Mage Schools and Orders

Each Mage School or Order has its own concept of magic (schools within a single type of magic are likely to be similar) and method of giving magic definition. Members of the same order are bound together by a basic understanding of magic that becomes fundamental for everyone—mages work the magic of their own schools not only because they know it, but because others' spells might not work the same way for them. This primary function of a mage order is so deep-seated that few realise its significance, and schools also provide many other important things for their members. Here, I use "school" rather than "order" to denote a group of mages, although either might be applicable.

Some of the many possible functions of a Mage School:

A key part of any school is its collection of spells and other magical shortcuts created by and for members—spells are like codes, and each school has its own. Sometimes spells are secret and sometimes they are not—most schools have both common spells and closely guarded secrets, kept strictly for members.
Some schools have agreements with magical beings or creatures by which either one party or both parties provide power or assistance. ( For example, it's not uncommon for long-standing elemental schools to have agreements with specific elementals.)
It is equally possible for a Mage School to have agreements, alliances, and treaties with groups ranging from merchant clans to kingdoms. Furthermore, the interaction between mages of different schools may be affected by any formal relationship the schools have.
Schools provide a method for passing down knowledge to later generations (usually by a method of training apprentices), and sharing information among mages. They are also a pool of resources for magics too great for a single mage.
Each school also has its own hierarchy. There might be a dress code, or a code of conduct, or a particular style of living. A school might also have physical resources, such as libraries or collections of magical artifacts, for the use of its members. (And sometimes for others.)
Finally, and perhaps obviously, schools are usually formed by collections of mages with similar goals and values. These goals and values are maintained by and identified with the school as students tend to seek out schools with which they are compatible.

(from Part 7: Mage Schools)

Blue Dragon Mages Elemental Mages (Eastern Order) Enchanters

Blue Dragon Mages

Name: Order of the Blue Dragon

Type of Magic: high magic

Abilities: sense and manipulate magic

Method: spells with eventual aid of a focus (often some sort of stone), some special arrangements (see "Origins"); spells tend to relate to location and divination

Definition of Magic: magic is neutral—it can be used for anything, good or bad; types of magic that "have an agenda" (such as life magic) should not be used, and one can only use them if their agenda matches one's own, anyway

Philosophy/Values/Mandate: Mages should always be on the side of good, but in a world with few absolutes, good is not always easy to identify. In particular, a mage should not take either side of a dispute when both parties could be in the right (or wrong). A mage should use magic to help rather than hurt, although this does not rule out self-defense and even actual combat. Although Blue Dragon Mages have strong principles, they are also trained to be realists.

Training: Blue Dragon mages begin as Junior Apprentices in Blue Dragon schools all over the world. Apprentices learn to perform low-level spells, but at a certain point BD spells require the use of something to focus one's power. A mage who has mastered the low-level spells and completed his formal education becomes a Senior Apprentice. If he has the aptitude, he becomes a Journeyman when he finds his focus. The Journeyman now has the necessary tools to perform both more complicated spells (which he might learn from books, classes, or another mage) and more powerful versions of spells he already knows. Over the years, through training, study, and experience, the mage rises in power as a Journeyman, until he either reaches his highest potential or becomes a Master. A Master Mage knows the entire repertoire of established Blue Dragon magic and can actually create new spells rather than simply modifying old ones.

Origin: A very long time ago, the first Blue Dragon Mage made an agreement with the Great Blue Dragon himself. The Dragon instructed the mage, and over time became the patron of a large mage school (a development that rather startled the GBD). Besides their core collection of dragon-given spells, the mages also got a series of alliances with various creatures and powers, and a friend in high places. Every Blue Dragon Mage knows an ancient spell that summons the Great Dragon himself, to be used in times of direst need. (Apprentices know how to do this, but are generally led to assume that the process would burn out their magical senses, effectively ensuring the no inexperienced apprentice uses the summons without sufficient reason.) In living memory, mages have only used lesser versions of the spell that do not request the actual presence of the Dragon.

Still, despite the fact that he has not been seen personally for many years, every Blue Dragon Mages knows that there really is a Great Blue Dragon. Dangerous or complicated spells often include a line asking the assistance of the GBD, and phrases such as "may the Dragon guard you" are part of their day-to-day speech. In return for all of this, Blue Dragon Mages are firmly on the side of the Great Blue Dragon, and must answer his call. (Assuming he ever makes one, that is.) All and all, everyone is happy with the arrangement—the mages get a long list of benefits with a minimum of effort, and the dragon gets his own reserve force without straining himself in the slightest.

There is not really a connection between Blue Dragon Mages and dragons in general, although when dragons have connections with humans they are usually BD Mages. The GBD has never mandated any sort of relationship between his charges, but BD Mages will often help dragons out of a sense of responsibility and kinship, and dragons—who generally consider little two-legged people to be beneath them—think higher of people who listen to a dragon. (Although I should take this opportunity to note that most dragons don't know much, if anything, about the Great Blue Dragon—they're inclined to think the name of the school is silly, since dragons aren't blue.)

