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In Russian mythology there is an interesting character - Царь Кощей Бессмертный. He posesses magical powers and is an antagonist to Иван Царевич or other hero from the mortal world. The name Кощей has interesting etymology. Many people think that it comes from word кости (bones), maybe because Кощей Бессмертный is usually depicted as having skeleton-like look - hairless head, greyish skin color, clothing or armor that depicts bones, etc.

Though there are theories that the кощей is in fact comes from кощун, кощунство. Nowadays these words mean blasphemer and blasphemy accordingly, but it had different meaning before Сhristianity. There are examples of usage of word кощюн as a translation of greek word mythos in a book by Срезневский, so possibly кощюнник would be a person that tells such myths. (There are many claims in the Internet that кощюньник was also a wizard according to him, but I could not find proofs for them in the book).

Already described чародей is another synonym to волшебник, however I would not say that he is evil. When the word is used in its literal meaning - he is neutral magician. Though the word чары is often used with word злые: злые чары - evil spells. Usually this expression means that the person under this spells has altered state of mind that changes the character of the person, like Kai from The Snow Queen under the spell of the Snow Queen become cold-minded and has forgot his love. Nevertheless, love magic is not the main field of activity of a чародей. This is a work mostly for a wise-woman, ворожея.

Also, there was a soviet movie - Чародеи about institution where mages were working. Though there also was described an example of love forgetfulness spell (it is called "Зимнее сердце" in the movie), the most of the mages (all of them are called чародеи) that were working in this institution were occupied in more practical fields.

Already described чародей is another synonym to волшебник, however I would not say that he is evil. When the word is used in its literal meaning - he is neutral magician. Though the word чары is often used with word злые: злые чары - evil spells. Usually this expression means that the person under this spells has altered state of mind that changes the character of the person. For example, Kai from The Snow Queen under the spell of the Snow Queen become cold-minded and has forgot his love (I think though that the forgetting of the love is a side effect of cold-mindeness itself). Nevertheless, love magic is not the main field of activity of a чародей. This is a work mostly for a wise-woman, ворожея.

Also, there was a soviet movie - Чародеи about institution where mages were working. Though there also was described an example of love forgetfulness spell (it is called "Зимнее сердце" in the movie), the most of the mages (all of them are called чародеи) that were working in this institution were occupied in more practical fields. In fact this love-forgetfulness is also a side effect of cold-heartiness, and not because the person started to love someone else.

Кудесник is a magician. Etymologically this word comes from чудо. Usually he is not evil, though I would not call him good - he is nice. Usually you imagine him as an odd person. His magic has no obvious purpose (or it seems so). You can't call Saruman the White using this word, but, from the hobbit's point of view the Gandalf, as we see him in the beginning of LOTR movie is кудесник - strange person that can do funny magical things. Radagast the Brown in recent Hobbit movie can also be called a кудесник. "Кудесники мяча" - a cliche that is used for football (soccer) players also shows this fun-but-impractical kind of magic meaning.

Already described чародей is another synonym to волшебник, however I would not say that he is evil. I would call him less good than добрый волшебник. Though the word чары is often used with word злые: злые чары - evil spells. Usually this expression means that the person under this spells has altered state of mind that changes the character of the person, like Kai from The Snow Queen under the spell of the Snow Queen become cold-minded and has forgot his love. Nevertheless, love magic is not the main field of activity of a чародей. This is a work mostly for a wise-woman, ворожея.

Also, there was a soviet movie - Чародеи about institution where mages were working. Though there also was described an example of love forgetfulness spell (it is called "Зимнее сердце" in the movie), the most of the mages (all of them are called чародеи) that were working in this institution were occupied in more practical fields.

Кудесник is a magician. Etymologically this word comes from чудо. Usually he is not evil, though I would not call him good - he is nice. Usually you imagine him as an odd person. His magic has no obvious purpose (or it seems so). You can't call Saruman the White using this word (either before or after he has turned from good to evil), but, from the hobbit's point of view the Gandalf, as we see him in the beginning of LOTR movie is кудесник - strange person that can do funny magical things. Radagast the Brown in recent Hobbit movie can also be called a кудесник. "Кудесники мяча" - a cliche that is used for football (soccer) players also shows this fun-but-impractical kind of magic meaning.

Already described чародей is another synonym to волшебник, however I would not say that he is evil. When the word is used in its literal meaning - he is neutral magician. Though the word чары is often used with word злые: злые чары - evil spells. Usually this expression means that the person under this spells has altered state of mind that changes the character of the person, like Kai from The Snow Queen under the spell of the Snow Queen become cold-minded and has forgot his love. Nevertheless, love magic is not the main field of activity of a чародей. This is a work mostly for a wise-woman, ворожея.

Also, there was a soviet movie - Чародеи about institution where mages were working. Though there also was described an example of love forgetfulness spell (it is called "Зимнее сердце" in the movie), the most of the mages (all of them are called чародеи) that were working in this institution were occupied in more practical fields.

Most examples of usage of words derived from чары has no negative connotation:

Чарующие звуки скрипки.
Она была само очарование.