Unveiling the Origins of the Crimson Hand: A Rivalry in the World of Magic

When building the world of The Ardinock Chronicles, one of the things I’ve always loved is creating opposing factions that reflect each other in complex ways. After establishing the GleamWands as a secretive but noble group of wizards stepping in to protect Ardinock, I wanted to build their opposite—something dark, sinister, and just as elusive. Enter the Crimson Hand, the flipside of the same coin.

The Crimson Hand exists as the perfect mirror to the GleamWands. Both operate in the shadows, both have mysterious origins, and both are filled with highly skilled magic users. But while the GleamWands act in secret to protect, the Crimson Hand manipulates, corrupts, and seeks to plunge the world into chaos. This symmetry between the two factions creates a balance in the world of Ardinock that allows for deeper storytelling, as each group forces players to question what it means to use power, and for what purpose.

Flipping Heroism on Its Head

What I love about the Crimson Hand is how they represent the distortion of the ideals held by the GleamWands. Where the GleamWands act out of a desire to protect the world when others won’t, the Crimson Hand believes in seizing control and bending the world to their will. They’re not just bad guys—they are a faction that takes the same principles of power, secrecy, and influence and warps them for personal gain, causing destruction in their wake.

In world-building, it’s always fun to take the principles of a heroic group and challenge them. What happens when you turn their ideals on their head? That’s where the Crimson Hand thrives. They believe that the powerful shouldn’t hide or protect the weak; they should dominate them. In their eyes, it is the natural order for the strong to impose their will, whether through fear, manipulation, or outright destruction.

Origins: Shrouded in Mystery

One of the most important elements of the Crimson Hand is their mysterious past. Where the GleamWands have a known origin and clear purpose, the history of the Crimson Hand is intentionally murky. There are countless rumors and whispers about how they came to be, but none are confirmed.

Some say that the Crimson Hand was born out of disillusioned members of the Arcana Magisterium who sought power above all else. Others claim they are former GleamWands who grew tired of hiding in the shadows and chose to wield their magic openly, regardless of the consequences. Still, others believe that the Crimson Hand isn’t native to Ardinock at all, but instead arrived from distant lands, bringing with them ancient and dark magic.

This mystery isn’t just a narrative device—it’s core to their identity. The Crimson Hand thrives in ambiguity, preferring to operate in the shadows, leaving only destruction and confusion in their wake. Their history is more a collection of rumors than hard facts, and that’s exactly the way they want it. It makes them harder to pin down, harder to predict, and gives them an air of menace that keeps both heroes and NPCs alike always looking over their shoulders.

The Crimson Hand's Leader: Naera Veilsorrow

At the heart of the Crimson Hand is their enigmatic leader, Naera Veilsorrow. Naera is a master of manipulation and illusion, preferring to work behind the scenes rather than take the spotlight. Her backstory is, much like the Crimson Hand’s, clouded in uncertainty. Some say she was once a powerful mage within the Arcana Magisterium, cast out for delving too deeply into forbidden magic. Others claim she was an early recruit of the GleamWands who went rogue after a mission gone wrong, leaving her disillusioned with their cause.

What is known about Naera is that she is a tactical genius and an incredibly powerful sorceress, adept in both illusion magic and necromancy. She embodies the ideals of the Crimson Hand—using deception, fear, and dark magic to advance her agenda. Under her leadership, the Crimson Hand has grown into a formidable faction, with its influence spreading far beyond what even the GleamWands are aware of.

Naera's ultimate goal is to resurrect the Eternal Shadow, an ancient force of darkness that would plunge the world into chaos. She sees the resurrection of the Eternal Shadow not as the end but as the beginning of a new era, one where the Crimson Hand rules from the shadows, and where power is the only currency that matters.

The Power of a Looming Threat in World-Building

The Crimson Hand serves a larger purpose in The Ardinock Chronicles beyond just being the "bad guys." They represent a constant, looming threat, a force that never truly goes away, no matter how many battles are won against them. This kind of ever-present danger is crucial to keeping a world dynamic and alive.

By having a faction like the Crimson Hand in the background, you give your players and NPCs something to fear and react to, even when they aren’t directly involved in the current storyline. They can be woven into the fabric of your world, showing up in small ways—an unexplained necromantic disturbance here, a rogue wizard there—always hinting that something larger and more dangerous is lurking just out of sight.

For me, having this looming threat makes the world feel more interconnected. The Crimson Hand doesn’t just disappear when the story moves on; they’re always working in the background, plotting, waiting for the right moment to strike again. It keeps the tension high and makes it feel like the world is moving, even when the players aren’t looking directly at them.