Secret Villain Lair

[Lavi]

The recovering-legendary-weapons concept would make for a good overarching story that ties into Elibe lore. Perhaps the collecting of weapons also were for preparation to essentially continue the Scouring, forcing open the Dragons Gate and going to the other realm to basically genocide manaketes (as they are a living incarnation of magical things). In terms of more immediate things, a recovering-legendary-weapons quest would eventually lead to a desire to obtain the Sword of Seals, which I believe is residing in Bern alongside the dark magic tome Apocalypse. Bernese raids would also expedite the process of Lycia going to war.

Closer to the topic of characters, I find it a little difficult to brainstorm a specific antagonist since there is not very much to go on in terms of the Lycian Empire other than anti-magic because religious law. Should there a political or bureaucratic angle that turned public favor towards Lycia as an empire? If you think about it, it doesn't make much sense that a federation ruled by an oligarchy would transform into an autocratic empire overnight. The oligarchs would have to have been manipulated into submission in order for a single ruler to hold his claim to power. Wouldn't it be ironic if magic was involved? Some dude manipulating things from the shadows?