The Mages are one of the three cataloged races who inhabit Heaven's Fence. There were initially twelve Mages, one assigned to each sector, but Mages can die or be killed. Mages, as a race, are born. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 states that Mages are naturally born (though the criteria for their birth goes unstated) and their powerful talents are "cultivated and taught". Mages are incredibly powerful, and can perform a variety of fantastic abilities, including being able to destroy ships with merely a wave of their hand.
Background[]
Wilhelm Ryan was elected to become the Mage of Sector 6, succeeding Sundihar Jepp, by 10 of the 11 other Mages, with Covent Marth being the only one who opposed. After a time, Ryan's Red Army grew to such a size that the other Mages began to see it as a threat. They were right to do so, as Ryan took over Sector's 10 and 12 by force, killing the respective Mages of those sectors. The Mage of Sector 1, Althaddeus Favor, joined forces with Ryan, and the heads of Sectors 2 and 3 surrendered, making Ryan realize the true potential of a captured Mage. He continued his efforts, capturing the Mages of Sectors 5 and 7. Sectors 8, 9 and 11 then banded their efforts, in a skirmish that became known as the War of the Western Third. Ryan emerged from the battle victorious, capturing all three of the Mages, but his body was badly injured in the battle.
Only two (known) Mages remained now, Althaddeus Favor and Covent Marth. Althaddeus Favor disappeared without a trace and Ryan moved into his home, House Atlantic. Marth, knowing from the beginning that he was the one who would take down Ryan, destroyed Ryan's citadel at the Hub on Sinosure, where all Mages used to have a place. Marth, confident in his victory returned to his own citadel, the only one left standing, but was met by a still very much alive Ryan, who had teleported, an ability other Mages do not possess. Ryan evaporated Marth, leaving no trace of him, and thus ended the Mage Wars. Ryan deemed himself Supreme Tri-Mage over all of Heaven's Fence. Ryan was confident in his victory, even when confronted with The Black Rainbow looming over him. Ryan set one goal for himself next, to take on and defeat God Himself.
Sometime later, it was revealed Grave Minetoter escaped destruction. Inferno recounts this tale during Wilhelm Ryan's trial: Minetoter fled destruction at Ryan's hand, seeking refuge on one of the more barren worlds of Heaven's Fence. Through unknown means, he created new Mages, attempting to rebuild the once proud race. However the Red Army tracked them down and wiped them out, Minetoter along with them. He is remembered as one of the greatest mages who ever lived.
The seven imprisoned Mages who survived the War, were then experimented on by Ryan, who transformed them into blood-thirsty executioners to carry out his will un-hindered. And so they became the Onstantine Priests.
Years after Ryan began rule over the Fence, Mariah Antillarea was born through immaculate conception. Her body was not conceived of flesh and bone, but coalesced with fate. Her immaculate birth saw the creation of a new Mage. However, it was not meant to last, as she was murdered years later by Mayo Deftinwolf.
Known Mages[]
Althaddeus Favor: governor of Sector 1, Althaddeus Favor joined Wilhelm Ryan early during the Mage War, hoping to forge an alliance between them. Instead, Althaddeus Favor disappeared, and his fortified palace, House Atlantic, was commandeered by Wilhelm Ryan. It is unknown what Althaddeus Favor's true fate was, and theories range from murder to experimentation that helped Wilhelm Ryan discover the way of corrupting a Mage and turning it into an Onstantine Priest. In reality, not even Ryan is sure what happened to him, but he has not been seen on Heaven's Fence since the Mage Wars.
Hanthon Jo Seph: Governor of Sector 2, Hanthon Jo Seph was one of the first Mages to be captured by the Unified Red Army after the Gurash Example. As one of Wilhelm Ryan's original Mage prisoners, Hanthon Jo Seph was also one of the first Mages to be experimented on, his essence corrupted until he became a mockery of a Mage, thus giving birth to the Onstantine Priests.
Malvas Limbi: Governor of Sector 3, Malvas Limbi was one of the first Mages to be captured by the Unified Red Army after the Gurash Example. As one of Wilhelm Ryan's original Mage prisoners, Malvas Limbi was also one of the first Mages to be experimented on, his essence corrupted until he became a mockery of a Mage, thus giving birth to the Onstantine Priests.
Covent Marth: Governor of Sector 4, Covent Marth was Wilhelm Ryan's main opponent during the Mage Wars. A dedicated student of the Ghansgraad, the holy book of the Mages, Covent Marth believed that the original Supreme Tri-Mage was meant to serve as a cautionary tale for future-Mages, turning them away from any quests for ultimate power. At the end of the Mage Wars Covent Marth destroyed Wilhelm Ryan's citadel, believing the act would also destroy the self-proclaimed Supreme Tri-Mage. However, unknown to Covent Marth, Wilhelm Ryan had attained the fabled power of teleportation and used it to escape the attack. Cornering Covent Marth in his own citadel, Wilhelm Ryan de-atomized the Mage, killing Covent Marth and ending the Mage War.
