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The Federation of Magicians, a fancy name for an alliance of witches and warlocks, has the most unique history of any nation in the Common Upper Red World. Their origins are almost completely unknown, but their species is sure: they certainly are another kingdom of men.
It is suspected that this nation was Aerykun's first attempt to subvert men to his direct service, sometimes without even their knowing it. Following in the footsteps of Narok, Aerykun resorted to subtlety to undo his foes. He took for his own at first twelve men from all strata of society, offering them power, wealth, whatever their hearts desired, especially long life. He led them out to a solitary place in the untamed wilderness, where even few dragons had lived, where the Fires come closest to the land.
There he revealed himself to them, it is said, in all the splendor that a man could understand, appearing to them both at once as a flame of fire, lightning, darkness, a tree, the moon, the sea, and as a being of great light. He assured them that they would be masters of all that he had shown them, claiming his dominance over those other species, if only they payed homage directly to him.
Most of these men swore to it, but others resisted. Some were too proud to bend, and others knew that no being of such power would deal with them truthfully if he offered them anything, but would rather take what he wanted, if indeed he had the strength. Nine swore to him without thought, and so he said to them "Take these other three and destroy them, the blood shall be your first payment." Not minding that already they were under his command, the nine turned on the twelve, and the craziest unarmed brawl in history broke out.
Some of these men were great lords, wielders of some craft. Others had blessings in their blood, gifted with great strength by merit of birth. Some were street vagabonds who could kill with only a dirt clod if given the chance, and Aerykun sat in silence as they fought.
Quickly the nine overpowered the other three, and killed two of them, but the last Aerykun had kept alive saying, "Do not touch him, for he is ours already." Instantly the man vanished from sight. Some say this was one of the Xannast lords, and Aerykun kept him alive so that he might work the destruction which Aerykun foresaw.
Only five of those nine survived after the battle, and these were taught the dark arts by Aerykun. To each he gave a spirit which would serve him, doing his will, and told them each, "Call on your servants whenever you like, for they bow to you just as to me, but call on me but once in all your lives, or they shall be taken from you. You and each of your heirs in rule may call on my name but once." Then Aerykun vanished.
Practicing their magic, these five built the first Hall of Magic, and they found their numbers grew rapidly as Aerykun and his minions slipped discontented men one by one from the cities of men, from all over the earth and from other worlds, but to none of these did he give power like unto that of the first five, and to none did he give the right to call on his own name.
This kingdom grew in secret for hundreds of years, until at last their borders came close to those of the Southern Empire. Then Aerykun's plan became complete...
***to be continued***
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