The Scourge

The Scourge was a contingent of young dark wizards from the Necromancers' Guild lead by Kaano. The group is best known for its first - and most successful - campaign, the Scourge of Bahamut, wherein they launched a full-scale undead army against numerous Unified Imperial towns, targeting the temples of Bahamut.

History
Kaano was by far the most ambitious student at the Necromancers' Guild at the time, deciding almost as soon as he arrived that he'd be a legendary criminal as an adult. When he graduated he and his friends got together and began planning their first campaign, the Scourge of Bahalla. Kaano and his friends Malorie, Spike, Su, Ossius and Barrett, sought out the best criminals and dark wizards in the Empire, and together they summoned a dark army of the undead.

Over the coming months they ransacked numerous towns and villages, before the Imperial Militia was finally sent after them. The two armies engaged in battle at the city of Bahalla, and after many months the Scourge was finally stopped. Many of its members were dead, but the core six remained together along with several new members; most notably the Black Akh and Grimm. They enacted many more similar campaigns on a smaller scale over the next few years.

The Scourge broke up after Kaano became more interested in Monster rights than simple evil, and wanted to take a hiatus from their villainy. The others, showing little interest in this cause and not wanting to continue without their founder and face, went their separate ways.

Notable Members
The Scourge has had many members over the years, however only a small group stayed members for almost its entire history.

Kaano
Kaano formed the Scourge during his time apprenticing with the Necromancers' Guild with a group of the most gifted students. He's almost always been the leader, and face, of the group. His prominent position is what lead to Imperial propaganda singling him out as the Nihilist, attributing the group's evil actions entirely to him; he takes this as an honor.

Malorie Vilan
Malorie was, for a time, Kaano's right-hand woman and second-in-command. She was utterly sadistic during their campaigns, executing children in front of their parents and torturing prisoners-of-war without any regards for ethics. While most attribute the worst actions the Scourge committed to Nicholai since he was the most public member, it was truly Malorie behind the absolute worst atrocities. Her relationship with Nicholai has affected her role in the team to a degree, but she remained a constant member to the end.

Spike
A good friend of Kaano, he was a great warrior during their campaigns, fighting right alongside the undead which made up their legion and killing everyone in his path. Unlike Nicholai he had little interest in showmanship, and isn't well-remembered by non-members, likely because no one who encountered him ever lived to tell of him.

Su Kosh
A Seramican immigrant who's family was met with distain by the Empire, Su was one of the few members of the Necromancers' Guild who was formally enrolled. While not the most skilled wizard, he acted as an event planner for the group.

Osteolus
A devoted nethermancer and illusionist, Osteolus - real name Ossius - provided terrifying eldritch imagery to accompany the campaigns the Scourge undertook. While he himself didn't gain fame until much later, his horrific illusions which he cast upon the group's victims were.

He later became a famous entertainer at Lost Vegass.

The Brute
Barrett Dale, a dark paladin, was bullied by other students at the Guild, he was taken in by Kaano who - acting out of character - took him in and made him an integral member of the Scourge. This decision paid off; he became a great warrior in the field.

Black Akh
A former member of the Five Paths cult who joined the Scourge during the Scourge of Bahamut, it was he who first gave Kaano the inspiration to become a shade. Despite his name he was not a genuine Akh.

Grimm
A then-prominent necromancer who joined around the same time as the Black Akh, she joined in hopes of getting revenge against the Imperial Scholarly Association who evicted her after they found out about her dark research.