Shimmerhand Association

### Leader

Arc-Sage Flavio under Linden, Arc-Sage Giliberta Schwarzwalder, Arc-Sage Numert Boriberger, Arc-Sage Volorot Sjierk, Arc-Sage Anastasia of Newbeck

### Motto

"We who are the masters of the arcane arts"

### Size

Uncountably many Members across Many Nations

## Historical Data

### Overview

The Shimmerhand Association is a enormous organisation, training, educating, funding and controlling almost all mages in the north east of Ferra. They are not subject to any nation and through their massive monopoly of all things magic, they command considerable influence in the regions nations, most notably; the City-State of Badenbach, though officially ruled by a Grad Duke, is for all intents and purposes land controlled and governed by the association.

## Organisation

The Shimmerhand Association is organized in countless departments and sub-departments, each headed by a member of the Association, usually with the rank of Grand Magister or higher. The highest governing organ of the association is the High Council of the Shimmerhand Association.

### Department of Conjuration

The Department of Conjuration deals with creating objects and creatures.

## Ranks

The Shimmerhand Association organises its members into a rank structure. Each rank has its requirements to achieve, its duties to uphold and its privileges to enjoy. Mages are expected to dress according to their rank.

Of especial importance are the tassels of the mages. They symbolise membership, rank and achievement of the wearer. The tassel consists of the tassel itself, a gemstone at the end and smaller threads, ribbons and bands attached to the tassel. The colour and material of the tassel symbolizes the rank, the type of gemstone symbolizes their speciality and the ribbons, bands and other decorations are granted based on special achievements.

### Standard Ranks

#### **Early**

The rank of "Early" is given only to pupils under the age of five. Though it is ranked lowest of all the ranks, having carried the rank comes with some prestige. It is rare for mages to start their magic education at such a young age. A sign of wealth or exceptional talent. "Early" pupils usually grow up to be more capable mages than their other peers. Understanding magic on a intuitive level.

##### Duties and Privileges

"Early" pupils are taught how to read and write, learn basic history, geography and politics but most importantly are taught the basics of magic theory and practice. "Early" pupils spend a lot of time channelling their mana and sharpening their minds rather than learning specific spells. This causes them to simply be better at casting and concentrating on spells compared to their later non-Early peers.

##### Dress code

Earlies are expected to dress in a white long-sleeved button-shirt, blue pants or a blue skirt and a blue neckerchief. During rain or cold they may wear hats or additional jackets but these are to be removed once they enter their academy, school or other place of education.

Earlies do not have the tassels associated with full membership, upon their graduation from the rank of "Early" to "Apprentice" they are given a gold star pin to attach to their tassels once they earn them at the rank of "Student".

#### **Apprentice**

The rank of "Apprentice" is given to pupils below the age of sixteen. As most pupils are older when they enrol, the rank of "Apprentice" is considered a preparatory rank, much like the rank of "Early".

##### Duties and Privileges

The education of Apprentices focuses on practical studies. While theory is still taught, it focuses around specific spells or potions, explaining how and why they work. Apprentices aren't necessarily better spell casters than their later non-Apprentice peers, but they generally know more spells and learning new spells comes easier to them.

##### Dress code

Apprentices are expected to dress in a white long-sleeved button-shirt, blue pants or a blue skirt and a blue capelet. During rain or cold they may wear hats or additional jackets but these are to be removed once they enter their academy, school or other place of education.

Apprentices do not have the tassels associated with full membership, upon their graduation from the rank of "Apprentice" to "Student" they are given a silver star pin to attach to their tassels they will receive.

#### **Student**

"Students" are the first non-preparatory rank and here people from all ages and origins can be found, though most Students are between sixteen and twenty-six. Students do not have a set schedules, rather they must find a "Graduate" or higher ranked mage to take them as their student. It is uncommon for the mentor to teach their students in all fields, rather mentors instruct their students what lectures to attend and what to study and practice on their own time.

##### Duties and Privileges

Students are considered full members of the association and as such are allowed in most non-restricted areas under association control. They are allowed to create magic goods for research and practice but they aren't allowed to sell their products or services.

Students have to find a mage of rank "Graduate" or higher to be their mentor. If a mentor drops a student, it usually leads to the expelling of the student unless they are able to find a new mentor quickly. As such, completing their mentors tasks is one of upmost importance to the students.

##### Dress code

Students are expected to dress in a white long-sleeved button-shirt, blue pants or a blue skirt and open blue robes. If they are being educated by a special department, the department may have rules on the colour of the robes.

Students have a red horse hair tassel to symbolise their membership in the association even when they are not wearing their uniform. This tassel is usually worn hanging from a belt but sometimes it is affixed differently. Female Students are known to affix or braid their tassel into their hair.

#### **Scholar**

Once the mentor of a student thinks they have reached an adequate level of skill and knowledge, they can subject their student to the Scholar's Trials. A test consisting of three parts.

The first part is a written exam, held once yearly in the main seat of the Schimmerhand Associations in Badenbach. Here the students knowledge on theory of spells, magic, potions but also history and geography are tested.

The second part is a practical exam, held one month after the written exam, also in Badenbach. Students are tested in their spellcasting skill, the amount of spells they can cast, their concentration and endurance and finally a mock battle against an examiner to test their creativity and spellcasting under pressure.

Lastly they are sent out by their mentor on a quest. This usually involves retrieving some far away materials. This is to test how the students fare in the real world, communicating with regular people on their own.

Once a student passes all three parts, they graduate to the rank of "Scholar". If they fail any one task, they have to retry the Scholar's Trial a year later if their mentor chooses to let them try again,

##### Duties and Privileges

Scholars, as opposed to Students, are no longer dependent on a mentor to advance their rank. While Scholars usually maintain a close relationship with their mentors and the mentors continue to teach and help their former students, Scholars have to complete some research and write a paper.