The Guild of Magic

[NemoTheSurvivor]

Magic Hierarchy
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• Prospect: Someone who has shown magical potential, but has not been tested.
  
• Initiate: Someone who passed the Prospect's Test and is on their way to becoming a mage.
  
• Student: A beginning mage who is learning about the basics of Mana, spells, and magical history.
  
• Disciple: A mage who has started studying under a specific school of magic.
  
• Apprentice: A novice mage learning under a Professor.
  
• Adapt: A mage who no longer needs supervision when practicing magic.
  

Here the hierarchy diverges into two Paths, Educators and Practitioners.


Educators:

• Lecturer: A mage who teaches Students.
  
• Teacher: A mage who teaches Disciples.
  
• Professor: A mage who teaches Apprentices.
  
• Sage: A mage who trains Adepts to be Lecturers, Teachers, and Professors. Also responsible for any major curriculum changes across the Guilds.
  
• High Sage: Elders who used to be Educators.
  

Practitioners:

• Pundit: Highly skilled mages in their respective schools.
  
• Master: Considered a master in their school of magic. Some mages will start learning a second school of magic at this level.
  
• Grand Master: The head of a Guild.
  
• Exalted Master: Elders who used to be Practitioners or, rarely, Adepts.
  

The final ranking, Elder, is unique to the Council of Mages. Elders are considered the most experienced mages alive. As such, Elders have absolute authority over both Educators and Practitioners. The Council tries to keep a balance of High Sages and Exalted Masters, though numbers can fluctuate as most Elders are prone to die of old age.


Rankings, from highest to lowest (Average Human Age in Parenthesis):

• Elder (55+)
  
• Grand Master (35-65)/Sage (40-65)
  
• Master (30-60)/Professor (27-60)
  
• Pundit (25-50)/Lecturer (23-50)/Teacher (23-50)
  
• Adapt (15-50)
  
• Apprentice (12-18)
  
• Prospect (0-12)/Initiate (5-12)/Student (8-14)/Disciple (8-21)
  

 

[NemoTheSurvivor]

Disciple Training


Once a mage becomes a Disciple, they begin studying under a specific school of magic, where they study for a minimum of three years before studying under a Professor. However, during the first year in the school, a Disciple can change what school they want to study under. Once they change schools, they start over being a Disciple. They are allowed to change their school as many times as they want, though once they spend more than one continuous year in one school, they are not allowed to change it anymore.


Apprentices and Professors


When Disciples have completed their minimum of three years, they are allowed to be taken as an Apprentice. Professors visit Disciple Guilds to find a possible Apprentice, though they do not have to choose one. Apprentices are not allowed to have a preferred Professor, and Professors may only place a "hold" (no other Professor can take the Disciple as an Apprentice) for six months. Once the Apprentice has been chosen, the Professor takes their new charge back to their guild to induct the newest member.


A Professor's job is not to further teach an Apprentice how to use their magic (this is evident in that Professors and Apprentices do not have to be of the same school of magic), but rather how to apply their magic. Another aspect of their job is to show their Apprentice how a mage handles life in places outside of guilds. Apprentices are not allowed to practice magic alone, but each Professor sets their own limits on when and why an Apprentice can cast magic (which may or may not allow other guild members to supervise the Apprentice, though it has to be coordinated with the Grand Master). The most important lesson a Professor teaches is when it is appropriate to use magic; as an Adept, a mage can cast magic whenever they choose, so failure to teach this properly can lead to irresponsible use of magic.


When a Professor feels the Apprentice is able to practice magic responsible, they can seek permission from the Grand Master to advance their rank to Adept. However, the Grand Master can refuse (usually done when the Professor gets too close to their Apprentice; uncommon but not unheard of), and in any situation, an Adept may be ranked down to Apprentice if they are unable to handle the responsibility of being an Adept.


Adepts: Practitioners


Adepts remain adepts until they prove they are worthy of becoming Pundits. As such, there are mages who never rise beyond the title of Adept. In the same case, others remain adepts for very little time. The criteria of becoming a Pundit depends on the Masters and Grand Master of the Guild where the Adapt lives, though traveling Masters may also convince the Grand Master to grant them Pundit status. Rising to Master takes even more practice, and only happens if the Grand Master sends a request to the Council of Elders and the request is approved. Grand Masters are chosen based on their ability to lead, make rational decisions during stressful events, and have a mastery of their school of magic. Because of their relative age, many guilds have several Elder-approved Masters ready to take the mantle of Grand Master should he or she die of old age.


Adepts: Educators


Training by Sages is a long process that focuses less on personal growth and more on helping others grow. Once training is finished, the Adept is allowed to be an Instructor or Educator, and after spending several years as either Educator, they are allowed to prove they have improved their magic enough to earn the title of Professor. Sages are appointed by High Sages.


Adapts: Changing between Practitioners and Educators


Adepts that are not being trained by Sages are Practitioners. Adapts currently being trained by Sages are Educators. If an Adept does not complete Educator training, they are allowed to leave training and become Practitioners. An Adept may also choose to undergo Educator training at any time, and do not have to begin training the moment they become Adepts. Once an Adapt is granted the title of Pundit, Lecturer, or Teacher, they are unable to "drop" down to Adept and try their hand as the other Path.

 

[NemoTheSurvivor]

Guilds
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A Guild is a mage's home, and they come in several types.

• An Instructor Guild is where Initiates learn about magic.
  
• School Guilds are places where Disciples are trained.
  
• Disciple Guilds are several School Guilds gathered together in one place.
  
• Standard Guilds (also known as Mage Guilds) are Guilds filled with Apprentices, Adepts, Professors, Pundits, Masters, and led by a Grand Master.
  
• The Elder's Guild is where the Elders reside and meet.
  
• Sages are not a part of any guild, instead traveling from Guild to Guild to instruct Adepts (the Adepts may travel with the Sage, but they are still members of their Guild and shall return there if they chose to not continue Educator training).
  
• There are also traveling Masters, though their rank is no different from regular Masters. Traveling Masters normally have mastered a new spell that would benefit mages as a whole, so they travel from guild to guild to spread the knowledge, and as such have no Guild (though they jokingly say they are part of the unofficial Traveler's Guild).