him the ability to understand and speak Infernal. Later that same night, Asmodeus stepped into Exandria through the sundered remains of the Tree of Names, and stopped time immediately. When he and Zerxus saw each other, the paladin saw a glimpse of the tortured fallen angel the Father of Lies had been, and talked to him, attempting to use his powers to return Asmodeus to a less diabolical state; this made the Betrayer God angry, and he abandoned his affable act, outraged by the human's attitude considering him someone who should be redeemed. Alternating between Time Stop and healing magic, the Lord of the Nine Hells tortured and killed the First Knight repeatedly before finally giving him a choice: move on to the afterlife or take the Mace of the Black Crown and become his champion. After Zerxus' spirit had a discussion with his husband's spirit in the Astral Plane, Zerxus claimed the mace, resurrecting himself and taking on a more devilish form with horns and reddish skin. The contract for Zerxus's soul was slowly inscribed upon the mace, though the intervention of a (temporarily) redeemed Vespin Chloras allowed him to retain him free will until sunrise.

Following the fall and destruction of Avalir, in which Zerxus fell in battle, the Lord of the Hells claimed Zerxus' soul, and he allowed it, under the firm belief that redemption was possible for everyone, even himself. It is unknown how long Zerxus continued to act as Asmodeus' active champion or whether he was succeeded in that role, but the Devil Lord keeps him shackled to his side regardless, enjoying the fact that the paladin still has goodness inside of him but is unable to leave.

Fan art of Teven Klask, Retribution of the Hells, by Jenny Dolfen.

As of 843 PD the Father of Lies had several champions in his service, and like everything in the Nine Hells, they follow a hierarchy. After the apogee solstice brought the possibility of Predathos being released, the Betrayer God sent at least one of them to Exandria with orders to help the cause of his patron (and indirectly that of the rest of the gods), collaborating with the followers of the Prime Deities if necessary. This was Teven Klask, the Retribution of the Hells, who normally acted as a disruptor, assassin and/or scout. During his stay on the Material Plane the devilish champion defeated demons who had taken over the Iridon Bastion in the Grey Valley, allying with Bells Hells and forging a pact with Fearne Calloway to assist her in the future provided she was willing to serve Asmodeus. Days later, the druid summoned him in the ruins of Aeor to ask him for help dealing with a demon called Dominox; Teven identified him as the Grand Demon of Loathing, and seemed excited about the possibility of facing him. He confirmed that although he wouldn't be able to summon more allies, since the Nine Hells were preparing to attack Ruidus, he would stay with them for the time being since their interest aligned with those of Asmodeus. Later, when they encountered Braius Doomseed, a minotaur paladin who claimed to be a divine "herald champion", Teven said disdainfully that he was no champion. Despite this, the party accepted him as an ally and during the fight against Dominox, Braius (who was also a follower of Asmodeus) helped Teven to destroy the grand demon, killing him inside a portal to the Abyss.

Champion of Gruumsh

This champion acts as the servant of the Ruiner, god of slaughter.

Throughout history there has been at least one champion of Gruumsh in Exandria, but their relevance is due precisely to their defeat, as they were bested in single combat by Marydra Skysplitter, a legendary stormborn goliath.

Champion of Ioun

Fan art of Scanlan as the Champion of Ioun, by David Rodrigues.

This champion acts as the servant of the Knowing Mistress, goddess of knowledge.

Ioun chose Scanlan Shorthalt, as a weaver of stories and a speaker of histories, to undergo her trial to become her champion, preferring him over Percy de Rolo due to his relation with secrecy (although she would grant the gunslinger the knowledge to design the Prime Trammels, saying he had "the ingenuity of a madman").

In addition to the goddess' blessing, Scanlan was given a book called the The Tome of Isolation. Ioun's choice, as well as the cause she was supporting, the defeat of Vecna, made her new champion a prime target for the newly ascended god.

Based on his abilities in 836 PD, it's possible that Scanlan is no longer an active champion of the Knowing Mistress.

Champion of Kord

Fan art of Yasha, avatar of the Storm Lord, by Robson Michel.

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.

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. From that point, Yasha became a devoted follower of the Stormlord, following his commands whenever she could, and being particulary interested in any sight of storms. 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. At some point, he even sent a creature made of pure lightning to fight Yasha at sea, in order to test her strength. Kord cares in his own way about Yasha, showing his pride and welcoming her when she was freed from Obann for the second time, and sending her signs of her redemption, which eventually became physical when Yasha's aasimar wings became feathered and functional again.

