Introduction

Gather round, all ye followers of the dark arts. Read carefully the words that I hereby inscribe, as I detail the heady brew that is responsible for my greatest creation in all my time on this world. I am Kardia, the most wretched witch in the land; scorned by beauty, the world and its inhabitants, see what I created: The most fearsome and powerful force of darkness the like of which has never before been seen in this world, in human form...

The History of Iban

Iban was a Black Knight who had learned to fight under the great Daquarius, Lord of the Black Knights. Together they had taken on the might of the White and the blood of a hundred soldiers had been wiped from the sword of Iban. Iban was not quite so different from those who tasted his blade: noble and educated, with a taste for the finer things available in life. But there was something that made him different: Ambition. This hunger for more went far past the realm of mere mortals, into the shadowy places of darkness and evil. Iban's ambition was almost godlike in its insatiability, but therein lay the essence of his darkness: at its most base Iban's fundamental desire was to control the hearts and minds of his fellow men, to take them beyond the pale of mere allegiance, and corrupt them into a force for evil. A whole legion of these Soul-less beings their minds demented from the sheer power of darkness that channeled through them... Zombies, void of emotions, without feeling or cares, Servants of their wicked master even unto death... But dreams were all they ever were. As a mere mortal, heroic though he was, this ambition Iban was unable to achieve. Meeting his demise in the White Knights' now famous Dawn Ascent, Iban died with the bitter taste of failure in his mouth. Little did he know that death was only just the beginning...

Iban's resurrection

I knew of Iban's life, though of course I had not met him. Using the power of my dark practices, I vowed to resurrect this greatest of warriors. I would raise him again to fulfill the promise of his human life. To be a master... ...of the undead...

The 4 Elements

Flesh:

Taking a small doll with the likeness of Iban I smeared my effigy with the four elements that together bring existence into being. Essence of his darkness. At the battlefield where Iban lay, I had been able to steal a piece of Iban's cold flesh. Clasping some in my hand, I smeared it over the figure of Iban, and chanted his name with mighty incantation.

Blood:

I also needed blood, the giver of life force. By now Iban's body was but a hardened vessel, the blood drained empty. But these caverns are home of the giant spider, a venomous creature know to feed on the warm blood of humans. I found and killed one of these foul beasts, and wiped the blood from its vile body onto the effigy of Iban that I had fashioned.

Shadow:

Then came the hard part, recreating the parts of a man that cannot be seen or touched: Those intangible things the essence of life itself. Using mystical forces and under terrible strain, I performed the ancient ritual of Incanta, and undertaking so dark, and so powerful, that the life was nearly stolen from my body. When I recovered, I saw three Demons summoned, standing in a triangle, their energy focused on the doll of Iban. These Demons were the keepers of Iban's shadow, forever bound to him...

Conscience:

Finally, I had to make that most unique thing, the one element that separates man from all other beasts - his conscience. A Zombie has no mind: a creature borne of bloodlust, destruction. But for all Iban's life he chose to take the path of darkness, the road to evil. Driven by the unholy ambition his potential grew and now I could harness the residue of his existence, that remained trapped in the dark places to the fullest. Locked inside an old wooden cage sat a beautiful white dove. A symbol of peace, freedom and hope, but also oblivious to the darkness of the world, like a newborn child. Taking the dove with me, I cradled the thing in my arms stroking its soft downy feathers. I looked into the eyes of the bird, and gently placing a kiss upon its fragile head, I then strangled the bird taking its life between my callous fingers. Truly this bird would be the conscience of Iban: innocence corrupted by evil... Taking crushed bones from the dove's body, I cast my mind's eye onto the body of Iban. My ritual was complete, soon he would come again renewed with life. I, Kardia, had done the unimaginable: Iban was resurrected, the most powerful evil to take human form. I alone knew that the same process that I had used to resurrect the soul of Iban could be used to destroy that very same evil. But now I was tired, as I closed my eyes, I was contented by the thought of the evil to be unleashed...