Mages' Guild

Status
 Base of Operations

The Mages’ Guild is perhaps the oldest organization on the face of A'therys. Wizards and warlocks; priests and summoners; elementalists and battlemages; all groups of mortals with an interest in the arcane can find their roots amongst the guild. Long before the Second Calling, mortals have been attempting to bend magic to their will. The Guild was the first representation of this body of people, coming together to further their craft.

## History

In the beginning, if a mortal could control magic, it was almost guaranteed that they had learned the trade through some bargain with a god or otherwise. Humans generally did not possess the skill to teach themselves the art, and the most powerful mages had the most powerful backers. Some of these mages did not seek only power, however, and instead sought to study these arcane secrets. Their knowledge was passed down through the ages, and taught to other mortals without the involvement of the gods. It is in this way that magical culture grew on A’therys, from the select favorites of the gods to the rest of mortal-kind. Over time, the mages began coming together, to share their knowledge and further their studies. The typical meeting spot was one to the northwest of Methes Avonthes, and eventually enormous gatherings of the magically inclined could be seen at various times of the year. A settlement was soon established, as the Alor region was one of far more tolerance to the mages than any other locale, save perhaps the inhospitable Selukkite deserts. It was eventually decided that a college of sorts should be erected, as a means to better teach those interested and capable. The Arcane College has been a symbol of mortal-kind’s mastery of the magical elements ever since.

For some time, the mages of the college have attempted to distance themselves from their dark origins. The archaic mages of millennia previous were fairly indiscriminate about how they acquired their powers, and even more so with regards as to how they tested and perfected their spells. The general conception of mages on A’therys was for a long time a dark one; of men who had sold their souls to devils and old gods to gain power over their fellow mortals. The Mages’ Guild desperately wishes to eradicate this ancient stigma, and outlaws all practice of the old ways. Such incidents are dealt with swiftly and sharply; indeed, only one pupil of the college has been punished within the past several hundred years, thought Fendel could hardly be considered a normal example. In any case, the college forbids the binding of magic into physical objects, among other things, preferring to bring out the natural magic of the world through spellcraft and alchemy.

## Timeline

*Read the Ages of A'therys page to understand the abbreviations.*

AB 2549- The first meeting of the Arcane College, led by Thalorus the Wise and Valorin Aldoseen, somewhere near the north-western shores of the Winewood, Aloreh.

AB 2633- Creation of the original Magicari by Valorin Aldoseen.

AB 2678- Death of Thalorus the Wise.

AB 2689- Death of Valorin Aldoseen, and the uncovering of the Magicari.

AB 4000- The Five (Kaheri, Syrros, Ardinil, Petrav, and Fernas) convene and create the Mages' Guild, along with building the original campus, the Spires of Lyceum, and the Farendale Peninsula upon which it sits. The Magicari becomes the Guild's first department.

AB 6800- Cyridon becomes the Archmage, popularizing the College and banning the “old ways”, along with the creation of the Arcane Mandate.

AB 7063- Revision of the Arcane Mandate.

AB 7085- The Second Calling

AU 179- Archmage Ravas av-Haresh is born in Ar-Selukk.

AU 261- The destruction of the old campus and rebuilding of the Spires. The Whirlpool is created, along with the first sightings of the Dark Arcane Worm inhabiting it.

AU 264- Evacuation of the Spires due to the betrayal of the Magicari, as well as the passing of the four Elders and the Archmage’s assistant. Ravas survives, but is weakened. The Magicari is dissolved.

AU 265- Archmage av-Haresh promotes Medvednikov R. Zhuvosk to position of Elder of Foreign Affairs, Cyrano Rinvale as Elder of Stewards, Ellie Vasyl as Elder of Coin, Erumeldir Dragonfriend as Elder of Education, Dawns Thor and Dageth Vakorian as Elders of Architecture, and Morgrim Tawlhyn the Second as his assistant.

AU 266 - Elders Vasyl and Tawlhyn II have been slain, Elder Zhuvosk has stepped down. The first trial in the Spires is held since the Arcane Mandate, trying Cyrano Rinvale on various criminal accounts. He is removed from the Arcane Council. The Council convenes, promoting Audfyrin Norvosk as Medvednikov Zhuvosk’s successor, and Rikki Costenello as Ellie Vasyl’s successor. Darwin Crow is also promoted to Elder of Education to lighten Elder Dragonfriend’s role.

## Structure

The guild hierarchy functions as most any university might. At the top sits the Archmage, currently Ravas av-Haresh of Selukkite fame. Beneath him convenes the Arcane Council, an advising body of sorts to both the Archmage and the guild as a whole. The Council elects new members to rise into its ranks, and those esteemed enough to do so attain the rank of Elder within the guild. The Arcane Council also assists the Archmage in choosing his own successor, selecting a pool of candidates over which he has the final say. Beneath the Council are the tenured professors of the college, and of course the regular students and aspiring mages of the guild. Also worth mentioning within the Spire are the college benefactors and also the Fellows. Those without magical talent who donate to or otherwise assist with the interests of the Mages' Guild can be counted among the recognized benefactors, and Fellows are esteemed members of the faculty who assist in a similar fashion. All who harbor magical ability are granted scholarship within the guild, save those who devote themselves to darker entities in A'therys.