Kingmakers

Kingmaker
Character Information
World of Origin	Ni No Kuni

In Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, a Kingmaker (Japanese: 守護神, shugoshin, transl. "guardian deity") is a magical being of great power. Individual Kingmakers vary in size, intelligence, capabilities, and personality. However, they all have the unique distinction of being capable of forming strong metaphysical connections, Kingsbonds, with individuals they deem worthy. In addition, all kingmakers appear to have an innate disposition towards order and goodness as long as their kingsbond is not forcefully broken, although their perception of worthiness does not necessarily rely on mortal rules or law.

Kingmakers serve as living proof of royal authority and as territorial guardians for kingdoms and city-states, acting as a corporeal embodiment of the divine right of kings. They come to the aid of their bonds and their territories when their charges are in need and are capable of great feats of magic. Strong Kingmakers are capable of facing whole mortal armies on their own, shielding entire populations from magical effects, or at the most extreme, preventing the world from succumbing to evils of extraordinary magnitude. In addition to their other magical capabilities, some kingmakers, like Lofty and Alisandra, can shapeshift and assume different forms.

Although Evan notes that a kingmaker must be tamed or "bent to the will" of their bond and that they traditionally serve as proof of a ruler's prowess and strength, in reality it appears that the loyalty of a kingmaker can be earned in a number of ways, not just through force. For example, Mausinger earns a Kingsbond with Oakenhart, the Kingmaker of Ding Dong Dell, through completing a successful coup d'état against Crown Prince Evan: a seemingly acceptable demonstration of capability to rule. In addition, a kingmaker can be obtained through heredity or succession, just as Evan was supposed to.

Kingmakers unattached to an existing ruler reside in special locations called cradles, to which prospective rulers may adventure in order to prove themselves worthy. Kingmakers under duress periodically return to their cradles even when bonded with a ruler, as doing so allows them to rest and recuperate. Kingmakers also have their own personal pocket realms - described by Lofty as "interdimensional dimensions" - to which they often transport the foes that they face.

Creation

Alisandra reveals to Doloran at the end of Revenant Kingdom that Kingmakers are not part of the natural fauna in the world of Ni no Kuni, and there once was a time without any Kingmakers at all. Instead of naturally occurring in the world, Kingmakers are created via magical means, specifically by sacrificing a willing soul as part of a ritual to defeat and repurpose a great chaotic or evil power for good. In the case of Alisandra, for example, this power was The Horned One. The soul and evil being fuse together and become one, with the sacrifice losing their previous identity and being bound to serve indefinitely as a sort of living seal or jailer. However, kingmakers made in this way do not appear to innately know how they were made or why, as Alisandra discovered this information only after accidentally releasing The Horned One from within herself.

This scheme, and indeed the entire concept of the kingmaker, is revealed to be a creation of Zayin, God of Gods, as a consequence of his retreat from the world due to the influence of the Great Madshadow.

A seeming exception to this scheme is Lofty, a Kingmaker who ultimately reveals himself to be a fairy. It is unknown how he managed to tap into the powers usually afforded to a completely different kind of creature. However, it is noted by a work in Boddly's library that Lofty's dragon form bears a striking resemblance to an ancient legendary creature, Draigfawrlanlofft, and Lofty's dragon form is explicitly referred to by this name in the Art of Ni no Kuni II. This resemblance is thus likely not a coincidence, and it may be that Draigfawlanlofft, a Kingmaker, has adopted the fairy persona of Lofty for some personal reason. However, in the Tale of the Timeless Tome DLC the truth is revealed. Lofty was an actual fairy who left his village to become a kingmaker willingly which was unheard of at the time.

Fate

After the Timeless Tome DLC, when Evan's party defeats the powerful nightmare Madshadow. Lofty notices that his power is weakening, because with all the taint gone there is no more need of the power of kingmakers. It is still unclear whether or not kingmakers exist in Ferdinand's time.

Known Kingmakers

Name	Affinity	Cradle	Kingdom	Kingsbond
Lofty - Draigfawrlanlofft	Light/Spirit	Cradle of Light	Evermore	Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum
Oakenhart	Life/Nature	Cradle of Creation	Ding Dong Dell	Otto Mausinger, King Leonhard (formerly)
Longfang	Fortune/Fire	Cradle of Fire	Goldpaw	Pugnacius
Brineskimmer	Water/The Sea	Cradle of the Depths	Hydropolis	Nerea
Bastion	Lightning	Cradle of Wisdom	Broadleaf	Zip Vector
Alisandra	Unknown	King's Cradle	Allegoria	Doloran
Elegia	Unknown	Unknown	Ebbswane	Remnus Ebbswane