Magic Zone Notables
Federation Members and Independents

By Isaac X-S. & Alex V.A.

The following is information on noteworthy individuals within the Magic Zone, as known by most citizens of Dweomer City.

The Old Guard: This term is used to refer to lords from the original Federation of Magic, the Federation created and ruled by Nostrous Dunscon. Most Federation Lords from that period in history are dead, either killed by the Coalition in their Campaign of Blood or by the Lords of Magic as punishment for their idiocy. A few, however, survived. They stand out as being quite powerful, even among major lords, and are generally well respected or feared. There are only about ten Old Guard left that are accounted for and not all of them are still involved with the Federation of Magic. The most well known Old Guard Federation member is, of course, Alistair Dunscon.

Known Old Guard: The 3 Lords of Magic, Lord Alistair Dunscon, Lord Lysistratus, Lord Schrier, Vektriss, O’Negis, Mistress Binth, and Ravendark.

Major Lords

The Lords of Magic

See Federation of Magic.

Lord Alistair Dunscon

See Federation of Magic.

K’zaa

See Federation of Magic.

Lord Tiberius Eloheim

Dunscon’s precious spatial mage. Eloheim (which is also the name of a choir of angels in Christian dogma known as “The Watchers”) has been in Dunscon’s service for about five years. He acts as Alistairs “eyes and ears” in the Magic Zone and anywhere else in the world. He is the one mostly responsible for Dunscon’s ability to seemingly known everything that’s going on. However, Eloheim is more of an ally than a minion to Alistair. He serves the mad Federation Lord because it suits his needs and Dunscon knows he can leave whenever he wants. Most of Dunscon’s comrades dislike Eloheim and rightly so. Unbeknownst to most, the spatial mage picks and chooses what he tells Dunscon. Often times, for personal ambitions, he will keep significant things he sees or hears to himself, rather than inform Dunscon. Eloheim lives in a large dimensional realm of his own creation as most spatial mages do. Now deceased.

Lord Ezekial Snow

“The Cold Lord” as he is known, has been a Federation Lord for over 40 years. Snow is an Air Warlock of awesome power with the ability to command the winds. He has a strange affinity for snow, ice and all things cold.

Consequently, he lives in a kingdom of endless winter in which it never stops snowing and the air is always brutally freezing. The kingdom has been long abandoned, its subjects unable to live in its harsh conditions. Snow himself sits in a throne of ice, tended to by armies of air elemental servants under his thrall. Like the weather he so dearly loves, the Federation Lord is cold and passionless without any sign of emotion. He cares for nothing besides his kingdom, his elementals and himself.

On Federation issues, he always takes a neutral stance; his unwillingness to take sides stemming from severe apathy. Snow doesn’t involve himself in Federation politics and only wishes to be left alone. Most other Lords see him as a lazy has-been who is out of touch with the times. However, oddly enough, Dunscon shows the Federation Lord a good deal of respect and allows for his various eccentricities.

Snow never takes visitors, unless the visitor is Dunscon himself or another Federation Lord.

Lord Dalfen

Few who meet this Federation Lord ever forget the experience. Upon sight, it’s hard to believe this man was once human. Standing 7 foot 3 inches and weighing in at over 400 lbs., Dalfen is a monster of a man. His soft, pleasant face and kind eyes hide a mouth armed with razor sharp teeth and a body horrifically augmented by various mutations and deformities. Instead of a right hand, he has a black, coarse-skinned appendage ending in three stubby digits. His shoulder blades stick out unnaturally far. The tip of a thin serpentine tail can be seen slithering beneath his robes. All this and more can be seen when in the presence of Dalfen. As a Seneschal shifter, his constant interactions with incomprehensible dark forces have given him his bizarre appearance. However, Dalfen doesn’t mind the mutations and actually enjoys them, or rather, the effect they have on others.

This shifter is known throughout the Magic Zone for his cruel and heartless nature, and his morbid sense of humor is just as renowned. He dwells in a large stone tower that never stays in one place for very long. “The Vanishing Tower”, as it is called, constantly disappears and reappears in different locales all over the Magic Zone, never appearing in the same spot twice. The period of time it remains in an area varies drastically; sometimes it’ll stay put for days, other times it’s only visible for a few minutes before it vanishes again. Exactly how Dalfen pulls this off is unknown, although it is assumed he can control where the Tower goes and for how long.

The Seneschal is also notorious for his ability to steal the powers of others. Through the use of dark, arcane arts, Dalfen can permanently steal the natural abilities of creatures he’s captured. Consequently, creatures who display powers that catch his interest are often his targets and often “mysteriously disappear”. He has already utilized this process on dozens of lifeforms. Thanks to this dark magic, he supposedly possesses a wide array of powers that make him far beyond human.

