Champion Lore
Folklore
The Champions are special humans who are bonded to each of the Guardians, gaining the privilege to borrow its power and wield the Legatus it guards. Only nine females and nine males can become Champions, and the process to do so requires years of rigorous mental and physical training, as bonding with a Guardian is often a fickle and dangerous process. The Champion would also have to pass trials to win their Guardian's favor before bonding with them. If the Champion is not aligned with a faction, they wear the formal wear and color of their home continent.
Should the Guardian approve of the candidate and said candidate agrees to form a bond with them, the Champion establishes a bond with their Guardian in a ceremony called the Bonding (Champion). From then on, they are officially a Champion, regarded as protectors of Eridya's peace and being highly respected by all humans and animals alike. A Champion is marked as such by a special tattoo imprinted on their skin by their Guardian that can only be removed if the bond between them is severed or released.
Once bonded, a Champion and Guardian are paired via a psychic link shared between the two. Through this psychic link, Champion and Guardian can exchange images, words, and senses with each other via telepathy. In addition, by closing their eyes, a Champion can enter their Guardian's mindset and sense anything their Guardian does. This can occur even if Champion and Guardian are separated from each other over a far distance. Guardian can also appear in Champions' dreams, often to convey information they would be unable to through conventional means.
Once a Champion's bond with its Guardian reaches its apex, the Guardian would bless its Legatus in a ceremony called the Awakening, turning the Legatus into a bond token – a symbol of ultimate trust between a Champion and their Guardian. Should either a Champion or their Guardian fall or if their bond is released, the Legatus will be deactivated, and if it was awakened, it will revert to its unawakened state in anticipation of a new bond forming.
If a Champion is separated from their Guardian in any way without both parties’ consent (the Guardian is corrupted or stolen), the bond between them will be severed and the Champion will suffer depression-like symptoms until they are reunited, feeling as if a part of their soul were missing; however they will still be able to use their Legatus and talisman as they normally would. If the bond were to be corrupted, it would drive the Champion and/or their Guardian into psychosis, potentially killing the former and compelling the latter into dormancy.
Should either Champion or Guardian wish, they may both choose to release their bond with each other (such as if it is determined that the bond they share is detrimentally affecting either party). Unlike a bond being severed, this does not result in any negative side effects as it is consensual between both parties (with a few exceptions). From then on, the psychic link between Champion and Guardian vanishes, as does the tattoo the Champion bears. Once released, a former Champion generally does not bond with their specific Guardian again, though they may bond with a different Guardian from their own home continent if necessary. The Guardian in question may either attempt to find a replacement, often searching among young adults between the ages of 18 and 23 if they choose to do so, or return home if they wish.
Should a Guardian fall, their Champion will die as well, though not vice versa. If a Champion dies, their Guardian will remain alive, though it may act similarly to a bond being severed.