GROUPS : MAGE ORDERS
There are many Mage Orders, most of which are obscure and hidden, and many have risen and fallen throughout history. The largest and most powerful Mage Orders in the world are well known and officially recognized by each other, as well as by the majority of nations of the world. A Mage Order is defined as an organized collective of magically attuned individuals, who work together for a common goal or practice similar Schools of Magic.
A Mage Order is unlike similar organizations, such as Druidic Circles, Deistic Temples or lesser organizations like cults or covenants, by maintaining a membership of individuals who have experienced Arcane Awakening, and who primarily study and practice the Arcane and purely magical aspects of the world.
Not all mages are members of Mage Orders, but a majority are, due to either being forced to join because of local laws, or because there is nowhere else for them to belong. Mages part of an Order find that they can more easily study the magical fields they pursue, have an easier time of finding like-minded individuals for intellectual stimuli and discussion, and many Mage Orders also provide a sense of security and assurance for its members. Mage members also generally have access to extensive collections of knowledge accumulated by those Mage Orders, as well as the equipment and funding required to carry on their own studies. Most of all it is within Mage Orders that Awoken individuals can learn to control their 'gifts'.
Mage Orders are considered semi-independent from most nations, although most hold some power in the nations found within their areas of influence. Mage Orders frequently see their members invited or hired by rich and influential lords and rulers to act as magical advisors, which in turn might give those mages political power in those nations, and a returned economic backing for their investment.
Ideally Mage Orders are formed and supported by local nations for the overseeing and enforcement of mage laws, to ensure that mages are kept under watchful control, and employ mage enforcers to detect and dissuade illegal mages from causing problems. Mage Orders also act as places of learning for those who experience Arcane Awakening, and teach the proper and responsible use of magic.
But essentially Mage Orders are created and maintained for one important reason: to offer a safehaven for mages and general spellcasters, where they can study magic and learn to control their powers without the usual commoner hate or fear they often experience in the majority of places in the world.​
Minor Orders
Smaller, lesser known Mage Orders also exist in the world. Most are considered to operate legally, typically having purchased teaching and sanctuary licenses from the governing groups in their situated nation or city. These Minor Orders might include small schools, academies, lounges for unaffiliated mages, or the unpopular hidden sanctuaries; the latter of which are considered illegal in most nations, as they harbour illegal mages.
Minor Orders don't typically possess large membership numbers, and will at most maybe hold a dozen members or so. Their influence in nations and cities is little to none, and they hold basically no power in the sayings of governance or mage laws. Minor Orders are basically beholden to the rules of the greater Mage Orders in their area.
In most cases these Minor Orders were founded as a means to gather like-minded freemages who want to study and practice their magic without being affiliated with a greater Mage Order. But depending on their whereabouts and whether their intentions are legal or not, Minor Orders must always register their Order in a registry to allow governing parties or the greater Mage Orders to keep track of them.
As such, there is in actuality little freedom for Minor Orders since they must obey the mage laws regardless.
Sanctum Orders
Following the Age of Seas, -which saw the rise of several Avanorian-controlled colonies throughout the world, the closed-gap between distant nations, and the expansion of worldly knowledge- , some of the more relevant members of the larger Mage Orders in the world realized that it would be beneficial for those Orders to join together, to ensure closer communication and cooperation between mages all over the world.
The largest meeting of mages took place in the Magocratic city of Caldum on the Twin-Continents, where representatives of some of the largest and most influential Mage Orders in the world agreed to form the co-operative alliance of the Sanctum Orders.
This was to be the first Mage Alliance between several Orders, and the alliance led to the creation of the Sanctum Laws; which govern the rules of conduct for mages in the Sanctum's lands of influence.
The meeting was to be known as the Caldum Accords. Not all represented Orders agreed to the terms, and felt that their own freedoms would be too limited if they joined the Sanctum Orders. Some didn't even show for the Caldum Accords in the first place.
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The Sanctum Orders more or less act independently from each other, but are beholden to submit to the same Sanctum Laws. Cooperation occurs but for the most part the Sanctum Orders are free to conduct their practices in their spheres of influence, and some competition between members of the various Orders often arises. Powerful leaders from the various Sanctum Orders oversee them under a closed, private council known as the Arch Sanctum, whose members are referred to as Archmages.
Considering the clear opposing teachings, laws and views of the different Sanctum Orders, it is a wonder that the Sanctum was formed at all. Members from the various Sanctum Orders frequently disagree with each other and many openly dislike the Sanctum Laws, preferring the old ways of their own laws. Some believe that powerful magic was involved during the Caldum Accords, which effectively charmed and tricked those attending into creating the Sanctum Orders. There is little to no evidence to support this however, and the Arch Sanctum denies or refuses to comment on the accusations.
The Sanctum Laws are often brought up during important election meetings and reviewed. Should any changes to the Laws be up for debate, the Arch Sanctum sits down to discuss those potential changes. However, such changes are at best incremental.
Arch Sanctum
The Sanctum Orders are governed by a collective of leading representatives from each of those Orders. Named the Arch Sanctum, the governing council's members are known as Archmages, and in total there are roughly thirty members; although there are rumours that there are a few other members, whose identities are kept hidden. All representatives have equal power in the Arch Sanctum, as each major decision they make is laid down to a vote, and events or issues concerning the Sanctum Orders and the Sanctum Laws are discussed carefully.
