Emilia of CamlornDec 01, 2015Dec 01, 2015 at 05:51 AM
#1
A long time ago, in the land not so far away...
Founded in the early Second Era in opposition to the elitist Psijic Order by it's former member Vanus Galerion, the organization known as the Mages Guild had quickly established itself on Summerset Isle. Pushing for the creation of the Guild, Arch-Mage Vanus was brought before leader of the Psijic Order, Master Iachesis and the King of Firsthold, Rilis XII. It is unknown what he said to convince them both, but the charter was approved and the Mages Guild was born. As more and more branches of the Guild had opened, it's influence eventually spread over the mainland of Tamriel. While met with suspicion and even rejected at some places at first, the Mages Guild had eventually established itself as a powerful, recognized force throughout Tamriel. While the organization as a whole maintains a strict policy of non-involvement into the war that engulfed Tamriel at the dusk of the Second Era, following the fall of the Reman dynasty in Cyrodiil and eventual dissolution of the Second Empire, the Chapters of the Guild are known to be actively involved in the local civil, political, and on occasion - military activities. As such, ranking members of the Guild can often be found mingling with the nobility, both foreign and local, as they seek to further secure the interest of the Guild by lending their qualified aid when it is truly needed.
And the point is?
The very idea behind the formation of the Mages Guild is the collection, preservation, and advancement of the arcane knowledge and lore, with the strong emphasis on making it beneficial for all citizens of Tamriel. While the local Guild Halls often hold open lectures on the proper use of the arcane techniques, creation of magically-infused artifacts and many others - only the actual members of the Guild have the full access to the knowledge base and the resources of this organization. And while the Guild actively seeks to further it's relations with the locals, it is wise to remember that it is not a charitable order. A large variety of services are offered, from enchanting a shiny new blade to brewing a concoction that will render it's wielder invisible to the naked eye. All of this, and more, were made available to the large public of Tamriel - for a right price.
A logistic nightmare... or is it?
Over the time, the Mages Guild had developed a well established governing and management structure, required to maintain the organization of such scale. Led by none other than Vanus Galerion himself, the Guild High Counsel is made up from the six Arch-Mages, each responsible for oversight over a large portion of territories. A College of Enchanters is largely responsible for handling the day-to-day operations of the Guild, and it's members designated as Grand Enchanters are responsible for operation and oversight over the entire regions, such as Stormhaven, or Malabal Tor. Magisters form the majority of the senior staff, as they are the ones responsible for the successful operation of their designated Chapters. A more detailed description of the Guild structure is available below:
The Guild Hierarchy
The Arch-Mage is the highest rank held within the Mages Guild hierarchy, as they are the ones granted with power and authority to manage the affairs of the entire organization on the global scale. With full, unrestricted access to any possible Guild asset, the Arch-Mage is a figure of power and unquestionable authority both within, and outside the ranks of the Mages Guild.
The Grand Enchanter / Warlock holds a measure of authority within the Guild second only to Arch-Mage himself. Having a seat at the College of Enchanters, it is his or her duty to ensure that the operations of the Guild throughout Tamriel proceed with maximum efficiency, as well as coordinating the work of the Chapters in the regions under their jurisdiction. The sole difference a Warlock presents over a Grand Enchanter is lack of provincial responsibilities in a direct form, as the position typically awarded for a distinguished achievements benefiting the Guild as a whole without a province of oversight to go with it. Holding a seat on the Counsel, a Warlock's authority is second only to the Arch-Mage himself. The College of Enchanters, or the Counsel handles majority of Guild-wide matters and issues, and as such can often be viewed as a governing body of the organization.
The Magister is charged with overseeing the specified Chapter of the Mages Guild, as well as managing and maintaining the Guild's relationship with the local population and authorities. It is the Magister's responsibility to ensure the most efficient use of resources allocated to their chapter, as well as the training and managing of their staff. While not being a part of the College of Enchanters, the word of a Magister carries weight both within and outside the ranks of the Guild.
The Senior Enchanter is a rank awarded in recognition of one's skill in the arts of the arcane, as well as the contribution to the Guild as a whole. While in rare cases a Senior Enchanter may be seen leading a minor branch of the Guild, their prime role rests in helming the research projects on behalf of the organization that require a highly-qualified personnel to handle. A few variations of this rank exist, being the Junior and plain Enchanter, awarded in retrospect of one's own capabilities.
The Wizard is perhaps the most common rank seen among the members of the Mages Guild. Having enough experience in the various fields of the arcane, the Wizards represent the backbone of the Guild staff, most commonly found residing in the Guild halls throughout Tamriel, where they can conduct their research as well as offer their services and wares to the folk around them.
The Journeyman is the second common rank among the Guild. An apprentice with sufficient skill and talent for arcane arts are elevated to the rank of Journeyman. Often they can be found on various sites across Tamriel, as their primary role as field explorers and operatives often takes them far away from their native Chapters. The prime purpose of this rank is to induce a good measure of field experience to complement the theoretical knowledge for the graduate apprentices, making them a truly valuable asset.
The Apprentice is the most base rank within the organization that can be considered a full membership, with all associated privileges and responsibilities. A training rank, it's primary goal is to bring the newly initiated member up to speed, as well as to weed out those with true talent and aptitude for arcane arts from the rabble. Besides a rather tightly packed schedule of both theoretical and practical study, the Apprentices are the ones tasked with majority of basic chores around their Chapters, be it cleaning the dust of the librarium shelves, or visiting the local market for necessary supplies.
The Adept is the very first rank attainable with the Mages Guild. While specifying one's affinity to the organization as well as enabling use of several assets, the rank represents only a partial membership. Often Adepts are tasked with various mission, ranging from simple resource acquisition to the exploration of an unmapped site. Many chose to stick to this path for it's sheer flexibility - while technically being a part of the Mages Guild, it does not hold any specific duties or responsibilities, and the only requirement is a willingness to aid the local Chapter. It is wise to remember, however, that while it does provides several perks of the Guild membership, many resources and services may still remain restricted, or at the very least - as pricey as they would come to a non-member.
Does it smell like a wet dog here?
One may ask - what of those individuals that are granted with some... abilities, that may be considered as supernatural - even among the mages? As far as it goes, the Mages Guild considers itself among the few enlightened orders across the Tamriel, with a primary focus on academic and scientific pursuit. As such, the Vampires and/or Werewolves are often treated in the similar manner as any other being. True, the Guild leaders are not oblivious to the dangers associated with it - but as long as the individual in question maintains proper control over self, as well as necessary discretion when dealing with outsiders there aren't any special rules applied. In fact, several lead scholars in the halls of Eyevea are vampires, putting their exceptional lifespan to the good of arcane advance...
Recruitment
If you are keen or RP-ing as a part of a Mage faction, feel free to visit any of the Mages Guild halls. If you wish to join the Guild Chapter of Vulkvasten, speak to Magister Bethany Hawke, or send a message along! :) But please do let me know (@Lord_Varus) if you wish to join, and we can arrange something!
NOTE: for those wishing for a deeper, more immersive experience as a mage/spellcaster, please refer to THIS Guide on the principles and rules of advanced verbal spell craft.
Uniform - all of these robes...
By any means, the uniforms are NOT a requirement! Though it would be appreciated if anyone above the apprentice rank (IC-wise) would done a light armor set - be it jerkin, or a full robe. If you do wish to look the part, however - consider the ancient elves style and blue-brown patters, that can be seen on the Mages Guild NPC's. If not, general blue-ish color scheme is acceptable.
Edited Aug 14, 2017 at 08:23 PM by 0