Editing Belgar

{{Character infobox
|image = {{tab|o}}
{{tab|Heroes of Mana}}[[File:Belgar HOM artwork.jpg|250px]]<br>''Heroes of Mana'' artwork
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{{tab|Trials of Mana HD}}[[File:Masked Mage ToM remake artwork.png|250px]]<br>''Trials of Mana HD'' artwork
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{{tab|Trials of Mana}}[[File:Masked mage SD3 artwork.gif|150px]]<br>''Trials of Mana'' artwork
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|first_appearance = ''[[Trials of Mana]]'' (1995)
|latest_appearance = ''[[Trials of Mana (remake)|Trials of Mana HD]]'' (2020)
|jap = {{hover|仮面の道士|Masked Taoist}}<sup>ToM</sup>; {{hover|ベルガー|Belgar}}<sup>HoM</sup>
|title = The Masked Mage<sup>ToM</sup><br>Oracle of Shadows<sup>HoM</sup><br>Priest of Dark<sup>ToM</sup>
|homeland = [[Wendel (Trials of Mana)|Holy City Wendel]]
|faction = The [[Masked Mage]] (Leader)
|role = Varies
|relatives = [[Heath]] (son)
|gender = Male
|species = Human, Undead
|status = Dead
|other_forms = [[Dark Lich (Trials of Mana)|Dark Lich]]
|counterparts = [[Priest of Light]]
|voice_actor = '''Jpn''':Taketora<sup>ToM</sup><br>'''Eng''': M. Orenstein<sup>ToM</sup>
}}
{{about|Belgar and the Masked Mage as a character|Dark Lich of Trials of Mana|[[Dark Lich (Trials of Mana)]]}}

{{quote2|Many people have been hurt by this war. I cannot afford to leave this this land in the present situation. I must do whatever it takes to help all those in need of aid. Even if it requires me to use sorcery I would otherwise not...|Heroes of Mana In-game dialogue}}

'''Belgar''', also known as the '''Oracle of Shadows''' in ''[[Heroes of Mana]]'' and the '''Masked Mage''' in ''[[Trials of Mana]]'' is a recurring character in ''[[Mana (series)|Mana]]'' series.

==Background==
Belgar was appointed as the Oracle of Shadows in the holy city of Wendel some time before the events of ''Heroes of Mana''. It is said his skills in healing are unmatched and that he seems devoted to his people. He obtained the title of Oracle of Shadows as the co-leadership of Wendel alongside the [[Priest of Light]].

==History==
===''[[Heroes of Mana]]''===
{{quote2|The Oracle of Shadows at Wendel. Prone to blaming himself whenever he encounters difficulties. This lends to a rather forceful personality that takes any measure to accomplish the task at hand.|Notebook}}

During the events of ''Heroes of Mana'', [[Wendel (Trials of Mana)|Wendel]] is overseen by two priests: the [[Priest of Light]] and the Priest of Dark or the Oracle of Shadows. Together, they were two halves of the same whole, akin to the concept of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao Tao].

Belgar is officially introduced at the end of chapter 5, ''Dragon Wings of Reunion'' where, despite doubting them at first, he decides to join Roget and crew after hearing the fall of [[Lowenburg]] and [[Minerva]]'s kidnapping by [[Nevarl]] after hearing [[Larkbone]]'s plea for help.

During the second act, he proves himself invaluable in the search of the remaining [[Mana Stones]] and [[Mana spirit|Mana spirits]].

Belgar is also present during the final confrontation against the [[Goddess of Doom]] in the [[Sea of Chaos]], but ultimately decides to stay in [[Fa'Diel]] along with [[Alma]], [[Falcon]], [[Gauser]], [[Loki]], and [[Valda]] and watches as Roget, [[Yurchael]], [[Gemière]], [[Qucas]], and [[D'Kelli]] board the [[Nightswan]] to explore the different worlds scattered in the fabric of realms. It is assumed that Belgar is one of the handful of people in Fa'Diel aware of the events that took place during the game, since his soul was not absorbed by [[Anise's mirror]]. He ultimately returned to Wendel and resumed his position as the Oracle of Shadows.

Though he is shown to be a kind and caring man, hints of his reckless side are foreshadowed. He mentions that he will treat those wounded by the war by any means necessary, even if that means using magic he normally wouldn't. In a bonus mission, he accidently released [[Land Umber]] while trying to gain the power of earth for healing, and rather than learn from that, he instead decided to look into the power of darkness instead.

