Maddened Mage (Basic Lore)

Maddened Mage (CR 14)
True Chaotic - Medium - Humanoid (Outsider)
It is widely accepted among most intelligent creatures, at a very general level, that the world we all live in is balanced upon the surface of a much larger, darker, and far more terrible reality called the Outer Madness. Most people have little understanding of Planes, and in the minds of most people, Demons, Devils, Aberrations, and most 'weird' monsters are part of this terrifying background reality. However, there are always those who think that 'larger and more terrible' means, 'a convenient way to get power'. As a result, all over the world, in every race, creed, and culture, civilized or not, there are those with far too much greed and far too little wisdom who seek out this Deep Darkness and pledge themselves to it. The Creeping Madness is easy to access, easy to draw upon...and insanely dangerous. A fair number of those who attempt this foolish act are consumed utterly by their very first sup of that dark well, their lives, essence, souls, and flesh consumed entire. Many of those luckless fools do not quietly disappear, however. Maddened Mages are those creatures, with the Spark or without, who have reached out to the Madness, and not only survived, they have thrived. Maddened Mages often use their magical abilities to try and mitigate their deformities, although it is a rare Maddened Mage that can seem normal enough to forgo a mask, cowl, or heavy, enveloping cloak. Some Maddened Mages are likely to be Maddened Speakers who have survived and grown and been granted greater gifts by the Deep Dark. Some Maddened Mages have fallen into their might as a Dark Gift. Whatever their provenance, Maddened Mages are usually drawn from the Civilized Races, people who should have known better. It is possible that the occasional monstrous creature will also be subsumed by the Outer Madness, and thus become Maddened Mages, but amongst those without the Spark, this terrible transformation is readily apparent, and their native 'cultures' tend to exterminate such fools quickly. Such non-civilized Mages tend to migrate to the fold of their civilized brethren, where they are given a place...until their use comes to an end. Maddened Mages, like all of the Maddened, are united in their allegiance to the Devouring Madness, the True Depths that lie Outside. They are more organized and better thinkers than most Maddened, and serve as 'senior' council for their brethren. Mages also have powerful and deadly ranged attack abilities, along with wicked bedevilments, and are often seen directing from the back ranks of attacking Reavers or Assassins, or serving alongside the eerie Maddened Reverends, or supporting the terrible Maddened Fanatics. Like all Maddened, Mages lurk and plot, they poison, murder, and ruin, they steal and burn, everything. Madness Mages will attack babes in arms just as readily as they will battle undead, and for the same reason: All things must fall to the Dark, sooner or later. Unlike lesser breeds of the Maddened, Mages are extremely good at what they do. Madness Mages are a terrible force in the world, although they are thankfully rare. When Mages are discovered, they must be confronted and rooted out with terrible urgency. When more than one Maddened Mage meet each other, they naturally band together, as every hand in the Prime Plane is raised against them as their enemies, and you must take your allies where you can find them. Bands of Madness Mages seem almost like cults, except that there is no Deity involved, simply the utter alien void that has subsumed these maniacs, and invests their every action.