Here's a little extra info to get you ready for the launch tomorrow! 

This story is going to involve some politics, and there are several kingdoms involved so I would like to provide some info on all these various places to help keep everything straight. Plus, I love providing extra info into my worlds :)

One thing I should mention is that mentioned in the synopsis is the Champion Selection. It's discussed in the story too but considered this another sneak peek! The Champion Selection is an event that is held once a Paladin comes into adulthood and is able to choose a king to serve. By the god's orders, a king may have no more than 10 Paladins serving them (with a total of 100 in the world). The higher number of Paladins a king has, the closer to the gods they are (or so the common folk believe). 

This means that gaining the favor of a Paladin can be critical for a king, not only concerning having the power and abilities of that Paladin but also to boost their own standing. It's also important to note here that Paladin's are NOT to be used as war tools, such as fighting on the front lines, especially against other Paladins or humans. Paladins are designed to combat evil creatures or natural disasters, support their king in diplomatic matters, and to work with other Paladins to maintain stable relationships between the kingdoms.

Capital of Kingdoms

King: N/A

Capital: Capital

The Capital of Kingdoms is a neutral area of the world that is strictly operated by retried Paladins. Their primary focus to provide aid and to serve as the court system for crimes involving nobles and the kings, especially if those crimes are against their own people. Retired Paladins are chosen for this since their long age, and collective experience allows them to have a firm understanding of not only the current kings but past ones as well. At times, certain retired Paladins will spend time other kingdoms if a situation arises such as an epidemic. However, once a Paladin retires, they forfeit their alliance to the king they served and align themselves closer to the gods and the greater good.

Pretha (Jana is from this here)

King: Issac Stormwood (M)

Capital: Bellemere

Number of Paladins in service: 10

Pretha is the richest of the kingdoms, which is believed to stem from the Stormwood's focus on scholarly, medical, military training and advancements. Pretha has produced the most qualified doctors, teachers, and researchers, which are often sought out by the other kingdoms. Additionally, a large number of Paladins have been born in Pretha over the centuries, causing Pretha to develop a rather "high and mighty" attitude. Especially since many of those Paladins choose to serve Pertha, meaning King Stormwood usually has the maximum 10 Paladins serving him. People from this kingdom are usually described as intelligent, highly motivated, but snobbish and challenging to get along with.

Kairid

King: Amrit Sakar (M)

Capital: Serthorn

Number of Paladins in service: 5

The kings of Kairid have had a long and often violent rivalry with Pretha. The stories of how this tension between the two has become muddled through the years, but King Sakar continues the tradition and does his best to instill the bitter mindset into his people. To compete with Pretha, Kairid specializes in blacksmithing. The kingdoms have become well known for making weapons, armor, tools, horseshoes, etc. and has allowed the country to thrive. However, due to King Sakar's almost obsession with Pretha, fewer Paladins have chosen to follow him, and his desperation for more Paladins is apparent.

Xatis

King: Violet McAllister (F)

Capital: Lanos

Number of Paladins in service: 10

Xatis has a reputation for being the most aggressive kingdom, priding themselves on having an elite army and the most skilled hunters in the world. In fact, these advanced combat and hunting skills do not extend to just the King's military but to the entire population of Xatis. All citizens are trained from a young age in a variety of fighting and hunting skills, including survival techniques. King McAllister believes that this tactic will not only make the other kingdoms more weary to invade but may increase the likelihood of more citizens surviving a conflict. Xatis mainly exports pelts and meats but also their skills. Many of the citizens can be hired as protection details or support on long hunting trips. The country also makes a great deal of money on fighting events that occur several times throughout the year. However, the country suffers from King McAllister gambling problem, leaving her Paladins to counter her habit. Despite this, she has a full service of 10 Paladins.

Menem (Mariel is from here)

King: Gideon Dalir (M)

Capital: Phey

Number of Paladins in service: 6

Menem is primarily focused on farming and woodworking. These exports have allowed the country to easily prosper and gain a solid reputation with the other Kingdoms. However, King Dalir is known to be a pacifist, and despite having a capable military, he is not perceived as a threat in a wartime situation. He is also known to be "too soft" and indecisive as a ruler, and at times can have issues with the citizens in terms of crime and greed. Very few Paladins have been born into this kingdom, often causing criticism from the other kingdoms. King Dalir has been able to maintain 6-7 Paladins through the years but has never had all 10. Surprisingly enough, their relationship with Xatis has remained stable, but this is likely only because Xatis is heavily reliant on Menem's exports.

Anubia

King: Vihra Kafka (F)

Capital: Burnsley

Number of Paladins in service: 8

The Kings of Kafka have always been highly focused on the arts and not their skills in battle. They are often sought out for their exceptional fabric and silks. Artists are commonly commissioned to paint portraits of nobles or the royal families or whatever art they desire. A portion of those commissions goes to the kingdom. Anubia has a decent military, but King Kafka relies on her citizen's skills in the arts and fabric making to keep any aggression at bay. She often boasts that her people are visited by muses (minor gods) frequently which is collaborated with the higher number of Paladin's that have been born there and her ability to maintain a high number of Paladins. Everyone from everyday citizens to nobles will purchase not only art and clothes but also trinkets and concoctions King Kafka says have magical properties gifted by the gods. The people believe they are closer to the gods by having these items.

Islaitish

King: Feys Yannis (M)

Capital: Preah

Number of Paladins in service: 10

Despite that Islaitish is the smallest of the kingdoms, they are never underestimated. They are believed to be the most capable regarding combat, especially in stealth and sabotage. There is even rumor that King Yannis has a small group of elite assassins as his command. Even with their reputation, they are a reserved kingdom who will only act aggressively if they are threatened. Their main exports are seafood, nuts, fruits, and tree oils. They benefit from very fertile soil, enabling them to grow rare plants and trees. Islaitish is stable but hardly rich, as their shady reputation and limited social interactions with the outside world, make some people leery of doing business with them.

Thulan

King: Daphney Simon (F)

Capital: Osta

Number of Paladins in service: 8

In the past, Thulan's economy has been incredibly weak, and the people suffered due to it. This has drastically changed since King Simon took the throne. She has shown to be incredibly dedicated to her people, and her excellent social skills have allowed their kingdom to have a great relationship with the other territories, but this has come at the cost of their military might, which at best has been described as "acceptable."

Their main exports are seafood, wool, ore, and gems. The mining of gemstones has been especially beneficial to Thulan, who seem to have much better quality than the other kingdoms. King Simon is striving to ensure her kingdom will prosper even after her death, which has moved several Paladins to her side.

Other Areas to Note

Hytar's Island

 This is an island wholly dedicated to Hytar, god of the Underworld. There is a gate to the underworld located on this island, and his beastly creations are said to roam there. Whatever followers he has live on this island as well, but they are entirely isolated from the rest of the kingdoms, and little is known about the people there or why Hytar created such an island. He is the only god to have an entire island dedicated to him rather than a temple.

Isle of the Great Beasts

Great Beasts are believed to have been created by Oarus and Edona, the gods of Heaven, also known as the Great Rulers. They are typically much larger than their traditional animal counterpart, are very intelligent, and have long life spans. Many Great Beasts roam throughout the kingdoms but the Isle is home to some of the more dangerous Beasts, and humans are not allowed to travel or live there. It is rumored that Oarus was fond of creating unique Beasts, such as dragons and griffons but this has not been confirmed.