The Mage War

The Mage War was a seminal event in the latter days of the Third Age of Man, the aftermath of which lead, in part, to the end of the Third Age and the dark times of the Third Interannum. In a political and tactical coup that would have repercussions for wizards everywhere across Aurea and Duria for centuries, the Mage King Lucasa rose to lead not only the Magocracy of Lun Dorak, but also the Great Empire in a war of conquest across two continents. With initial action in the war taking place in 1250 IC, the war came to a conclusion in 1253 IC only after the Sapphire City was beseiged by a combined force of humans (mainly from Koramia), orcs from Vor Midal, elves from Webwood and even the assistance of the legendary Dragonknights. With the ailing Mageking defeated, the Dorakian Empire quickly fell apart and the alliance that defeated them turned on itself in the devastating aftermath.

The Life of Lucas Chamberville

Lucas Chamberville was born to Jeanette and Richard Chamberville, two minor nobles in the Earldom of Margwenth in southern Koramia, less than a day's ride from the capital, Paeldain. Even in birth, Lucas was unusual in that he was born an albino. Soon after birth, however, it became apparent that the young Koramian was able to read the minds of others through an unknown means. Despite proving a rare dual practitioner in both Arcane and Divine magic, scholars suggest that Lucas' telepathy was not magical in nature. It is generally believed that this innate telepathy, which he was unable to ignore or suppress, is what lead to his madness and megalomania later in life.

At a very young age, Lucas Chamberville and his unique abilities were discovered by agents of the Magocracy of Lun Dorak. He was kidnapped from his home in Koramia in the spring of 1245 I.C. and whisked away to Lun Dorak for intense training at one of the Magocracy's secret academies. Within a year in this world, he came out of training already a master of arcane secrets and apparently a full ten years older.

The Rise of Lucasa

As a young mage and apostle of Abaris, Lucas (now Lucasa, taking on the finial 'a' used by most male wizards in Lun Dorak) quickly rose through the ranks both of the wizards and priests of the nation. By 1247 I.C., only a year after completing his training and at the apparent age of nineteen, Lucasa became the youngest person to ever serve on the Council of Five. In 1248 I.C., the Council voted unanimously to name him the first Mage-King of Lun Dorak in over three centuries.

Lucasa's meteoric rise was, in part, due to his ability to read the minds of his colleagues and extreme intellect. Before becoming Mage-King, it is believed that he had made several advances in magical research, particularly with Charms and Enchantments. It is generally rumored outside of Lun Dorak that his rise to Mage-King was partially facilitated by the fortuitous suicide of the member of the Council of Five that he replaced.

As a Councilor, Lucasa was known to be a hard-liner, calling for raids into the Calmerian Marches for slaves and increased suppression of minor rebellions among Lun Dorak's non-caster caste. It is said that he was absolutely brutal to his personal slaves, with few surviving their first year under his patronage.

The Coming of Lucius

There is very little known about the wizard known as Lucius prior to his assignment as an adviser to the Emperor of the Great Empire in 1249 I.C. The albino wizard quickly became a favorite of Emperor Publius Antonius and was known to be extraordinarily adept at maneuvering the byzantine politics of Zeth, the Imperial Capital. Though several of the noble houses became incensed at this young, apparently barbarian upstart gaining the confidence of their Emperor so quickly, the Emperor's firm friendship with the wizard protected Lucius.

Early in 1250 I.C., Lucius revealed that, though he was Koramian by birth, he was the descendant of the hereditary King of Icenia (by this time a part of Koramia) and, through that link, directly related to the Emperor and a full member of House Zetar. Publius Antonius embraced this news, formally adopting Lucius as his own son. Even Lucius' staunchest opponents at the Imperial Court did not realize that the simple act of adoption would lead to the fall of the Great Empire itself.

The Coming of the Black Fleet

Under Lucius' advice, Publius Antonius began to covet the lost territory that the Empire had once held on the Divian Peninsula. Several Imperial envoys were sent to Paeldain to claim that King William II was not the legitimate ruler or Koramia, but few took the envoys seriously. Koramia was unaware that the Empire had reinstituted the legendary Third Fleet, which once patrolled the waters around the Divian Peninsula. Once the Emperor's envoys were refused, the Empire sent out its fleet, sailing under their traditional black sails. The intent was to attack several Koramian ports simultaneously, including Paeldain, but a lone merchant vessel making its way to the Empire spotted the fleet and was able to warn Koramia in time for it to establish some defenses. The Black Fleet, as the Koramians called it, made ashore in western Koramia to much resistance from Koramian defenders. Though Koramia did not have enough time to completely repel the invading fleet, they did not give the Empire the quick victory they were hoping for. The Empire did established a beachhead in southern Koramia and a slow landwar began.

It should be noted that, perhaps in a moment of historic coincidence, Lucasa's own mother, Jeanette Chamberville, was on the small Koramian craft that spotted the Black Fleet and returned to Koramia to warn of the impending attack.