Villains from Illiria
Nero, the Mad Wizard Captain of Dulvia
“It is too beautiful to be real. It is surely an illusion crafted by the enemies.”
Dulvia’s Wrath
Dulvia was one of the few nations that remained etched in history after the Dark Honeymoon. Renowned as one of the most advanced civilizations of that era, Dulvia achieved unparalleled feats in magic and technology. Their most formidable creation was the terrifying weapon of mass destruction: Dulvia’s Wrath.
Dulvia’s Wrath was a flying ship shrouded in illusion spells, rendering it almost undetectable. It possessed the extraordinary ability to teleport to any location instantaneously. Equipped with bombs capable of annihilating entire cities, the ship was a symbol of Dulvia’s might and ingenuity. This ultimate weapon struck fear into the hearts of Dulvia’s adversaries, its mere existence altering the balance of power across the land.
The only way for enemies to protect themselves from Dulvia’s Wrath was by casting protective barriers over their cities at all times, draining their resources to the brink. In desperation, some nations relocated their cities underground, seeking refuge from the ship’s relentless assaults. Others resorted to cunning tactics, weaving illusion spells to create decoy cities, hoping to lure Dulvia’s Wrath into a death trap.
The Mad Captain Wizard
The captain of this ultimate weapon was none other than its creator: Nero. A legendary wizard who had perfected the arcane arts, Nero wielded unparalleled control over Dulvia’s Wrath.
Only the most capable and loyal individuals were granted a chance to be part of Nero’s crew aboard Dulvia’s Wrath. Even then, Nero’s intense paranoia shadowed every aspect of life on the ship. He was constantly on guard, suspecting any member of his crew to be a secret spy or an intruder poised to sabotage his creation.
He employed a network of enchantments and surveillance spells to monitor every corner of the ship, watching his crew’s every move. His paranoia reached such extremes that sometimes, Nero would murder crew members at random, believing that by doing so, he reduced the statistical likelihood of harboring a spy.
The Fall of Dulvia
Dulvia’s Wrath sailed the skies for many years, destroying countless cities and bringing its enemies to the brink of collapse. However, on one fateful day, an accident occurred: the ship’s teleportation device malfunctioned, transporting the vessel to an unknown location. Whether this was divine intervention or an act of sabotage remains a mystery.
Dulvia’s Wrath found itself in a breathtaking field of golden flowers, under skies of an indescribable hue. Men, women, and children appeared out of thin air, welcomed by a radiant woman wearing a crown of flowers—Persephone herself. The crew was paralyzed by the beauty of the scene. For a brief moment, even Captain Nero was stunned, having never witnessed anything so extraordinary.
However, the Mad Wizard Captain deemed the place “too beautiful to be real,” convinced it was an illusion crafted by his enemies. Without hesitation, he ordered every single bomb to be dropped. That day, in his blind paranoia, Nero unleashed destruction upon Elysium. Yet, in an act of sacrifice, Persephone shielded Elysium from the bombs.
Elysium was safe from harm, but Persephone was hurt. She was taken to Hades’ care, where the two of them met for the first time and fell in love. Thus began what would come to be known as the Dark Honeymoon.
Dulvia’s Curse
Within the next seconds, the entire wrath of Olympus descended upon Dulvia. In mere moments, the greatest and most powerful nation of all was utterly destroyed.
Gelid storms swept across the land, freezing everything in their path. Giant hurricanes and tornadoes tore through cities, uprooting buildings and scattering debris. Earthquakes shook the very foundations of Dulvia, causing magma to erupt from the ground and tsunamis to crash upon its shores. The entire land was decimated and completely cursed to never prosper again.
This is the origin of what would come to be known as the Dark Lands. It grew to encompass all the nearby kingdoms, the wrath of the gods visited upon those who did not deserve it. Now, it is uninhabitable—a desolate wasteland infested with eldritch monstrosities and plagued by countless curses. The skies are perpetually dark, and the land is twisted and barren, a grim reminder of the hubris of its former rulers.