The overall purpose of the Arch Sanctum is to oversee the communication and cooperation between the Sanctum Orders, and also bring forth the interests of the represented Orders. It is also a way for the Archmages to come together to take stances on international concerns, such as wars and national revolutions, and decide whether the Sanctum Orders are to partake in these events, remain neutral, or adjust the scales in secrecy. The Arch Sanctum holds a lot of international power in nation and city politics, and its Archmage members are typically respected and wealthy individuals in their given societies.
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The Arch Sanctum operates from the tallest spire in Caldum (the Archspire), yet it's not their only meeting place, as other spires around the world also act as sanctuaries; some of which are hidden and secret. Most Archmages prefer to conduct their studies and meetings in secrecy, and there is little doubt that the majority of the Arch Sanctum's members have hidden agendas and personal goals. Rivalry between the Archmages is a openly known thing, and often the only thing keeping the Arch Sanctum together is the shared wish to advance the general and higher understanding of magic; whether it's for personal gain or the common good.
Archmages are generally selected and elevated from members of the various Sanctum Orders who act as leaders, although some are often chosen for their legendary feats of magical practice, discovery, and contribution. New Archmages are chosen through a process of candidacy, then voted on by the current council-members. Typically only the most powerful mages become Archmages, and there have been a few who weren't originally members of a Sanctum Order; so-called Freemages, though only those considered Legal Mages by Sanctum Law.
Generally the ongoings of the Arch Sanctum are kept away from public eyes, and even members of the different Sanctum Orders don't usually know what the Archmages discuss and decide upon. It is implied that a meeting of all Archmages is only ever conducted when major events have or will occur; especially events that could have a devastating effect on the world or the Arcane Laws.
Convocation of Mages
The Convocation of Mages, more often just called the Convocation, is the largest organization of mages in the Twin-Continents(and possibly the entire world). It was once known as the Sanctum Magi, which was founded by mages fleeing the turmoil of the Old Imperium during and after Andarien's Rebellion. For a time the Sanctum Magi established a Magocratic state on the isles of Caldum; the central-most location in the world. But the Sanctum Magi would eventually be vassalized by the Valaísian Empire during the Anorian Sacellum's first crusade, the the first Chanter's March.
The Sanctum Magi later reformed as the Convocation of Mages after Caldum peacefully broke free from Valaísian control after King Dallis the Vain granted them that freedom; likely as a result of having witnessed a mage cure his only son and heir of a deadly disease known as Aethra's Touch. The decision wasn't well received by several Noble Houses, and sparked the War of Dying Roses, which, due to the aid of Convocation mages, resulted in King Dallis' victory and the disassembly of several of the losing Noble Houses.
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In recent centuries the Convocation has been the leading Mage Order on the Twin-Continents, with most of their influence established in nations of Avanor. The Convocation supervises and oversees the upbringing and teaching of mages in its places of influence; focusing heavily on methods of control. Over the years Caldum and its islands have become a powerful magocratic state under the leadership of the Convocation's Red Mages, and the Convocation has seen a rise in political influence by being involved internationally in events pertaining to magic and mages.
It was the efforts of the Convocation's leaders that first saw the forming of the Sanctum Orders through the Caldum Accords. Since then the Convocation has had a major influence in the decisions of the Sanctum Orders, and the majority of the Arch Sanctum are firstly members of the Convocation.
A knightly sub-order serves the Convocation, known as the Vindicators. Previously consistent of members who served the Anorian Sacellum, the Vindicators were reformed to become an arm of the Convocation; with the purpose of overseeing and enforcing the Sanctum Laws, and hunting down illegal mages throughout the world.
Red Mages typically become advisors to local (or quite distant) lords when they finish their training, but many will also decide to travel the world to expand their minds, and gather whatever magical knowledge or rare artefacts that they can find to bring back to Caldum. By doing this they might increase their renown and influence within the Order, and benefit from a more respectable and richer lifestyle through fame and status.
Candlehold Order
Candlehold is the Order and magocratic city-state found in the Candle Mountains in Thalon. It was originally a Mage Spire created by a handful of imperial mages after Andarien's Rebellion, but eventually grew as it took in refugees from the Old Imperium's lands, which were at the time being torn apart by civil wars. It was not long until the Mage Spire grew into a city, and the city was to be ruled by the Candlehold Order.
The Candlehold Order is one of the smaller Sanctum Orders, and its members are typically not regarded as the greatest spellcasters. However, Candle Mages heavily focus on a wider, theoretical study on magic, and travel the world to record not only magical findings, but cultural and historical events as well.
Candlehold is home to the largest repository of knowledge in the entire world; the Spiral Library, whose top, resembling that of an eternally lit candle, can be seen from several leagues away.
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Candle Mages are scribes and scrollmakers, who value knowledge more-so than they do magical mastery or control. They curate and safeguard the knowledge of countless cultures and studies; many of which are often forgotten in the sheer weight of books, tomes and scrolls found in the Spiral Library.
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While most of the Candlehold Order's members are dedicated to remaining in their city and pursue research and studies in the safety of their personal sanctuaries, many Candle Mages will venture into the distant places of the world to hunt down whatever unknown knowledge they can find, then bring it back to Candlehold to be recorded, categorized and stored in the Spiral Library.
Magistarium
After the fall of the Old Imperium and the flight of its mages who were being hunted by Andarien's followers, those who persevered remained in Darion and largely aided in the founding of the New Imperium of Darion. They became the Magistarium; an order of Mancers who pursue magical mastery, and it is one of the three ruling parties of the New Imperiums' governmental powers.
The Magistarium's members act as magistrates and magisters throughout the Imperium and its colonies; overseeing laws, as well as the magical interests of the Imperium. Mancers hold a great deal of political power within the Imperium's Triumvirate; often beholden only to the Masked Imperators.