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". 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. 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 Xhorhasians 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.

Even after Yasha stopped acting as an active adventurer, Kord's attention never left her, and when the Mighty Nein sailed through the Lucidian Ocean to fight Uk'otoa, the Stormlord helped his champion in the battle, sending his influence through the tempest initially summoned by the Great Leviathan.

Champion of Lolth

Fan art of Opal Twice-Crowned, champion of the Spider Queen, by Sabira Langevin.

This champion acts as the servant of the Spider Queen, goddess of deceit and spiders.

Her fight with Kord and banishment behind the Divine Gate has left Lolth weak enough that part of her predilect mortal race has abandoned her worship, while others suffer under the influence of the Chained Oblivion. Wanting to gain influence in the Material Plane again, the Spider Queen started using the Circlet of Barbed Vision, one of her artifacts, to manipulate a group of adventurers, tempting them with power and the possibility of doing evil. She finally succeeded when Opal, a warlock, put the circlet on her head to try to help her sister. Afterwards, Opal found she was unable to remove the crown.

Months later the circlet had changed Opal's appearance, making her scarier, and Lolth was able to communicate with her easily and affect her magic. The goddess tried to convince Opal to seek the Children of Malice, while the adventurer proposed they improve Lolth's image so she wouldn't be associated with evil among mortals. The Spider Queen responded by offering to make Opal her champion through a test that would have turned her into a horrible monster if she failed; however, Opal succeeded, becoming a champion and awakening her vestige in the process. Weeks later, after the apogee solstice started and the gods started to feel the threat of Predathos approaching, Lolth lost her patience, and after admitting to Opal that she would have preferred to persuade her with more time and in a more organic way, the goddess demanded that she leave her friends and emotional ties behind, and give herself to her cause completely. This led to a battle in which the Spider Queen weaponized her own influence over Opal and Ted's protectiveness of her twin to fight the other Crown Keepers, insisting that if the warlock prioritized the Betrayer God she would spare the lives of her friends. Lolth constantly tried to negotiate, making one of her spiders kill Cyrus Wyvernwind to make Opal feel guilty. However, Opal used Mass Suggestion to send Dorian and Dariax away, and persuaded Morrighan to flee as well, leaving only Fy'ra Rai and herself. The fire genasi, herself now the champion of The Wildmother, convinced the Spider Queen that they all wanted to stop Predathos. Eventually they reached an agreement and both champions were allowed to leave together as allies.

Champion of Melora

Fan art of Fy'ra Rai, the chosen of Melora, by ElesirArt.

This champion acts as a servant of the Wildmother, goddess of nature.

In 843 PD, after the growing threat of Predathos caused the Prime Deities and the Betrayer Gods to reach a truce of convenience, Melora was willing to work with the Betrayers, or at least not interfere with their own plans to stop Predathos. When the Spider Queen made her champion Opal attack her group so that she would be alone and therefore devoted to her, one of those adventurers, Fy'ra Rai, sought the Wildmother's advice. Although Melora had guided the monk for a long time and had even led her to meet her current adventuring party, she was reluctant to intervene, aware that each deity would need every resource possible for the coming conflict, including champions; however, she revealed that a possible way to separate Opal from Lolth's influence was to remove her vestige, the Circlet of Barbed Vision. The battle continued, and Fy'ra Rai, in desperation, prayed once more to her goddess, promising to serve her more actively if she helped them, after which Melora conveyed the possibility of a reward if the fire genasi committed to her offer. Fy'ra Rai agreed, starting her journey as a Chosen of the Wildmother, and the goddess, as an immediate reward, Dispelled the Darkness spell that had been covering Opal for most of the fight. When Fy'ra confronted Lolth directly, after realizing she couldn't remove the Circlet of Barbed Vision without killing her friend in the process, she offered to join their cause, acting as a divine champion and protecting Opal, since ultimately they now shared the same goal: stopping Predathos. The Spider Queen agreed (although irritated about the possibility of interacting with Melora more often) and Fy'ra Rai and Opal left together.

Champion of Pelor

Fan art of Vex'ahlia, champion of Pelor, by Jessica Scates.

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 first attempt of the lich becoming a god.

Centuries later, Vecna attempted again (with more success) to achieve divinity, and Vox Machina was trying to obtain the support of different gods to defeat their enemy. 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. The Dawnfather tested Vex and found her worthy, granting his blessing to the hero and making her the sixth known Champion of Pelor.

