Prophet-Magus Karrudan

Karrudan, the Prophet-Magus, head of the Atlantis Guild, power behind the Imperial throne, the voice of Immortal Tezla’s soul, was the human ruling wizard of Atlantis Guild during some time before 419 Tz. He was one of the rare breed of Magi who had 4 Magestone implants in their heads. He was killed by Snow, a Khamsin Fuser, and his death kickstarted the rise of the Black Powder Rebels across the Land.

## Characteristic

Karrudan wore robes of purple and gold, a sign - the colors of a senior mage of state. His hair and beard a pure white, thin lips set in a considering frown. Deep-set eyes of iron gray regarded others, as if searching for a flaw in any whom he spoke to. He had a high forehead, bold cheekbones, the jutting beak of a nose. Every line of the mage’s face shouted power - and arrogance. But perhaps the most recognizable features Karrudan had were his silver gloves and the four Magestone implants he had in his head.

The very air seemed to curdle with strange energies circling the Prophet-Magus. Invisible currents tugged at robes whose silk made any other cloth look pale in comparison. Even the man’s mane of white hair stirred in the grip of an unseen aura.

Like all members of the Atlantis Guild, he was clad in purple and gold. But Karrudan’s sumptuous robes were grander than any mage’s garb. The purple silk was embroidered in various iridescent hues, creating shimmering designs that caught the eye. The cloth of gold gleamed in the sunlight. So did the gloves of finest silver mesh that covered the Prophet-Magus’ hands.

## History

Upon his graduation as a Technomancer, Karrudan was gifted with an arcane bow by his master, Grand-Master Tezla. Karrudan wielded the dangerous weapon for all of his life, in Tezla's name.

After Prophet-Magus Karrudan connived the wreckage of Sarah Ythlim's plans in Prieska and ordered the death of her father she formed the Black Powder Rebels, which gave her a personal score to settle with the voice of Tezla. Around this time, Karrudan also ordered a squad of Imperial agents to murder Snow's father, which further spurned the farm boy into joining the Rebel cause. These actions essentially sealed the Prophet-Magus' fate, since both Ythlim and Snow played a major part in his assassination in the year of 419 Tz.

Prophet-Magus Karrudan, with the best interests of the Atlantean Empire in mind, has secretly manipulated the bloodlines of several of the lesser-known upper kingdoms, creating a "long-lost" heir who would miraculously "return" as an adult, bringing these three kingdoms together. This heir, the new king, would in fact be Karrudan's puppet, giving the Magus more and more power as he united more and more of the Empire. This boy was Jason. He was given by Karrudan to his "mother", Diana, as an infant to be raised as a mere serving boy in the estate's kitchens.

Sometime before his assassination, Karrudan arranged a fake practice bout for the Altem Guardsman Blaize to determine his skills - feeling that Blaize was fitting enough for his role as the Empire's mole in the ranks of the Black Powder Rebels, Karrudan enchanted the young man with his sigil.

### Death

On the day Solstice, a grand celebration for all Atlanteans, Karrudan was walking forward into all this adoring noise, giving his people an arrogant smile from the Throne Palace of Atlantis. He turned slightly, directing a sardonic comment to the guards officer at his side. Then he threw up his hands, palms outward, to quiet the mob. Snow knew that the Prophet-Magus had a reputation for not speaking until all was hushed. And Tezla protect any unfortunate individual who spoke out when the head of the Atlantis Guild wanted silence!

As the crowd’s noise died away, Snow lined up the sights of his fuser rifle on the Prophet-Magus’ chest. Karrudan opened his mouth. Snow never got to hear a word. The detonation of the weapon going off was like the thunder of some angry god. Below, Karrudan flinched, staggering back. One hand went to his chest. A bright red stain blossomed across the broad stripe of gold at his breast. Then the Prophet-Magus of the Atlantean Empire dropped without a word to the marble floor of the portico. The echo of the shot was just dissipating as Snow replaced his gear in the oilcloth bandoleer, slinging it across his back. A sickening, choked sound filled the square below—a multitude all struggling to draw breath together. The Prophet-Magus was dead.

When Karrudan was suddenly killed by Snow, all of his diabolical machinations went out the window. Diana, believing Jason to be in danger from the few who knew of Karrudan's plans, flew into the night.

His assassination by Snow signaled the rise of a new power in the Land. The years of war and chaos that followed that first gunshot do not exactly tip the scales in the favor of the Rebels, meanwhile frequent, bloody battles between the Guild and the free folk of Khamsin have marked the courage and determination of an entire generation of warriors.

### Legacy

Before his death Karrudan created Shazardek, the original prototype of the Atlantean Whirling Golem and the finest model of its class ever made, which was later expanded upon by Magus Jennerel and then put to large-scale use.

## Powers

> "Then a bolt very much like lightning seemed to pass from the mage to the kneeling Altem. Though the only contact was a fingertip, it seemed to deal Blaize a blow far worse than any he had ever received in practice or in combat. Blaize flopped backward, his whole brow aflame."
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> “Done,” the mage said.
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> The word echoed between Blaize’s ears as he crashed against the office floor.
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Karrudan, when alive, was more powerful than any other Magus in the Atlantis Empire, capable of astonishing feats in the realm of Technomancydue to the 4 Magestone implants in his head. In his possession were several Magestone scrying stones that he used to farsee unto great distances. He also had the ability to implant his sigil onto others, and through this sigil he could possess the victim, moving their body as if it was his own, commanding their very being while their mind could observe everything as Karrudan hijacked the control from them.

## Discontinuity

Prophet-Magus Karrudan is portrayed as a wise, imposing old man in Rebel Thunder, whereas in Stolen Destiny he's shown as a fat, bald man with 5 Magestone implants, too, whereas he's always told to have had 4 implants - the only Magus in the history of the Land to ever have 5 implants was Grand-Magus Tezla.

***Atlantis Guild***

1. ↑ Rebel Thunder (Bill McCay), Chapter 2
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rebel Thunder (Bill McCay), Chapter 1
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rebel Thunder (Bill McCay), Chapter 19
4. ↑ https://www.mageknight.net/wp-content/uploads/Mage-Knight-2.0-Card-Set-Relics.pdf
5. ↑ Rebel Thunder (Bill McCay), Prologue
6. ↑ Mage Knight Stolen Destiny #1
7. ↑ https://www.mageknight.net/wp-content/uploads/Mage-Knight-Lore-Expansion-Lancers.pdf