The Red Court

In the years following the foundation of the four kingdoms and the end of the Elder Wars, a proud peace reigned across Aqan. The mercenary guilds began the great hunts for the remaining giants, and the armies of the four kingdoms returned home to build a new life. But not all was well within the kingdoms.
As new legal codes were being formed, all forms of the dark arts, necromancy, sangromancy, lichdom, etc., were outlawed for the safety of the common people. Those who practiced these dark magicks fled the kingdoms, attempting to escape inevitable discovery, and execution. Many dark mages were caught in their attempts to flee, and were summarily burned at the stake to cleanse their filth from the world. Those who did flee disappeared into the deadly and dangerous wilds that were once the home of the giants, now a series of forests, tundras, and ancient ruins.
Most believed the danger of these magicks to be long gone, but the wise knew better. The dark mages used their powers to terrify the orcs into submission, instilling fear in the warrior hordes. These mages built covens to gather their knowledge and influence, expanding their power and planting agents in the four kingdoms. Said agents infiltrated the four kingdoms, and sowed terror where possible to pay vengeance to the kingdoms that threatened these mages.

The most powerful and dangerous coven, helmed by lich archmages, powerful sorcerers, and warlocks who bind themselves with demons & devils, became known to all of Aqan as The Red Court. The Red Court is believed to be responsible for some of the greatest terror attacks ever performed in the Second Age, from the arcane explosions that rocked Airos Landing in year 253, to the orc horde assault on Akro Tirova in the year 993. The Dragon Lords have sought for generations to bring The Red Court to justice, to no avail, until now……