The Magistarium teaches magical mastery; encouraging its members to push the limits of magic and undergo learning in as many schools of magic that they can. It is their creed and national purpose to train the best mages the Imperium can offer.
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Until the Caldum Accords, the Magistarium enjoyed a great deal of freedom in their magical studies, having avoided mage persecutions that often ravaged other nations on the Avanor continent. But after the forming of the Sanctum Orders, the Magistarium were forced to obey the strict Sanctum Laws when they joined.
Many of the Order's members long for older days when they were free to practice magic as they liked, and often skirt the limits of what they can and can't do under the Sanctum Laws. Many members openly oppose the Sanctum Laws, causing heated debate on whether the Magistarium should sever their membership with the Sanctum Orders.
However, as members of the Sanctum Orders their opportunities world-wide are expanded, and available resources are more readily at hand on longer, expensive mage excursions. There are clear benefits to remaining part of the Sanctum Orders, though the question remains as to how much longer that case might be.
Sumarad
Members of the Sumarad are Samarrine sorcerers who hold titles of nobility in the greater Houses of Samarauch. The Order has retained ancient mage traditions that stem from before the Samarrine arrived in Avanor as slaves to orcs, and the Sumarad is considered to be the first official Mage Order in Avanor after the elves. Because members of the Sumarad are only of noble caste, there is a clear divide between the Houses and Tribes in Samarauch, since the Sumarad is the leading advocate for maintaining that divide.
The Sumarad is consistent of members exclusively from the ruling Houses, and any individual who experiences a Arcane Awakening and isn't a member of one of the ruling Houses is typically hunted down by the Sumarad. Those who are caught are usually executed by Samarauch's Blackmanes; the lawkeepers of the Empire. The exception lies in some members of various, chosen Samarrine Tribes, where the nation allows a certain number of arcane sorcerers and witches to exist.
Because of their general intolerance for mages not born of a ruling House, the Sumarad's number of members is very small, and additionally their relations with the remaining Sanctum Orders are very strained.
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Like with the Magistarium's Mancers, the Sumarad's sorcerers also practised magic more freely before the enforcement of the Sanctum Laws, and many sorcerers secretly try to undermine those Laws. The majority of Sumarad sorcerers value tradition over change, often using their old traditions as an excuse for their strict punishments against those considered magically unworthy.
During the last Kirn War (also known as the Kirn War of Demons), the Sumarad were essential in closing several demonic rifts that had carelessly been opened during the war by orcish warlocks. The Sumarad still keep watchful eyes over sites where these rifts were opened, since strong and unstable magical Aether still linger near them.
Thaven Lodge
Founded by surviving mages from the old Frostwinders kingdoms of Angramar and Ascalan after their fall, as well as by previous freemages who wandered the lands of Norrhan, the Thaven Lodge grew briefly in the free city of Venkurst before eventually spreading its influence to the rest of Nasher, to Ascaron, Daggermarch, the Wending Lands, and the Harrowed Lands.
In the Descendant Kingdoms of Ascaron, the Thaven Lodge became a more officially recognized and respected Mage Order, as they founded the Mage Spire Academies of Artenmera and Aruzal, as well as a number of minor schools (generally referred to as 'Lodges') throughout the various kingdoms and city-states of the region.
The Thaven Lodge is a relatively small yet wide-spread Mage Order, as they have held dominant mage power in Norrhan and northern Avanor for centuries; even after the Convocation began to spread its influence in Ascaron and the Harrowed Lands. The Thaven Lodge's Grey Mages are generally the preferred magical advisors for Norrhanian noble and royal houses, especially in the Harrowed Lands and in Ascaron.
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The Thaven Lodge and the Convocation often clashed in the past, as the Thaven Lodge's Grey Mages pursued mage teachings based on mastery over control; the latter of which the Convocation often fanatically try to enforce. The city-states of the Harrowed Lands were most commonly the locations for these conflicts, which eventually created a minor divide between northern and southern cities; with the Thaven Lodge holding dominance in the northern city-states, and the Convocation in the south's Gildas Republic and Arnos kingdoms. The majority of the conflicts ended peacefully, but some led to minor revolts or open witch-hunts against members of both Orders.
After the Caldum Accords, the disagreements between the Thaven Lodge and the Convocation have been calmed, but on a political level they are often still at odds with each other. Unlike the Convocation, the Thaven Lodge has shown to be less inclined to hunt and persecute illegal mages and witchfolk, and sometimes has been found defending those individuals.
Celestial Court
The Xiuthan, Shanthar, and Tanthar provinces, plus the Jade Isles, and their nearby territories in Ashanor were the first lands of influence of the Celestial Court; a primarily human Order of Spellweavers, known as Celestial Mages. The Order later also became established quite heavily in Norrhan's regions of Second Canthar and Yokunda when the Celestial Xiuthan Empire broke into two, and in time the Celestial Court has found most of its members reside in those star-bound lands.
The Celestial Court focuses on studies involving astral Aether, and its members are some of the most prominent astronomers and astrologers of the world. They build spires specialized with gathering astral Aether from the night-sky, and telescopes to watch for the passing of Celestial Dragons across the Veil, thus heralding the beginning of a new year.
The Celestial Court's members are elevated to nobility, and typically serve as court advisors in city-councils or the Noble Houses in both mainland Ashanor and the Jade Isles, as well as in Norrhan. More powerful mages are given lands and titles in their own names.
