Illidan Vahn

**Illidan Vahn** is a travelling mage from Redan that has found special interest in Neqville. Stubborn to a fault, he has taken up the duty of making it a safer place while he's at it.

## First Impression

His robes have a distinct look that makes it clear he comes from afar. His eyes are rather sunken as a result of countless hours of study, and his voice tends to be hoarse due to the spells he performs. He can usually be found frowning which, coupled with his cold tone, makes him hard to approach.

## Personality

Illidan is hardly friendly. He likes to keep things civil with everyone, as it is what he learned during his time as a diplomat and also what he prefers, but his tiredness and natural predisposition make it difficult for him to partake in small talk. As such, he normally comes across as cold and blunt, for he has no time for nonsense. However, he is a dependable ally as long as everyone is on the same page, being a man that is true to his word and (for the most part) sincere.

He is used to being alone with his thoughts, resulting in insightful monologues with himself that grant him a distinct vision to most. He doesn't know whether to regard that as a good thing or not, since his overanalysing is a source of stress but also the reason why he's a successful mage.

## Background

The mage hails from the distant lands of Redan. Son of a couple of spice traders, Illidan was born in a wealthy family. This allowed him to have access to a wide variety books from a very young age, though the ones that sparked the most interest in him were the ones about magic. Considering how valued magic was in Redan, his parents were quick to encourage their son to pursue such interests, eventually enrolling him into the University of the Arcane, the most renowned in the country. Such feat was achieved through a hefty sum of money and influence games more than through Illidan's skill, but the innocent boy then was far too excited and naive to realise that.

He proved himself for the spot soon enough though, showing good adaptability and comprehension of the most complex subjects he was taught. However, as the years went by and the magic became more complex, it became clear he also suffered from a huge flaw as a mage. He had little innate connection to magic. In other words, he grew tired faster than most of his colleagues and found trouble gathering the magic energy needed to properly cast some spells. Though he didn't give up easily, it was clear he needed more guidance if he were to progress at a satisfying pace. Thankfully, he had a good teacher to support him, who taught him half of the tricks he employs to mitigate the side effects of his work.

It was then that he met Danathor Vvarden, a student that also needed some help form that mentor. She encouraged them to team up, since they could help each other out with their own troubles. Through that academic union, they slowly found themselves to have a liking for each other, one that became official soon after their graduation, a couple of years later.

Due to their excellency in the University, they were both offered high-ranking positions in Redan's palace as diplomat and court mage. Much to Illidan's distaste, he was offered the diplomatic part, probably because he lacked competence in certain aspects of magic compared to Danathor. He considered refusing, but his family insisted that he shouldn't let the opportunity go to waste, so he begrudgingly agreed.

Illidan took upon his duty in a bit of an unorthodox way, but it worked out well with the other diplomats, bringing much renown to his name. On the side, as an unofficial pursuit, he aided Danathor in his own job. That's not to say his lover was incompetent by any means, but he did enjoy to still partake in the study of magic. Ten years passed, in which both progressed greatly in their fields. However, a turn of fate doomed a certain part of their homeland: a sudden magic explosion split the country in two, the reason completely unknown. The tragedy didn't strike them directly, but the emotional impact was so great that Illidan decided to quit his job soon after.

Haunted by trying to find a reason behind it, he travelled to the remains of the explosion and then long and wide into the rest of the world in search of a reason why anyone would do such senseless slaughter, a looming, painful question on his mind all the while:

Is something that enables *this* to happen... really worth it?

## In Neqville

Illidan arrived Neqville on his search for some meaning behind the tragedy that struck his people. He acquired a room in the tavern, which would become his base of operations whilst in the town. In the beginning, he only made questions to various people about their views on magic and whether they could perform it too, investigating the way it worked. The sheer amount of information he could find in Neqville made him stay for longer than planned, which led to him getting involved further with the people in it and their troubles.

Such was the case of Fritz, who was on a long quest that seemed to have no end. Illidan was deeply interested in it, since it involved divine forces and the strange creature called Void, whose characteristics made it a fascinating study subject. This led him to side with Fritz to capture the being. He gave some assistance with his knowledge on magic, but eventually had to leave for some months, preventing him from further helping and keeping him out of the loop for some of the events in Neqville. In his absence, he travelled to the east, researching a civilisation that had found its demise a long time ago due to an incident regarding magic. His few findings made him even more wary of magic, an uneasiness he had been having for a long time.

In any case, his return to Neqville was eventful, to say the least. After helping the council get some information on who could have poisoned Caolan at Catherine's request, the situation between Fritz and Void reached a critical point... One that aligned very well with his own academic interests. Void, with Danny's help, called for a truce to the century old conflict because it wanted to know the reason for its existence. Following a tense discussion, Fritz conceded that truce, allowing for a dialogue between the two that brought more new questions than answers. Perhaps luckily for their desires at the moment, Illidan is an expert at finding answers when it's related to magic. Through enough research, they found out all the clues pointed to the goddess Fritz served: Nayeli, Goddess of Love. A dark thought started to take root in Illidan's mind. How could anyone hold such raw power and be so incompetent and manipulative? Does divine make right? It all seemed like it didn't... Not even the gods can handle the sheer might of magic.

In search of the final answers, Fritz, Void and Illidan headed into her personal heaven to get them. Illidan's suspicions were confirmed. The goddess was as flawed as anyone else perhaps... But her power and position made her mistakes far more egregious and, in a way, allowed her faults to go unpunished. It was then that his thoughts took a physical manifestation. He still hoped he never would have to actually use one of the most fearsome spells ever created, a creation born of his expertise in the arcane and a looming sense of doom.

He destroyed the magic that gave life to Nayeli, deleting any trace of her in the world. His hands were burned as a result of the magic he used to fuel such a destructive spell, leaving scars as a constant reminder of his deed.

## Magic/Powers

As an avid investigator of the inner workings of magic, Illidan understands almost all of its forms. This led him to develop a particular form of casting that is highly modular and adaptable. It's based on breaking down spells into its basic components, allowing him to twine and separate them to fulfil whatever need he has at the time so long as he understands and remembers those fundamental pieces. These are usually represented with symbols which can be inscribed or drawn. The symbols "draw" the necessary energy for the spell from its surroundings and then channels it through the conduit they are inscribed on, which can damage it depending on the potency of the spell. This is the reason why his hands are scarred from the spell that erased Nayeli.

In more practical terms, Illidan's magic is heavily based on his surroundings and preparation. He usually needs certain materials to alleviate the physical burden of casting and to have a clear vision on what he's trying to accomplish and how he's going to do it, since a change of plans can delay him for a significant time while he figures another solution with the puzzle-like pieces of his spells.