Lord Red Eyes and Lady Silver Mask

Lord Alshizar Kaash

Of all the major Lords of the Federation, few are as decadent as Lord Kaash. As King of the City of Kaash (a modern day Sodom and Gamorah), Alshizar is just as vile as most of his subjects, if not far worse. He is inhumanly cold and possessed of a morbid intellectuality that gives him a vast insight on death. From his home atop a hill of black rock and bone, the Federation Lord oversees the chaos and anarchy in his domain. It is said that he feeds off of the misery and pain generated by the thousands of inhabitants of the City. He appears to physically feel and revel in the suffering of the multitudes living within the City’s walls. Once, during a riot, Lord Kaash referred to the pandemonium as “sweet music” and actually began to dance on the balcony of his home, enraptured by some unheard melody or sensation. What Kaash truly is remains unknown. He is an adept shapeshifter who can take any humanoid form with ease. He also has the uncanny ability to sense one’s deepest desire or greatest fear and take on its appearance. In addition, the Federation Lord is a practitioner of Fleshsculpting magic and enjoys mutilating and torturing his victims.

The City of Kaash is a very lawless place and Kaash, himself, promotes depravities of almost every kind. However, he will not tolerate challenges to his sovereignty, so he is quick to stop insurrections against his government, violence against himself or his minions, and cults that worship particular usurping gods or alien intelligences. To enforce his will when necessary, he has a small army of evil mercenaries and undead in his employ. The Lord is not incredibly powerful in magical matters when compared to his peers, but possesses a lot of political and financial power. This is thanks to his rule of the City, and it is why he is considered a major Federation Lord. Dunscon is known to visit the City of Kaash from time to time and regards it as a relaxing place.

Lord Carathrax

Arrogant, ingenious, and imposing are three words that accurately describe this Federation Lord. He is a man driven by dark passions of immortality. His demeanor is aloof, forceful, and impatient. Carathrax is extremely haughty and regards himself as one of the greatest minds the Federation has ever seen. He views himself as the intellectual superior of most creatures he meets, and consequently, has a habit of talking down to those in his presence. The trick to interacting with this irascible sorcerer is that one must be very intelligent (or at least have the appearance of being very intelligent) to speak to him on any level that he considers worthy. Those who cannot keep up with his complex thinking or verbal pyrotechnics are deemed fools. Often times he will ignore those less intelligent than he, believing they should not be dignified with responses. Those who argue with him or disagree with his views are considered beyond idiotic (although he’s almost always right, he misses the point that wisdom isn’t always found in raw knowledge, but expressed in logic). However, when dealing with a fellow intellectual giant, Carathrax will show respect and treat the creature as an equal.

This Lord is known for being very reclusive and keeping mostly to himself. He dislikes having to personally deal with others, usually having one of his servants act as a representative/messenger. Yet, he will force himself to do so if he realizes he may gain from the encounter. He avoids delving into Federation politics and does so only when Dunscon requires it. Although he hates Dunscon and wishes to see the Mad Lord dead, he knows he is no match for Alistair in a magic duel.

Carathrax lives in a magical keep of his own design called “Tower Nebh”, a structure whose base is built right upon a ley line. Its crennelated surface bleeds P.P.E. from the ley line for the mage’s personal use. Though he rules no kingdom, the Lord is served by hundreds of alchemical mutants of his own creation. These mutants range from small, menial servants to large, shocktrooper guardians.

Carathrax is a skilled magician who has risen high in his chosen profession. Currently, he is the leading authority in North America on alchemy and enchantments. In fact, practitioners of magic from such places as Lazlo, Kingsdale, and Tolkeen have been known to come to him for advice and suggestions on such matters. The magic items produced by Carathrax are among the most potent and high-quality magic items one can find. The Federation Lord does not normally sell or trade his creations. However, if one is able to convince the mage to sell an item of his, it can be certain that the item will be VERY costly.

Being a master of alchemy, Carathrax can create a variety of magical chemical compounds and elixirs, many of which he has experimented with on himself. The results have been quite astounding. He is a mutant human standing over 7 feet, 7 inches. His lifespan has been so far extended that even he isn’t sure how long he can live for (he is currently 94 and shows no signs of aging). Anyone guessing his ethnicity is in for a confusing time. Carathrax shares the facial characteristics of every human race on earth, distilled through extensive magical treatments. He moves with a body alchemically augmented to achieve physical capacities far beyond normal human limitations. The Federation Lord is quite capable of picking up a grown Shadow Beast with one hand, and throwing it through a wall if the mood strikes him.

