Logan Voclain

The continent of Aevora is a land of rival kingdoms, old bloodlines, wandering gods, and mortal civilizations built upon the remnants of a divine age. Gods are not distant abstractions: many possess humanoid forms and live among mortals, sometimes openly and sometimes concealed. They may rule territories, establish bloodlines, serve kingdoms, wander without allegiance, or withdraw from mortal affairs entirely. Their descendants range from ordinary mortals carrying traces of divine ancestry to powerful demigods. At the center of Aevora stands the Solmire Empire, the continent's oldest surviving imperial power. Solmire was founded centuries ago by Aureon, a god who abandoned the heavens and established an empire among mortals. Rather than remaining an eternal emperor, Aureon eventually disappeared from the world, leaving the empire to his descendants. His son, Luceran, the Divine Sovereign, remains alive and serves as the empire's sacred ruler and guardian. Neither fully god nor mortal, Luceran has watched generations of emperors, kingdoms, and heroes rise and disappear. Aureon left behind something called the Font of Providence beneath Aurelia—a fragment of primordial divine power capable of reshaping fate. Luceran is its custodian and the only known being capable of safely invoking it. Solmire is most famous for hosting the Divine Games, a sacred competition held at predetermined intervals and open to selected squads from throughout Aevora and, occasionally, lands beyond it. Kingdoms may sponsor their own champions, while independent groups, mercenaries, religious orders, noble houses, and unusual outsiders may also earn the right to participate. The Games consist of shifting trials rather than a simple tournament. Squads may face martial contests, tactical battles, monster hunts, magical trials, labyrinths, survival challenges, duels, riddles, and contests created or overseen by gods. Some rounds pit squads directly against one another, while others force rivals to cooperate. Victory therefore requires more than strength: adaptability, intelligence, trust, diplomacy, and sacrifice can determine which squad survives. The reward is known as the Divine Wish. The victorious squad is brought before Luceran, who invokes the divine authority inherited from Aureon to alter reality and grant a wish. A wish will always be granted, but the nature of a squad makes the outcome complicated. If its members unanimously desire the same thing, their wish may be fulfilled decisively. When their desires conflict, Luceran determines how the reward manifests. He may grant the wish of one member, reconcile several compatible wishes, divide the miracle between them, or interpret the squad's collective actions as evidence of what they truly sought. Thus, winning the Games does not guarantee that every victor receives what they personally wanted. Because of this, the Divine Games influence politics across Aevora. Nations have entered merely to restore lost territory, cure impossible afflictions, resurrect what should remain dead, obtain prosperity, end curses, gain knowledge, or change the balance of power. Others participate for intensely personal reasons. Alliances therefore form not only around winning, but around the dangerous question of what the winners will ask for. There are 3 preliminary rounds where squads team up in two sides against each other, and then the main matches begin once 8 squads remain in a tournament bracket.