Celestial Mages are primarily occupied with gaining power and influence in local and international politics, since only their highest ranked members sit in the courts of ruling Houses, and the very best sit in the Celestial and Reborn Emperors' personal courts and councils. Magical mastery and knowledge is highly encouraged for ambitious mages to obtain their goals, and as elevated nobility, these mages are allowed a lot of magical freedom, wealth and leisure.
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The High Celestials, equal to the role of Arch Sanctum Archmages, govern the Celestial Court from several Astral Spires throughout most of south-eastern Ashanor and western Norrhan. The largest known Astral Spire sits at the centre of the Heavenly Crater in the Veiled Peaks of Second Canthar, known as Xin-Lei; the Bastion of Stars. High Celestials generally oversee the education and training of Celestial Mages in their schools, but the most powerful of them, the Grand Celestial, governs all of the Order's interests from the Bastion of Stars. This has caused some political tension and strain between the Celestial Mages of Ashanor and those of Norrhan, as the Order's main Bastion was originally in Ashanor, where it was much closer to the first Celestial Empire, though the current Emperor of First Canthar is now known as the Reborn Emperor.
Apart from seeking political status and gathering influence, Celestial Mages are primarily tasked with maintaining the magical balance in the lands they operate. They hunt down and secure any magical rifts that occur in the countryside or isles, investigate anomalies, or recover magical artifacts. Specialized crystal globes are used to harvest secured rifts of magical Aether, until the rifts are fully drained and neutralized.
The Celestial Court is a very large Mage Order and almost rivals the combined power of all the Sanctum Orders, or the size of the Ter-Khalan Assembly. There are very few other Mage Orders in both Ashanor or Norrhan that can measure up to the Celestial Court, although the Ish Consortium, situated first in Second Canthar, has grown in power lately due to the rise of Spiritual Alchemy, and has managed to spread its teachings and influence to the Ashanorian lands of Shanthar and the Jade Isles. Even so, the Celestial Court remains the core authority on matters of magic throughout the human kingdoms and isles in south-eastern Ashanor, and prevails to do the same in western Norrhan.
The laws of the Celestial Court also govern the conducts of mages throughout the lands. Illegal mages are typically hunted down, but not actively so, unless they cause any serious disturbances. Freemages are otherwise allowed to walk and practice their magic freely in south-eastern Ashanor and western Norrhan so long as they adhere to the local laws set by the Celestial Court.
Ish Consortium
Weavers, Alchemists, magical craftsmen and skilled tradesmen come together to form the Ish Consortium. It was first established in western Norrhan, in the lands of Shi-Lan during the founding of the three Ish Cities, after the fifth Celestial War in Second Canthar. The Consortium started out as a merchant organization, but most of its members were even then either Weavers or Alchemists.
In time the need for magical training in the Ish Cities led to the Ish Consortium officially becoming a Mage Order, and it recently began to spread its influence beyond the Ish Cities to the remaining nations and city-states in Second Canthar (as far as to Sik-Vai), all the way back to Ashanor, where it is said the teachings of Spiritual alchemy first originated even before the founding of the Ish Cities. In Ashanor, Spiritual Alchemy has gained a tight grip in both the Jade Isles and Shanthar.
The Consortium's members are divided into three groups; known better as Rings. The Outer Ring consists primarily of associates such as non-magical tradesmen and craftsmen, the Inner Ring has the Weavers and Alchemists, and the Core Ring is where the ruling council sits; the Nine Faces of Ish. Each Ring represents the order of importance and offers a clear distinction of castes evident in the Consortium.
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The Consortium is one of the more non-traditional Mage Orders, as its focus more heavily leans towards mercantilism and purely scientific pursuits and philosophies. The rise of Spiritual Alchemy (or Animistry) is largely credited to the efforts of the Consortium; who helped spread the interest, methods and teachings of it to most of the civilized lands in firstly Second Canthar, but also eventually to south-eastern Ashanor after the Animistric Revolution on the Jade Isles, and thus paved the way for the advancement of modern philosophical sciences and alchemical technology in lands like Xiuthan and Shanthar.
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Mage members of the Consortium study and practice in the fields of practical Spiritism, and experiment in ways of implementing spirits and souls into scientific pursuits, often through the use of Magetech. The distilling and extraction of soul Aether has lead to many breakthroughs in Soulcrafting, and the Consortium is considered to be the leading Mage Order in this regard, and the Order also invests heavily in studies of healing and medical science.
While the Consortium is presented as a Mage Order, its teachings are largely focused on alchemical pursuits, and thus its members are primarily alchemists, and not all of them are necessarily mages in practice.
Ter-Khalan Assembly
The lands and jungles of the Reaping Lands are under the protection of the Ter-Khalan Assembly, who hail from the magocratic island empire of Ter-Khala, far to the east of Korash. Its founders were originally servants of Tec'Rhas, the now absent Dragon God of Knowledge. Following the Worldblight, the Feral Affliction and the Slumbering of the dragons, the Ter-Khalan Scaleshaped Kith were left behind by their god, and had to stand on their own feet to reassert order in the Scaleshaped Empires.
Over time the Ter-Khalan Assembly was formed, and worship of the Dragon Gods declined in favour of purely magical pursuits and arcane order. In the cities and empires where the Ter-Khalan Assembly holds strict power, their laws are paramount.
The Ter-Khalan mages, known locally as Shapers, are great architects and landshapers, who form and create grand and impressive spires all throughout their lands of influence. They are uniquely able to worldshape because they possess a shard of the Dragonsoul, which had previously been guarded by Tec'Rhas. Although they can't worldshape on the same level as a Worldshaper dragon, they are able to teach and master a basic form of it.