Lord Draco Keu Saekhun

This Federation Lord is a master of the humble but formidable art of Diabolism. He is an older human in his late sixties, known for his cantankerous disposition. Due to his irritable and grumpy nature, very few people like Lord Keu Saekhun, and he likes very few people in return. He takes his position as a lord quite seriously, always attending Federation council meetings and keeping track of all the goings-on in and around his kingdom. Draco has no real allies since he is not the most likeable of people. Most rival lords would never consider trying to conquer his lands due to their being so bleak and resource-exhausted.

However, hidden behind all his scowls and constant complaints is a wealth of information regarding languages and writing. The Diabolist is a linguistic genius who possesses a vast knowledge of ancient and modern languages, dead tongues, and various alphabets, writing systems, and symbologies. Those who put up with the lord’s frequent bad moods and manage not to offend him in some way can learn a great deal from him.

Lord Keu Saekhun rules over a small kingdom in the southeastern Magic Zone known as “Saekhun City”. It is a fairly dreary place but also one of the safest in the Magic Zone. Lord Draco himself has boasted that his territory holds more wards and circles of protection than every other kingdom in the Zone combined. Though such a claim is unlikely to be true, Draco’s personal keep is protected by numerous exceptionally powerful wards of his own design. Many people rightly regard his home as impregnable.

Draco himself has sewn wards made from cloth onto his skin. This process is difficult and time consuming but works in a similar way to tattoo magic. Though diabolists have no spell casting knowledge, these sewn-on wards give the Federation lord powers that he can summon at his command, making him far from helpless.

Lord Malkin Nevermore

Known widely as the “Ghost Mage of Galathan”, this Federation Lord is one of the stranger ones. He is a human who is infamous for his obsessive love of the Spirit World. Lord Malkin has a deep affinity and fascination with ghosts and spirits. Not undead or animated dead in the necromantic sense, but simply that which is ghostly and phantasmal. However, this love does not apply to any non-corporeal beings, only entities and the spirits of the dead, so astral travelers or energy beings like elementals and temporal raiders are excluded.

Nevermore is a fairly disconcerting man to meet in person. His constant interactions with the World of Spirits have made him alienated and unable to understand or empathize with other living creatures. He always appears to be distant and lost in thought. Even when he looks directly at a person, it seems as though he’s staring through him, watching or listening to some unseen force. Malkin speaks in very hushed tones and whispers, and only wears white or light blue ethereal robes. When speaking with others, he often says things that don’t make sense or don’t apply to the situation and sometimes seems confused as if splitting his attention between two different conversations. He constantly looks around as if hearing or seeing something that isn’t there, giving one the impression that Malkin is paranoid or schizophrenic.

The Federation Lord keeps himself surrounded by thousands of bodiless beings who act as both servants and protectors. A majority of his spell knowledge is focused on the manipulation of spirits. His kingdom is an unsettling place to be in, as objects seem to move on their own, and strange sounds or piercing wails can be heard all night long. Most of Lord Malkin’s subjects have left the kingdom due to the multitude of spirits that reside there. It is no secret that Nevermore cares very little for the living or corporeal. He places little value on life, and while not really evil, the Federation Lord is indifferent to the needs or desires of others.

Lord Malkin was once an ordinary ley line walker from the Kingdom of Galathan who was famous among the locals for his numerous bouts of wanderlust. He had a penchant for ceaselessly wandering the Magic Zone by himself, despite all its various dangers. It was on one of these excursions that Malkin discovered the object that would change his life and make him the current power that he is, a magical grimoire named the Book of Bygone Spirits. It was this book that taught him the secrets of the Spirit World and gave him the spirit-based magics he now possesses.

The location and date in which he found this book have never been verified. All that is known is that after finding the book, Malkin remained in seclusion for a full decade, presumably studying the grimoire. He then returned to his home kingdom and challenged the Federation lord, who ruled Galathan at the time, to a wizard’s duel. Malkin defeated the minor lord and seized control of the kingdom. This was over thirty years ago. He has been ruling Galathan since.

Lord Malkin cares little for Federation politics. While he will honor Dunscon’s requests to attend Council meetings, he does little else. He allows almost anyone to pass through or stay in his kingdom, granted they follow his laws and take NO action against his spirit servants. Those who do otherwise can expect their souls to become additions to his menagerie of apparitions. This can be a problem as Nevermore’s entities are allowed to do whatever they please in his kingdom, from stealing to attacking others. It is rumored that it is the Ghost Mage who created the magical gem that Dunscon would eventually use to trap the soul of Emperor Prosek’s son.

