The Eight Magisters

An ancient order, the Eight Magisters—which refers to the eight masters only, and not their apprentices—were founded by the Theden Empire as the ultimate tutors and practicians in magic.  Each Magister had a magic ring, passed down from master to apprentice, given to them by the Old Gods.  The Magisters' colors were scarlet and dark purple, each of the eight had matching robes, but each had his own insignia.  The first Magisters were so feared that enemy armies would retreat at the sight of them, such as the Battle of Aranim, where a great army of Wilders fled after merely seeing Magister Faruscius striding onto the battfield; thus allowing Theden dominance in western Nariath.  Each of the Magisters had a personal keep in the Empire, where he would study and tutor his apprentice.  By the time of the Magus Age, the Magisters had declined in prestige and were slowly fading away, along with most of Thedens magical legacy.  Their renown had grown during the middle to late Sacred Age when Alderath and Kalorin, two apprentices of the Magisters, killed a barrnoaug at Tema during the Second Scourge.  But when Theden was split and the Kingdom of Lortheas was born, Alderath the Ageless and Kalorin were all that were left of the ancient power of the Eight.  At the end of the Magus Age when Urydrell broke free from his prison and unleashed the Fifth Scourge from the Giants' Helms, Lortheas was destroyed and the any remaining legacies of Theden.  All the Magusters were killed except Alderath and his friend Kalorin; Alderath fled to Narenior and disappeared from history, Kalorin fled to the Arannis Empire where he died several decades later.  The days of the Theden Calendar were named after the original Eight: Faruscius, Tullius, Desevian, Uledrius, Caiaphus, Luscon, Maravuc, and Iisadia.