Five of these 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, effectively doing so at some point before 832 PD.

Based on her abilities in 836 PD, it's possible that Vex'ahlia is no longer an active champion of the Dawnfather.

Champion of the Raven Queen

This champion acts as a servant of the Matron of Ravens, goddess of death and fate.

Fan art of Purvan, champion of the Raven Queen, looking after her young avatar, by Sabira Langevin.

The earliest known champion was Purvan Suul, who served the Matron of Ravens faithfully with the help of Galdric the Moonlit Wolf. As part of the ritual in which he pledged himself to the Raven Queen, Purvan gave his name to the goddess, being known thereafter as simply "the Champion"; when he visited the flying city of Avalir people did know his name, but he insisted in being called "Champion". For almost three decades before the fall of Aeor he acted as the guardian of Emhira, a human warlock that was actually a mortal incarnation of the Matron of Death; when he bade farewell to her, he escorted the half-firbolg children of Trist (the mortal incarnation of the Everlight) to safety as a last favor to Emhira. That same day he was one of the warriors defending Hawk's Hill from a devil army, being assisted by the demigod children he had been tasked to protect. When he died, he was interred with his powerfully-enchanted armor, the Deathwalker's Ward, remaining sealed in the champion's tomb until the early 9th century after the Divergence.

Three other champions of the Raven Queen (who centuries later were believed to be the first followers of the goddess) were known as Clay, Dust and Stone. The three of them gave great importance to funerary rites, and when a hero died in a battle during the Calamity, they debated about what to do with the body. The goddess, explaining that she had already taken 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.

Official art of Vax'ildan as the Champion of Ravens, by Elliott from Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, page 274.

When Vex'ahlia, a member of Vox Machina, died during the retrieval of the Deathwalker's Ward, her twin brother Vax'ildan made a bargain for her life with the Raven Queen, eventually donning the Champion's armor and becoming a new Champion of the Raven Queen. 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, staying under her service the following years, and appearing before his mortal family and friends very briefly on counted occasions. During the apogee solstice of 843 PD the champion was lured into a trap while he was trying to protect the Voice of the Tempest, being captured by Ludinus Da'leth's forces and compressed into a dark sphere (a "sliver of divinity") to use as a lens for the Malleus Key in the Tishtan excavation site.

Fan art of Morrighan, the champion of the Matron of Ravens, by Sabira Langevin.

Although the Raven Queen wanted her main Champion back, and sent visions to guide adventurers in order to free him, she also sought the help of her own worshipers. One of them, Morrighan Ferus, had proven her loyalty in Kymal by destroying a bust with the hidden name of the goddess, and in the following weeks after gaining the Matron's approval, she became a paladin and her champion. Even after the apogee solstice, when the Prime Deity was distant, Morrighan felt like she gave her purpose, home and direction, and wanted to please her. During her journey with the Crown Keepers, Morrighan's friend Opal, controlled by the Spider Queen, started attacking the rest of the group. The Matron revealed to Morrighan the terrifying threat of Predathos, and encouraged her to leave and survive since she wasn't supposed to die fighting Lolth's champion. When one of the Spider Queen's spiders killed Cyrus Wyvernwind, Morrighan obeyed her deity's command and left the battlefield, bringing with her some gemstones connected to Opal's memories and bonds in order to protect them. She was joined by the spirit of Cyrus, since as a champion now it was also her duty to guide the souls of the departed.

Champion of Sarenrae

Fan art of Pike, champion of the Everlight, by J.T. Arndt.

This champion acts as a servant of the Everlight, goddess of atonement and healing.

Sarenrae's good faith and belief that anyone can be redeemed led to the Lord of the Hells betraying her and decimating most of her followers in The Calamity. Any champion she may have had then died in the conflict, and the goddess' influence and worship declined; for centuries, her remaining followers kept their devotion in private, and public temples of the Everlight, like the one in Vasselheim, fell to ruin.

The Prime Deity would influence 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, would become a cleric of Sarenrae. The gnome 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; that event made Pike more bellicose. While on one occasion the goddess limited Pike's power for her lack of compassion, the Everlight generally cared about her cleric and supported her in her adventures. Pike, in turn, showed her devotion and helped restore her temples.