As for the ship and its crew? No one is certain. Rumors have it that a fate worse than death befell them. Some myths say that the Captain and his crew melted and fused with the ship itself, cursed to eternally pilot his own creation through the Dark Lands. His screams of pain and sorrow are said to echo through the Dark Lands skies, as he sees the nation in which he loved completely destroyed and forgotten.
Ahirom Necros, the First Necromancer
“Those born after the Dark Honeymoon believe the world as it is to be natural. How can they comprehend the loss of a golden age they never knew? How can they understand a future stolen before it even dawned? My purpose is singular: to restore life as it was before.”
The Discovery of Necromancy
New World, New Souls
During the end of the world, Ahirom only had one goal in mind: to restore life as it was before. But once the Dark Honeymoon ended, the necromancer found himself in a transformed world. The people were subtly different, the animals wilder, even the sky was changed.
Dumbfounded, Ahirom analyzed the souls of those born after the Dark Honeymoon and compared them to those before. He found the new souls fundamentally altered. Some souls had their fates changed over time, while others had no fate at all. Their shapes and forms varied wildly, and some had new, incomprehensible parts. To Ahirom, they are lesser incomplete souls.
Ahirom tried to adapt to the new era but saw these new souls as fundamentally flawed. To him, they lacked the vibrancy and connection to the world their ancestors had.
Ahirom became obsessed with restoring life as it once was. The more he studied the new souls, the more convinced he became that the Dark Honeymoon had not truly ended. He feared that the new souls would continue to change, their essence eroding over time until life was unrecognizable.
The First Lich
As Ahirom grew older, his desperation mounted. He believed the new generations would spiral into complete chaos.
He delved deeper into the arcane arts, seeking to extend his life indefinitely. Through dark rituals and by corrupting his soul, he discovered the path to lichdom—a transformation granting him immortality.
Ahirom Necros became the first Lich, his mortal form decaying as his soul was completely altered. His new existence was a testament to his determination; he had sacrificed his own purity to make sure life would not derail into a spiral of chaos.
However, the transformation drove him mad. Ahirom captured thousands, and forcefully altered their souls to meet his ideal standard, but with no success. His victims often became undead abominations, which he enslaved. Souls he deemed impure he consumed, considering himself a “purifier of souls.”
Though he died many times, he always returned. It is said he now resides in the Dark Lands, still experimenting on souls, still seeking to restore life as it was.
Erebus, the Primordial God of Darkness
Erebus is a Primordial God of Darkness and Despair, one of the first beings to emerge from the Infinite Maelstrom of Chaos. As the embodiment of the primal, all-encompassing darkness, Erebus existed before the world took form, before light and order penetrated the void.
Erebus’s influence is pervasive, seeping into the world through every shadow and dark corner. It is the master of the unseen, the ruler of the intangible fears that lurk in mortals hearts. Its touch is the cold shiver that runs down one’s spine in the dead of night, the feeling of being watched by unseen eyes. Erebus speaks in the secret language of shadows and madness and those who listen may fall under its sway, losing themselves in the endless void.
The Ever Night Cult
Erebus’ Cult, known as the Ever Night, is composed of the lost and broken. Erebus extends an invitation for them to “embrace the darkness,” which entails abandoning their individuality and reason, surrendering their essence to become part of itself.
Through this process, the followers lose their personal identities, merging with the darkness that Erebus embodies. They become “Erebus” in spirit, but remain confined by the limitations of their flesh and mortal minds. Despite the profound psychological transformation, only a select few attain genuine power after embracing the darkness. For most, the process merely instills a false sense of strength, a reflection of Erebus’s overwhelming ego and madness.
The Eternal Opposition
Helios, the God of Light, stands in constant contrast to his father, Erebus. Helios embodies the pure, radiant light, bringing warmth and illumination to the cosmos. His brilliance is the beacon that dispels the shadows, defining the boundaries of darkness and creating the dawn that heralds the day.
The relationship between Helios and Erebus is one of eternal opposition, yet also mutual dependence. Their perpetual conflict forms the foundation of the cosmic balance between light and darkness. The Ever Night Cult sees this struggle as a necessary dance, even going as far as helping Helios in moments of crisis. For them, the world should be more Black and White, with no shades of gray in between…
The Dreamer's Cult
“Reality? It’s just a dream! We’re all living in the imagination of Azathoth. Think about your dreams for a moment. Do you remember the dull, uneventful ones, or the incredible ones where you can fly or plunge from the highest peaks?”
