The origin of the Blightcallers is as terrible as it is tragic. The first mages
to harness the power of the Void in Altheria were those in Sigilkeep, with
Archmage Zithan entrusting the dangerous research to his closest friend and
ally, the High Thaumaturge Dejunn. At first, the precautions taken within the
blue tower were sufficient, allowing free use of Tenebrous Energy to accomplish
remarkable work - both toward the rebuilding of the city and the understanding
of the new type of power. But even then, though the effects of corruption were
poorly understood, it was taken seriously by those in charge. As the research
delved deeper into the mysteries of the Void, revealing new and strangely
disturbing effects, the concerned Archmage began imposing greater and greater
restrictions on it. Dejunn, originally in agreement with his old friend, over
time came to believe that the key to retaking their world could only be unlocked
through the power of the Void.

It was when the researchers finally managed to touch the essence of the Void by
opening a small rift that things came to a head, with some mages calling for an
immediate halt to the research while Dejunn argued for further study. Erring on
the side of caution, Archmage Zithan issued a temporary ban on all Void use in
the city until the effects of corruption could be fully understood. Affected
individuals were to be kept under close watch, with no one allowed to delve any
further until proper precautions could be decided upon. But unbeknownst to the
Archmage, a handful of researchers continued to work unsupervised in secret. It
was, they felt, for the sake of the city, a necessity that they keep
experimenting despite the growing risks, believing that it was the only real way
to understand what the corruption was. Whether Dejunn turned a blind eye to what
he suspected was going on, or whether he truly was unaware, might never really
be known.

In the end, it led to a break in the Barrier. The Vanguard raised the alarm, but
before the Veilkeepers could heal the breach, hundreds had been taken by the
Blightbeasts. In the chaos, it was discovered that a corrupted Void user had
lost control, tearing through the Veil and calling down the horror of the
Blight. It was only then that the connection between the power of the Void and
the Blight was truly realized. The first Blightcaller was forced through the
Veil, into the Blightlands, but at great cost of lives, with much of the western
ward utterly destroyed.

In response, Archmage Zithan declared that every Void researcher in Sigilkeep be
stripped of Guild rank and expelled from the tower. Including his childhood
friend, Dejunn. Other arcane-leaning factions soon followed suit, throwing out
anyone remotely connected with Void power. While Vanguard Commander Arek
Raevinwylde demanded even harsher measures, others in the city recognized the
value of studying something so clearly related to the Blight, even though the
risks were high. Despite the terrible tragedy, Dejunn argued before the Council
for the formation of a society to oversee the continuance of Void research to
prevent anyone from risking the safety of the city again. But as far as Archmage
Zithan was concerned, this was a betrayal of everything he stood for, and that
sentiment would lead to the greatest rift in the City Council since the arrival
of the Nightblades.

It took First Historian Kellen, arguing the need to study the Blight, for the
newly created Voidweaver Society to get even a foothold. Many voidweavers still
considered themselves mages, and Zithan their Guildmaster, hoping to someday
prove that the research into the Void was worth the terrible cost. However, as
far as many Thaumaturges were concerned, the power of the Void was not even
magic at all, and did not belong in Altheria. Most guilds reliant on the weave
sided with the mages, while the Nightblades and Bards took a more pragmatic
approach. The existence of Blightcallers led to the fracturing of friendships
and alliances that had weathered the end of the world itself.

In the end, however, the strength of those bonds, though damaged, held strong.
Kellen, rallying them together once again, proved the voice of reason in a sea
of heated words. When all was said and done, the entire Council, Dejunn
included, agreed on one thing: Blightcallers could not be allowed to exist. Any
voidweaver deemed too corrupted or too irresponsible was to be cast out of the
city, into the Blight. What became of these individuals is unknown, as those
forced through the Barrier never returned.

Blightcallers are strictly NPC-only, as any voidweaver acting in a dangerous or
irresponsible manner would not be tolerated within Altheria.

See also:
blight, voidweavers, mages, corruption, barrier, sigilkeep

---