Important Non-Lords

Bloodmist

When Alistair Dunscon made his triumphant return to Rifts Earth, he was accompanied by a cadre of powerful beings. All characters he met during his dimensional adventuring and long time associates in crime.

Bloodmist, a Rakshasha Lord, is Lord Dusncon’s closest advisor and confidant. He is always at Dunscon’s side, whispering advice and further poisoning his mind. The Rakshasha also serves as an emissary between Dunscon and many of his demonic allies and servants, including Demon Lords. As such, he is a powerful figure in Dunscon’s “court”. Those who dislike Lord Dunscon have suggested that it is Bloodmist who pulls his strings, but nothing could be further from the truth, and Bloodmist will slay any being who otherwise to his face or within earshot.

Bloodmist is a typical Rakshasha, delighting more in political mayhem than carnage. He is a master spy and assassin, rumored to have once been an instructor for a clan of Sunaj assassins. Nonetheless, he is not above physical combat or torture and enjoys a genuine challenge (which are far and few between). Like a cat, he loves to toy and play with his enemies, and watch them scurry about wherever he wants them. He also enjoys great deceptions and instigating hate and fear almost as much as intimidation, subterfuge, and mind games. Bloodmist loves the political turmoil and volatility in and around the Federation of Magic, including the Coalition States. He is doing everything he can to make sure it stays that way, often feeding Dunscon advice and information that fuels his hatred.

Gothmog, Master of the Baal-Rogs

Gothmog is a Baal-Rog demon who is another member of Dunscon’s High Council. He is the military strategist of the group and has helped to conceive and execute most of the military operations and raids against Coalition States conducted by the True Federation. He would love nothing better than to pit his forces against the Coalition, although he realizes that the Federation is hopelessly outnumbered at the present time. He also helps to keep the demon minions of Lord Dunscon under control.

Baal-Rogs are one of the most feared and powerful of all the greater demons. They are physically and magically powerful, as well as smart. The visage of a Baal-Rog is impressive terrifying if one is facing its rage. They are huge, fire-skinned humanoids ten times the size of a man, bulging with muscles and adorned with black bat wings. They serve as the lieutenants and captains of the demon hordes, and are often seen commanding legions of lesser demons. Gothmog is one of the strongest and most aggressive among his kind.

The Baal-Rog is fairly loyal to Alistair Dunscon, but he dislikes many of his decisions and some of the company he keeps, such as the Devil, Cracius, and the Corrupt, Mestoph. Still he sees in Lord Dunscon the spark of genius and only hopes that the roots of madness serve their cause and do not jeopardize it. He respects and trusts Bloodmist, and the two often confer between themselves.

Mestoph Denali

Unknown to all outside of Lord Dunscon and his High Council, the beautiful and elusive Mestoph Denali is a rare Elite, or the “Hidden” Corrupt. She is nearly 200 years old and said to be the foremost among the Corrupt. According to her and others of the Corrupt, Mestoph was the first human to ever offer herself to the force known as “The Liberator” she claims to have originated the term. As is the nature of the demonic creatures known as the Corrupt, she is not a leader or overseer of these beings, although most of the Corrupt know her name and seem to be able to sense her age and power. Thus, she is given a certain amount of respect and deference among her kind.

The Corrupt are humans and D-Bees who have sacrificed their humanity to become evil monsters of chaos and mayhem. The transformation is so dramatic that they lose much of their former selves. Many Corrupt seem exactly the same, as if they were all cast from the same mold. Not so with Mestoph. For whatever reason, she has retained a good deal of her original personality and memories. This may simply be because she was already a monster given to envy, hate and contempt. Her only genuine means of enjoyment coming from the suffering of others, ideally at her hands. She is Dunscon’s Enforcer, the Council person who oversees the enforcement of Dunscon’s will and the law and rules of his kingdom with brutal efficiency. She loves nothing more than to lead a squad of troops (often the Corrupt) against intruders, spies and rabble-rousers, as well as raids against unsuspecting villages, Brotherhoods or groups who have dared to ignore or defy Lord Dunscon.

Cracius The Cunning

Deevils, although not as skilled in the arts of persuasion and corruption of their Devil brothers, are notorious as enticers and deceivers. Cracius is no exception. Lord Dunscon appreciates his wiles and uses Cracius as diplomat, spy and interrogator, as well as an advisor on the base nature of mortal beings and what it may take to “sway” them.