“Now, picture this: when Azathoth finally wakes up, who do you think it will remember? The people who drifted through life, or the ones who shook things up and made an impact? Don’t you want to be remembered?”
A Comfort for the Desperate
After the Dark Honeymoon, a time when shadows crept into the hearts of mortals and hope became a relic of the past, new cults and religions sprang up like mushrooms after a storm. The world, ravaged and weary, turned to any source of solace, desperate for a flicker of light in the encroaching darkness.
Among these new movements, the Dreamer’s Cult quickly gained immense popularity. What could be more comforting than knowing that the nightmare is merely a dream? For them, all the suffering, destruction, and death that happened during the Dark Honeymoon were just part of a fleeting nightmare, and things were going to become better soon.
The Cult That Saves and Kills Thousands
The cult’s followers were obsessed with their legacy and the idea of being remembered. They believed that the only way to truly exist was to be remembered when the supreme being, Azathoth, finally awakens.
Since they believed they were living in a dream, they felt free to do anything they desired. As long as they could carve their names in history, they saw it as fine. As a result, the Dreamer’s Cult gained a notorious reputation, sometimes referred to as “the Cult that saves and kills thousands.” While some followers committed horrendous and unspeakable atrocities, others performed acts of incredible charity and heroism. Followers generally didn’t care whether their actions were good or bad. As long as they were remembered, they had achieved their goals.
The Dream Catchers
The Dreamer’s Cult actively searches for desperate followers across the world. The recruiters, known as “Dream Seekers,” travel through devastated regions, targeting those most affected by loss and despair.
Initiates typically work for years within the Cult, gradually ascending through its ranks. However, those who attempt to leave the Cult face dire consequences. The most common fate is dismemberment, with each body part dried and trapped in a Dream Catcher. Friends and family of the former member are then required to use the Dream Catcher during their sleep, both as a test of their loyalty and a grim reminder of the consequences of betraying the Cult.
Azathoth’s Theater
Some cult members secretly orchestrate horrific atrocities, only for a select few that are secretly part of the group to heroically intervene and stop them. The heroes then gain fame and importance, ascending the ranks within society and thereby increasing the Cult’s influence.
Lying about events is also a common practice within the Cult. They often claim responsibility for any significant event, whether it be a terrible tragedy or a heroic act. By spreading misinformation and various stories, they further expand their reach and impact of their claims.
The Black Daggers
The Black Daggers, whispered throughout Kartelles, are one of the most formidable criminal organization. Stretching far and wide, they ensnare every manner of illicit trade, but their true mastery lies in the art of assassination. None dare cross them, for the Black Daggers employ the most lethal and cunning assassins, phantoms who slip through the night to eliminate rivals with silent, deadly precision.
Tales of the Black Daggers’ upper echelon speak of a sinister pact forged with demonic forces. It is said that their most dreaded and influential members have bound themselves to a Devil’s covenant, their murderous deeds serving a grander, more nefarious scheme that coils through the underbelly of Kartelles like a venomous serpent.
The Black List
Among the myriad legends surrounding the Black Daggers, none is more chilling than that of the Black List. It is believed that one of their ancient leaders struck a bargain with Baal Muloch, a fearsome Devil Lord of the infernal realms. In exchange for their souls, Muloch bestowed upon them a cursed artifact—a list of names, each inscribed by the Devil’s own hand.
The Black List is a thing of nightmares, said to be indestructible sheet of charred flesh that exudes a palpable malevolence. These names do not appear by mortal means; they are whispered into existence by desperate souls who beseech the dark powers for vengeance. Each name glows with a hellish light, a death sentence that only the bravest or most foolhardy would dare to challenge.
The Ritual of the Dagger
In the dim recesses of the Black Daggers’ sanctum, a forbidden ritual is conducted—a macabre rite known only to the highest members of the order. On the eve of the new moon, beneath the flickering light of black candles, a chosen assassin is presented with a dagger forged in the depths of the Abyss. This blade, known as the Voidfang, is said to drink the souls of its victims, each death feeding the dark power of the Black Daggers.
