Theophanes was an influential arcane theorist and IMI researcher who discovered the basic arcane principles that allowed for the creation of independently-functioning magitech devices.
Theophanes was born in Iryna to unknown parents in the year 665. It quickly became apparent that Theophanes was a once-in-a-lifetime genius, quickly outpacing his peers in every academic subject. He was especially gifted as a mage; though he did not possess any innate magic ability, he was able to perform spellcasting techniques in primary school that were too advanced for most adults. Theophanes came of age at a time when Irynian society was becoming increasingly sophisticated. No longer merely a mercantile port, the city had greater need for knowledge workers in addition to manual laborers. Irynian scholars wished to create an environment where research could be conducted with proper academic rigor and where the latest advancements in arcane theory could be taught to the next generation of innovators. To that end, the Iryna Magical Institute was founded in 678, the first higher education institution in the Corvidan Archipelago. Despite being only 13 years old at the time, Theophanes was more than qualified to enroll in IMI's first class of students, entering the school's Arcane Theory program.
To receive their diploma, IMI students were expected to submit an academic paper as a final demonstration of their comprehension of the material they had learned. Theophanes was interested in investigating the forces that caused observable magical effects, which in his era were not fully understood. Lacking the precise arcane instruments that would allow him to directly measure those forces, Theophanes had the idea to test his hypotheses by researching materials which were known to conduct those forces particularly well. Mythril was a metallic alloy which had been used for its arcane conductivity for the entirety of Corvidan history, particularly in the creation of arcane instruments such as wands and weaponry. Theophanes conducted experiments to demonstrate exactly to what degree mythril was capable of storing, transferring, and releasing arcane energy. In 682, he published a paper entitled "Mythril Magic Energy Conductivity Applications" which described his findings. The ideas first proposed in this paper proved to be the spark that ignited centuries' worth of magitech advancements in Iryna. Theophanes went on to publish dozens of academic papers throughout his life, each one furthering Irynian understanding of the mechanisms producing the ambient arcane energy field. However, his very first paper, published at the age of 17, proved to be his most historically significant. Mythril is an essential component of every magitech device that currently exists in Iryna: its subways and elevators run along mythril rails, the IrynaNet transfers information from SmartStones to SmartStone Co. HQ using mythril cables, and every motorized vehicle in the city contains an arcane power core made of mythril.
Like many mages of exceptional ability, Theophanes lived far beyond a typical Irynian lifespan. He was able to witness the theories he pioneered be transformed into essential technological infrastructure that shaped the lives of over a million Irynians. However, by the beginning of the 1000s, Theophanes' health began a slow decline. No longer conducting research or engaging with the scholarly community, Theophanes retreated to his home in Old Iryna. Theophanes passed away in the year 1014, at the age of 359. He had no surviving close relatives, and had never pursued any romantic relationships during his long life. Despite leaving no direct descendants, he was widely mourned by all Irynians, who credited him for shaping their city's unique character.