Scostodos van Diarmata

Scotodos Van Diarmata

File:Diarmata.png

Alias:

High Wizard Diarmata

Species:

High Elf

Gender:

Male

Birth Year:

Brussendar 10, 32A (6279)

Age:

{{{age}}}

Affiliation:

Cassean Empire

Occupation:

High Court Qizard

Status:

Deceased

Relatives:

None

Scostodos van Diarmata was the elven high court wizard appointed to Emperor Exceus. Known for his powerful divination magic, Diarmata's actions significantly impacted the fate of the Empire and its people.

Early Life

Scostodos van Diarmata was born on Brussendar 10, 32A (6279), in the bustling city of Asagata, the Southernmost city on Cassea's neighbouring continent, Aiken. From a young age, Diarmata exhibited an extraordinary talent for magic, particularly in the school of divination. His parents, recognizing his potential, sent him to the prestigious Arcane Academy in Cassea, where he quickly rose to the top of his class.

At the age of 15, Diarmata was selected for a coveted apprenticeship under the legendary wizard Erredal Viville, the high wizard of Emperor Astyx. Erredal was renowned for his mastery of divination magic and his ability to foresee short-term future events with remarkable accuracy. Under Erredal's tutelage, Diarmata honed his skills and expanded his knowledge of the arcane arts.

During his late teens and into adulthood, Diarmata witnessed the later years of Emperor Astyx's reign. The empire, once small and confined to a single region, had grown vast under Astyx's ambitious leadership. Over the course of 80 years, the empire expanded through numerous wars and conquests until it encompassed most of the known world. In his later years, Emperor Astyx grew contemplative and began to regret the wars and destruction that had accompanied the empire's expansion. He sought to guide his son, Exceus, towards a more enlightened and compassionate approach to governance.

Diarmata, however, viewed the expansionist phase of the empire as its golden age. He believed in the philosophy that war and hard times create stronger men and idolized the era of conquest. Secretly, Diarmata harbored the desire for the empire under Exceus to return to a hard-fisted approach, ultimately conquering the last few free countries and cementing itself as an immortal empire. This belief put him at odds with the more peaceful and diplomatic aspirations that Exceus inherited from his father.

Apprenticeship under Erredal Viville

During his apprenticeship, Diarmata's prodigious talent for divination became evident. However, he soon grew frustrated with Erredal's conservative approach to the discipline. Erredal believed that divination should be used sparingly and only for short-term predictions, warning against the dangers of attempting to peer too far into the future. He often lectured Diarmata on the risks of meddling with fate and the potential for catastrophic consequences.

Despite Erredal's warnings, Diarmata's curiosity and ambition drove him to experiment with more advanced and far-reaching divination spells. He spent countless hours in secret, studying ancient texts and conducting forbidden rituals to enhance his abilities. Over time, his disdain for Erredal's cautious approach grew, and he became determined to prove his mentor wrong by demonstrating the true power of divination magic.

Rise to Power

When Emperor Astyx passed away and his son, Exceus, ascended to the throne, Diarmata saw an opportunity to rise to power. He presented himself as a loyal and capable advisor, using his divination skills to assist the new emperor in maintaining control over the empire. His accurate predictions and strategic counsel quickly earned him Exceus's trust and favor, and he was appointed as the high court wizard after Erredal took to his retirement.

With his new position, Diarmata had access to vast resources and political influence, which he used to further his research into divination and other arcane arts. His ultimate goal was to secure the future of the empire by any means necessary, even if it meant bending the laws of magic and nature.

Conflict with the Party

Diarmata's extensive use of divination allowed him to foresee a future in which a group of misfits, the group who would later be known as The Five, would rise up and challenge the empire's dominance. Convinced that they would bring about the empire's downfall, he became obsessed with stopping them before they could fulfill their destiny. He relentlessly pursued them, sending soldiers and agents, eventually even entire army detachments to track them down and eliminate them.

Erredal, aware of Diarmata's growing obsession and the dangers it posed, warned him that his actions could be the very thing that led to the empire's downfall. Ignoring his mentor's advice, and framing him for treason, Diarmata had Erredal imprisoned in the magical prison known as Paradoxus, hoping to silence his dissent and eliminate any obstacles to his plans.

Discovery of the Snow Elves' Ruins

During his pursuit of the party, Diarmata uncovered ancient ruins in the northernmost reaches of the island of Isall. These ruins belonged to the long-extinct snow elves, who had lived before the Sundering and possessed powerful high elven magic. In the ruins, Diarmata discovered records of their advanced spells and rituals.

Realizing the potential of this ancient magic, Diarmata began to clone the snow elves from the remains he found, creating mindless conduits for his power. He believed that by harnessing their magic, he could perform feats far beyond the limitations imposed by the goddess of magic, Mystra.

The First Island and the Summon Celestial Army Spell

Diarmata transported his cloned snow elves to the First Island, the site of Paradoxus and the place where the group of adventurers was attempting to rescue [[Erredal Viville|Erredal]. There, he sacrificed the snow elves as conduits to cast an illegal 12th-level spell, Summon Celestial Army. This spell tore open a rift into the celestial plane, dragging hundreds of powerful celestial beings through to serve him.

The ensuing battle on the First Island was fierce and chaotic. Despite Diarmata's overwhelming power, the group, aided by the future versions of themselves and the guidance of Future Blacktail, managed to defeat the celestial army and break the time loop. In the climax of the battle, Emperor Exceus, seeing the extent of Diarmata's madness and betrayal, stabbed him in the back, ending his life.

Final Judgment

For his transgressions against the natural order and the laws of magic, Diarmata's soul was not allowed to pass on peacefully. Mystra herself intervened, scattering his soul into the weave, ensuring that he would never find rest or redemption.

Legacy

Scostodos van Diarmata's actions had far-reaching consequences for the Empire of Cassea and the world of Astrea. His obsessive pursuit of power and disregard for the warnings of his mentor ultimately led to his downfall and ironically, the eventual dissolution of the empire he sought to protect.