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Not long ago, before the betrayal of Arch-Bishop [[Lazarus ]] and the freeing of [[Diablo]], a Dark Mage was seen on the outskirts of [[Tristram. ]] Many claimed that he often lurked near the cemetery at night. As this skulking figure did not appear to harm the graves, the townspeople left him alone. One evening smoke came drifting from the soil, as from a smoldering fire. An orange glow from below lit up the tombstones, and someone saw the Dark Mage descend into earth itself. The smoke dissipated, the glow faded, and the cemetery was still. Whispers of evil sorcery and necromancy filled the tavern's gossip for a while, but were soon forgotten as [[Leoric|King Leoric ]] grew madder and other troubles plagued the town.

Shortly before the Hero came and descended into the depths below the Monastery, the ground began smoldering again in the cemetery. A passing traveler traveller told of spying a cloaked figure fleeing from the smokey smoky site. Splattered with a thick, glowing substance, the Dark Mage ran to the river and crossed the bridge, where he collapsed. To the travelertraveller's unbelieving eyes, the stained, glowing body of the mage seemed to dissolve and melt into the hearth, the soil greedily soaking up the remains.

As the eternal struggle between the forces of [[Light ]] and Darkness [[Dark]]ness rages on, all of the powers in the universe bend and twist in the storm of their conflict. The realms of the physical plane warp and merge with the planes of the ethereal, and chaos grows stronger while magical essence seeps into every corner of reality. In the past, those who studied the arts of [[magic ]] and wielded the forces of the arcane were capable of learning and retaining only four pages of spells, and this only through tremendous difficulty and long hours of study. Now, as more spells and sources of [[Mana ]] are created or unearthed from ancient places of power, many magic users have found that they can obtain and remember a fifth page.  

In ancient times the [[Horadrim ]] built many magical gateways, and though the secret of their construction is long lost, many uses and manipulations of these portals have evolved over the centuries. Akin to the spell of [[Town Portal ]] is the spell of [[Warp]], though far less versatile as a means of exact teleportation between two specific destinations. Rather, Warp sends the caster on a one way trip to nearest exit from a place. Immediately thereafter the portal is closed and dissipated, leaving the traveler traveller with only conventional means with which to return to the point of casting. Limited as a means of travel, this spell can, however, prove to be extremely useful in finding an exit when the caster is lost or besieged in a dark and dangerous place such as a dungeon or a cave. Unfortunately, the forces drawn upon by the Warp spell make no distinction between types of exits, since they merely focus their energies on the nearest at hand. As often as not, the caster is sent to an exit downward, which almost always leads to even greater peril.  

Over the ages, many mystical cultures have delved into the nature of matter and energy while exploring the manifestations of [[magic]]. Out of this research came the ability to attain heightened perceptions, and, for those individuals of appropriate mental and spiritual discipline, this ability has proven to be a tremendous asset. For instance, the Monks of the Brotherhood of the Bough learned to focus their perceptions and concentration to such an extent that they could clearly see almost any visible object, no matter how distant, camouflaged or obscured. The [[Vizjerei ]] studied and learned from these people, and managed to bend the arcane forces into spells that could mimic their fine mental disciplines. Thus magic users can include in their arcane arsenal the spell of [[Search]], which, when invoked, makes clear to the caster all items and objects lying about. This spell has often proved to be invaluable to the adventurer wandering through dark, cluttered spaces seeking treasure.  

By nature, [[magic ]] users are usually not gifted in physical skills such as hand-to-hand combat, focusing rather on mental discipline in order to further their understanding and control of mystic powers. However, even the most adept of mages often find themselves in great physical danger while exploring savage places searching for arcane knowledge. To compensate for this vulnerability, the [[Vizjerei]] developed a form of telekinetic magic that bends the force of a physical attack back onto the attacker. Aided by this reflective spell, even the meagre [[melee]] combat skills of a mage can prove to be quite effective. An aggressive creature becomes the victim of not only the mage's blows, but also of its own. 

The use and control of the magical forces of [[Mana ]] have many manifestations, almost all of which involve channelling this [[ethereal ]] energy into concentrated and focused forms, such as the many spells related to Fire or Lightning. However, as the [[Horadrim ]] experimented and mastered the arcane powers, they discovered that nearly any force could be controlled and reshaped or re-oriented, including mental and bodily energy. With this understanding, they soon created spells to influence the thoughts and actions of other creatures. The most aggressive of these magics caused a target to gain a burst of great strength and go mad with rage. Frenzied with blood lust, the creature willingly attacks any nearby living being, whether friend or foe. Entities with natural evil intent and weak minds tended to fall under this spell easily, and the Horadrim had great success using this maddening incantation to incite [[Demon]]s and other foul creatures of blackness to blindly attack one another during the heat of combat. A warning to novices seeking to use this spell: the fury of an affected creature knows no bounds, and if not careful or safely distant, the caster of this spell may very well end up being the target of the berserk creature's rage. 

The electrical energy of Lightning, when channeled channelled by an able [[magic ]] user, is a deadly and powerful weapon. Shaping this dramatic force of nature into the form of a barrier wall requires great concentration, but can be used as an extremely effective defence against an onslaught of murderous foes. As understanding and control of this spell grows, the endurance of the wall can be increased, providing the caster with longer periods of protection.  

Harnessing the forces of [[Mana ]] and converting their energy into the form of Fire has been a skill long practised by even the most inexperienced of magic users. Absolute control and manipulation of magical Fire is another matter entirely, and only the most learned of the great mages have attained such ability. Of the many spells that channel flame into the form of a weapon, the most effective, perhaps, is Immolation. Radiating outwards from the caster, multitudes of Fireballs [[Fireball]]s tear through the air, forming a circular swath of destruction as they explode on impact and burn any creatures in their path.