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Through their Shaper magic the Ter-Khalan Assembly's members helped rebuild the once decrepit and fallen cities in Korash and the Reaping Lands. They are, however, limited to landshaping only on the eastern continent, and have less control over that power on other continents.
Shapers are also excellent Telemancers; using their spires to gather, reshape and adjust the surrounding arcane Aether to create a network of Telemantic portals between them. This has allowed the Ter-Khalan Assembly to quickly grow and spread throughout the lands of Korash and the Reaping Lands, and lets them quickly respond to areas where they are needed. The portal magic and technology is still mostly unstable and requires a lot of Aether and maintenance, and their spires are wholly dependent on the powers of the Dragonsoul shard to function in the first place. Many spires are also undermanned, broken or forgotten; meaning that there are noticeable holes in their portal network, and much of what each spire might have stored in terms of magical knowledge is lacking or become lost throughout the ages.
Other Magetech machinery are also commonplace in lands influenced heavily by the Ter-Khalan Assembly, but it's most evident and progressive in Ter-Khala itself. Ter-Khalans are considered to be some of the more technologically advanced people when it comes to implementation and fusion of machine and magic. Old teachings and new theories often meld together in Ter-Khalan inventions and experiments, although many do, admittedly, catastrophically fail.
While the majority of Shapers are of the Scaleshaped Kith, large numbers of human and orcish members are also found stationed primarily in cities and nations along the south-western coasts and jungles. Members are racially equal, but because it is often difficult to understand and learn the Scaleshaped tongue, Shapers developed a method of telepathy which allows for better communication between its members. Some learn to use the telepathic magic on their own, whilst others might rely on enchanted amulets infused with telepathic power.
Mendyr
Mendyr is an old order situated on the island of Varka, in the city of Mendahar. Founded roughly a few centuries after the fall of the Asvardian Kingdoms to the Harrowfrost and the Harrowing Curse, the Mendyr maintains the magical balance of Aesudarh by overseeing the threads that keep and control the flow of Aether on the northern continent. Theirs is an ancient duty, which has held strong for many generations even before they became a Mage Order. When the magical threads are torn or broken they unleash unstable Aether around them, and it is thus the responsibility of Menders to locate and heal these rifts.
Mendyr simply just means "Mender", and it is typically the term used for all mages who join the Mendyr Order. Many who Awaken will be required by Mendyr law to be sent to the spire of Mendahar to receive training. Some might try to escape their fates, as Menders will be branded for life to serve their duties. It is often that Menders are sent out to collect these individuals, or hunt down and capture or eliminate those who call themselves Black Mages; commonly known as Crow Mages in Aesudarh. Sometimes Menders are given small retinues by Kings and Jarls to accompany them on their quests.
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Menders are a mix of magekind and arcane-druids; dominantly consistent of members of human origin, with some few Pale Elven representatives. Mendahar answers to no nation but itself (governed by a small, powerful council, the "Veyd"), and holds high renown among the various Aeusdarhi kingdoms, jarldoms and city-states; often to the point of fear and infamy, since Menders often carry winds of ill news. The order is regarded as a collective of oracles and threadseers; gifted with the ability to predict future events by reading the magical threads and interpreting the stars. It is said that when a Mender appears, it is only because something ill and unfortunate has occurred, or is soon to happen.
The Mendyr Order was according to the stories charged with guarding the lands of Aesudarh from all threats, and especially from the Harrowfrost. It is a duty they uphold by finding places where a Harrowing has or will occur; an event that often takes form in places where the magical threads are weak or severed. During a Harrowing, the land is uprooted, chilled and anyone caught in it will be frozen in ice.
According to legends and sagas, the Aesgarn Creator Sifir herself awoke the first of the Mendyr, and her sisters, Nydd and Signis, gifted them with the power of the Wylds and the power of the Unseen Sight. Through Nydd's Gift of the Wylds the Menders control the powers of nature, and from Signis' Unseen Sight they can see the magical threads clearly, and witness the fates and futures they hold.
Calculating and cold, Menders train to suppress their emotions and dedicate their lives to magical control. Their duty as guardians of Aesudarh comes first above all else. Menders are also few in numbers, since Arcane Awakening occurs less on Aesudarh when compared to other continents. But unlike other mages, Menders are considerably more powerful because of their Aesgarn gifts, but treat their powers with great responsibility and disciplined control; choosing to only use them when absolutely necessary.
Leaders of the Mendyr are called the Veyd, and they are the most powerful of all Menders. The Veyd are a small council that sit in Mendahar, where they discuss important matters involving the fate of the northern continents and even parts of Norrhan, but only behind closed doors. The Veyd receive clear visions from the Aesgarn gods, and they are sometimes instructed by them, or shown vague images of where a Harrowing is about to occur. The Veyd will rarely leave Mendahar, even for a Harrowing, and rely on the remaining Menders to investigate and resolve distant matters.
Mendyr primarily draw their power from the Veydtree; an ancient, white Wyldtree that grows near Mendahar, gargantuan in size as it roots itself ontop of a tall mountain peak. Smaller trees similar to it can be found throughout all of Aesudarh, and are often kept in powerful cities where the Mendyr have greater influence. Such smaller trees are also just called Veydtrees, or sometimes Whitetrees. It is often through these trees that Menders can communicate back to Mendahar over great distances.
