WARLOCKS AND SORCERERS

INTRODUCTION

Long before the gods took their place in the world and created all living things, the Primordial Power already existed. Naumathar had shaped the Six Worlds—Anahkólion, Anathurilis, Ernathurilis, Ernthys, Dnathirium, and Ernt-nador—using the Primordial Power. However, Naumathar was not the sole source of this power; there also existed Omnathar. And Omnathar became the complete opposite of Naumathar. Driven by emotions he could not fully comprehend—filled with hatred, envy, jealousy, and all that corrupts the soul—Omnathar began to undo the work that Naumathar so proudly admired. But mere destruction was not enough to satisfy him. Simply laying waste to Naumathar’s creation left Omnathar unfulfilled. Thus, he started to create and alter creatures across the Ages. Uncertain of exactly what he was shaping or transforming, Omnathar granted powers to witches and wizards, sorcerers and warlocks, giving them a portion of the Primordial Power of Darkness. These beings, bestowed with immortality, would wander across the worlds, forever drawn to places where other Primordial Powers flowed, emanating from Naumathar’s flaws in creation. Just as the Primordial Power of good was bestowed upon the wizard Yondar, other beings were blessed with the Primordial Power of evil.

THE KINGDOM OF SHADOWS SORCERERS

INTRODUCTION

The Realm of Shadow Sorcerers was not a kingdom that was built, but rather one that was seized. Long before the Order of Wizards officially existed, by the end of the Time of Kings, there was already the kingdom of Zumur, ruled by King Zerhphyr, a descendant of the Lineages of Juhl and Dailorhor, created respectively by the goddess Ankaendhar and the god Therbás. Zerhphyr, the last king of Zumur, governed his peaceful northern kingdom of Ernt-nador with serenity. He maintained good trade relations with Ashin, Anuiönder, and Dorhan, as well as other smaller kingdoms and city-states such as Mish, Zolum, and Zamar. Then, without warning, the Time of Shadows came and engulfed the world in darkness.

KINGDOM OF THE SHADOW SORCERERS

King Zerhphyr had as his personal advisor Natdhor, a man of dark and peculiar habits, who resided in the Temple of Zurh with his followers and servants. Zerhphyr had no complaints about Natdhor, who would always leave the Temple of Zurh—located within the kingdom’s domain but in a more remote area—whenever necessary to offer his counsel. However, when darkness covered the world and the king was informed that the Time of Kings had ended to make way for the Time of Shadows, Natdhor’s behavior changed, and he no longer responded promptly to his king’s summons. On several occasions, the advisor not only failed to appear on the appointed day but often took days to fulfill the king's requests. On one such day, when Natdhor failed to respond, King Zerhphyr, frustrated, marched to the Temple of Zurh with his Royal Guard. At the temple gates, the king was told to enter alone, as weapons were forbidden on sacred ground. Though he accepted the terms, the king did not go in alone—his right-hand man, Commander Dirhus, accompanied him. When the king and his commander emerged from the Temple of Zurh, they were no longer the same. Something in their eyes had drained them of the joy and pleasure of life. Before the midpoint of the Time of Shadows, the entire population of Zumur vanished, and the kingdom became known as "The Realm of the Shadow Sorcerers."

TEMPLE OF ZURH

MASTERS OF THE SHADOW SORCERERS

MASTER ÊURHUDUR

Although he does not remember and perhaps never discovered, Êurhudur was born long before the Time of the Goddesses, more precisely at the end of the Time of Shadows, when Ernt-nador was entering the winter solstice, and darkness still ruled the land. At that time, a mysterious figure invaded a castle and stole the firstborn of a great king. The baby, who slept in a wooden cradle beside his mother, was born at a specific time that had not occurred for many ages. But Êurhudur, who had another name then, was special: he was a descendant of the descendants of the First Lineage of Naöhrad. Although the lineage had already diluted, divine blood flowed in his veins. Êurhudur was secretly taken to a hidden place, where he remained asleep for over a thousand years. During the Time of Dragons, a family from the North of Ernt-nador was blessed with the arrival of a beautiful newborn child. As a young boy, Êurhudur realized he was different from other people. With an enormous ambition for power and a desire to learn the art of the unknown and the power granted by the gods to wizards, he sought to join the Supreme Order of Wizards of Yondar, but his request was quickly denied by the Master of Wizards. Following the path of Zumur, he allied himself with Pakindor, Master of the Shadow Sorcerers. Êurhudur studied the dark arts and became the greatest and most powerful Master of the Shadow Sorcerers. Though powerful, Êurhudur's strength did not surpass that of the Order of Wizards, and his ambition grew. He sought a force that would allow him to control the creatures of darkness to annihilate the Order of Wizards. Setting out on a complex and difficult path, he begins by releasing one of the oldest demons in the worlds.