Sarenrae supported not only Pike, but also Vox Machina, in their quests against the Chroma Conclave and Vecna. During the latter, they visited the Island of Renewal, in Elysium, and Pike and Scanlan Shorthalt entered the palace where they met the goddess in person. The Everlight praised Pike's actions, and gave her her blessing, sending her as her champion against the Whispered One.

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. 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.

Champion of Tiamat

Fan art of Arkhan, Highlord and champion of Tiamat, by Lap Pun Cheung.

This champion acts as a servant of the Scaled Tyrant, goddess of greed and wealth, and the queen of evil dragons.

During The Founding, Tiamat created her chromatic dragons to protect her interests on the Material Plane, and when she sided with chaos and destruction, these dragons, along with the creations of the other Betrayer Gods, were changed to match that intent. According to some legends, she and Bahamut created the dragonborn during the Calamity as their loyal soldiers who eventually earned their freedom. However, by the end of the conflict, the Scaled Tyrant was imprisoned within Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. For centuries, the worship to the Dragon Queen has been limited to evil dragons, partially due to the efforts of the followers of the Platinum Dragon, the enemy and rival of the goddess. However, she has successfully gained followers among the mortals, with secret cults being created, some formed by greedy people obsessed with wealth, and others that fight for a greater goal: to free Tiamat from Avernus.

Arkhan, a dragonborn paladin, was once contacted by the Scaled Tyrant in a moment of need, and from that moment on he was a devout follower of the dragon goddess, and a champion to the cause of freeing her from the Nine Hells. To succeed in his goal, Arkhan conducted several missions in the Material Plane, at one point visiting Exandria and undertaking a mission to the Aggrad Mountains with several adventurers (including Keyleth and Percival de Rolo) to obtain the Wreath of the Prism, a vestige connected to his goddess. He also spent time in Avernus, commanding Tiamat's forces, obtaining his own followers, and even raising chromatic dragons like Obatalá. By then Arkhan had gained power beyond his mortal capabilities, becoming a Highlord under her service with his own tower in his queen's layer and prison.

A few years after his last visit to Exandria, Arkhan returned with a small group of adventurers, but they were attacked by the forces of Vecna, led by Delilah Briarwood. When the champion chased the attackers to Thar Amphala, his mount was slain and he was left for dead. Wanting revenge and seeing that as an opportunity to obtain more power for his cause, Arkhan joined Vox Machina in their quest, helping them defeat the Whispered One. After that, he stole the Hand of Vecna and Teleported to a rendezvous point to meet Krull, one of his military advisors, who Plane Shifted them both to Avernus. Since then Arkhan has been trying to use the power of the artifact to unlock the secrets of how to free Tiamat, but the Hand is slowly corrupting Arkhan's flesh and decomposing his body on one side. A century after he got the artifact, the champion's reputation was so feared that the Cobalt Soul outright prohibited any formal study of this figure.

Champion of Torog

Fan art of The Laughing Hand, champion of Torog, by GalacticJonah.

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.

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 to unwittingly pursue another purpose: destroy the shackle fanes that kept Tharizdun sealed. 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.

Fiendish champions

Depiction of Orcus from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, p. 153.

Either using their own fiendish forces or by deals with mortals in the Material Plane, both devils and demons can use champions to do their bidding.

An example of this is Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undead, who gave two of his own horns to his "shadow champion", who was sent with them to the mortal realm to open a doorway between the two dimensions. Acting as Orcus' avatar, the champion fought long-forgotten heroes, and many fell to the creature's wrath before it was defeated, and the seemingly indestructible horns were sealed away.

Empowered champions

There are certain champions in Exandria that, through their own will and deeds or through some great destiny made for them, have achieved a great power, nearly god-like; along with their power, they usually gain a limited form of immortality, or at the very least, an extended longevity that allows them to live longer than what their mortal lineage would allow.

These champions spend most of their time in seclusion, lending their power to others, and it is believed that said isolation is precisely what allows them to grant such gifts, while they reserve their full strength to face an event worthy of them. While these champions can obtain their power through their followers' worship, that's not always the case, and some of them can remain powerful even when they are despised by others.

Known empowered champions

The following individuals, despite their different stories and reputation among their kinsfolk, can become idols for those who seek them as patrons, leaders or objects of worship:

• Azgrah, Lord of the Deep Dwelling: A duergar hero venerated by many deep dwarves in the Emberhold.
• Flavia, Queen of Unending Storms: A cloud giant ruler.
• Suthine, Eternal Princess of Vulkanon: A fire giant aristocrat in a city-state of the Cliffkeep Mountains.
• Valdemar, Draugr-Jarl of Farborg: A frost giant chief.
• Ghaladron, Traitor to the Iron Crown: A hobgoblin who presumably turned against the Iron Authority.
• Tevrosk, Whose Axe Was Wreathed in Flowers: An orc warrior.
• The First Favored Champion: A stone giant of great age, presumably the oldest of these champions.
• Typhoe, the Dreaming Shark: A powerful storm giant.

