Imperial Corps of Mages

The Imperial Corps of Mages is an independent branch of Imperial service representing nearly all wizards and arcanists in Imperial service, whether serving with the Army, Navy, in the palace, or with Imperial law enforcement.
There are five enlisted ranks and six officer’s ranks. Enlisted mages are known as magi, or magus in singular. The enlisted ranks are as such:Magus Recruit; Magus Apprentice; Able Magus; Field Magus; Master Field Magus.
Officers are known as Magi. Officer’s ranks are as such: Apprentice Magus; Magus Journeyman; Magus; Superior Magus; High Magus; Magus-General.
It is expected that the wizard have a demonstrable degree of magical skill before he is accepted for enlistment in the service. Upon acceptance, the wizard receives the rank of Magus Recruit and he spends the next several months in schooling learning his duties he is expected to perform and the conditions for his magic use in Imperial service. After this basic schooling he is made a Magus Apprentice and sent off to his service. The Magus spends about a year or so working at his place of duty, learning to become competent in his service. Upon recommendation from his superior, he is promoted to Able Magus. The Able Magus is expected to be able to contribute gainfully and competently to his organization, serving under the supervision of a Field Magus.
Promotion to Field Magus is much more difficult. First off, the wizard is expected to have a higher degree of magical competence (say at least third level) and be fully knowledgeable in the duties of his service and have a favorable attitude as well. A wizard only has about half a chance of getting this far ahead in a basic 8 year term, though a promotion may be offered as a reenlistment incentive. The Field Magus is expected to be able to operate independently and directly follow commands from his superior officers, as well as supervise junior magi serving under him.
A Master Field Magus is a senior Magus in a larger organization such as an army regiment or a war galley. What is expected of his isn’t a high skill in magic as much as it is his leadership abilities and ability to train and prepare his magi for duty.
Among the officer (Magus) ranks, magical competence (level) is directly related to the rank one can achieve. To become an officer, one must demonstrate significant ability in magic (3rd level at least) and attend an officer’s academy, whether the one for mages, the navy or the army. The curriculum in these academies run for four years. Enlisted magi who have served for at least four years and demonstrate prodigal magical talent and are recommended by their superiors may attend a two year officer’s training course. Advancement among the Magus ranks is usually slow and painfully arduous, though exceptional talent is rewarded.
The Magus is not expected to know everything about his duty straight out of the Academy. He generally spends about a year as an Apprentice Magus, only responsible for learning his job. After this and demonstrating some development (a higher level) out of the academy he is made a Magus Journeyman.
A Magus Journeyman is able to operate independently, though more often they are with a Master Magus maging for a sub-division of that Magus’s organization, such as a Journeyman taking care of the magic for an infantry company under the leadership of a Master Magus who looks after the whole regiment.
The Master Magus, or more commonly known just as the Magus, has demonstrated a high degree of skill in magic (about sixth or seventh level) as well as the theories of magery. He has written his own thesis on magic, and has achieved a degree of wizardry basically equivalent to a doctorate. He is styled hereforth as “Magus” and is acknowledged as a master of magic. His sphere of service while serving with the army is a battalion, regiment, or brigade. With the navy it would be a war galley or a galleon, or a squadron of patrol galleys. He may be attending a baron in Imperial service if that’s where his duty lies.
Upon reaching Master Magus rank and serving as such for five years, the wizard is able to retire on a nice pension of 100 Cr a month and be recognized as a Magus in whatever civilian pursuits he may follow afterwards. This is the goal of most officers of the Mage Corps. This generally takes at least a dozen years after academy, with the wizard at least in his mid-thirties.
Some choose to remain in the service though. A Superior Magus has demonstrated a high degree of magical skill (at least 10th level). The Superior Magus is there for junior flag officers such as brigadier generals or commodores or squadron admirals, or may serve a count in Imperial service. There are only so many positions available at this level, but the number of qualified magi is fairly equal to the needs.
There’s about a hundred High Magi, accompanying generals, admirals, and dukes. A High Magus may be the Imperial high wizard of a fairly large city. These magi have to be ready to cast whatever magic their commanders may need, so ability in the highest levels of magic is required (8th level at least).
The rank of Magus-General is held by sixteen people, the Magi-Generals of Trynser City, Suledaria, and Lydaelia; the Magus-General of the Northwestern Frontier Army, the Magus-General of the Zazimar Front, and the Magus-General of the Home Guard; the Magi-Generals of the Gold, Green, Blue, and Black Fleets; the Magi-Generals of the Chancellory, the Justice and the Marshallry; and over all, the Lord High Magus who serves on the Imperial High Court and his two Vice-Magi. 20th level is a starting point for these guys.
Uniform:
The uniform for a member of the Imperial Corps of Mages is a royal blue robe and tall hat, and red pants or skirt if preferred. Enlisted men have a single row of gilt buttons, officers have two.
The mages have branch of service colors which are found on their collar patches, hat bands, robe cuffs, and chevrons. These colors are as follows:
*Army: red
*Navy: blue
*Palace: gold
*Citadel: black
*Chancellory: silver
*Justice: green
*Other Government: gray
Enlisted men have one broad chevron on their left sleeve for every rank above recruit, for a potential of four chevrons.
Officers wear increasing amounts of gold embroidery on their hats. They also wear shoulder ornamentation ranging from simple shoulder scales for Apprentice Magi to grand epaluettes for Magus-Generals. Rank is also indicated by stripes on their robe cuffs.
Category:Trynser
Category:Magic