Royal Mages

The Royal Mages are/were a group of Mages employed by Westmarch.

The Mages studied the Elder Rift, and made a breakthrough in the activation of the device involving crests. Permission was given to merchants to sell crests to adventurers to enter the Rift. Unfortunately, every adventurer who entered the Rift failed to survive the experience. This changed with a hero/group of heroes that survived the Rift. The success inspired the Mages to activate the Challenge Rift.