Order of the Paradigm

“Peace and order must sometimes be fought for” -Grandmaster Andor Kighn Peace is something relatively alien to Aresa. Historically, Aresa seldom has more than a few decades of peace, with the world constantly plunged into one conflict after another. During the slow and inevitable collapse of the Nuvaris Empire due to political strife and civil war, a man named Andor Kighn ventured out from the battlefields. Wounded and desperate, he took refuge in a cave high above the fields, to escape the war. Kighn had taken a risk by entering the cave, and he found himself staring directly at a dragon. The Dragon, though perturbed by the man’s entry; was intrigued. He allowed the man to stay and rest, and one the coming weeks, the dragon grew fond of the man. At last, they decided to make a pact. This, as one may expect, was exceedingly unorthodox. A man and a dragon, while not sworn enemies, were not allies by any means. Regardless, the two joined together, and Kighn became the first Dragon Rider. He rode into battle, and through prowess and fear, was able to make an active difference in the war. Eventually, his feats caught wind of Lord Draconis, Father of the dragons. The Infinite One was impressed with Kighn’s spirit and resolve, and in an act incredibly rare, he gifted him an Infinium. With the tome in hand, Kighn forged an Order of like minded humans and dragons, creating the Order of the Paradigm. Dragon blood was anointed to the knights as a rite of passage; a tradition still held. The knights had access to Dragon fire magic that was previously unobtainable by man. From there, the Order grew rapidly, acquiring new members and power. Their influence in the war was monumental; the Nuvaris were often forced into a hasty retreat at the sight of the infamous warriors. They would ally themselves with the Imperiate Empire, that rose to power in tandem with the fearsome warriors. The Nuvaris would fall, and the Order ensured that the Imperiate Empire would fill the power vacuum. During the transitional period, the Order maintained peace and hunted down lawless bandits and other marauders. Once the Imperiate’s rule was fully established, the Order of the Paradigm would move out of the front stage, relinquishing themselves to a more passive role. Their partnership with the Imperiates, was still maintained, and the empire relied on them as a large portion of their senior military.