Of all the great designs of evil in this world, all the acts of rebellion and violence that seek to corrupt churches, topple governments, usurp crowns or enslave the free and innocent, Mahan is at its center. With a solid foothold in every culture, every society, and race, Mahan is always connected to two specific pieces of arcane subject matter: Lord of Darkness, Master of Lies, Bloodletter, Lord Malice, The Betrayer. He is known by many names, but to the world, he is Master Mahan, the killer of souls.Of all the great designs of evil in this world, all the acts of rebellion and violence that seek to corrupt churches, topple governments, usurp crowns or enslave the free and innocent, Mahan is at its center.With a solid foothold in every culture, every society, and race, Mahan is always connected to two specific pieces of arcane subject matter: The Unembodied and The Book of Dark Bindings

WARNING This is a dangerous subject. There are forces at work here that I just don’t understand and they have tampered with my writings. Twice I’ve come back after a break from writing to catch the very letters on notepads, shifting across its surface. Pieces of evidence collected or quotes recorded have changed to either disprove what I discovered or scrambled themselves into a garble of words. I don’t know what kind of magic this is. My hope now, is that I can maintain the information on this site in its original form. The G.R.R. has written a small program to assist me. By using photographs I’ve taken of these documents along the way, this system will periodically compare it with the live material you are reading. If there are alterations or changes, the software will reconfigure and rewrite the matter to conform to the original photographs. So far, this article hasn't been affected by this magical phenomenon.

Fact or Fiction?

I can tell you that this creature, or man, or whatever he is, has been here from the beginning. Before mankind was born, there was Mahan. Some of the earliest records, dating back tens of thousands of years, talk of a ‘shadow’ or a ‘whisper of anger’ which ‘seeped into the hearts of men.’ A being claiming this world as his own witnessed the growing society of mankind as cattle—to buy, sell and use at his pleasure. Any being lesser than he in both knowledge and power is subject to his will and utterly dominated. They slaughtered any who opposed his rule without regard or mercy.

Fall from Grace Three times they gave him an opportunity to give homage, warned of the price for his open rebellion against the society who loved him…and each time, he mocked vähänät to his cause and sought to take Pääjumä’s throne by force. A war of magical might ensued, shaking that shook the very foundation of that world. All creation ignited with the conflict and in the end, Mahan and his followers were cast down. Justice cannot be denied. Mahan’s immortal body was taken from him. Along with his followers, the being now known as The Lord of Darkness was cast down to this world, forced to live unseen, inflicted with all the desires of mortality, ever unable to fulfill them. It is a commonly held belief that Mahan is the opposition in all things we as mortals face. That his efforts to promote evil are allowed to exist, in Pääjumä’s wisdom, to give us experience. To make us strong. Tales speak of this great evil enticing mankind, whispering that all things may be had in this world ‘for a price.’ Other records, derived from ancient kirk archives say that Mahan was among those beings who formed this world. That he had the respect of the jumälät before the world was. In these tales he refused to give respect to the Head of the Creative Order.Three times they gave him an opportunity to give homage, warned of the price for his open rebellion against the society who loved him…and each time, he mocked Pääjuma , the Father of All.In an act of treason, Mahan amassed an army, those he could persuade, both of the jumälät andto his cause and sought to take Pääjumä’s throne by force.A war of magical might ensued, shaking that shook the very foundation of that world. All creation ignited with the conflict and in the end, Mahan and his followers were cast down.Justice cannot be denied. Mahan’s immortal body was taken from him.Along with his followers, the being now known as The Lord of Darkness was cast down to this world, forced to live unseen, inflicted with all the desires of mortality, ever unable to fulfill them.It is a commonly held belief that Mahan is the opposition in all things we as mortals face. That his efforts to promote evil are allowed to exist, in Pääjumä’s wisdom, to give us experience.To make us strong.

Beyond Belief There are fragments of records from the ancient times of Arodrin, which speak of the growing shadows of the land. What’s interesting about these records—and these are the statements which have altered on the very pages I write—is that these whispers and shadows become real. For the first time that I can find, Mahan is talked about as a man. Not a myth, or some abstract concept of evil, but a flesh and blood being, who sought power at every turn. A psychopath walking this world, sowing discord among the tribes of men and eventually engaging the first Hero of the Gem in magical combat. As time continues, we have clearer accounts in more detail. The Book of Four Kings talks of the campaign of bloodshed and dominion waged against the inhabitants of the world in 6000s. Hundreds of thousands of troops at his disposal, both vallen, and therrin—scourging the lands, while his Täuku drew upon the forces of the dead. He set Evolu lands aflame, forcing the elves to flee from their home, flocking to Humär to ensure their survival. Yet the greatest scenes of terror always followed Mahan personally. Approaching any city or keep, great horns would announce his presence. Messengers, usually beings of substantial power or grotesque form to cause fear among the races of light, were sent to the leaders of each domain. It was always a feigned ‘invitation’ to surrender to a benevolent ruler. Subject yourself unconditionally of your own free will and choice. They added those who did so to the slave ranks. Any who resisted were overcome by the bloodthirsty armies pacing outside their walls…and the populace decimated. There are fragments of records from the ancient times of Arodrin, which speak of the growing shadows of the land.