MASTER PAKINDOR

One of Natdhor's first disciples, Pakindor, quickly proved his worth soon after joining the Temple of Zurh, long before many things happened in the world of Ernt-nador. Master Natdhor immediately noticed that Pakindor was different from the others and chose him as his personal servant. Pakindor’s rise was swift, and in less than twenty lunar years, he had far surpassed everyone at the Temple of Zurh. Then came the Time of Shadows, and darkness spread across the world. Pakindor was mesmerized by all that was happening, but he wasn’t the only one captivated. In the early days of absolute darkness, Natdhor’s behavior changed completely. This was the moment when Pakindor seized the opportunity to delve into the hidden knowledge and study the powers of darkness. Soon, tales of a Lord of Shadows, brought to Ernt-nador by a powerful sorcerer known as the Black Wizard, spread across the land. News of a Black Army advancing through Ernt-nador reached Zumur. For Pakindor, this was the perfect opportunity to rise even higher. And indeed, Natdhor was forging secret alliances. Pakindor discovered that Natdhor had been communicating with someone by means that took Pakindor some time to uncover. Soon after, the master formed the Order of Shadow Sorcerers, a name inspired by the time they lived in: the Time of Shadows. Then came the coup against the king and Zumur.

Shortly after, Natdhor left the Temple of Zurh and went to the city. Days later, when Pakindor visited, the entire population had mysteriously vanished. There was no trace of anyone, neither living nor dead. Strangely, there were no tracks or signs left behind. This was yet another secret Natdhor kept hidden. A few days later, Natdhor disappeared from Zumur and was never seen again. Pakindor missed his presence, but his absence left a void, marking Pakindor’s ascension as the new Master of the Shadow Sorcerers. Although he did not know it at the time, Pakindor would go on to become a great sorcerer and change the fate of Ernt-nador when he unleashed the Kathand-Thândnath, the Great Black Dragons. It was during this time that he met Êurhudur, who would later become the greatest of all Shadow Sorcerers.

MASTER NATDHOR

From a very young age, Natdhor understood that he was different from everyone else. He felt a power coursing through him, a calling that never ceased, tormenting him day and night. Early on, he was chosen to work with the royal advisor of Zumur, earning a position close to the king. He was selected for a unique trait: Natdhor slept less than two hours a day, a detail that made a great difference to the aging advisor, who delegated more tasks to the young man. However, what the old advisor could not have predicted was that by the end of the second summer, he would fall gravely ill and leave this world. This event was meticulously planned and executed by Natdhor, who had already gained the king’s complete trust. Through his close relationship with the monarch, Natdhor soon convinced the king to build the Temple of Zurh. However, the temple was constructed in a specific location where a voice had instructed him to build it. One night, while standing atop the Temple of Zurh, a large bird landed on the battlements before him. Tied to its leg was a brief and direct message. As soon as Natdhor read the note, the bird, which resembled the ancient hawks, transformed into a terrifying winged creature, grotesque yet strangely beautiful and fascinating to Natdhor. The creature responded to a peculiar name that Natdhor would never forget. Shortly afterward, Natdhor asked the king for a few days to attend to matters of the kingdom’s interest. He left Zumur for a brief journey, but when he returned, something in him had changed. Natdhor had found his true purpose in the world, and he simply needed to follow the path laid before him, which he did with utmost care. Then came the Time of Shadows, and Natdhor, the Master of the Shadow Sorcerers, mysteriously vanished.

WIZARD-WITCHES OF NARAISHM

INTRODUCTION

There are few records about the Sorcerer-Warlocks of Naraishm, and little is known about when they first appeared or where they came from. Some speculate that they hailed from the unknown lands east of Ernt-nador's borders, from a place far beyond Aquinaim. Others claimed that they may have come from the Deserted Lands, situated northeast of Ernt-nador. However, most of the information comes from the writings of Arlor, an ancient and learned Wol-k who lived in the Citadel of Khleb-Athûm during the arrival of the three brothers via the Gulf of Gaff. According to the records, which were later archived in the High Hall of Knowledge in the Tower of Yondar, the three brothers settled somewhere within the Mountains of Naraishm. Whenever they needed supplies, the brothers would purchase goods from the Citadel of Khleb-Athûm. These visits often caused discomfort and consternation among the people due to the brothers' strange customs, attire, and behavior. Many years later, caravans and travelers passing near the Mountains of Naraishm began to mysteriously disappear. A delegation from Khleb-Athûm set out to investigate and try to uncover the cause of these disappearances. In truth, their mission was to locate the three brothers and banish them from the region. But after delving deep into Naraishm, they discovered that there were no longer three brothers—only one remained, and he had consumed an unknown power. Only one member of the Khleb-Athûm delegation survived and returned to the citadel. With a sickly appearance, the man could only repeat the same words: Fôrthun-Komôrm.