Zejin Lorecourts
The Zejin Lorecourts are three major zjindri Houses that train and give sanctuary to what are known as Zejin, "Loresingers". Their actual founding is believed to have been some five-hundred to seven-hundred years ago.
Concrete findings regarding the specific date of the Lorecourts' founding are hard to come by, since the original Loresingers kept records through word-of-mouth and song, rather than with written texts or similar forms of recording. The first Loresingers were also originally druids who gradually became more focused on arcane pursuits in their efforts to tame and control the unruly, magically-laden seas.
One will mainly find the Zejin Lorecourts' presence on island cities or island empires between Ashanor, Ryumar, and southern Avanor, where the majority of zjindri tribes reside. As such the Lorecourts' Houses are consistent mainly of zjindri members, although there are no laws that forbid other Kith from joining. The only apparent quality and requirement is a dedication to serve the Lorecourts in their effort to master and control the seas for the good of the Tidal Tribes. But generally speaking, anyone within the Lorecourts' sphere of influence who Magically Awaken are sent to them to receive sanctuary and training.
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The Lorecourts hold no singular allegiance for one nation, and is dedicated instead to serve the people within those nations, rather than those nations' leaders. While Loresingers might engage in politics and wars of certain empires and cities, their ultimate pursuit is to increase the influence of the Lorecourts, which in turn helps to spread their teachings and songs to more people.
Loresingers focus on song and chants, using the Ebb of the Worldsea to empower their voices and music, and regenerate their mana through the Aether of the tides. The Lorecourts practice particular schools of magic that mix druidic and arcane techniques which they call Tidal Lore. Tidal Lore stems from a zjindri specific view of magic, which mixes the dominantly mage-focused Arcanism school with the druidic and shamanistic Wyld school; often through the forced yet careful manipulation of nature.
Each of the three major Houses of the Zejin Lorecourts dedicate themselves to one aspect of the Tidal Lore. The houses are: the House of Waves, the House of Storms, and the House of Scales.
The House of Waves teaches and practices the Tide of Water, and focuses on pursuits and techniques that use and benefit growth, life, control, and healing.
The House of Storms is the home of the Tide of Storms, and practices mostly arcane magic that focuses on aspects of chaos, death, destruction, and war.
The House of Scales is best known for its Tide of Beasts, and pursues teachings regarding survival, the wilds (especially beasts of the sea), justice, and rebirth.
One of the most important parts of being a Loresinger is the recording of history, which is a tradition that started a few centuries ago. As the Tidal Lore expanded across the zjindri tribes, the need to maintain written records of their people's achievements and events became more evident as their civilizations grew, and so the responsibility was passed on to the Lorecourts. The three Houses keep and curate great libraries of knowledge regarding zjindri culture, and in recent years they've sought to record the tales of other cultures as well. The largest repositories are found on the famed zjindri "Sen'Ar, meaning "Ark City"; which are several fleet cities that travel the sea routes between the zjindri homeland of Sen Arra south of Ashanor, all the way to the Sunwake Archipelago in Avanor.
Various tales of legend are retold by Loresingers through song, to remind those around them of the events that shaped them into what they've become. Senior members record those events and rewrite them into songs, and also engage in the politics of their cities or nations. At other times Loresingers might be required to investigate areas where the seas have become too unruly and dangerous, and must thus act to calm and tame whatever seems to have destabilized the natural and magical balance.
Ald-Sapphir
Ald-Sapphir, roughly meaning Order of the Glittering Way, is the official Mage Order that governs sorcerer activity on the Sun Elven islands of Cael Aelinár, and also in the Outer Kingdoms. Its members are exclusively Sun Elven, and their main temple is situated in the central islands' eastern spire-city of Cele Sapphir.
The Order is a resurgent iteration of an older Order that was active before the fall of the first Sun Kingdoms; then situated in the region now known as Sapphir of Old, which was conquered and claimed by humans, then swallowed by the Calastar incident centuries later. After the Sun Kingdoms fell, Sun Elven mages of Sapphir of Old created the main island of Cael Aelinár by prematurely activating the then small island's volcano; thus creating a new, larger safe haven for the Sun Elven people in the Sunwake Archipelago.
Members of Ald-Sapphir are trained in the use of magic and martial combat; as is traditional by Sun Elven standards. Ald-Sapphir has individuals who are both either Magically Attuned or Lesser Attuned; with those possessing greater control over magic becoming Oerion'Shalin (Disciples of Oerion, Sunkeepers), and lesser ones becoming Vala'Shalin (Disciples of Vala, Sunblades). It's no understatement to say that Ald-Sapphir trains the most disciplined mages in the world, and their mixture of being a Mage and Warrior Order makes them a considerably competent fighting force.
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Other duties for Ald-Sapphir involve maintaining their islands' stability; especially magical stability, but also to ensure that the islands don't crumble back into the seas, which is a constant issue in Cael Aelinár. Ald-Sapphir members manage the flow of Aether collected and distributed by their Sun Groves, and nurture the roots through magic.
After Cael Aelinár broke its isolation from the world and began to involve itself internationally again, Ald-Sapphir members have been seen more frequently in and around Avanor's lands, and especially so in Valaís, Thalia, the High Marches, Kyndar, and Darion. There they act as diplomatic emissaries for the Sun Kingdoms, though their motives often seem mired in covert secrecy. The Sun Kingdoms still hold many secrets on the mainland, and many believe the Sun Elves are only interested in finding a way to retake the lands they lost so long ago to the human nations.
Ald-Sapphir members have been seen visiting old elven ruins and investigating abandoned Sun Groves on the mainland. It is entirely possible that their attempts at conducting diplomacy with the Avanorian nations is more meant to be a distraction for a greater purpose.