Cracius enjoys his work and is loyal to Lord Dunscon, despite the fact that Alistair associates with the Demon Hordes of Hades, who are ancient rivals of Devils and their kin. Cracius respects Bloodmist and Gothmog, but doesn’t trust them. He is constantly engaged in a campaign of “one-upmanship” and (reasonably) friendly rivalry and mind games with them (although he wins only a third of the time). Cracius was a big fan of Mestoph. He liked her style, and the two often collaborated, but he didn’t trust her for a minute.

Yarl Corsby

One of Dunscon’s lackeys. Corsby was a blood shaman and fanatical supporter of Alistair and his regime in the Federation. He is probably best known by most people in the Magic Zone as the perpetrator of the Sorrowseed Massacre, in which Corsby and other Federation members sacrificed 9,800 innocent people in the name of Dunscon. This act earned Corsby a place at Alistair’s side. However, he is now deceased.

Lae’ocowan

Dunscon’s official beast handler. Laeocowan cares for and controls the various monstrous animals and beasts of burden that live in the Kingdom of Dunscon. He is highly trained in animal husbandry and utilizes taming methods he says he learned during time spent with the Simvan. It is said that Laeocowan had directly to do with the creation of the Spiny Ravagers and their subsequent use against the Coalition States.

Alpheus Winterborn

Though not a Federation Lord, Winterborn wields a great deal of power in the Federation of Magic. This ley line walker acts as Dunscon’s official messenger and representative. Whenever there is a situation that Alistair doesn’t wish to deal with personally (which is often), Winterborn is sent to resolve it. Alpheus’ skills are numerous and varied. He is a savvy diplomat and orator, as well as a consummate investigator and inquisitor. He is quite shrewd and perceptive, so very little gets by him. When a political alliance must be forged or the Federation must be represented in a certain venue, Winterborn is the one who goes. Likewise, if an upstart Federation Lord crosses the line and displeases Alistair, it is Winterborn who bears the warning of Dunscon’s wrath. Also, if a significant transgression against the Federation occurs or an important Federation ethic is broken, it is Winterborn who investigates the matter and reports back to Dunscon.

However, more than anything else, the ley line walker is Alistair Dunscon’s voice. What he says is what Alistair thinks and wants, and since he is the word of Dunscon, taking any action against him is tantamount to acting against Dunscon himself. All Federation members know this and as a result, are very careful in their dealings with Winterborn. Even major Federation Lords are respectful and cautious when he comes to visit. Alpheus can travel almost anywhere in the Magic Zone unmolested, and through any lord’s territory with total impunity, because everyone is aware that he is above personal laws and edicts. He answers to no one but Dunscon.

However, Alpheus is a messenger, not an executioner. Though he is a formidable mage, he does not enforce the word of Alistair. He merely bears news and reports back to his master (although the fates of individuals or entire kingdoms are often based on his reports or opinions). Winterborn himself is an older human in his late fifties sporting a neatly trimmed and groomed white beard. He doesn’t don the traditional garb of the line walkers and instead, wears long blue robes embroidered with arcane designs and numerous jewels. Alpheus always travels with a demonic companion known only as “Songhollow”. The demon acts as Winterborn’s escort and bodyguard, and never leaves his side. The ley line walker is known for his fair, non-biased attitude and his strong loyalty to the Federation of Magic. He never takes bribes and cannot be corrupted or dissuaded from his task.

Fineous Cromwell

Located at a ley line nexus at the edge of the Magic Zone in Indiana, is the castle keep of Fineous Cromwell, once a Federation lord of some repute. Also known as “Cromwell the Black”, this former lord is an accomplished mage, having mastered both Ley Line Walking and Shadow Magic. Fineous was the son of Gregor the Black, said to be one of the greatest shadow mages that ever existed. Being the progeny of such a respected magic-user gave Cromwell a lot of hereditary power within the Federation. However, Fineous had always been an overly ambitious and power hungry individual. These traits were what prompted him to build an army a few years ago and use it to usurp the kingdoms and positions of various rival lords. He was successful in doing so and increased his power base greatly until he became drunken with victory and did the unthinkable: he launched an assault against the Kingdom of Dunscon. After a bloody coup attempt, all of Cromwell’s troops and allies were captured and slain (some say in a bloodbath of arcane rituals that made Dunscon even more powerful than ever). Only Cromwell the Black was allowed to live, according to Alistair, so that he could live out the rest of his life in shame as a fool and a weakling. Now, Fineous Cromwell, known mockingly as “Cromwell the Disgraced”, has lost any power he once possessed in the Federation. His name has been dishonored, as well as the name of his dead father. Needless to say, Cromwell lives for revenge. He spends most of his days plotting and planning ways to hurt and undermine Dunscon. Few other lords will associate with him as it is considered in bad taste.

