Battle of Aster Fall
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| Battle of Aster Fall | |||||
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| Event Information | |||||
| Era | War with Phyrexia | ||||
| Date | 4179 AR* | ||||
| Location | Ephren, Corondor, Dominaria | ||||
| Characters | Adam Carthalion, Ezer, Jared Carthalion, Ravidel | ||||
| Outcome |
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| Storyline sources | The Shadow Mage | ||||
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The Battle of Aster Fall was the final battle between Adam Carthalion and the Battlemage Ravidel in the year 4179 AR[a].[1]
Description
In the autumn of 4179, the plains of Ephren became the site of a monumental battle, forever marking the legacy of the Carthalion family. Adam Carthalion, a once-prominent leader, had gathered his army to face off against the powerful battlemage and Planeswalker, Ravidel. For years, Ravidel had manipulated Adam, convincing him to pursue a dangerous quest that ultimately led to the destruction of his wife, Gwendolyn Carthalion. Having unwittingly fallen victim to Ravidel’s lies, Adam sought to save Dominaria from the very threat he had been tricked into supporting.
The battle itself was fierce. Ravidel arrived in a flying barge, a symbol of his immense power. Despite Adam’s brave efforts and strategic planning, he was overwhelmed by Ravidel’s might. Mortally wounded by a devastating Syphon Soul spell cast by Ravidel, Adam’s strength waned, and with his dying breath, he entrusted his infant son, Jared Carthalion, marked with the sigil of the new moon, to his loyal spellsquire, Ezer. Adam’s final act of defiance was a powerful Inferno spell, obliterating Ravidel’s barge and himself in the process. The flames consumed him, but his sacrifice would not be in vain.
As Adam fell, Ezer took up the responsibility of safeguarding Jared, though the young child’s fate had already been sealed. The Syphon Soul spell had a strange effect on Jared, altering his appearance. His hair fell away, and a crescent moon mark appeared on his cheek. Ezer, shaken by the transformation, harshly remarked that Jared had become “a freak,” though it was unclear whether the boy’s physical change would have any lasting implications.
This tragic event, now known as the Battle of Aster Fall, marked the beginning of Jared Carthalion’s journey, one that would be defined by loss, hardship, and the mysterious powers passed down through his bloodline. With the death of his father and the fall of his once-great family, Jared was left to navigate a world where he was no longer recognized as the rightful heir to the Carthalion name. The battle had cost Adam everything, but his son’s survival became a symbol of hope, even as the shadows of Ravidel’s schemes lingered on.[1]
Inspiration
The Battle of Aster Fall is Jeff Gomez’s play on "aster", a Greek word for star (used in "astral" and "asteroid"). A falling star was considered a bad omen, so a catastrophe was thought to be caused by the influence of an evil star — which is where the word "disaster" comes from. And a disaster is exactly what the Battle of Aster Fall turned out to be for Adam Carthalion.[2]
Notes
- ↑ The date of the battle given in the comic the Shadow Mage is 1265 in the Reckoning of the Sages of Minorad. This has later been refuted by placing the battle on the revisionist timeline in 4179 AR, which would correspond to 1179 in the Reckoning of the Sages of Minorad, assuming the Reckoning still starts at year 3000 AR.
References
- ↑ a b Volume 1: The Aster Fall. The Shadow Mage. (1995) Armada.
- ↑ Jerry Prosser, Rags Morales, and Barbara Kaalberg (June 1996) Dakkon Blackblade. Armada.