SORCERER MASTERS OF NARAISHM

MASTER FÔRTHUN-KOMÔRM

The story of Fôrthun-Komôrm is a mystery in which only one living being knows the full truth: Thuyrôl, his disciple, who eventually became a Naraishm Master himself. What is known, however, is that Fôrthun-Komôrm, along with two brothers, ventured deep into the heart of Naraishm. In the remote reaches of those mountains, the three encountered an extraordinary source of power that transformed them all. Unwilling to share this newfound power, Fôrthun-Komôrm killed his brothers in a fierce battle of power. Since then, little has been seen or heard of him. His occasional visits to the Citadel of Khleb-Athûm soon became problematic, as the people there were uneasy with his presence. Sensing their rejection, Fôrthun-Komôrm ceased his trips to the citadel. Instead, he began sourcing provisions from caravans that passed through the Naraishm Mountains. The people of Khleb-Athûm soon started calling him and his kind the "Sorcerer-Warlocks of Naraishm," and he became known as Fôrthun-Komôrm.

MASTER THUYRÔL

One of the greatest enigmas that haunts Ernt-nador is called Thuyrôl, a figure who emerged between the First and Second Eras of Ernt-nador. There are no clear records of when he first appeared, as no written account of his deeds exists. However, one undeniable fact remains: he was considered the last of the Sorcerer-Warlocks of Naraishm, at least according to the Supreme Order of the Wizards of Yondar. While no reliable accounts of his arrival or departure exist—he was never found—wizards agree on one thing: the name Thuyrôl is linked to Fôrthun-Komôrm and the Black Wizard. Exactly who he encountered first remains uncertain, though the Order suspects Fôrthun-Komôrm was his initial contact. His identity is shrouded in mystery, as is his appearance. No wizard or man has ever laid eyes on him to describe what he looks like. It is said that Thuyrôl was once seen casting a spell in the Citadel of Khleb-Athûm. Unfortunately, the witnesses lost their ability to speak, rendering them incapable of describing what they saw. Thuyrôl has not been seen since.

WARLOCKS OF UNLKAR

The Warlocks of Unlkar may be the oldest beings with powers to have set foot in Ernt-nador. No records exist regarding their origin or the time they were discovered, nor when they first interacted with the realm of men. It is only known that they roamed the world at the same time as the Narfanian Witches terrorized Anathurilis, long before losing one of their eyes. Thus, it can be considered that the Warlocks of Unlkar truly emerged during the Time of Chaos; however, they were already wandering through Ernt-nador.

WARLOCKS OF UNLKAR

BOTHERIS WITCHES

INTRODUCTION

The Botheris Witches, or the Witches of Botheris, as they were known to men, embodied a dark and terrifying force in Ernt-nador. Four powerful sorceresses—Rysham, Neurinah, Wantaga, and Hakas—brought dread wherever they roamed. Their emergence dates back to the Time of Wizards, yet their origin remains a mystery even to the Supreme Order of Wizards of Yondar. Some speculated they were connected to the ancient Witch Kendhar, though this was never proven. Among them, Hakas stood as the most vile and feared, a figure of untold malice who nursed a deep hatred for the Order of Wizards. Why this venomous hatred brewed within her remains unknown, as neither Yondar nor Tauran’z could ever explain it. But her wrath was made clear through fierce battles and the haunting accounts of those who survived. In time, all will be uncovered.

HAKAS

Hakas, the youngest of the feared Botheris Witches, or simply Botheris. The exact time when these four witches emerged is unknown, as each one appeared in different corners of the Known World—Ernt-nador, as the descendants of Anahkólion named it. Their origins and past homes remain unknown, but their presence was first felt around the year 970 in the Time of Wizards, according to the Ernt-nador Calendar. Hakas began to carve her name into the annals of history through her dark deeds in the scattered kingdoms and citadels of the Northern lands. Among her most infamous acts was the bewitching of Princess Mishala from the small kingdom of Mish. What troubled Yondar most was the way Hakas always slipped away when they were on the verge of capturing her. Three times, the wizards clashed with Hakas, but she was ever-elusive, always prepared, and evading them where her sisters Rysham and Neurinah could not. After the year 1600 of the Time of Wizards, Hakas vanished from Ernt-nador, her name fading into legend until, in the final year of the Time of Wizards, evil stirred once more.

