The Twelve Paragons
The Twelve Paragons is the name of an obscure, poorly-documented legend that is about a form of Armageddon. Instead of a single battle that marks the end of the world, which is what most Avani religions believe in, it tells of a centuries-spanning, ever-repeating cycle of conflict between twelve individuals known as Paragons (who represent the forces of good) and one called the Sovereign (who represents evil). Few Avani have heard of it, and even fewer believe in it, but the cult-like followers who do are impossible to convince otherwise.
Summary
According to the legend, there is a constant battle between Twelve Paragons and a being known as the Sovereign. The Sovereign supposedly possesses armies, wields powerful abilities, manipulates the normal world, and controls Apogees. These two forces battle each other repeatedly in cycles that the legend calls "iterations". Each iteration begins with a new set of twelve paragons rising up and ends in their death as they attempt to stop the Sovereign from destroying civilization. The Paragon's goal is to defeat the Sovereign, while the Sovereign desires the destruction or enslavement of sentient life. Until one wins, the iterations continue in an infinite draw.
However, there are certain rules to the conflict. The Sovereign is not allowed to directly attack civilization with magic or its armies, though they can manipulate individuals and control Apogees to do things for them. They also can't take control of a sentient individual unless that individual cedes control in some way. Also, until the Paragons become active, the forces of Sovereign can't do anything to directly hurt them.
According to myth, the Paragons have their own rules to live by. Before the Paragons can begin the fight they must become active, meaning they must realize they have unique powers and retrieve their object. Upon becoming active they must complete their personal quest and fight against the Sovereign. Together, the Paragons are supposed to begin a final battle where the two forces fight directly.. If they fail, the iteration aborts and the conflict is destined to continue. However, that isn't necessarily a victory for the Sovereign. If the Paragons do enough damage to the Sovereign before they lose the forces of evil may not recover for multiple iterations. Even after the iteration ends, Paragons that survive may continue to cause setbacks for the Sovereign.
If the keys are all turned, then the final battle will begin. The Paragons can now fight the Sovereign directly and kill the angels (though if the iteration ends in defeat, the angels revive). Sovereign gains the ability to directly deploy their armies against the Paragons and anyone allied with them. The battle only ends if all paragons die or the Sovereign is defeated.
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