Stage Mages

Entertainment is an important part of the life in The Courtlands, be it theater, opera or music. However, not everyone makes it big, and not everyone even wants to. Those entertainers who weave magic in to their arts are called the stage mages, and their area of expertise can vary from acting to set design with illusions to manipulating the sound to make the singers shine. Not everyone understands how much work and manpower it takes to create the magical stories seen on the stage, but those who do can only appreciate the efforts of the stage mages.

Career

Qualifications

The road to the entertainment industry and to a stage mage can be very different depending on the individual themselves. Some learn their art through apprenticeship, some hang around the theaters from childhood and learn by doing, and some go to the most renowned School of Entertainment Arts located in the capital city. A shared factor for these different paths is usually the mutual distrust of the other groups as everyone tends to feel their own path is the truest one.

Perception

Purpose

Because entertainment is such a big and loved part of the Courtland's culture, especially in the bigger cities, a lot of workforce is needed to run it all. From biggest theaters to the small village venues, stage mages can be found from all over the empire.
The duty's of a stage mage depend on their skill set. Some of them work behind the scenes, creating illusions to set the stage and taking care of the lighting to match the mood of a scene, while others work as actors and singers, bringing the stories to life with their presence. 

Social Status

The social status of the stage mages is in many places somewhat contradictory. On the other hand, entertainment industry is highly valued in the Courtlands, but on the other hand, there are still some superstitions against the industry workers themselves. Many parents fear that should their children aim for a career in the entertainment industry, they will never be able to support themselves, while some see the moral of the entertainers to be somewhat aloof, thus making them untrustworthy romantic partners.