Mavren Fein
| Mavren Fein | |
|---|---|
| Hierophant | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Colors |
 |
| Species | Undead Vampire |
| Job | Cleric |
| Birth, Life & Death | |
| Birthplace | Ixalan |
| Lifetime | Became a vampire c. 4360 |
Pontifex Mavren Fein, is the highest ranking member of the Church of Dusk, Torrezon's clergy on Ixalan.
Description
A powerful man, his voice rings with unshakable authority that makes nobles tremble. Fein speaks both his native tongue as well as the language of the Sun Empire.[1]
History
As a hierophant, a high-ranking member of the Legion of Dusk, Fein sought Elenda, the guardian of the Immortal Sun, to bring eternal life to his people.[2][3] After the theft of the Immortal Sun, Elenda had become a vampire and taught her Rite to the nobles so that they could take up the sacrifice and join her in her search. Mavren Fein was one of her early converts, taking the rite two hundred years before the race for Orazca.[3] He watched as she sailed back into the west and waited for his day to follow her.
Centuries later, he finally traveled to the continent of Ixalan to find Orazca and the Immortal Sun. He guided his ship to shore by faith alone when he destroyed the navigational instruments during the rapture of his Blood Fast. On his own, he managed to reach Adanto.[3]
Following Arguel during his blood-fast in the search for the Temple of Aclazotz, Mavren fell under the thrall of the demon-spawn Zotz, who nested inside the temple. Mavren Fein remained enthralled by the demon for some amount of time, going slowly mad. Wandering through the land, he was encountered by a party led by the Order of the Five Sacraments cleric Alante in the Unclaimed Territory. Mavren led Alante's group back to the Temple of Aclazotz, where they battled both Mavren and Zotz. When Zotz was killed, its death finally broke its hold on Mavren, who was riddled with anguish for his terrible deeds under the demon's thrall. Alante's party made peace with Mavren and then found the dessicated corpse of Arguel lying on the altar, with the empty Hierophant's Chalice still in hand. The chalice could provide an endless supply of blood and was highly sought after by Vona de Iedo, Alante's sworn enemy. The state of Arguel's emaciated body indicated that his blood fast had never ended, though, despite having the chalice. Alante claimed the Hierophant's Chalice from Arguel's corpse for the Order of the Five Sacraments to keep it from the hands of Vona.[4]
Mavren then joined up with the Butcher of Magan herself, and with her, he managed to reach Orazca and threw Kumena out of the window of the Tower of Triumph.[5] After the vampires, came Huatli and her Sun Empire compatriots, Angrath and his pirate crew, and the unlikely couple of Vraska and Jace. While the four factions struggled to claim the sun's power for themselves, the artifact was stolen by Tezzeret and removed from the plane.[6]
After the Immortal Sun was stolen from the plane, Saint Elenda reappeared and told her followers that they were finally free from their ancient duty. An angry and confused Vona asked her why she had left them and denied them immortality. Elenda answered that immortality was not the purpose of her gift, but protection. Deference to forces greater than themselves and humility would lead them to salvation, not the Immortal Sun. She said that she had found the sun and decided to become its sentinel within the Golden City while awaiting the arrival of other members of her order. She asked to be brought to Queen Miralda. Vona denied her, but Mavren Fein punished Vona for speaking ill of the living saint. After reprimanding Vona, the three left and the Legion left the continent of Ixalan.[7]
Phyrexian Invasion
Fein later returned from Torrezon to the continent of Ixalan and was captured by the Sun Empire. During the New Phyrexian Invasion, he was released under Huatli's command to invoke the Elder Dinosaurs against the invasion.[1]
After being summoned, the elder dinosaur Ghalta cut loose among the remaining Phyrexian ranks. Seeing an opportunity, Mavren commanded his legionnaires to follow in the elder dinosaur's wake. Any Phyrexians that managed to dodge or survive Ghalta's rampage found themselves set upon by vicious vampire conquistadors. Casualties ran high, but by taking advantage of the chaos left in Ghalta's wake, Mavren was able to deal some serious damage to the invaders.[8]
Aftermath of the Invasion
After the Invasion, Fein was promoted to Pontifex of the Church of Dusk but struggled to hold it together.[9] In protest against his rule and the pacifism of Saint Elenda, his former ally Vona broke off and formed a splinter church.
Story appearances
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ a b Miguel Lopez (Mar 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ixalan: Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Explore the Planes: Ixalan
- ↑ a b c R&D Narrative Team (October 11, 2017). "The Race, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ James Wyatt (January 2018) - [X MARKS THE SPOT: An Ixalan Adventure, WotC.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (January 10, 2018). "The Flood". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (January 24, 2018). "The Arbiter of Law Left Chaos in His Wake". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (February 2, 2018). "Who Tells the Stories". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Emily Teng (April 13, 2023). "The Legendary Team-Ups of March of the Machine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Pawns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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