===Interlude===

Shortly after helping [[Roget]] and crew defeating the [[Goddess of Doom]], he met an unnamed woman and conceived [[Heath]].

One day, Belgar came across a sickly young girl that couldn't even be saved with the power of light. The Oracle of Shadows turned to the forbidden reviving arts and used a forsaken spell called "Black Chant" in order to save the child. This sparked an obsession in his mind to cheat death, but his new dark powers were in vain, since he couldn't save the girl in the end.

His use of the forbidden arts was rejected by the Temple of Light, ultimately leading the Priest of Light to banish him from the Holy City. He also became horribly disfigured from repeated use of the forsaken spells and began to wear a mask to hide his scars. His obsession for the dark arts turned him evil, and with Wendel against him, Belgar started experimenting on his own body to test his reviving skills. He became immortal as a [[Dark Lich (Trials of Mana)|dark lich]], seeking ever more power from the [[Benevodons]] and overthrow the [[Mana Goddess]] as a supreme ruler.

As the Masked Mage, he asked the assistance of [[Goremand (Trials of Mana)|Goremand]] to help him conquer the world and based his headquarters at the [[Mirage Palace]].

===''[[Trials of Mana]]''===
Belgar, now as the Masked Mage, only appears in the game if [[Kevin]] or [[Charlotte]] is chosen as the main character.

Full of hatred and resent, the Masked Mage finally decides to enact revenge on those that had wronged him. His plan consists on becoming a god by destroying the eight Mana Stones and entering the Sanctuary of Mana to reclaim the Sword of Mana's power. Preferring to stay in the shadows, the Masked Mage leaves most of the work to his minions.

He and his minions, led by Goremand, forge an alliance with the Beastmen, who launch an invasion to Wendel. During [[Charlotte's opening gambit]], it could be speculated that Goremand brought Heath to the Masked Mage in Mirage Palace after the events in [[Rabite Forest]]. Heath tried to persuade his father not to pursue his plans, but he was ultimately corrupted into the [[Tainted Soul]].

Eventually the portal is opened to the Sanctuary of Mana, and so the Masked Mage and his minions proceed to get the Sword of Mana. As the three evil factions of the world collide, the Masked Mage finds himself warring for the control of the Sword of Mana. What follows next depends on who is the main character of the story:

*If [[Duran]] or [[Angela]] is the main character, the Masked Mage is killed by the [[Crimson Wizard]] and [[Darkshine Knight]].
*If [[Hawkeye]] or [[Riesz]] is the main character, the Masked Mage is killed by [[Belladonna]] and [[Malocchio]].
*If Charlotte or Kevin is the main character, the Masked Mage succeeds in killing the [[Dragon Lord]] and destroying the remains of the [[Prince of Mavolia|Dark Majesty]].

Proved the main character is Charlotte or Kevin, the Masked Mage retreats to his stronghold after failing to claim the Sword of Mana. However, his minions are left to come up with a plan to obtain the Sword. Afterwards, the Tainted Soul and Goremand wait until the heroes have obtained the Sword of Mana before kidnapping Faerie and forcing the heroes to exchange the Sword of Mana for her life. The Masked Mage is first mentioned by the Tainted Soul during [[Chapter 4 (Trials of Mana)|Chapter 4]] in [[Lowenburg|Ferolia]], where he mentions his master using the freshly stolen Sword of Mana to rid of world of suffering of life through death. The Tainted Soul and Goremand report back to him at Mirage Palace and give him the holy blade to release the Benevodons of their Mana Stone, causing havoc in the world should they combine.

The playable characters manage to destroy all but one of the fearsome beasts, and now scout the ancient capital city of [[Peddan]]. Because of the unstable time-space continuum, the party is transported in the past where the bustling city stood before its destruction. There they learn about a prophecy telling despair and destruction will be spread by a masked man.

The party finally meets with the Masked Mage at the deepest end of the Mirage Palace, claiming he will absorb the sword's power combined with the Benevodons' to become an immortal soul stronger than the Goddess of Mana herself. As he drains the holy blade, a surge of light within him notifies him of the goddess still being alive. He then vows to destroy her once and for all and rushes to the [[Sanctuary of Mana (Trials of Mana)|Sanctuary of Mana]]. The heroes are forced to deal with the Tained Soul who, upon defeat, reveals himself to be the son of the Masked Mage and begs the party to stop his father before doom ensnares the world.

