Vaylin

Headmaster (a.k.a. The Ascendant)

Vaylin is the Headmaster of Arcanum's Magic Academy. He is also an elf (a race of beings of which there are few left) who is said to be at least a few hundred years old. In the past, he lead the life of an adventurer for some time, traveling with the well-known group of adventurers called "The Four" or "The Four Heroes". This group included Zeke (whose whereabouts are currently unknown), Pellton "Pell-Mell" Dunkirk (who is now Governor of Marabin), and Lemarra Nieaussa (the Premier of the Magic Academy), but he has sense settled down. He has been the Headmaster for the last 15 years, and was once a student at the Academy, as well. Competent and well-liked, Vaylin is stern Headmaster, the sort that can silence an unruly student with a glare, but he is not unkind. He has charisma and a mysterious way about him, no doubt on account of being an elf. It is also known that he is a patron of the arts and takes a great interest in music and theatre. In his spare time, he tends to his person garden and enjoys playing his lute (more like a Japanese shamisen) in the courtyard. As the Headmaster, he is also a very powerful Archmage, and is remembered and revered for his hand in defeating the Cult of Abyssos 17 years ago (which he did with his fellow adventurers). In the absence of the Wyrm Lords or any other great defenders, the Headmaster of Arcanum and the Magic City of Arcanum are charged with the protection of the Great Shrine of Lumina and the surrounding areas, as the floating city orbits the Shrine. The party enlisted his help in determining the whereabouts of Blasnir, the Fire Dragon and Vaylin has since set off to investigate this further, leaving Arcanum under Lemarra's care. Later, he came to the party's aid when it happened that Lemarra had been imprisoned and impersonated by a witch called Ziennophia, seemingly one of the Dark Ones. He helped the Dragoons save the kidnapped girl, Eva, an acolyte of Lumina, and then later said he now knew where to find the Fire Dragon. He explained that he needed to meet with Tervus if he was to be able to teleport the party to the Fire Dragon cave. After transporting the party to Caldor Isle, they made for Earth Dragon Cave where they met with Tervus and Vaylin asked the Dragon if Eva was "the one...from back then" (apparently entrusted to a temple by Zeke (and possibly Vaylin) as an infant), which Vaylin believed to be a question of grave importance for the future of the world against "the darkness". Then, something in Vaylin changed as he revealed himself to be the rumored masked mage, The Ascendant. He stated that in order for the world to be saved, it needed a new god, and he needed Tervus' power to ascend. Vaylin then summoned a terrible sword of shadow and his magic was apparently powerful enough to capture Tervus, a demi-god, in a crystal, which he needed for some important but unknown purpose. The archmage then teleported away, likely with the intent to capture Eva.