Lantera

"Bask in my light, and burn with the radiance of the sun."

Lantera is the leader of the cult known as Solaris, formerly associated with the Verk Empire. With the fall of the Empire, remnants of Solaris remain, though their exact numbers are unknown to the city of Babel's leaders at this time. However, they are not suspected to currently be numerous enough to represent a threat to the city. Lantera, however, is still a woman that the city of Babel fears for her mastery of fire and light magic. The cult of Solaris is utterly devoted to the demon lord Nurgal, and Lantera is the leading Priestess of his cult. For her loyalty, she has even been allowed to give birth to a child, the Godling of the Sun, Raya.

More recently, Lantera was momentarily aligned with War, who promised to help return her daughter to her, though their alliance has ended.

## The Verk War

Details about Lantera's early life are unknown. It is suspected, however, that she was born into the cult of Solaris, and rose to prominence through her sheer power and devotion to his teachings. Lantera would find an alliance with the Verk Empire to be to be fruitful, as it gave her cult preferential treatment. Through this alliance, the fringe cult of Solaris would grow and expand dramatically. In return, Solaris would provide their magical expertise to Verk's military, specifically their mastery of light magic. Lantera specifically was the sort of sorcereress who could single-handedly clear a battlefield through her destructive power. It was said that several battles were won through her presence and a single fireball.

It was also during their time with the Verk Empire that Lantera was able to pursue experiments, particularly involving radiation magic, and its uses as both a weapon and a means of mutating beasts and people to fit Nurgal's image. It is said that hundreds lost their lives to Lantera's experiments, which were conducted with little concern over the harmful effects the radiation caused or the lingering effects of the nuclear fallout.

It was also during this time that Lantera gave birth to her daughter, and though it has not been proven, she claimed that Nurgal himself had blessed Solaris as the father.

Due to the weapons and magic they provided Verk, the rebel forces turned Solaris into a prime target, and despite Lantera's powers and those of her organization, in time they would be defeated, with Lantera herself vanishing from the battlefield under mysterious circumstances. Though it has never been proven, it has been suspected that a sympathizer within the rebel forces was responsible for her escape. However, though Lantera was still at large, the rebels did have a potential bargaining chip if she were to reappear.

Her daughter.

## Alliance with War

Though Lantera still had the responsibility of leading the remnants of Solaris, she would begin her search for her daughter, though it was not for some time that she learned that she had been captured by the rebel forces, now the leaders of Babel. She was actually informed of this by one of War's Champions, the bard known as the Radiant, though at the time it was a lie, it was a bluff that lead to discovering the truth. Using her desire to reunite with his daughter for his own ends, War formed an alliance with Lantera, promising to help her find her daughter in exchange for the assistance of her and the other remnants of Solaris. It did not help that the adventurers who initially met with Lantera claimed that they would help her find Raya as well, but failed to follow through on their promises.

Lantera would learn that, through a shrewd deal with the Court of Seasons, Mab had taken Raya under her protection. As such, she was being raised among the fey. To honor his alliance, and also to acquire the power of the Court for his own uses, War would invade the Court, sending his most powerful Champion, the hunter known as Winchester, to ensure it was done properly. However, the adventurers who intervened would learn the truth for themselves, and speak to Mab's sister, Titania, to encourage her to allow Lantera and Raya to reunite. For two years, Raya had been raised as Titania's daughter, but tearfully, she agreed to allow mother and daughter to reunite, on the condition that they visit to complete Raya's education in fey magic. Lantera would agree before departing, claiming that War's desire to continue fighting the Verk War was foolish.

Currently, Lantera and Raya have gone back into hiding, though it is said that she did live up to her promise to Titania, and she has become closer with the Summer Court.

## Powers

In battle, Lantera is primarily focused on destructive magic, using fireballs to blow her enemies to smithereens. She also uses light magic to clear entire battlefields. Lantera shines as brightly as the sun, with her light extending as far as the eye can see if she does not care about the destruction she caused. Lantera has also incorporated radiation magic into her arsenal.

Perhaps most noticeable among her tools is the "Prismatic Robe," an artifact cloak that she wears that coats her body in the protective energies of a prismatic wall. To even harm her, the prismatic wall must be broken down, layer by layer, or she is completely invulnerable. The sight of a rainbow on the battlefield came to be feared for this reason by Babel's leaders.