Durante

Durante was a historian, philosopher and arcematician from the Restoration, and is commonly attributed with the founding of modern arcana, from the ancient city of Thielon in Thilesia. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists of the Age of Restoration. Commonly considered to be the greatest arcematician of ancient history and one of the greatest of all time, Durante anticipated modern theories on arcane recovery and spell mastery and predicted the future existence of wizards during a time when arcane magic was not yet widely practiced. He is also credited with the first designs for spell scrolls, a practice unknown at the time.

## Character Information

### Profession

Historian, Arcematician, Philosopher and Military Engineer

## Status

### Time of Death

c. 264 AR

Outside of arcematics he also designed innovative machines, such as his screw pump, compound pulleys, and defensive war machines to protect his native Thielon from invasion by the Old Khaganate. He was also an avid historian, cataloguing the peoples of the known world, though only fragments of these writings remain. Through references from works by other historians it is known that he also wrote a great deal on philosophy, but all of it has been lost to us.

Durante died during the siege of Thielon during an outbreak of plague within the beleaguered city.

Unlike his inventions, Durante's arcematician writings were little known during the early Restoration. The first comprehensive compilations were not made until c. 671 AR within the Kingdom of Urgomir (modern day Maixentis), while commentaries on the works of Durante in the 8th century of restoration opened them to wider readership for the first time. The relatively few copies of Durante's written work that survived into the Sixth (and current) Age have been and are still an influential source of ideas for scientists and arcanists alike.

## **Arcematical Works**

### **Theorem on Mana Recovery and Spell-Mastery**

In this work he describes the theoretical process of recovering mana by way of carefully executed meditation combined with the etching of specific arcane glyphs. He correctly predicted not only the process of Arcane Recovery, a skill now taught to every want-to-be wizard at the very beginning of their schooling, but also the possibility of cycling and storing mana over longer periods of time to reach higher spell power levels (an essential skill of wizardry that can only be acquired through extensive practice), described in his work as 'Spell-Mastery'. This term, whilst not used in the original context of Durante's works, remains highly used in modern arcane theory.

### **On the Storage and Containment of Mana**

Durante provides detailed instructions for the creation of what are now called Spell Scrolls, thus being the first known arcematician to propose the idea. Durante-Scribing (as his process of inscripting is now called) would not be improved upon for over a thousand years until the discoveries of Theodrade Lebuin, though it would prove incapable of safely containing very powerful spells such as Wish or Time Stop.

## **Historical Works**

It is known that Durante wrote a 98 volume collection on the histories of the various peoples and societies of Elyria. Of these only 3 survive, and only one is preserved entirely (the one on the Vuromani).

### **History of Thielon**

Whilst the early parts of his 'History of Thielon' is lost, the two centuries (c. 0-250 AR) prior to the arrival of the Old Khaganate are described as a period of relative peace on the eastern shores. Thielon, surrounded by comparable city states, flourished through trade and avoided large scale conflict with its neighbors whilst engaging in great cultural exchanges that led to an accumulation of culture and science within the city.

As a result of his death during the Siege of Thielon, Durante never got to write on the events following the arrival of the Old Khaganate. Certainly his perspective and first hand accounts would provide new details on events that are otherwise only remembered through the oral cultural traditions within Thielon.

### **History of the Vuromani**

This rather short volume on the history of the Vuromani (ancestors of the Vurolingians) describes what knowledge existed of them at the time through trade and rare exchanges. The Vuromani, according to their own legend, were born in the ruins of the Blood War, as children of Tanus (called Eradi in Thilesian). Naturally adapted to the scorching heat of the Endless Wastes of the North, it nevertheless gradually drove them southwards until they eventually migrated towards the northern borders of the Turian Coast.

Durante describes them as a crude and aggressive people that lacked cultural and scientific sophistication, though he praises them for their bravery and adaptability.

### **History of the Llagir**

Whilst the majority of Durante's 'History of the Lhagir' survives only in epitomy (eg summarized by later historians), it is nevertheless a crucial source for understanding the history of the Laghans prior to the first invasion in 263 AR. According to Durante, the Lhagir believe that they were born of a pairing between their god Jur (who Durante believes is another interpretation of Aspan) and a mortal woman, Llagha. The Llagir, believing smoke and wind to be messages from all powerful Jur, travel across the steppes of the south like leaves in the wind.

Whilst Durante's work ends before the first invasion of the Lhagir, it is possible to make conclusions about the reason behind the mass invasion/migration of the Lhagir in the second century of restoration. Perhaps divine messages led them to migrate northwards, or perhaps their leaders (khagans) employed the cultural tradition of following the winds to justify an already planned invasion.

## **Legacy**

Sometimes called the father of arcematics and arcematic physics, Durante has a wide influence on modern arcane practices and science.

### **Arcematics**

Whilst he would not gain any fame or renown during his lifetime and his works were forgotten for hundreds of years, they would be rediscovered during the 7th century of restoration and initiated an arcane renaissance that has led to the modern level of arcane practice. It can be said with high certainty that arcane casting would be much less sophisticated and frequent were it not for the works of Durante.

### **Honors and Commemorations**

The University of Mighladur renamed it's department of arcematics in honor of him following the discovery of additional works of his by Nanitic scholars.

'Durante-Scribing' is still commonly used when describing the process of slowly and cheaply creating scrolls of 2nd or lower levels.

There is a statue of Durante within the Kor'kron Canton of Thielon.