These champions are mythic iconoclasts: this means that each of them, in one form or another, attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions. Examples of this are Azgrah taking attributions related to Laduguer and surpassing in popularity the Crawling King himself; or Ghaladron betraying the dictatorship of their nation.

Exceptional cases

The Apotheon

Depiction of Alyxian, the Apotheon from Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep.

Alyxian was a human from Wildemount who was born near the beginning of The Calamity under the full moon of Ruidus, thus considered by many to be cursed. 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.

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.

By himself, the Apotheon is technically mortal, but far closer to divinity than others of his lineage. If he were to be released into the world without having healed and regained his compassion, he would become a powerful and dangerous entity that mortals would come to worship. If he were instead to be absolved and only then freed of his imprisonment, the state he would be in would be equivalent to that of an empowered champion.

The Inevitable End

Fan art of Jourrael, the Inevitable End, by @hierothraxs.

Jourrael, also known as the Caedogeist, is an assassin that serves the Spider Queen. While she has the appearance of a drow woman, she is actually a fiend, unable to die permanently thanks to an agreement between Lolth and Asmodeus during a time of common interests, thus making the Inevitable End virtually unkillable while the contract between the two Betrayer Gods exists.

While they aren't officially considered Lolth's champion (not as mortal champions are anyway, enacting their deity's will openly), Jourrael served their goddess faithfully, chasing and finishing anyone Lolth pointed as her enemy. At the end of the Calamity, an attempt of destroying the Caedogeist was made, and since the ones involved knew she would come back, the body of Jourrael was sundered and sealed apart in secret, The heart was buried within the Lotusden Greenwood in the Wraithroot tree, and the skull entrusted to the elves in Veluthil. The skull was recovered from the ruins of Molaesmyr and sold to the Stassman family of Kamordah. Centuries later Obann freed them and put them under his control in order to help him in his mission, but the Mighty Nein defeated the cambion, freeing Jourrael who, in turn, helped the adventurers killing Obann before leaving.

By 836 PD Jourrael walks Exandria for the first time in centuries, still loyal to the Spider Queen. Apparently she has taken an interest in finding the Circlet of Barbed Vision, which is currently in the hands of Opal, the champion of Lolth.

Entities similar and/or connected to champions

K'nauthi

K'nauth is an old term that translates as "puppet" in Infernal. This term refers to mortal individuals whose purpose is to fulfill the will of a superior entity, but whose well-being does not matter to said entity. A k'nauth is so extremely devoted to their master that even if it is detrimental to them, they remain loyal of their own free will, doing their master's bidding like a champion/puppet, and channeling an essence so powerful and intense that in a few weeks it causes malformations and tumors in their body.

The k'nauthi had not been seen since the Founding, but by the eve of the Calamity, various individuals devoted to Asmodeus gave themselves to him to do his bidding, mutilating their bodies in exchange for magical power with which to serve him.

Judicators

Judicators are a type of guardian created in Vasselheim at the beginning of the Calamity. Those who joined the order would renounce to their individuality, going through rituals and receiving secret blessings, not unlike a champion, becoming living weapons for the gods and their servants on Exandria.

Judicators still exist as of 843 PD, even if not many people know about them, and in the absence of the gods they serve their temples as defenders of important figures and relic hunters and enemies of the Dawn City.

Trivia

• Since their cults are not as widespread in mortal societies, the Betrayer Gods are even more eager to have champions of their own to help them influence Exandria in a more direct and active way.
• 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.
• The way of divine empowerment that allows some champions to become patrons for other mortals is similar to the empowerment Artagan enjoyed as The Traveler, although in his case his position as Archfey (an already god-like being) made the transition easier.
  • It is unclear if this type of champion has a limit on how many followers they can grant magic to, or if said followers would lose their powers the moment the champion gathers their full strength again.
• There is a subclass of fighter called Champion, although the concept itself focuses more in training and physical excellence.
• Although paladins are archetypically the class most associated with champions, there are no limitations or requirements of such kind to become 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.

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