BerontheGrey/HundredKingdomsLyndanisse
The Hundred Paladins of Lyndanisse
The Kingdom of Lyndanisse is most known, to those that know of it at-all, for the Hundred Paladins that help defend its borders and preserve order within. The Paladins are known by the sacred Ki'rin that they ride - celestial horses the colour of silver, with a single spiral horn. There are always one hundred Ki'rin, no more, no less; when one Ki'rin dies, another is born. Each Paladin is bonded to their Ki'rin mount, in a manner similar to that of a familiar to an Exalt, but it is not the Paladin that chooses their mount. Instead, any Ki'rin not bonded to a Paladin will ride out on its own, seeking a mortal (never an Exalt or God-blood) who is innocent of all wrong-doing in the sight of Heaven.
Most often, the Ki'rin will seek out a child on the verge of adulthood, but it is not unknown for those older to be chosen. The mortal selected will always be someone of great potential, who also harbours a deep wish to aid others, and who is amenable to the service required of them. Upon finding such a soul (whether it is by following the stars, or by some other means yet unknown), the Ki'rin touches them with their horn, creating the bond between them. The bond strengthens over the next few years (until it matches the strongest possible bond between an Exalt and their familiar), and over the same period the chosen mortal will find their essence gradually and harmlessly Enlightened.
The Paladins-to-be are trained intensively in the arts of diplomacy and war, including the katas of whichever Martial Art best suits them. Currently the following Terrestrial Martial Arts are taught within Lyndanisse: Falling Blossom Style, Lightning Hooves Style, Golden Janissary Style (though this is less common), and most recently Even Blade Style (from a wandering swordsman who decided to settle down in Lyndanisse, and was most surprised to find a Ki'rin in her garden one morning). Once, selected Paladins were also initiated into the secrets of Sorcery, but the last Sorcerer-Paladin gave his life two centuries ago to slay an invading Demon-blooded Sorcerer, and the secrets of Initiation have been lost since then.
Legend claims that Lyndanisse was founded by a group of refugees from the Great Contagion and Fair Folk Invasion who were led to safety by a hero, spirit, or trickster deity named Inari the Sly. It is perhaps significant that most temples in Lyndanisse are sacred to the Moon Goddess. The kingdom takes its name from the first king to rule after Inari's disappearance. Lyndanisse the First was a good and noble ruler, and legend says that he was rewarded by Heaven with the first Ki'rin. After his son proved to be rather less of a good and noble king, it was made law that henceforth the heir to the throne must be one of the Hundred.
Despite the common reverence for Luna, the most common religion in Lyndanisse is a relaxed form of the Immaculate Order. Most people in Lyndanisse have never seen an actual Dragonblood, and imagine them as perfect enlightened servants of Heaven; it is uncertain how long this idealised vision would survive contact with the Realm. Other deities besides Luna are also given due reverence, the most prominent being Hiparkes. The one deity that receives little worship in Lyndanisse is the Unconquered Sun; this is due to the historic enmity between Lyndanisse and Belarn, and the baleful example the latter gives of Sun-worship.