The main characters unfortunately arrive to late at the Sanctuary, as the Masked Mage boasts about killing the [[Tree of Mana]] along with the goddess. He then claims he will make use of the trio by turning them into undead slaves, serving and protecting him in a new era. Undeterred by ther reluctance in accepting their new fate, he destroys [[Faerie (character)|Faerie]] and says he cannot wait to take off his mask who has been concealing his hatred for humanity for so long. The then transforms into the [[Dark Lich (Trials of Mana)|Dark Lich]] and confronts the protagonists. He quickly overpower them at first, but with the help of Faerie's magic, the party is healed and she tells to the Dark Lich that as long as the chosen is here, the hopes of people will never disappear. The Dark Lich mocks the hero for attempting to defeat his immortal soul, but he is ultimately proven wrong and meets his demise.

{{-}}

===''[[Circle of Mana]]''===
Belgar (also as the Masked Mage) makes a cameo appearance in the online game, along with several other characters from the ''[[Mana (series)|Mana]]'' series. He appears in 3 set of cards.<br>
{|width=95% class="wikitable"
|-style="text-align:center;"
! Rank !! Attribute !!width=10%| Name !!colspan=4 width=60%| Classes !! Quote
|-style="text-align:center;"
| SUR || {{hover|魔|Jap:Demon}} || {{hover|ベルガー|Jap:Belgar}} || [[File:SUR 0249 ベルガー.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|クレリック|Jap:Cleric}} || [[File:SUR 0250 ベルガー.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|プリースト|Jap:Priest}} || [[File:SUR 0251 ベルガー.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[光]ビショップ|Jap:[Light] Bishop}} || [[File:SUR 0252 ベルガー.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[闇]セージ|Jap:[Dark] Sage}} ||「異世界の勇者たちよ、必ず光のマナストーンを手に入れてくれ。でないと、このウェンデルは…」<br>"Heroes of another world, please be sure to obtain the Mana Stone of Light. Otherwise, this Wendel..."
|-style="text-align:center;"
| SSUR || {{hover|魔|Jap:Demon}} || {{hover|仮面の道士|Jap:Masked Taoist}} || [[File:SSUR 0157 仮面の道士.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|己を秘す仮面|Jap:Behind the Mask}} || [[File:SSUR 0158 仮面の道士.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|神獣の負を喰いし者|Jap:Benevodon Eater}} || [[File:SSUR 0159 仮面の道士.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[光]マナの剣を喰いし者|Jap:[Light] Sword of Mana Eater}} || [[File:SSUR 0160 仮面の道士.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[闇]憎悪を解き放つ者|Jap:[Dark] Hatred Spewer}} ||「この仮面の下には、人間に対する憎悪だけがかくされている。」<br>"Beneath this mask, only hatred towards humans is hidden."
|-style="text-align:center;"
| SSUR || {{hover|魔|Jap:Demon}} || {{hover|仮面の道士[禍心]|Jap:Masked Taoist [Calamity]}} || [[File:SSUR 0309 仮面の道士 禍心.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|己を秘す仮面|Jap:Behind the Mask}} || [[File:SSUR 0310 仮面の道士 禍心.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|神獣の負を喰いし者|Jap:Benevodon Eater}} || [[File:SSUR 0311 仮面の道士 禍心.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[光]マナの剣を喰いし者|Jap:[Light] Sword of Mana Eater}} || [[File:SSUR 0312 仮面の道士 禍心.jpg|100px]]<br>{{hover|[闇]憎悪を解き放つ者|Jap:[Dark] Hatred Spewer}} ||「ワシの願いはただ一つ。この世にはびこる生者の一掃。」<br>"My only wish is to wipe out all the living that are infesting this world."
|-style="text-align:center;"
|}

==General information==
===Physical appearance===
In ''Heroes of Mana'', Belgar is a 33 years old man with a tall, slender build with gray spiky hair and goatie. He wears a long yellow and green robe with an orange cape on the back. His shoulders are protected by silver pauldrons, his arms are covered by long green armbands while his head is adorned with a green lithurgical headdress called a miter that is slitted in the middle. He also wears gold jewelry on his fingers, wrists, and ears. Finally his official art depicts him wielding a long wooden staff.

In ''Trials of Mana'', the Masked Mage now sports a mint green, knee-length robe with yellow & lilac accents and cinched at the waist by a black sash. His robe is decorated with a purple and yellow stole (long lithurgical scarf) while his face is covered with a white butterfly-shaped mask. His head  is covered by a green and yellow miter and a purple hood.

