Colleges of Magic
| Contents [hide] |
Introduction to the Colleges
History
After the Great War against Chaos in the time of Emperor Magnus the Pious, it was realized that for the Empire to properly defend itself against Chaos it needed to have it's own cadre of loyal magic users to field in battle. With the invaluable aid of the legendary High Elf archmage Teclis, citizens of the Empire who showed natural magical talent were shown how to manipulate the winds of magic. Aware of the dangers to humans of using too much magic due to the inherently chaotic nature of magical energy, Teclis declared that Imperial wizards should only learn how to manipulate a single color of magic, rather than the full High Magic of the Elves. In time, the eight branches of magic users were formed into the eight Orders, and the eight Colleges of Magic were established in Altdorf.
Overview
The Colleges of Magic in Altdorf are the only places in the Empire where magic can be practiced freely. The common folk generally fear and distrust magic, due to its associations with Chaos, and wizards who travel alone keep a low profile to avoid prejudice from the local population and are required to carry a license to avoid the attentions of the Witch Hunters. Because of this attitude, the buildings of the colleges are usually protected by powerful spells of illusion which conceal them from the regular citizens of Altdorf and which can alter the physical space around the Colleges, making maps of the city notoriously unreliable.
Most Imperial wizards are trained from a very young age, recruited from young boys and girls who show an natural aptitude for magic but who have avoided the taint of corruption. The hierarchy of each college rises from the apprentice wizards, through journeyman wizards, to the magisters and battle wizards, and finally the Wizard Lords who are among the most respected and powerful of all Imperial citizens. The overall head of the Colleges of Magic is the Supreme Patriarch, who is decided every seven years by means of a duel by magic between chosen representatives from each College. The current Supreme Patriarch is Balthazar Gelt of the Gold Order.
The Eight Colleges of Magic
|