O’Negis

Once the “Seer-Witch” of the Dunscon family, O’Negis now lives in self-imposed exile somewhere in the wilderness of the Ohio Valley. Not much is known about her, despite the infamy of her name. What is known is that she is old, at least 200 years of age, placing her date of birth long before the creation of the Post-Apocalyptic Calendar. It is said that she was around during the initial inception of the Federation of Magic, during the rule of Nostrous Dunscon. In fact, she was an advisor to Nostrous and supposedly knew Alistair as a child. However, after the Federation’s failed assault on Chi-Town in 12 P.A. and Nostrous’ subsequent death in the Campaign of Blood, O’Negis went into hiding. She stayed unseen for about thirty years; most believing she had perished as many other mages had in the Campaign. Eventually, she finally made it known that she was alive and well.

As powerful as she is long-lived, O’Negis could have easily proclaimed herself a lord. It is speculated she could have carved a small niche for herself out of the maelstrom of wizards and brotherhoods that battled for control of the Federation, yet she did not. Rather, the witch kept to herself, her activities unknown to most others. Eighteen years later, Alistair Dunscon returned to the Federation and began vying for the mantle of leadership he said was his birthright. When he regained power, O’Negis hurriedly went to see him and Alistair offered her a position as his advisor, to serve him as she did his father. Initially she accepted. However, after a few months in his service, for reasons that are still unknown to this day, O’Negis relinquished her place at Dunscon’s side and fled into the Magic Zone. Since that day she has spoken out against Alistair’s rule, and it is widely known that she greatly dislikes the young Dunscon, calling him a “…scared and pathetic shadow of his father.” Alistair, in return, has branded her a traitor and a dangerous renegade, and has ordered that anyone who finds her must kill her immediately.

O’Negis is a mystical enchantress who is considered by most Federation Lords to be a definitive wild card in Magic Zone affairs. Often times, when one of Dunscon’s plots fail, many Federation Lords suspect her meddling, even if there is no evidence of it. The witch is acknowledged as a master of shapeshifting and illusions, and is known to be a powerful soothsayer with precognitive abilities on par with the Grey Seers. All these things have made her very difficult to locate, despite Alistair’s efforts.

Mistress Binth

Ravendark

Called the “Last Ravennan Death Mage”, Ravendark was a consort and close friend to Nostrous in the old days of the Federation. A fair amount is known about this man, yet there is a strong mystique that surrounds his life. Though he is no longer regarded as an official member of the Federation of Magic, it is believed that he, like O’Negis, may be secretly manipulating the course of Federation events.

Ravendark was born and grew up in Ravenna, a community 30 miles north east of the Akron Chasm. Ravenna was built over the bones of a pre-Rifts Ohio town of the same name, which was leveled during the massive earthquakes of the Great Cataclysm. The town was composed of the descendents of apocalyptic survivors who had not the means to flee the Magic Zone and instead took up arms to protect themselves. Over the course of generations, those Ravennan’s gifted with an aptitude in magic slowly began turning to the use of Necromancy to better support the community. This became a common and even admirable practice in Ravenna. With time, this eventually led to the development of powerful Houses of Necromantic families with lineages that could be traced back to the Coming of the Rifts. Ravendark was a member of one of these Death Mage Houses, specifically the eldest son of a prestigious Ravennan necromancer.

Towards the end of the Second Dark Age, Nostrous Dunscon called upon all the magic-users in the Ohio Valley area to come together and create the original True Federation of Magic. As he searched for allies to support him, the powerful Necromantic families of Ravenna were an obvious choice. Ravendark was one of the first of the Ravennan necromancers to throw in with the charismatic Dunscon. Ravendark became a powerful lord under Nostrous and commanded a formidable army of undead. He agreed with Nostrous’ visions of conquest and building a grand empire of magic. Yet, as history shows, the attack on Chi-Town failed and the Coalition retaliated. Most communities in the Magic Zone were erased from existence. Ravenna was wiped out during the Campaign of Blood, as were all of its Necromantic Houses.

Ravendark fought bitterly to defend the Grand City. However above anything else the Death Mage was a survivor, and when he realized that Nostrous was dead and the Magic Zone was lost, he fled with the remnants of his undead army into the Akron Chasm. The moment he disappeared into the Underground he forsook his family name, and to this day it is only known by the Old Guard who lived through those dark days.