Members: Theoretically, there is no reason why any person, no matter what race, could not use at least some Blue Dragon magic-the spells created by the Great Blue Dragon were not race-specific, since the entire point was that they had to work for a human rather than a dragon. However, most Blue Dragon mages are human, since the school's basic concept of magic involves a neutrality that members of other races often do not see.

Useful Links: Profession Description, Blue Dragon Spells, Dragons, Reference List, Original Post

Elemental Mages (Eastern Order)

Name: Eastern Order of Elemental Mages

Type of Magic: all four types of elemental magic

Abilities: sense and direct elemental forces

Method: thought and sometimes gesture—the mage directs the magic to do what she wants it to do (an exercise in concentration and control)

Definition of Magic: the elements represent separate but connected forces that can work together

Philosophy/Values/Mandate: The EO emphasizes control and cooperation across elements. Its members do not coerce elementals, instead bargaining with them for assistance. The Order itself does not have any political alliances (as it has branches in nearly every corner of the world), but specific mages and branches may do so.

Training: Children enter the Eastern Order as students while they are not yet old enough to direct the elemental forces they can sense. A student who gains the ability to direct magic becomes an apprentice (although many of her classes remain the same). Apprentices in the Eastern Order do not, under any circumstances, use enough magic to align with a particular element and thus access its power. Instead, they work with all elements at low levels and learn methods that will enable them to control their own elements. Once fully trained, an apprentice discovers her actual element through a special process during which she summons an elemental who fully aligns her to its element, thus easing the transition and preventing damage to the young mage. (This arrangement has the occasional odd—but very useful—effect of producing a small percentage of elemental mages who do not work with the element for which they personally have the closest affinity.) The new fire mage (for example) has the necessary framework to control and explore her element, which occasional pointers from mages and elementals. (Over the years, EO mages have persuaded many elementals to assist other EO mages of their element.)

Origin: The Eastern Order of Elemental Mages may be the oldest independently-founded mage school in the world. Its founders were a group of elemental mages of various elements who had learned to work together, and saw a need for an alternate method of training young elemental mages, who all too frequently harmed themselves because they could not control their elements. (The only other acceptable solution was for a Master to take on a single apprentice whom he could careful monitor.) They started a school and sought out youngsters who could see the elements, but who were not old enough to use them. Then, they carefully guided their students so that they were fully prepared before they gained access to their elements. Since the future apprentices began before they could work magic, it was not possible to guide them into a particular element. Once the teachers discovered that this approach enabled their students to cooperate on unprecedented levels when they became full mages, they decided to deliberately foster the cooperation that soon became the central aspect of the Eastern Order.

Today, the Eastern Order of Elemental Mages is larger and wider-spread than any other elemental mage school. Students study all over the world—there are major EO schools both east and west of the Forest of Shadows.

Members: Elemental magic (at least in the manner the Easter Order uses it) is generally a human resource—if non-humans ever use elemental magic (a matter that is open to question), they do not (and probably could not) work magic the same way that humans do. However, if any human school of elemental magic would work for non-humans, it would probably be the Eastern Order.

Useful Links: Profession Description, Apprentice-Level Elemental Magic, Reference List, Original Post

Enchanters

Name: Enchanters (not a specific school)

Type of Magic: high or life magic

Abilities: can manipulate but not sense magic

Method: use enchantments placed upon objects and potions; place enchantments through complex recipe-like spells and rituals

Definition of Magic: Magic is a force which one can manipulate—one must be careful, because sometimes it has its own ideas (enchanters, who cannot determine what type of magic they control, must be very cautious, because aligned magic is likely to use the magician if she tries to use it for an incompatible purpose).

Philosophy/Values/Mandate: Varies by enchanter. There is, however, a rather loose network among enchanters, who exchange spells and ingredients and assist with apprentices. Not all enchanters are part of this group.

Training: Enchanters do not typically form schools—training is usually a matter of private instruction between a master and one or two apprentices. Often, young enchanters learn from family members, although older enchanters may seek out apprentices in order to pass on their knowledge. Since most enchantments involve combining ingredients, performing rituals, or both, an enchanter can learn quite a lot independently.

Origin: NA

Members: Anyone who can manipulate but not sense magic could technically be a type of enchanter, although there are probably different options for members for some races.

Useful Links: Reference List, Original Post

Brotherhood of the Tree

Name: Also called the "Sisterhood of the Tree"

Type of Magic: unknown—presumed to be either an unusual for of high magic or a method of comibing high magic and life magic

Abilities: sense and manipulate magic (exactly type unknown)

Method: manipulate magic with spells, often usually involving an unknown language and mysterious runes

Definition of Magic: unknown

Philosophy/Values/Mandate: Also unknown, but seems to involve a strong commitment to service and a good deal of research.

