Rivals

Upon starting the game, you will meet the Magic Master of your clan, and your rival for the first part of the game, as I have dubbed it: Pre-Young Mage Contest. You will fight them two to three times (the first is optional) before said contest.

Clan Rivals and Their Development
Rainie of Poison Water: Common Poison Water Mage in the beginning. Will not use Clan Spells until Part III (look to the page The Four 'Parts' to understand). You will never encounter him again until the New Leader Tournament on the Black Robe timeline when they challenge you there.

Flamier of Burning Hill: Basic mage of Burning Hill. Does not use Clan Spells until The Great Sea War, if you are on the White Robe side, or in the Arena past Part II. Becomes a White Robe traitor in most White Robe sub-timelines except for when you become the traitor and spy for the Black Robes.

Soundinghorn of Great Sea: Easiest opponent of them all in the Young Mage Contest. Becomes the White Mage of the White Robes in most White Robe sub-timelines, except for the one in which you become the White Mage. Can be killed in the neutral ending, to the White Robes' dismay.

Darkskin of Dark Wood: Cheapskate. One of the two mages in the Young Mage Contest who uses Clan Spells, specifically Cursed Bolts. He specializes in Low Attacking Bolts as well, and since most choose to level up High Attacking Bolts first for their character, this allows him to curse you during battle, making him harder to defeat. Is encountered again in the White Robe timeline when you cure most Black Robes, and is one of the few members to leave the Black Robes should you take over and remove the poison to control everyone.

Bloodster of Chaos Desert: Starts off super wimpy in the Young Mage Contest. Very simple to defeat then. But in the Black Robe timeline, he is your toughest challenge by the time you fight him. This only happens in the sub-timeline when you cure the poison in you. He will challenge you in the Wilderness or Great Hall depending on your decision in the Battlebeard's Request mission (see the page The Four 'Parts'). This is when he goes total maniac, and will DESTROY you if you are not prepared.

Silverkin of Ice Land: Arguably the most successful of the Young Mage competitors. The only mage other than Darkskin to use Clan Spells, specifically Freeze Defense. By the time you reach the end of the game however, he's ranked Number 5 on the Book of Mages. That is one true underdog story! He makes a reappearance in every timeline during the Great Sea War (regardless if you showed up or not, he most likely goes anyway), and is one of the five neutral mages who oppose both the Black and White robes at the end.

Now, whichever clan you chose, you have a chance to replace them in the contest, should you beat them at the Young Mage Election, the third fight them before the Contest. Regardless of the two previous battles, whoever wins this one represents their clan.