The Whisper Network
The Black Daggers’ influence extends beyond mere killing. They maintain a vast network of spies and informants, known as the Whisper Network. These agents, hidden in plain sight, gather secrets and manipulate events to the Black Daggers’ advantage. From beggars to noblemen, no one is beyond their reach.
Through this intricate web of deceit and murder, the Black Daggers have become one of the main powers in Kartelles. They are a shadow that looms over the empire, their presence felt in every corner, their wrath feared by all.
Lord Balthazar von Emoros, the Lord of Eskael
“Oh, how can you stand there and accuse me of being evil? My thirst for mortal blood is nothing but a mere expression of my existence! I am the next step in the evolutionary chain, a superior being whose very nature is beyond your feeble understanding.
Do you not realize that you too are a predator? You feast upon the flesh of beasts and other living beings, yet you dare to condemn me for feeding on the life essence of mortals? You are nothing more than a hypocrite.
But we, the vampires, we embrace our nature with pride and dignity. We are not afraid to revel in our superiority, to stand tall as the rulers of this world. We are the ones who have built cities, who have prospered, who have evolved during the Dark Honeymoon.”
Eskael, the Blood Rain Capital
Eskael, the Blood Rain Capital, stands as the most civilized bastion within the Dark Lands. Human blood farms are scattered throughout, where unfortunate trespassers are kept to feed the blood-dependent inhabitants.
During the Dark Honeymoon, many vampires offered their services and/or protection to humans in exchange for access to their blood. This arrangement was initially accepted, but propaganda origination in the burgeoning Empire of Kartelles soured the human opinion of vampires and cast them out—directly in the Dark Lands. This severance of good faith eradicated any sympathy the majority of vampires felt towards humans.
The Politics of Eskael
Eskael is a city of shadows and whispers, where the strong rule and the weak obey. The Crimson Court, a council of the most formidable Higher Vampires and Necromancers, sits at the city’s heart, their power as absolute as it is tenuous. Each lord and lady of the court commands their own domains with an iron grip. Lesser vampires and their undead servants toil under the watchful eyes of their masters, loyalty bought with promises of protection or the lure of fresh blood.
Lord Balthazar von Emoros, once a minor noble, now ruled Eskael as a King. He had clawed his way to the top through a tapestry of cunning and ruthlessness. The chaos of the Dark Honeymoon had been his forge, where he shaped his destiny. Balthazar’s charm and vision of a unified Eskael drew many to his banner, especially those weary of the endless infighting.
The Legacy of Lord Balthazar
Balthazar’s legacy was a double-edged sword, revered by some and reviled by others. To his followers, he was a visionary who had saved Eskael from chaos and ruin, forging a path to power and prosperity. But his methods were often brutal, his enemies crushed beneath his heel, their fates serving as grim warnings to those who would oppose him. For many vampires and necromancers, his reign was a necessary evolution, a time when strength and cunning were rewarded, and weakness was not tolerated.
Outside the Dark Lands, Balthazar is seen as the very embodiment of vampiric evil, a dark lord whose reign brought suffering and death. The propaganda from Kartelles painted him as a monster, his actions justifying invasions troughout the Dark Lands.
The Cult of Tiamat
The Cult of Tiamat is a gathering of those who dare to defy the heavens themselves. Its members are drawn from the broken, the vengeful, and the disillusioned—mortals who have felt the sting of the gods’ cruelty and seek retribution against their divine oppressors. In the dark recesses of the world, where light seldom penetrates, the cult festers like an open wound, its influence spreading through whispers and blood-oaths.
Her followers are bound not by faith, but by a shared enmity toward the Olympian gods, especially Zeus. They see Tiamat not just as a dragon queen, but as the rightful heir to Typhon’s legacy—a force of primordial destruction that will bring an end to the age of the gods and restore the world to its original, untamed state.
The Dragon that Refused
Among the many dragons that spread chaos across the lands, only one refused Zeus’ bargain: Tiamat, a five-headed beast said to be the very embodiment of Typhon’s severed right hand. Each head of Tiamat represents one of the five main fingers of the primordial terror.
