Ariden was a mysterious character who reputedly was the leader of the band of charlatan merchants who made an attempt to sell magical relic forgeries to Medivh at his home in Karazhan, as punishment for their trickery, he transformed the band of con-artists into the Dark Riders, a group of mysterious beings who roamed the lands, laying claim to powerful artifacts, and returning to the cursed tower of Karazhan.[citation needed]