Mahan’s Power

Mahan himself was a terror to behold. Dancing among the greatest mankind offered, heroes fell like children before a serpent. No arrow or sword could pierce the armor of shadows. Only with the help of the greatest mägo and the Hero himself did the Four Kings gain ground. In a combined charge of humans, evolu, kutollum, and nocturi, they isolated Mahan from his militia and forced him to engage in one-on-one combat with the Hero of the Gem. Aided by the nocturi mägo and kutollum runelords, the Dark Lord was defeated and brought to Castle Andilain to stand trial. Though sentenced to death, no force the mortals possessed could take the Dark Lords life. The Demoni Vankil describes the events which transpired next. Even the greatest of mortal forces could not contend against Mahan directly.He could unleash fire and ice, plagues of death and beastly elementals upon flesh and steel. Nature, screaming in agony, bent to his will. There are even hints from personal accounts that the very dead rose from the battlefield to turn upon their own.Mahan himself was a terror to behold. Dancing among the greatest mankind offered, heroes fell like children before a serpent. No arrow or sword could pierce the armor of shadows.Only with the help of the greatest mägo and the Hero himself did the Four Kings gain ground.In a combined charge of humans, evolu, kutollum, and nocturi, they isolated Mahan from his militia and forced him to engage in one-on-one combat with the Hero of the Gem. Aided by the nocturi mägo and kutollum runelords, the Dark Lord was defeated and brought to Castle Andilain to stand trial.Though sentenced to death, no force the mortals possessed could take the Dark Lords life.The Demoni Vankil describes the events which transpired next.

“The hysterical laughter turns to screams as the man in red leans in hard. A scream which rends the very fabric of nature. I can smell the stench of burning flesh. “Trees within the courtyard split in twain and the ground rocks and trembles. The Gnolaum calls out to the man in red but he is unmoving. I question if this is really necessary. He only smiles as he pulls the iron from the wound, casts it aside and holds out an open hand to the Kutollum. I am stunned to see the flesh completely burned away and the marks seared into bone. “The Dark Lord’s screams grow with each touch until I fear the world will rip asunder. Three times is the devil branded thus, but as the third mark penetrates the devils flesh, silence falls upon us. The ground is still and though evil thrashes, eyes wide in pain and terror, he cannot scream. “The Gnolaum speaks the words and the Prime Gate is opened. Through the portal I can see only darkness. The devil's body rises from the alter, an invisible force pulling him violently into the void, but still being restrained by chains. “The man in red whispers so only the devil and I can hear: ‘From darkness you came, to darkness you will return.’ “With a snap of his fingers, the chains of the alter release their captive. The contorted body of Mahan is cast into the darkness, his eyes wide with a terror I cannot even imagine. “The Gnolaum closes the gate and all is silent. There are no cheers, no laughter, not a sound of nature.” “Two Kutollum take the other irons from the fire and we follow the man in red up the stairs and to the devils side. He examines the iron in his hands and then leans down to the devil’s ear and I am forced to follow.“‘For this moment I have sacrificed all I have ever had to give.’ And without a moments hesitation, he thrust the burning iron into the devils forehead, chanting words I cannot recall or identify.“The hysterical laughter turns to screams as the man in red leans in hard. A scream which rends the very fabric of nature. I can smell the stench of burning flesh.“Trees within the courtyard split in twain and the ground rocks and trembles. The Gnolaum calls out to the man in red but he is unmoving. I question if this is really necessary. He only smiles as he pulls the iron from the wound, casts it aside and holds out an open hand to the Kutollum. I am stunned to see the flesh completely burned away and the marks seared into bone.“The Dark Lord’s screams grow with each touch until I fear the world will rip asunder. Three times is the devil branded thus, but as the third mark penetrates the devils flesh, silence falls upon us. The ground is still and though evil thrashes, eyes wide in pain and terror, he cannot scream.“The Gnolaum speaks the words and the Prime Gate is opened. Through the portal I can see only darkness. The devil's body rises from the alter, an invisible force pulling him violently into the void, but still being restrained by chains.“The man in red whispers so only the devil and I can hear: ‘From darkness you came, to darkness you will return.’“With a snap of his fingers, the chains of the alter release their captive. The contorted body of Mahan is cast into the darkness, his eyes wide with a terror I cannot even imagine.“The Gnolaum closes the gate and all is silent. There are no cheers, no laughter, not a sound of nature.”

Painful Secrets

There are things which are unlawful to utter, but this I can tell you: Mahan was once mortal, just as you and I are mortal. He was flesh and bone, muscle and sinew, with hopes, dreams, and passions as any among us. I know this because he was my friend. From a good family, a good people, who knew better than to allow such a rebellious soul to remain among them. Branded Mustäti or ‘black star’ for his crime of fostering discord among his brethren, he was cast out to wander the world alone. Bitter and filled with rage, he sought revenge for a just sentence…and I was foolish enough to think I could save such a hard-hearted soul. How he got his hands upon the Book of Dark Binding, I don’t know. But the essence of the true Mahan was within the folds of those pages, and they spoke to a darkness already residing in Mustäti’s heart. When I pled with him to relinquish the book, he turned upon me, a mägo many years his senior. Enhancing his military training with his newfound control over the elements, we fought. Nature screamed in agony that day…but I defeated Mustäti in the end, and he fled from me. Only to take revenge in bloodshed. So I will stand with dear Wendell for as long as it takes to find Mahan…and destroy him, once and for all. Not defeat him. Not kill him, for you cannot kill one guilty of death. I live to destroy him, body and soul. — Morphiophelius Smith

I just wish sometimes that Pääjumä didn’t have so much confidence in us.There is one still alive who both saw and engaged in combat with Mahan himself all those years ago: Morphiophelius Smith