Court Mages (Organization)
From Davenrathh
The court mages are divided into several bodies of responsibility and authority, designated by different colours.
Regional (Green)- Regional Court mages are charged with the general regulation of magical affairs in their assigned region. They must register magic users, approve the use of sustained magic, and are generally responsible for the magical conduct in their area.
Research (Brown)- Research mages are the scholars of the order. They are rarely seen, often out in the wild on expeditions, or locked away in some library.
Advisory (Blue)- Advisory mages were the original duty of the old court mages. Assigned to a ruler, advisory court mages are responsible for keeping “non-magicals” up to date on magical affairs, giving advice on the dealing of magical foes, and also with the magical protection of said individual. This office was originally the regional office as well, until the paperwork grew too much for the Advisory mage to handle and still perform his duties.
Agent (Red)- Agent mages are the hands of the order. They work as part of guard detachments, as security during expeditions, or when one of the higher mages wants something done that cannot be trusted to a nonmage.
High (Gold)- the High court mages are the rulers of the court mage. Their leader is the Archmage.
Shadow (Grey)- There are rumours of a secret circle of mages who are covertly trained in the forbidden art of Necromancy as part of a theory that only by understanding such magics are the court mages able to beat them. If such a circle does exist, they certainly don’t advertise their color.
Training and Policies- All magic users are required to register with the court mages. This is for “census and research purposes”- so that the number and dispensation of mages is accounted for. Mages are not required to join the court mages, but those who do qualify for training that is otherwise often not available. However, this training puts one at the beck and call of the court Mages, in whatever body one is assigned to. All court Mages are ruled by the high mages, who are charged with dispensing the mages in a manner that best serves the realm (assigning more regional mages as necessary, dispensing Agents to recover material components, determining the direction of magical research).
Style- Court mages tend to dress in styles that reflect the cultures and activities they are immersed in. In these cases, it is sometimes difficult to know whether the individual in question is a mage at all, save for the material components. In formal situations, all mages wear robes of their circle’s colour, with their insignia pin. Mages who serve nobility typically dress formally, as Court Mage formal dress is actually quite comfortable.
Court mages first begin as trainees, serving other mages and learning magical theory. Once they have learned the basics of magical workings (cantrips), they are assigned to a master, and become apprentices. The master teaches more advanced magics, until the master decrees that the student has learned enough to merit promotion, or the student successfully challenges his master in a specific test. The newly promoted mage then becomes a mage, and is given a designated field.
Status and Rank- Mages mark their rank and status in a number of ways. Firstly is their title, going from Magician to Mage. The second is their Insignia, a general indication of the mages power. The Insignia is an item, first the broach, then the rod, then the staff, and finally the ring. The last insignia is the orb, which is only carried by the Archmage (being the most powerful item within the order.) The insignia represent the level of raw power a mage possesses (traditionally, the level of power to make the item in question). Not all mages actually possess their insignia however, and so most show their power with a pin in the shape of the item.
A mage who as spent the greater portion of his life in service to the Court mages is then elevated to the rank of Master. Masters, aside from being exceptionally powerful and reputable, are also eligible to attain the position of High mage, and seat on the ruling council. A mage who rises to the rank of master is awarded with a Ring which denotes their power and responsibility. Many correctly believe this ring is imbued with a number of magical properties, meant to aid the mage in a variety of circumstances.