When Zeus extended his hand in truce, offering the same bargain that had pacified the other dragons, Tiamat responded with a roar of disdain—a sound that reverberated like thunder and shook the ground. Her refusal was not born of mere arrogance, but of a deep-seated contempt for the gods who had imprisoned her progenitor and sought to control her.
Tiamat viewed herself as the rightful heir to Typhon’s legacy, a living embodiment of his wrath and chaos, destined to reshape the world according to her will. To her, the dragon bargains were chains designed to subdue her boundless rage and divine purpose. Accepting such terms would be akin to submitting to the tyranny she despised.
Gaia’s Alliance
In her defiance, Tiamat withdrew to the deepest caverns of the world, where the light of the gods scarcely reached. There, Gaia, the ancient Earth Mother, extended a rare gesture of welcome. The primordial, moved by Tiamat’s unyielding spirit and shared disdain for the gods who had once wronged her, offered sanctuary.
Tiamat, finding a rare ally in Gaia, took refuge in these primordial caves, her presence a dark omen of upheaval and destruction. Gaia now nurtures her to ascend as the next ruler of the cosmos, just as she once did with Zeus, and before him, Cronus.
United in their quest, they strive to shatter the chains of Tartarus and unleash the Titans, bringing devastation upon Olympus. Rallying every enemy of the gods to their cause, they plot to ignite a new uprising that will shake the heavens and topple the divine order.
Tiamat’s Cult
The followers of the Cult whisper in the shadows, sowing seeds of dissent and plotting the downfall of the divine. Their greatest obstacle is the Dragon Hunters, the only ones left maintaing the fragile peace between the dragons and the gods. Yet, Tiamat’s followers sabotage the Dragon Hunters’ diplomatic efforts at every turn, inciting rebellion among the dragons.
Beyond their vendetta against the dragons’ peacekeepers, Tiamat’s followers extend their reach to all who have suffered at the hands of the gods. They seek out the Giants, those ancient foes of Olympus, whether tracking down their modern descendants or uncovering their remains within the Infinite Islands of Thalassa, ever seeking a means to bring them back to life.
The followers of Tiamat are relentless in their pursuit of allies, and they have forged dark pacts with the Devil Lords, trading their souls for power and the promise of revenge. Those who attain the highest powers are known as the Draconis, and have direct communion with Tiamat herself. Each Draconis is a powerful sorcerer or warlord, with armies of followers at their command and dark magics at their disposal.
The Web of Recruitment
The cult’s recruitment methods are as varied as they are insidious. It begins with the discontented—the farmers whose crops have withered under Demeter’s freezing winter, the warriors who have lost kin in wars waged for the gods’ amusement. These are the seeds of the cult, planted by agents who move unseen through towns and villages, spreading tales of Tiamat’s power and the justice she promises.
These agents, known as the Chain Breakers, are masters of manipulation. They prey on the weak and the desperate, twisting their grief and anger into a thirst for revenge. Slowly, the disillusioned are drawn into the cult, their minds poisoned against the gods they once revered.
But recruitment is not limited to the broken. The cult also seeks out the ambitious and the power hungry, those who would do anything to rise above their station. They are given a taste of power through dark rituals, where Tiamat’s essence is channeled into their veins, granting them abilities that set them apart from ordinary mortals.
The Cult’s Relationship with the Gods
The Olympian gods view the Cult of Tiamat with a mixture of fear and disdain. They know that the cult is a dangerous threat, one that could undo the delicate balance of power they have fought so hard to maintain. Yet the gods are also wary of acting too openly against the cult, knowing that any overt action could drive more disillusioned mortals into Tiamat’s waiting arms.
Zeus, in particular, is haunted by the specter of Typhon, and the thought of Tiamat ascending to power fills him with dread. He has dispatched his most trusted agents to infiltrate the cult and root out its leaders, but the cult is elusive, its members fanatically loyal and willing to die before betraying their cause. The gods are forced to play a dangerous game, battling the cult’s influence while trying to keep the extent of the threat hidden from the mortal world.