Background[]
Rolf Hightower was born into the aristocratic Hightower family in the Imperial City of Altdorf. The Hightower family claims great heroes in its family tree such as Lieztel the Blessed, Gralnost the Black-hand, Seeria the Light Wizardress, and Rolf's own father, Sven Hightower, High Lieutenant to the Crown Prince of the Empire. As the second son, the first being Brandobas the Bold, Rolf was enrolled in the Imperial Colleges of Magic, showing great aptitude at a young age. Rolf's first encounter with magic was at the age of 9 when in the cobble streets of Altdorf he found himself terribly alone and out past his bedtime. The Imperial Guardsmen were late to refilling the lamps lining the boulevard and Rolf was forced to find his way home. Praying to Sigmar and calling upon something that had long resided deep in his gut, Rolf summoned up a large sphere of light to mark his path. The brigands and crooks in back alleys shied away from the young Rolf and upon returning home, his father beamed with pride: Rolf would prove to be a tremendous Wizard, already gifted in the element of light.
Schooling[]
Having demonstrated high levels of skill already in the art of Light Magic, the board of the Imperial Colleges of Magic deemed Rolf fit for entrance to the Light College. With its distinctive giant, transparent pyramid the Light College would play home to Rolf for over 5 decades. During his time in the Order of Light, Rolf learned the traditional spells known to most Light Wizards, those of healing and protection, yet like his ancestors Rolf had a particular knack for rending the forces of Chaos. While studying Rolf learned a number of powerful spells, most of which his peers shied away from given the intense focus and aptitude such spells required. Entering the College aged 15, Rolf completed his initiate studies by the age of 20 and took up the role of an instructor and Light Councilman. Rolf took his powers to the battlefield in the name of the Emperor many times and remained loyal to the Empire throughout his many years of service. For his loyalty and commitment the board of the Imperial Colleges of Magic granted Rolf a permanent chair on the Council of Light, overseeing the training of Light Wizards in the name of the Emperor.
Rolf in the simple regalia of a Light Wizard
"The Hightower"[]
Rolf Hightower's exploits in the academic world have been laid out in full above, yet his renown on the battlefield has yet to be explained. 'The Hightower", as he was affectionately named by the Imperial troops under his supervision, was as strong a combat Wizard as some of the great Wizards of the past. Commonly Hightower was compared to Teclis and Volans, might Wizards in their own right. Rolf used his potent abilities to cast spells leading to disarray among the ranks of the Chaos Warriors. Though firm and strong such warriors may be, "The Hightower" smote them from afar, detonating massive explosions of light in the midst of their advancing ranks. The stunned enemies would stumble, collapsing the charge and allowing Imperial forces to crush the staggered foe. In his later years Rolf trained in a new technique he developed himself, or was lost to the ages, the Lance of Volans. The "Lance" was a column of light, blinding and scorching, that tumbled from heaven with terrifying ferocity to strike the ground at "The Hightower's" command. The searing beam burned and scorched all in its path, blinding those who stood near and eviscerating those beneath its might. In few scenarios has Rolf deemed such an awe inspiring spell worthy of use, such as the Battle at the Gates of Nuln.