Arcane Hegemony

"The Hegemony remains unrivaled."

The **Arcane Hegemony** was the single authorized guild and academy of wizardry in the nation of Findle, which grew from the unification of several other arcane institutions.

Primarily seated in the Primcharta College of Findle City, the Hegemony famously policed the use of magic within the Capital City. Originally concieved through the union of the four most prominent schools of wizardry in the region, the "Arcane Order of Findle" was founded in the early days of the kingdom as a means for arcanists to escape the constant rivalry and sabotage that plagued Thessan's colleges. The Order became the premier and very soon after that, the sole arcane authority in the Kingdom. They worked very closely with the monarchy and maintain official authority over the magic of the kingdom, especially within Findle City.

## Role in Findle

The Hegemony and Primcharta College provided many services to its members, including access to spells and components. The Hegemony served Findle by providing spells and wards for wealthy inhabitants, fire fighting, and disaster relief of all sorts.

There is no official leader or heirarchy of the Hegemony, with the most powerful wizards weilding influence based on their academic merit and peer consensus. The leaders of the Primcharta College, the Primarchmage and the Provosts, tend to wield a weighted of influence over the Hegemony, though their actual authority does not extend beyond the students and faculty of the college. Various other archmages serve as the leaders of differing regions or branches of research and specialization.

The Hegemony also provided many services to the city. Among the many roles throughout the city, members served as a wayfarers, firewatch, or spellguards for one week each month. Wayfarers delivered messages or transported goods or people for city officials using teleportation magic. Firewatch tasked to stand watch over a city section and squelch any fires that may start. Spellguards serves as part of the city guard to counter magical attacks and issue. Members of the college, regardless of age or position, were expected to spend one week per month serving the city in one of these roles.

During times of war, Hegemony wizards could voluntarily join the Findle military on campaign. By doing so, all other duties would be suspended indefinately. Though by doing so, the wizard would brand himself as a "warmage" and lose much of the respect of his peers.

The consensus of the Hegemony selects representatives to serve in the Findle Senate, and liasons with the Monarchy. These terms are last four years and most who are selected to perform these dry civic duties consider them to be highly inconvinient disruptions to their research. A wizard can not be selected for these duties more than twice in thirty years, regardless of age, and wizards who perform these duties are free of other responsibilities for the next 26 years.

Wizards not affiliated with the Hegemony are reffered to as "Hedge Wizards" or "Rogue Wizards." One such hedge wizard was Shalazar.

## The Primcharta College

The Primcharta College is the largest arcane order in Findle, competing only with the various colleges of magic in Thessan. The Primcharta College was where the city's citizens could be provided arcane training for novice practitioners and where experienced wizards could perform their research safely. The college was divided into four major halls, each specializing in a different branch of magic. The College was run by the Primarchmage, a mostly ceremonial role funcioning similar to a headmaster, or chancellor. Each of the four halls was lead by a Provost, or chief administrator. These roles collectively do the decision making for the college.

### The Primcharta Spellpool

Within the college is housed a magical reservoir of spell energy, bound into a special matrix in a guarded vault. For centuries, mages in the Hagemony have fed into this well of energy, which has allowed some within their rank to call forth a spell at any time. Only specialized mages have access to the spellpool but the Hegemony will train any who are interested. While this is a technique common to the arcane schools of Thessan, the Primcharta Spellpool is the only such source in Findle.

### Academic Halls

#### The Hall of the Hand

This hall carries on traditions from the Gnomish guild "House of the Unseen Hand" which became one of the founding schools of the Hegemony.

The Hall of the Hand focused on the academic study of enchantment and transmutation, as well as the study and creation of magic items. This hall was home to the majority of artificers within the Hegemony. Graduates from this hall were often seen as pragmatic, generally viewing the arcane arts as simply a series of tools to be used. Their efforts, more often than others, were able to put magic into the hands of the uninitated. Many among the order viewed them as less wothy of merit.

#### The Hall of the Orb

This hall carries on traditions from the Ibyth guild "Xib'Cerebrex" which became one of the founding schools of the Hegemony.

Considered the most prestigious hall, The Hall of the Orb focused on the academic study of of divination and illusion. In spite of, or maybe as a result of the limited practical application of these schools are often considered extremely wise, focusing on the persuit of knowledge over the persuit of power. Through the arts of divination all things can be learned, and through the arts of illusion a wizard can choose what others see. Ponder the orb. Nearly all among the order viewed them as insightful and discerning, thereby being more wothy of merit.

#### The Hall of the Rings

This hall carries on traditions from the Quisiri guild "Demonbinders of Nar" which became one of the founding schools of the Hegemony.

The Hall of the Rings focused on the academic study of of conjuration and necromancy. Manipulating the spirits of other creatures and pulling them across dimensions is seen as a shortcut to power by many in the Hegemony. There is no denying that the Hall of the Rings is the most powerful, but there is always the understanding that you could be meddling with forces that may exceed your control. Arcanists in the Hall of Rings are often seen as having an unbreakable will and an unflattering view of them by some as slavers and bone collectors is not entirely unwarranted. Many among the order viewed them as indolent and domineering, thereby being less wothy of merit.

#### The Hall of the Stars

This hall carries on traditions from the Elven guild "Sei'arigit" which became one of the founding schools of the Hegemony.

The Hall of the Stars focused on the academic study of abjuration and evocation. The traditions of this hall are said to be based on the ancient elven practices, though access to some lore is generally reserved for only the most talented and dedicated students. Graduates of this hall were thought to be more aggressive and combative than others, and were stereotyped as less studious than other halls. Many among the order viewed them as overly combative and ostentatious, thereby being less wothy of merit.

##### The Hall of the Dusk

This hall comes from the same school as the Hall of Stars, but focuses primarily on a small set of ancient elven spellcasting techniques called the Divenlann, or Duskblade techniques.

This hall was seated within the Hall of the Stars, and was only opened during times of war. It focused on quickly training Findle soldiers in the basics of using magic in combat. Graduates from this program were direct conscripts in the Findle military. Though they were still considered part of the Hegemony, they were seen as not deserving of the same merit and would require a considerable amount of academic merit for others to view them as peers. Most would remain in the military though some would return to the college and continue their training in the Hall of the Stars after their campaign ended. Nearly all among the order viewed them as soldiers first and scholars second, thereby being less wothy of merit.

## Hegemony Spellband

Spellbands were sashes created by the Hegemony for use by the Findle City Guard. These sashes were used as liscenses for using magic within the city. They did not take up any slot and were expected to be worn over your clothing and armor. Upon activation by a command word, they would remain violet for 24 hours. At the end of this time they would revert to yellow, signifying that the liscense has expired. Each spellband cost 50gp to create.

## 3e Classes

Primarily Wizards or warmages, rarely artificers, or bards.

### Prestiege Class Suggestions

* Archmage - The most advanced practitioners within the hegemony are given access to the secrets of the high arcana.
* Mage of the Arcane Order - Primary class for high ranking hegemony wizards, grants access to the Spellpool.
* incantatrix - Arcanists who specializes in augmenting their spellcasting through the use of meta-magic.
* Eldritch Knight, Spellsword, Abjurant Champion - Arcanists that blend combat prowess with magic and serve the Kingdom as agents and warriors.

## 5e Classes

Wizard - Any

Artificer - Any

Fighter - Eldritch Knight

Bard - College of Lore