Bran Wilsinger: Governor of Sector 5, Bran Wilsinger was the target of Wilhelm Ryan's first capture-mission, a tactic devised after the Supreme Tri-Mage learned he could corrupt Mages, and turn them into Onstantine Priests. Unable to defeat the Unified Red Army, Bran Wilsinger was captured and corrupted, becoming one of the Onstantine Priests who served Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army.
Wilhelm Ryan: Governor of Sector 6 by election, Wilhelm Ryan always had greater plans than simply ruling a Sector of the Keywork. After studying the Ghansgraad Wilhelm Ryan came to believe that the Mages were not utilizing their full potential, and decided that becoming the Supreme Tri-mage was his destiny. With his favorite general, Mayo Deftinwolf, Wilhelm Ryan slowly conquered the remaining 11 Sectors, either killing their Mages, or taking them prisoner so they could be corrupted and mutated into Onstantine Priests. As Supreme Tri-Mage, Wilhelm Ryan rules Heaven's Fence, but his power is threatened by both God, who opposes him for defiling his perfect creation, and a mysterious figure known as the Crowing who the Ghansgraad prophesied would overthrow him and end his reign. Wilhelm Ryan is also responsible for a series of reprehensible acts that have shaped the fate of Heaven's Fence, including: the abduction of Dr. Leonard Hohenberger's wife, Pearl; the death of their son, Joseph; and forcing the doctor to poison his IRO-bots, Coheed and Cambria, with the Monstar virus. Wilhelm Ryan also enslaved the Star race and imprisoned them at Si-Revody, where he fed their essence into the Keywork in order to maintain control.
Xi Tolander: Governor of Sector 7, Xi Tolendar was the target of Wilhelm Ryan's second capture-mission, a tactic devised after the Supreme Tri-Mage learned he could corrupt Mages, and turn them into Onstantine Priests. Unable to defeat the Unified Red Army, Xi Tolendar was captured and corrupted, becoming one of the Onstantine Priests who served Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army.
Chu Valentar: Governor of Sector 8, Chu Valentar was a Mage who participated in the War of the Western Third against Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Alongside the governors of Sectors 9 and 11, Chu Valentar succeeded in wounding Wilhelm Ryan, but failed in defeating him. Sector 8, like all the rest, eventually fell to the unstoppable might of Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Chu Valentar was taken prisoner by Wilhelm Ryan, and later mutated into an Onstantine Priest.
Grave Minetoter: Governor of Sector 9, Grave Minetoter was a Mage who participated in the War of the Western Third against Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Alongside the governors of Sectors 8 and 11, Grave Minetoter succeeded in wounding Wilhelm Ryan, but failed in defeating him. Sector 9, like all the rest, eventually fell to the unstoppable might of Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Grave Minetoter was not taken prisoner though, as many other Mages were; instead, he completely disappeared, believed to have killed himself.
Rolander Gurash: Governor of Sector 10, Rolander Gurash was the first Mage targeted by Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. After a short resistance from Rolander Gurash, Wilhelm Ryan emerged victorious. Using Rolander Gurash's death as an example, Wilhelm Ryan declared that any Mage who resisted his will would meet the same fate. This show of force came to be known as the Gurash Example during the Mage Wars.
Beirut Akara: Governor of Sector 11, Beirut Akara was a Mage who participated in the War of the Western Third against Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Alongside the governors of Sectors 8 and 9, Beirut Akara succeeded in wounding Wilhelm Ryan, but failed in defeating him. Sector 11, like all the rest, eventually fell to the unstoppable might of Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Beirut Akara was taken prisoner by Wilhelm Ryan, and later mutated into an Onstantine Priest.
Litan Boss: Governor of Sector 12, Litan Boss was the second Mage to be attacked by the Wilhelm Ryan and the Unified Red Army. Faring no better than Rolander Gurash had, Litan Boss was killed in cold blood by Wilhelm Ryan.
Sundihar Jepp: Wilhelm Ryan's opponent in the election for governor of Sector 6, Sundihar Jepp was defeated, losing the right to join the Mages. Little else is known of Sundihar Jepp's fate, although it is likely that he, like the other Mages, was either killed or corrupted during the Mage Wars.
Mariah Antillarea: The child of an immaculate conception, Mariah Antillarea was heralded as a Messiah, and believed to be the Mage who would challenge and defeat the Supreme Tri-Mage, Wilhelm Ryan. Married to Jessie Kilgannon, the Inferno of the K.B.I, Mariah Antillarea was the leader of the resistance movement that hopes to defeat the Unified Red Army and free Heaven's Fence from the tyranny of the Supreme Tri-Mage. Ultimately, Mariah Antillarea confronted Mayo Detinwolf on Paris: Earth, where the two had a climactic battle. Overpowered by Mayo Detinwolf's cybernetic limbs, Mariah Antillarea was decapitated, her severed head presented to Wilhelm Ryan after the destruction of Star VII. Her death both devastated and motivated Inferno to rebuild the rebellion with a new army of IRO-Bots.
Known Onstantine Priests[]
Beirut Akara, former governor of Sector 11
Bran Wilsinger, former governor of Sector 5
Chu Valentar, former governor of Sector 8
Hanthon Jo Seph, former governor of Sector 2
Malvas Limbi, former governor of Sector 3
Xi Tolendar, former governor of Sector 7