Sceptarchy
The Sceptarchy, known also as the Cila-Tal, is an ancient Mage Order that has existed since before the Shattering of Eldareth, and was the first Mage Order of the Dar Shilmarin elves.
After the War of Fathers ended and the Dar Shilmarin split in two, those who traveled west and became the Moon Elves were led by members of the Sceptarchy; along with their Moonlight Queen.
The rise and advancement of the Moon Kingdoms is highly credited to the efforts of the Sceptarchy, who assisted the Moonlight Queen and the first ruling Houses of nobility in founding the first Moon Kingdoms.
The Sceptarchy focuses primarily on creating and procuring magical relics, and as such its members are regarded as some of the finest artificers and jewellcrafters in the world. Various magical apparatuses are made readily available to the Moon Elves through the Sceptarchy; ranging from arcane-leaden furniture or trinkets to magical potions and salves for the use in cosmetics or pleasure.
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Each of the great Moon Houses employs at least one high ranking member of the Sceptarchy; meaning that those members also hold additional political power in affairs pertaining to the rule of the Moon Kingdoms. Moon Elven mages possess a higher status in their society due to the fairly free and open view their people has on magic, and especially so due to their desired employment in the Moon Houses. Employed mages assist their Houses as advisors, but some might also be funded by their Houses to conduct magical experiments for the sake of developing new magical items; thus increasing the influence and status of the funding House.
Outside of the great Houses and the Moonlight Queen, members of the Sceptarchy answer to the High Sceptre and the Council of Three, and are expected to enforce and uphold the mage laws in their kingdoms, and otherwise continue to pursue opportunities that could help to advance the magical technology of the Moon Kingdoms.
Moon Elven mages can be seen as highly prideful and arrogant; believing themselves to be the superiors in all things involving the arcane. The Sceptarchy focuses heavily on mastery of magic, and its mages will often undertake several Schools of Magic at the same time. Most of their mages will firstly master knowledge and practice of utilizing arcane Aether, which they will then use to further their pursuits in other Magic Arts, although some Sceptarchy apprentices might decide to only focus on studying arcane Aether as a means to solely become skilled artificers.
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The Sceptarchy are also some of Tiral's greatest worshippers, and they often build temples in her name, which is unlike other Mage Orders.
Sectum Tor
Born from the ashes of Iltam, Sectum Tor is a Mage Order which was founded by warlocks and magi who originally cut themselves away from the established Iltam mage hierarchies. While the previous lands of Iltam were being divided and struggled to reassemble themselves after the Sundering, the western island of Sectum Tor became a safehaven for mages and their slaves.
Through centuries of turmoil, the Sectum Tor Order adapted to the magical storms that still ravaged the Ryumar continent and Ryumar's seas, and founded a magocratic island-state that would only continue to grow in influence over the other rising kingdoms, city-states and sultanates. Eventually their territories would expand to other magocratic city-states, such as Osram in the far west of Ryumar, and Achantia in the far east of Ryumar.
The isle of Sectum Tor was destroyed during the Age of Blood; flooded and swallowed by the waters around it when the Storm's Curtain suddenly grew. The isles of Sectum Tor were forever after known as Sunken Tor, and they remain within the confines of the unruly, arcane Storm's Curtain. The actual cause is unknown, but the fact that it was consumed by unnatural tides suggests it was the work of the zjindri Lorecourts; though they themselves have always denied it. The destruction of the Sectum Tor isles prompted survivors to re-establish the Order's main seats of power in both Osram and Achantia. Each half maintains authority in each its western and eastern spheres.
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The Sectum Tor's members are primarily known as Spellbinders; mages who practice the summoning and enslavement of otherworlders, spirits, demons and elementals through techniques inherited from Iltam, and the Rakshai Clans before them. By binding these beings to magically powerful artifacts (such as jewellery, staffs, lamps and lanterns), Spellbinders directly draw power and energy from them by methods of siphoning.
Since the founding of Sectum Tor, the Mage Order has grown to be the largest in Ryumar; rivalled only slightly by the kafari based Caed'Kadri in the north and south. The Sectum Tor earns tribute and respect from kings and sultans alike, and Spellbinders are often requested to act as court advisors, diplomatic emissaries or serve as palace sorcerers for entertainment or pleasure.
The Sectum Tor is one of the more liberal Mage Orders; consistent of members of many different creeds and backgrounds, and trains a large variety of different magekinds; such as Spelldancers, warlocks, Elementalists, Mantlers and more. Sectum Tor mages benefit from riches and prestige offered to them by their peers, and to employ one of their kind is the proof of a very wealthy or powerful individual. Magically attuned individuals who aren't members of Sectum Tor are generally not pursued, due to the mostly lax magical laws surrounding the majority of Ryumar's nations and cities.
While the Sectum Tor offers many paths for its members, its primary intention is to cull the magical storms that still ravage Ryumar due to the effects of the Sundering thousands of years ago, and also work to re-obtain and safekeep the ancient Iltam magical texts and magics to recover the lost Iltam arts and magical knowledge.
To the Sectum Tor the most important goal is to achieve magical mastery, and its members are willing to do whatever it takes to reach it. This has often meant pursuing Blood Magic, like the Iltam mages before them. Recent rulings by the Order has strongly disowned and banned the practices of Blood Magic and it's not performed anymore. Or at least not in official, public circles.
