Mage Knight - Factions

Factions

The land of Mage Knight is split among several factions. Several of these factions split from Tezla's original empire, and others have organized and grown since Tezla's death. Based on the outcomes of various official storyline tournaments held at comics and gaming shops and major gaming conventions, when 2.0 was released most of the major factions were renamed, and also further divided into one or more subfactions, each of which possesses its own unique ability.

• Atlantis Guild/Atlantean Empire - This is the core remains of Tezla's original empire. Upon his death, the Atlantis Guild leaders focused mostly on Technomantic magic, and their armies often consist of mixes between mages, troops, and magically-infused golems. Nujarek later further organized the Guild into the Atlantean Empire in an effort to regain the former glory of Atlantis. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Imperial Legion, Golemkore and Delphana.

• Apocalypse - First introduced in the Sinister set as the four ultra-rare Riders of the Apocalypse, this cult, also known as the Tur'aj, was dormant for many years. As chaos grew in the land, the Apocalypse gained power. At first, the heralds of the Apocalypse rode forth in the Land, and later several Avatars were created to build up the cult again. They sought to sow discord and death in the land, and brought about the rebirth of the terrible Apocalypse Dragon. They have one 2.0 subfaction, the Minions of the Apocalypse.

• Black Powder Rebels/Black Powder Revolutionaries - This faction began as a rag-tag group of dissidents to the Atlantis Guild who saw the injustice that the Guild inflicted upon many of the denizens of the land. This was especially due to the treatment of the Dwarves, who, due to their strong resistance to Magestone (a major source of magical power, used heavily in Technomancy), were conscripted into working in the various Magestone mines, often until they were worked to death. The Rebels became a major player after the assassination of Karrudan, and later grew in strength to become the Black Powder Revolutionaries. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Bloody Thorns, Northlanders and Forgemasters.

• Draconum - Not particularly allied with any faction, though opposed to the Apocalypse and tried to prevent the Apocalypse from claiming the egg of the Apocalypse Dragon. Mostly, however, they act as pseudo-mercenaries, who have a common quest to better themselves, as they continue to evolve into higher and more potent forms of Draconum. They have one 2.0 subfaction, the Dragon Mystics.

• Elemental League/Elemental Freeholds - A splinter faction from Tezla's original empire, the Elemental League focuses mostly on Elemental magic, or magic of life. Opposed primarily to the Necropolis Sect/Dark Crusaders, they lost much ground and many troops to the latter faction. Eventually, they came to be more scattered, and fought to keep from being wiped out completely. As 2.0's story begins, they retreated to an Elven castle in the forest and became the Elemental Freeholds. Distantly related to the Elven Lords, they are neither strong allies nor bitter enemies with them. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Wylden Host and Storm Druids.

• Heroes - Introduced primarily for Dungeons-style games, this faction represents individuals who seek glory in the Land. Many of the Hero faction are dual-aligned with another faction, though some are not. They are not in any 2.0 sets and have no subfactions.

• Knights Immortal/Elven Lords - An ancient race of elves that live in the Rivvenheim Mountains in the easternmost regions of the known Land. Their overarching goal is to eliminate chaos from the land, and often do so without mercy to those they consider unworthy. Allied with the Atlantis Guild for a time against the Orcs, they were eventually betrayed and left to fend for themselves, and have since sworn vengeance as the Elven Lords. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Free Armies, Temple Masters and Order of Sorcery.

• Mage Spawn - Not truly an organized "faction", but in the game are figures without any faction. In the early sets, these represented various creatures, often twisted through magic (hence their name) that were of various levels of intelligence, but not organized into any formal faction. In later 2.0 sets, some mercenary-type figures were also included, and their subfaction, Order of the Ninth Circle, had a gameplay ability that let them bond more fully to any faction by assuming the faction of any and all figures in the army they are with.

• Necropolis Sect/Dark Crusaders. A split-off faction from Tezla's empire, the Necropolis sect focused on Necromantic magic, or magic of death. Primarily opposed to the Elementals, they took much of their territory and did much damage. Later, they began the Dark Crusade to continue taking over the Land and convert all to the worship of the Dark Tezla. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Deathspeakers, the Order of Vladd and the Blood Cultists.

• Orc Raiders/Orc Khans - The Orc Raiders were a semi-organized group of nomadic raiders from the north, in a land called The Fist. They attacked and plundered, but eventually became hungrier for more spoils, and became more organized. The lowly goblin Podo stole a powerful Elven shield relic, and rose to a tenuous position of power among his larger cousins. As the various Orc Khans united, they became an even greater force in the land to reckon with. Their 2.0 subfactions are the Broken Tusk, the Shadow Khans and the Chaos Shamans.

• Shyft - Introduced in the Whirlwind expansion, these strange reptilian creatures seemed to have a strange psychic bond with the various Mage Spawn found in the Land. Originally relatively weak, they relied on this bond with more powerful Mage Spawn to help fight. Eventually, they withdrew from the Land, and were largely unknown. In the Omens set, they reemerged in a new, more powerful warrior form. While they maintained their affinity with the Mage Spawn, they became powerful warriors in their own right. They seem to have somewhat of an alliance with the Apocalypse faction, though the full connection between the two is unknown. They have a single 2.0 subfaction, the Darkmarch, and have the faction ability to grant Mage Spawn the Shyft faction for formation purposes.

• Solonavi - Originally introduced in the Sinister expansion as extremely powerful figures, they remain a fairly enigmatic race of energy creatures. They offer favors to various groups and individuals, in exchange for favors in return to be named later. At the beginning of the Mage Knight 2.0 timeline, they revealed themselves more fully as being aligned with the Oracles of Rokos, and offered their services to the Atlantis Guild to become the most powerful empire in the land. When the offer was refused, they were outraged, and began claiming their own territory in the land. Consisting of beings of light and various "oathsworn" servants, they seem to be strongly dedicated to protecting the Land against the rise of the Apocalypse. However, it is strongly hinted they might have ulterior motives, and many still do not trust them. They cast a spell which reawakened many dormant magics in the Land. Their single 2.0 subfaction is the Oracle of Rokos.