There have been many rumors and tales perpetuated about Ravendark since his disappearance. Some people believe him to be dead. Others believe he is quite alive, spending the last ninety and some years plotting and scheming his revenge somewhere beneath the earth. Most major lords consider him probably still alive, perhaps even as an undead, though he is regarded with a strong amount of suspicion. After the Campaign of Blood, many of the powerful magical artifacts owned by Nostrous went missing. Some were confirmed as taken by the Coalition, most likely placed in their Black Vault. However, many remain unaccounted for and it is believed that Ravendark may have stolen them. Whatever the case, the Death Mage, if still alive, is the last of the necromancers of Ravenna. This makes him highly respected and revered by any necromancers who know of that community’s existence.

Ghostwalker

Dweomerian Renegades

Dweomer is known for having some of the most loyal, capable, and self-disciplined troops in the Zone. Training for the Dweomerian Brotherhoods is some of the most exhaustive and thorough on the Continent, meant to weed out the weak and unfit. However, despite the high mental and physical standards of the training, bad apples do occasionally slip through the cracks. The following are some notable individuals who should never have become magi.

Lord Sülstis

Perhaps the most well-known of all Dweomerian renegades, Sülstis has been rogue for over ten years now. This lord magus is the scourge of Dweomer City, as well as one of its biggest shames. Sülstis is aptly known as “The Corrupter” due to his amazing ability to charm and highly influence almost anyone he meets (high M.A.). Through promises of wealth, power and love, Sülstis can twist even the most principled of people and turn them into dark, former shadows of themselves. He has this perfected to an art.

He was originally forced to leave Dweomer when it was realized that he was trying to undermine the power of the Lords of Magic. He had already built a small web of “corrupted” followers that spread through the Brotherhoods and even included other Lord Magi. He was only able to escape the city when his corrupted magi sacrificed themselves to protect him. Forced into exile, with his power base destroyed, Sülstis swore vengeance. His true motivations are unknown, though it is widely recognized that he hates Dweomer and wants to see it fall.

Lord Ultim

Master Vreiss

High Lord Andrew Harris

This high magus has been rogue for about three years. It is unknown exactly why he left Dweomer City. He had served the Brotherhood of Creation loyally for a decade before he suddenly quit his position in the Dweomer Military and left. Normally, there is nothing wrong with a magus who wishes to discontinue his service to the Lords of Magic and leave the city; it’s rare but it does happen. However, when magic items of Dweomerian design began to surface in the Black Market, it was realized that Harris was behind them. He had broken his oath to the Lords and was giving the secrets of his magic to others. This is a crime in Dweomer City that is punishable by death. Currently, Andrew Harris is operating for the Black Market, under their protection.

Roland Durge

Durge is a battle magus who has been rogue for about a year. He was originally a corporal in the Brotherhood of Battle where he was part of a DDP that regularly patrolled a two-mile circuit around Dweomer City. However, Durge was hotheaded and had a penchant for reacting to every situation with violence. He already had two demerits on his record for behavior unbefitting an officer and had been demoted once. These were the results of several occasions in which he was given an order he disagreed with and threatened his commanding officer. It was a well-known fact that Durge detested his squad leader. Eventually, Roland’s commander died under mysterious circumstances during one of the patrols. Though friendly fire was suspected as the cause of death, nothing could be proven, and Durge passed all magic assessments made of him. Consequently, the case was closed.

A few months later, Roland’s unit was sent into the Zone to answer a distress message (in the form of a magic pigeon) sent from a nearby fade town. When the unit never returned and no confirmation was sent from the town, another unit led by a lord magus was sent to investigate. The town was found to be in ruins. All the townspeople were dead; many shot in the back, indicating that they were shot while running away. All of Roland’s battle magi squad members were also dead, but Roland’s body was nowhere to be found.

It is speculated that Corporal Durge may have had some sort of psychotic break, though this is unlikely since their training makes battle magi very resistant to mental instability. It is also possible, though just as unlikely, that he was possessed by some sort of entity. Whatever the case may be, he is now a wanted man. A few reports have filtered into the Brotherhood of Battle, indicating that Roland has since been making a living by selling his services as a mercenary.