Caed'Kadri
Caed'Kadri, meaning "The Exiled Children", is one of the first and most powerful of the kafari Caste Clans in northern and southern Ryumar. In its earlier days it was a small clan which consisted of less than a hundred kafari spellcasters, but over the centuries as Arcane Awakenings occurred more frequently, the Caed'Kadri grew as other clans sent or exiled their Awoken members to the Caed'Kadri. The many clans still send their Magically Awoken children to the Caed'Kadri, but nowadays it is firstly because of obligation and law. Although, in many clans and villages, the fear of magic is still strong, and those who experience Arcane Awakening are most commonly forced to join the Caed'Kadri, if they aren't captured and lynched first.
There are three castes within the Caed'Kadri; the Torva'Su, the Maga'Su and the Suran'Su.
Torva'Su, "The Chosen", are the leaders and high ranking members of the Caed'Kadri, who possess large quantities of mana and magical abilities; with the discipline to control them.
The Maga'Su, "The Servants", are the regular spellcasters of the Caed'Kadri who train and become trained in the arts of magical control and respect.
The Suran'Su, "The Torn", are members of the Caed'Kadri who were considered too dangerous, too weak or too undisciplined to become Maga'Su, and instead were exposed to Magical Castration; meaning that they more or less have little to no control over magic anymore.
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It was the Caed'Kadri who apparently first invented the power to Magically Castrate magic users; calling the process Khel'Sai: "Mindbreaking". However, the process is dangerous and typically leads to the subject losing self-will, intellect or pure emotions. But to the Caed'Kadri the most important thing is that the subject will always lose their ability to effectively wield magic. Draining an individual of all their mana then preventing it from regenerating effectively cuts them off from magic; despite the proven consequences on an individual's mental strain and side-effects, that eventually lead to insanity or other mental trauma.
The Caed'Kadri are variably respected in the lands of the kafari, but most clans still fear them for their magic. All who show signs of Arcane Awakening must join the Caed'Kadri, where their abilities are judged. Those too powerful and without control have a choice: execution, or Magical Castration. Those who refuse to make the choice or flee are hunted down to be killed, and in some cases they might be drained of their Aether and turned into emotionless slaves.
Laws regarding magical use is very strict in lands dominated by kafari society, and it is up to the Caed'Kadri to enforce those laws. Most kafari clans fear magic and consider it to be too dangerous to be wielded freely. But when magic or other matters concerning arcane Aether begin to cause chaos in the land, the Caed'Kadri are sent for to solve those issues; either by neutralizing the Aether causing the instability, or collect it to be locked away in hidden, deeply buried Caed'Kadri vaults. The first and most important lesson taught by the Caed'Kadri is that great power is dangerous, and must thus be controlled or eliminated; for the greater good of the Clan Castes.
Lantern Order
The Lantern Order, sometimes fully called the Luthrern Voshi Guardian Sanctuary of the Arcane Lantern, is a dominantly gnomish and halfling organization of mages. It has existed since the founding of Luthrern Vosh and the construction of the Great Arcane Lantern in the nation's capital of Lantar.
Lantern Mages pride themselves as the most intellectual order of mages in the world. They consider their practices to be superior to other Mage Orders; willingly showing their arrogance against what they would consider to be lesser mages.
The Lantern Order has often been at the forefront of magic science, and especially so in relation to crafts that make use of magic implementation in relation to modern technologies.
Lantern Mages are experts at gathering and containing Aether within perfectly cut and attuned crystals or gems, which in turn has allowed them to significantly advance golemancy technology, or their own developed technology; called gemtech.
But most of all, Lantern Mages make use of their magically powered gems to create hand-carried lanterns; thus the term "Lantern Mages". Their lanterns allow them to more easily draw Aether directly from a source; much like how Spellbinders of the Sectum Tor do, except Lantern Mages avoid using living sources like demons or elementals, and instead use magically empowered gems or crystals mined from the underground.
These lanterns are imitations of the Lantern Order's greatest possession; the Arcane Lantern. The Arcane Lantern itself is a large, magical gem that sits on-top of a spire, and it gathers Aether over great distances, and then releases that Aether gradually to empower Luthrern Vosh's gemtech contraptions. The purpose of the Lantern Order is to maintain and protect the Arcane Lantern; a duty they seem to pursue almost religiously.
The Arcane Lantern is one massive gem containing immense concentrations of Aether, and is said to have been brought to the overworld by the first gnomes who surfaced from the Under-Realms. Its origins beyond that are unknown, and there is much the Lantern Mages don't know about it still; something they begrudgingly admit, despite their intellectual pride. Theories suggest that the Arcane Lantern was the gem that created the gnomes, and its powers enhanced the halfling tribes' magical affinity, thus allowing more halflings to Magically Awaken.
As custodians of the Arcane Lantern, the Lantern Order holds a lot of influence in the ongoings of Luthrern Vosh, and many of its high-ranking members sit on the ruling Luthrern Directorate. The largest majority of the Lantern Order's members are gnomish, as it is more common for gnomes to experience Arcane Awakening as opposed to halflings. Most of the Order's gnomish mages tend to remain in the Undercaverns of Gnomordel or near the capital city of Lantar, whilst many halfling mages are more commonly seen either on Summerstone or around the world.
Members of the Lantern Order are trained to value control of magic above all else, and most who graduate will remain in Luthrern Vosh to continue their personal projects, or pursue work on their own inventions. Sometimes one might find groups of Lantern Mages in civilized corners of the world; most typically on diplomatic missions. Others might be sent to remote Luthrern Voshi colonies and outposts, where they conduct various research or work to build and maintain gemtech contraptions.