Training: The "Brotherhood of the Tree" has always been a small group of mages, averaging no more than thirty members at one time, of whom at least a dozen and possibly as many as two dozen live in their mountain enclave at one time. If there are thirty mages, five or six of them might be students, living and studying in their compound and the surrounding villages.

Origin: The "Brotherhood of the Tree" is the name used by townspeople and villagers who live near a group of mages in the mountains just above Sereth, Kalynthia's third city. They are so named because the is a large tree at the heart of their mountain enclave. Its leaves never die, and some claim they shimmer silver and gold in the moonlight. These mages are recent arrivals in the region (although "recent" could mean anytime in the last 200 years!), but their neighbors watch their comings and goings with bemused affection, considering them to be harmless and useful. Although they keep their secrets to themselves, and are often quite incomprehensible, they are friendly and compassionate (if distractedly so) and always ready to help the local community. The "Brothers and Sisters of the Tree" are quietly the rescue workers, environmentalists, humanitarians, and conciliators of the region, and they always seem to have healers in their midst. Few beyond Kalynthia, or even Sereth, know anyone of this Order.

Members: Humans and a few elves.

Useful Links: Reference List

Gilded Band Mages

Name: Order of the Gilded Band

Type of Magic: high magic

Abilities: sense and manipulate high magic only

Method: utilize the properties of metals (in the form of a bracelet) as a catalyst to accessing and channeling the inherent magic in the world around them. Gilded Band mages devote their abilities to defensive combat magic and general purposes.

Definition of Magic: The Order recognizes magic as inherently neutral and having two realms of application: positive and negative.

Philosophy/Values/Mandate: Officially, the Order frowns upon the negative applications of magic and expects its mages to avoid that realm, but at the same time realizes that few applications are absolute and that there is a large and nebulous gray area in between the extremes of positive and negative. When deciding exactly where a spell falls, it most often comes down to a mage's individual reasoning. Positive applications are encouraged, especially those that allow the mage to protect themselves and others, hence the emphasis on defensive combat magic. Although the Order of the Gilded Band itself has no political alliances, mages are allowed to align themselves as individuals with a kingdom (sometimes offering their protection services to royals), but must still submit to the rules of the Order as a final authority.

Training: Potential mages enter the Order as pre-teens and receive their first "bridge" upon passing the Order's basic proficiency and compatibility tests. A bridge is the bracelet that a Gilded Band mage wears and uses as an aid when working with high magic. It is the mage's most important and personal possession as well as a symbol that identifies his profession and ability. Bridges are always fashioned of metal and are delicately engraved with symbols, patterns, etc. according to the mage's individual tastes. The rarer the metal, the better the bridge it makes. The type of metal used for a mage's bridge depends on the mage's progress in the Order-common metals such as copper and pewter are used for the mage's early bracelet, while rarer metals such as gold and silver are reserved for advanced mages who have the skills to handle the resultant increased power.

Once he receives his first bridge, the mage wears only one bridge at any given time. A side effect of the system of bridges is that upon earning his first bridge, the mage is no longer able to sense or manipulate any other magic aside from high magic. When a mage passes the Order's tests in order to show himself proficient enough to advance to the next level, he exchanges his current bridge for another made exactly as the one before. Before a mage can undergo the tests, however, he must first locate and obtain a sufficient quantity of the metal that is to compose his next bracelet. This task is another test of the mage's abilities—as the mage progresses, he must become more resourceful as well as more adept and powerful. The time it takes for a mage to advance to the next level varies as some learn more quickly or study harder than others, but it generally holds that the higher the mage's level, the longer it usually takes to advance.

Origin: A relatively long time ago, a mage discovered that he had begun to unconsciously use a plain gold bracelet that he always wore to aid his magical efforts. He began to search for other mages who had experienced this phenomenon and with them founded the Order of the Gilded Band, so named because at first they believed that only gold could produce a proper bridge. Through experimentation and the experience of passing on their knowledge to new mages, the founders and their first pupils discovered the ranges of different metals and established the system of practicing, testing, and advancement that is still in use by the Order today.

The founders of the Order also began the practice of citing Ureyth, Lord of Mountains, as their patron because of his connection with the metals that are so important to the Order. The Mountain Lord has never officially confirmed his patronage of the Gilded Band mages, but throughout the history of the Order there have been numerous interesting encounters and experiences documented that could indicate otherwise if one investigated them thoroughly...

Schools of the Order are widespread on both the East and West sides of the Forest, with the original school located in the Kalynthian capital of Kalyn.

Members: The Order of the Gilded Band is currently composed solely of humans. If the founders of the Order ever discovered the reason for this phenomenon, the knowledge has been lost over the years. Some of the oldest legends of the school mention that in the first years of the Order, there were several dwarven mages, but according to the tales, they did not remain in the Order for more than a year.

Useful Links: Reference List

Created by Miraeda for the Mage Schools Contest.

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