Rostigor Dur Grola

(This is an expansion on the material in Coalition Wars: Siege of Tolkeen Book Six: Final Siege.) This large, winged, reptilian D-Bee warrior (a Gromek to be exact) came to Rifts Earth through a trans-dimensional rift that dropped him off somewhere in the New West. He flew eastward across the continent, looking for as many combat opportunities as he could find along the way. However, getting into scraps with various adventurers and bandits held little appeal to this fighting machine. Consequently he headed to a place that he had heard was extremely dangerous the Magic Zone. Rostigor, now calling himself The Winged Fury, spent a great deal of time in the Ohio Valley, fighting demons, monsters, Federation sorcerers, and even the occasional Cyber-Knight. Yet, he remained undefeated, that is, until he encountered a squad of Battle Magi.

Rostigor had been flying very close to Dweomer, stirring up trouble with the locals. Although he had no knowledge of Dweomer’s existence, the Brotherhood of Battle decided it best to steer him away from the city’s location. When the DDP found him, a fight ensued. It took a whole squad of five, but the Battle Magi were able to defeat the proud Gromek warrior. Rostigor was taken to the city so his memories could be altered and he could be relocated somewhere else within the Magic Zone, as was custom for prisoners. However, the Gromek contested, saying that he wished to stay in the city and that he had much to offer. The Dweomer Institute took interest (Dur Grola was the only one of his kind ever recorded to be encountered by Dweomer), and the Brotherhood of Battle considered his martial skills impressive. The decision was made to allow Rostigor to stay in the city, on a trial basis. The Gromek warrior was in awe of the magi, and during his time in Dweomer, he continually tried to join Coran’s Brotherhood, wishing to learn the path of those who had bested him. Though it took years, Rostigor was eventually accepted for training. Despite his hotheadedness, aggressive disposition, and infatuation with violence, Dur Grola developed the discipline needed to eventually graduate into full Battle Magus status. However, to the irritation of many in Dweomer, as soon as his training was completed, Rostigor left Dweomer to resume his quest for combat and personal glory, stating that he found the city “too stifling” for one such as he. He headed to Tolkeen, where he heard many great warriors dwelled. Shortly after, King Creed offered him a position in Tolkeen’s coveted Circle of Twelve.

Rostigor loves serving the besieged kingdom. With the war heating up, Rostigor is finding all the fighting he could ever want. He is intensely happy there. The Gromek is not so much a Dweomerian renegade as he is just an errant magus. He is honorable in his own right and will never betray the secrets of the Battle Magi or act against Dweomer.

The Lost Ones

The Lost Ones were a former Dweomer Defense Patrol composed of six battle magi who fell into darkness a few years ago. The exact accounts behind their fall from grace are numerous and varied, though there are certain facts that are undisputed.

A battle magus squad called the 16th was patrolling its usual circuit, a stretch of land five miles south of Dweomer. Their patrol route was one of the farthest from the City, bordering on lands where Dweomer’s power was tenuous. The patrol itself had been fairly uneventful for the day, something that was strange considering their distance from the safety of the City. As the story goes, the magi had just completed their parameter check and were about to head back when a mysterious human female stepped into their path. It is said the woman was exceptionally beautiful but in a very dark, sinister way. She had long, elegant black hair, delicate pale skin, and stunning turquoise eyes. Her body was curvaceous but clad in gleaming black armor and draped over by an ebony cloak.

The odd woman spoke in an alluring, beautiful voice and with that voice, asked the magi to help her. She claimed that she had been assailed by a group of Witchlings and was just barely able to escape with her life. According to her, the creatures were on their way to get her at that very moment. Of course, the 16th agreed to assist her and set off to engage the monsters. This much is known about their experience because the squad captain radioed Dweomer and explained the situation, requesting back up units for assistance. This was the last anyone ever heard from the squad.

When two other DDPs arrived at the coordinates given by the squad captain, the 16th was nowhere to be found. All that remained of those fateful magi were their communicators, thrown into a pile on the ground. A search operation was launched soon after but without success. It was assumed that the magi were somehow defeated by the Witchlings and their bodies taken. However, a few months later, the Brotherhood of Battle received reports that there was a woman wondering the Magic Zone escorted by a large group of warriors. Six of the warriors donned battle magus armor with personalized markings indicating the 16th.

It is speculated that this mysterious woman may be a fallen cyber-knight named Epheseia Gloordon, also known as the Black Widow. Like Lord Sülstis, this rogue is known for being able to twist and corrupt others, though in her case, she uses feminine charms to ensnare members of the opposite sex. If it is her, then the Brotherhood believes the lost squad has been corrupted or magically entranced in some way. She is thought to be hiding somewhere in the Zone since encounters with the fallen knight are reported from time to time. All attempts at finding her or contacting the six magi have failed. If she is staying in the Magic Zone, then it is most likely under the protection of a Federation Lord.