Hardin is one of the oldest, most powerful, and most enigmatic characters in the world of Lineage 2. Originally a talented student of the Ivory Tower, he survived the catastrophe caused by the genius mage Beleth and secretly studied fragments of his forbidden research. Unlike Beleth, Hardin mastered ancient Giant magic without losing his sanity, becoming a legendary necromancer whose influence extends across countless historical events.
Seeking immortality, Hardin turned to the Elves and obtained their secret of longevity through an agreement made under his alternate identity, Desperion. This event indirectly contributed to the conflict that transformed the Brown Elves into the Dark Elves, making Hardin one of the hidden figures behind one of the world's greatest tragedies.
Throughout history, Hardin operated under several identities, including the benevolent mage Einhovant, who founded a school that accepted talented students regardless of wealth or social status. Publicly, the academy promoted equal access to magical education, but privately it served as a way for Hardin to recruit gifted individuals for his own research into necromancy and forbidden magic.
Hardin's personal academy later became home to some of the greatest necromancers in Lineage 2, including Orim (Arim Shadow), Hindemith, Kaspar, Balthazar, Sema, and Melchior. While many admired him as a brilliant teacher, others eventually discovered his hidden ambitions and questioned his true motives.
Over the centuries, Hardin repeatedly appeared behind major events in the game's history. He participated in the defeat of Beleth, helped seal Antharas, experimented with dangerous magical creatures, researched Bayum's blood, studied ancient Giant magic, and pursued countless mysterious artifacts. Despite these accomplishments, nearly all of his actions remain surrounded by unanswered questions and hidden intentions.
Hardin's greatest mystery is his morality. He often claims that necromancy itself is neither good nor evil and that only its user determines how it is employed. However, his manipulation of students, secret experiments, and constant pursuit of forbidden knowledge blur the line between wisdom and obsession.
More than a thousand years after beginning his journey, Hardin remains one of the central figures in Lineage 2 lore—a brilliant scholar, immortal magician, master of forbidden arts, and a character whose true goals have never been fully revealed.
