 IMAGE01: Malifestro casting a spell IMAGE02: Malifestro's castle IMAGE03: Malifestro's army |
The beginning of the era after the fall of the Empire in 883 GUE saw the rise of many terrible warlocks fighting to gain domination. One of these was Malifestro, an evil wizard who lived in a land where magic was stronger than in Frobozz, far east beyond the Flathead Mountains in Fenshire. In those days, Malifestro was described as a tall figure, old and thing, with eyes that burned with the vigor of youth. His voice was quiet, yet menacing. The powerful wizard dressed in flowing robes of the deepest black.
Malifestro was said to eat elves for breakfast, boil people in oil, banish enemies to snake pits, or chain prisoners to the Snow Monster of Snurth. Adept in both the tongue and wands, his magical powers were so great that he even had powers over demons, and was able to instantly turn his enemies into other forms, such as snails, mushrooms, lizards, and stone statues, but most importantly, trap them within black crystal spheres. (It is known that in the seventh century Malifestro imprisoned a demon within one of these spheres where it was trapped for 300 years). Able to teleport instantly from place to place, his arrival was signaled by an enormous ball of fire appearing in the center of the room, which he stepped out of once it faded to a cloud of smoke. These appearances were usually followed by conjuring up an enormous fireball.
Though the reasons are unknown, the evil warlock Malifestro was the cause of Vengralloir's exile during the reign of Dimwit Flathead, and thus remained his mortal enemy.
The legends of Bivotar and Juranda’s bravery and their defeat of Krill had spread all across the kingdom, even beyond the kingdom to Malifestro, who was preparing for world conquest. The evil wizard's vine-covered stone castle lay on the eastern side of the Flathead Mountains, its spires rising about the top of a forest of twisted trees on the outskirts of Fenshire. The sinister forest surrounding his evil-looking castle was home to slitering snakes and hopping dark birds with long beaks. Even from here, a land and a half away, Malifestro had been able to sense the disquieting presence of Bivotar and Juranda, who he believed to be powerful wizards.
Malifestro used a powerful spell to capture King Syovar and held him for ransom in his own castle, far beyond the mountains. The mighty ransom for his freedom included a wealth of gold and jewels, half the land of the Kingdom of Zork, and ten thousand men to be enslaved by the evil and greedy wizard. Refusal to concede to the payment of this ransom would forfeit the return of their king, and many believed, his life.
Denying this outlandish ransom, the noble and faithful Sir Ellron, gathered the Knights of Frobozz, who at that time were two thousand of the best soldiers of Zork. He led them out to rescue Syovar. The knights did not return after many days. No one knew if it was the treacherous pass of the Flathead Mountains or the awful power of Malifestro.
Malifestro was able to detect magic, and only the meek and innocent were able to approach him without detection. Thus Bivotar and Juranda were successful at infiltrating the warlock's fortress. But much to their despair, Malifestro had in the meantime killed Syovar. Though vain and boastful, he revealed all his plans for invading and enslaving the kingdom of Zork just prior to the murder. He never imagined that Syovar would be brought back to life by his own imprisoned demon and use this knowledge against him.
Syovar teleported into the throne room of Malifestro’s castle to engage the evil wizard in combat. Malifestro appeared in a cloud of acrid smoke. Syovar turned himself into a ferocious mountain lion. Malifestro countered his lunge by transforming into a raging wall of fire. Syovar retaliated, taking on the form of a wave of rushing water. But Malifestro quickly became a howling wind of cold air, blowing over the water, pushing it back and starting to freeze it into a sheet of ice. The ice began to change shape, flowing outwards. Its edges curled upwards, meeting to form a gigantic, translucent sphere around the whirlwind. The sphere shrank and shrank and a moment later, Syovar held a black crystal sphere with Malifestro trapped inside.