Mage

magic that is not limited to but enhanced by their racial powers or attributes.

Apart from Humans or Kender and Halfbreeds all the current races have the ability to cast magic in some degree. Some Halfbreeds inherit the magic gene, some don't inherit it and the gene can miss an entire generation and be enhirated by a later generation.

Magery Qualifications

To cast Magic, a citizen requires an abudance of talent but they must also learn how to cast it and because it can take a very, very long time to master certain aspects of magic only a few mages are learned and experienced enough to qualify as a Delphian.

There are three recognised qualifications of a Mage:

• Apprentice
• Esoteric (the common title)
• Delphian (less than 1% of Esoterics reach this level)

The Apprentice Mage

Many of the races upon Azur have a touch of gift, some stronger than then others. A 'gift' can come in many forms and those who have a stronger passion for its marvel may decide to follow the path of a Mage by first becoming an Apprentice. An apprentice is required to sit an exam before being endentured to a more qualified mage. The pass rates required are:

• +12 Charisma
• +14 Intelligience
• +13 Wisdom
• +11 Constitution

A Mage apprenticeship can last upwards of twenty years and is usually no shorter than five. During this time, the apprentice will learn their Master's skills and knowledge by assisting the Mage in carrying out experiments and valuable research. Usually, the mage and apprentice have a chosen specialisation.

An Apprentice calls their teacher by the title of Master, Mistress, Sir or Madam, even outside of the slave content Vikandor. An Apprentice will often be seen wearing long robes but without any ornaments or markings such as those worn by higher level mages. The road an Apprentice chooses is hard, and most contact with friends and family diminishes.

Out of the Age of Humanity came the tale of the Apprentice Sorcerer that was told to young children as a bedtime story. In 301AR an Esoteric Mage inspired by this bedtime story, took up this idea by finding a younger and unexperienced mage who had gifts similar to his, to who he could teach pass on his knowledge. Up until 301AR Mages had simply come to their own through trial and error and before long many other Mages were also taking on apprentices.

Apprentices can be found everywhere, however there are some schools of magic where hopeful children can study to become a mage. Trehn in Krystia is a major center of learning in Azur where there are many occult schools. The Guild of Antiquity in Lycenta is another institution that accepts apprentices.

At the end of the Apprenticeship, the apprentice is graded. If the apprentice is successful in their final tests set by a local guild or school, then they are given the title of Mage.

For those that don't pass their tests but survive intact, other career options are available including Palladin, Healer or Priest.

Apprentices can not be members of a Guild until they successfully complete their final tests.

Esoteric Mage

Esoteric Mages are usually confident in their skill and can be mysterious and arrogant. They have sucessfully completed the final test of the apprenticeship, giving them a seat on the Mage Guild and the freedom to travel.

Generally Esoterics are revered with a mix of awe and fear for the final test of an apprenticeship is not an easy one to pass. Esoterics enjoy weilding powers and competing against each other in a mock duals and battles full of spells and powers.

Prior to 301AR, Esoteric was the name given to all Mages - those who dabbled in the craft of the Deitys. In some regions of Azur, Esoterics were (and still are) considered the hands and feet of the Gods, working with Spiritualists who were the lips, ears and eyes. Together they eased the races from out of the caves and back into the world with a new found appreciation for the land that they lived in.

A large percentage of Esoteric mages will spend their entire life striving to achieve the rarely given title of Delphian. Esoterics enjoy acquiring artifacts through quests. One way to achieve Delphian status is to best an existing Delphian at his own well known spells by changing them into a more powerful binding mixture.

Delphian Mage

After 301AR when the Mage class began to become more diverse with the introduction of Apprentices, three Mages began secret studies of their craft, driven by a thirst for knowledge and power and in 564 AR these three Mages, Desemothes, Bahrak and Vashiltys were acknowledge by the Mage Guild as leaders of their craft and given the title of Delphian.

Delphians gain a celebrity status that most other citizens' revere with awe and fear. Delphians are land and business owners with an abundance of wealth and a small consortium of followers over who they have and a strong influence, especially in regards to the education of apprentices within the district of their dwellings. Delphians enjoy meddling in politics and spiritual arguments but are difficult to bribe or persuade once their mind is made up.

A Delphian is expected to be a specialist in their chosen discipline of magic, a walking resource on the history of Magery and upholder of the Guild's oath. New Delphians are a rareity and are now chosen by the Delphian Council of the Mage Guild. All Delphians are required to swear the Guild's unbreakable oath.

Rogue Mages

A rogue mage is one who has not received the formal training of a typical mage and will not hold a seat on the Mage Council. A rogue mage has a high chance of experiencing wild magic. Rogue mages are not well thought of or liked because of the high chance of wild magic occuring. Many Rogue mages die from the result of bad spells.

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