The Rise of Tep

Yet among the elite of Hikut, there was one who refused to embrace these new advancements, one who clung to magic with unwavering determination. The great necromancer and philosopher named Tep.

As he delved into the mysteries of death, Tep discovered that every living being possessed a fundamental essence — the Spark of Life — that resided within the body and departed upon death. Some called this a "soul", a "divine spark".

For years, he pursued the means to "capture" this Spark. Many perished in his terrible, secret experiments before he finally succeeded — Tep had found a way to trap and consume the life essence of another being.

But he did not stop there. Soon, Tep realized that he could sustain his own life indefinitely by consuming these Sparks as fuel. He craved immortality, and now he had the means to achieve it — if only he could gather an endless supply of sparks.

Thus began the construction of his Vaults — great repositories meant to hold countless stolen sparks. In the scorching desert, Tep raised pyramids, monuments to his ambition. All that remained was to fill them.