WANTAGA

Wantaga stood as the second most powerful of the four Botheris Witches, surpassed only by the terrifying might of Hakas, the most cruel and formidable of them all. Like the others, Wantaga harbored an unrelenting hatred for the wizards of the Supreme Order of Yondar. After Rysham fell to a Nistharnur and Neurinah cast herself from the towering Cliffs of Lurhumur, the wizards focused their efforts on tracking down Hakas and Wantaga. But their search was in vain, as neither witch could be found. Wantaga, a dark-skinned woman with a slender build and long, curly black hair, possessed a commanding presence and a cruelty unmatched in its ferocity. Eventually, the wizards gave up their quest, believing the Botheris Witches to be either dead or departed from Ernt-nador. But in the year 1974 of the Time of the Wizards, the truth would emerge. An unexpected battle was brewing, for Wantaga had been biding her time, lurking in the deep shadows of darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Information about the witches Wantaga, Rysham, and Neurinah will be published here.

NARFANIAS WITCHES

INTRODUCTION

The origin of the Narfanias Witches is an ancient mystery. It is not known exactly when they first appeared in the world. However, it is known that Aralha, Unsafa, and Sagnarga are as old as the existence of humankind. Their first appearance was in Anathurilis and is related to the Kórsk, the demons of the depths who tormented some of the kingdoms that settled there. Yondar, the First Wizard, suspects that their origin is connected to the divine power of the gods, as no means has been found to end the existence of the Narfanias. Once brought from the far reaches of the world to Ernt-nador, they became known as the One-Eyed Narfanias Witches. The story of the origin of the Narfanias Witches will be presented in THE LORD OF DARKNESS – THE ORIGIN OF EVIL.

Information about the witches Aralha, Unsafa, and Sagnarga will be published here.

THE WITCH OF KENDHAR

INTRODUCTION

The story of the Witch of Kendhar is intertwined with one of the greatest secrets kept since the First Era of Anahkólion. A tale of love and hate; of joy and sorrow; of deep pain and a silent selfishness that birthed an unparalleled wickedness in the world. It is the event that gave rise to the greatest challenge to be faced since the creation of mankind—a secret locked away in a prison located in a forbidden place. Yet, secrets are not kept for eternity; the infinite time is but a grain of sand in the Desert of Kendhar. The mystery will be revealed. A kingdom will be destroyed. The vengeance of the Witch of Kendhar will come for all. The story of the Witch of Kendhar will initially be told in THE LORD OF DARKNESS – THE ORIGIN OF EVIL, coming this year on the The Wizards’ War platform.

THE ORDER OF THE DARK WIZARDS

INTRODUCTION

The Order of Black Wizards has a brief presence in the records of Ernt-nador. However, for Yondar, there is something yet to be discovered. The order dates back to a dark period that engulfed Anahkólion, Anathurilis, and Ernathurilis, yet it remains hidden in the Annals of History. Certain historical events that transpired over the ages left consequences, although the authors have never been mentioned. This has always perplexed the Master of Wizards. Over time, still in Ernathurilis, before the Time of Darkness, Yondar became aware that another force was working for evil, which would later be called the Order of Black Wizards.

MARHUM

Even though Marhum, the Black Wizard, emerged in Wol-kunt shortly before the Time of Shadows was created by him, Yondar is fully convinced that Marhum hails from another place and other Eras. One of the greatest enemies of the Order of Wizards of Yondar did not simply appear out of nowhere. He had already existed; however, few know who Marhum truly is or who he may have been in the past. During endless meetings of the High Council of the Supreme Order of Wizards, Yondar and Tauran’z, along with other members, reviewed all records dating from Anahkólion to Ernt-nador, but nothing was found. Still, Yondar knows that Marhum comes from other Eras; otherwise, he wouldn’t possess the knowledge he does. Marhum’s knowledge may be the only way to eradicate evil in the world, but for Yondar to claim it, he must make a pact with Marhum, the Black Wizard. The greatest challenge of this puzzle is determining with whom the Order of Wizards would actually be making such an agreement. The emergence of the Black Wizard is an enigma and mystery that intrigues all. What does he want? Why was he in Ernt-nador before the Time of Shadows? What secret does Marhum hold?

The last year of the Time of Wizards will reveal who the Black Wizard is and the reason behind his decision to either join or not join the Order of Wizards.