===Personality===
In ''Heroes of Mana'', Belgar is depicted as a calm, caring, and devoted middle-aged man who can be overly invested in his role as the Oracle of Shadows. Tough he is not prone to talking much, he is hinted as being obsessed with his studies in healing, to the point of being reckless if no other solution is found with the traditional methods.

He is said to have become deepy traumatized by his exile from Wendel for having used a forbidden magic spell to cure a sick child. Resentful of what he considered unfair treatment, he has sinced turned his interests into overcoming life itself by becoming immortal, eventually becoming possessed by the thought of becoming a god and eradicating humanity for their sins.

As the ''Masked Mage'' he has become deeply cunning, vengeful, and hateful against anyone who has wronged him in the past. His cruelty even extends to his own son, Heath, whom he has turned into a living shell of himself.

===Abilities===
{{See Also|Dark Lich (Trials of Mana)}}

During ''Heroes of Mana'', Belgar's abilities in combat are specialized in curative magic. His stats are among the lowest of all playable characters: He has the second lowest maximum HP behind D'Kelli (tied with Yurchael & Gemière), the second lowest Attack behind Alma (tied with D'Kelli & Gemière), and the lowest Speed. Outside of combat he is shown to possess knowledge in Mana lore, particularily in the Mana Stones locations presumably since he had access to the Temple of Light's secret archives.

As the Masked Mage in ''Trials of Mana'', he has grown considerably in power and is now able to revive and corrupt souls at will, as he did with his son Heath. He is also well versed in several elemental spells as depicted after absorbing the Mana Sword's and the Benevodons' powers and transforming into the Dark Lich. Like the other final bosses of the game, he was able to make the Tree of Mana completely with, killing the Goddess of Mana in the process, and destroying Faerie's physical body.

==Profile and statistics==
{|width=95% class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="5"| [[File:Belgar HOM artwork.jpg|100px]]<br>'''Belgar''' ||width=7%| '''Stats''' ||width=15%|  '''Starting Equipment''' ||colspan="2"| '''Abilities'''
|-style="text-align:center"
|style="text-align:left"| [[File:HP icon HOM sprite.png]] 450 || [[File:Neck Accessory icon HOM sprite.png|Neck accessory]] None || [[File:Battle Skill icon HOM sprite.png|link=Battle Skill]] '''Regen Aura''' || Slowly restores HP of ally units within a 5-square radius, excluding gatherer and special units.
|-style="text-align:center"
|style="text-align:left"| [[File:Attack Power icon HOM sprite.png|link=Attack power]] 25 || [[File:Arm Accessory icon HOM sprite.png|Arm accessory]] None || [[File:Battle Skill icon HOM sprite.png|link=Waiting Skill]] '''Fast Restore''' || Increases amount of HP restored through the healing house.
|-style="text-align:center"
|style="text-align:left"| [[File:Attack Rate icon HOM sprite.png|link=Base Speed]] 30 || [[File:Finger Accessory icon HOM sprite.png|Finger accessory]] None ||rowspan="2" colspan="2"| “The Oracle of Shadows at Wendel. Prone to blaming himself whenever he encounters difficulties. This lends to a rather forceful personality that takes any measure to accomplish the task at hand.”
|-style="text-align:center"
|style="text-align:left"| [[File:Attack Range icon HOM sprite.png|link=Attack range]] 1 || None 
|-style="text-align:center"
|}

==Trivia==
* Although the Masked Mage has the same amount of screen time as the Dragon Lord and the Dark Majesty, he isn't mentioned as much. Even in Kevin and Charlotte's storyline, the heroes only become aware of who he is when they meet him in person. In the other storylines, his only mention is when Goremand says he was killed.
* The Masked Mage is the only of the three main villains in ''Trials of Mana'' to appear as an ally in the [[Heroes of Mana|prequel]].

==Gallery==
{{main-gallery}}
<gallery>
Belgar sprite HOM sprite.png|Belgar
Belgar portrait HOM sprite.png|Belgar portrait
</gallery>

==References==
* [https://archive.org/details/jd_Seiken-Densetsu-3c/page/188/mode/2up Seiken Densetsu 3 Perfect Analysis Guidebook]
{{ToM characters}}
{{HoM characters}}
[[Category:Corrupted characters]]
[[Category:Deceased characters]]
[[Category:Male characters]]
[[Category:Playable characters]]
[[Category:Antagonists]]
[[Category:Main villains]]
[[Category:Fathers]]
[[Category:Humans]]
[[Category:Priests]]
[[Category:Undeads]]
[[Category:Wendellans]]
[[Category:Trials of Mana characters]]
[[Category:Heroes of Mana characters]]