Healers' Guilds and Collegiums

Most Healers in Aemir belong to the Azurine Healer’s Guild and Collegium. A sister-guild, the Verdantite Healer’s Guild and Collegium exists in Aemon. These two guilds assist one another, and healers bonded to one guild find themselves in good hands when traveling abroad, for they are treated as honorary members by the sister-guild.

The Healers’ Guilds are always treated with respect, for the Guilds will not hesitate to withhold the services of their members from those whom have offended them. Therefore, most Healers have enough authority to stand up to those who may technically outrank them, if they are acting with the approval and sanction of the Guild. Some people have even earned a place on the Guild’s “black list,” usually by abusing a Healer, committing any act that causes (or refusing to take action to prevent) any sort of medical dilemma (spread of infectious disease, polluted drinking water, unsanitary conditions, etc.), or by committing acts of torture.

There are three basic types of healers: herb-healers, trance-healers, and mind-healers. These involve different skills and abilities, though some individuals may have learned more than one of these skills. Herb-Healers use knowledge of herbal and other remedies to cure the sick and learn to perform surgery at higher ranks—anyone may become a Herb-Healer with enough study. Trance-Healers have the inborn ability to “lay on hands” in order to cure sickness or mend injuries. Mind-Healers have powerful healing “psychic” abilities that allow them to help patients overcome mental and emotional trauma. Mind-Healers often have some trance-healing abilities, but most do not have enough to earn a high rank as a Trance-Healer (and thence to become a Radiant or Master Healer).

Structure

Healers wear a badge from their guild denoting their discipline and rank within that discipline. Herb healers wear a leaf icon, trance healers wear an icon depicting a many-pointed star or orb of light, and mind healers wear a zephyr icon that depicts a gust of wind. If a healer has achieved a rank in more than one discipline, they will either wear multiple icons or have a special icon overlaying the symbols of their discipline.

The ranks of these healers are assigned a color. From least to greatest, these are:

• Green
• Red
• Blue
• Silver
• Gold

Healers who have achieved Gold level in both herb and trance healing are given the title Luminous Healer. Those who have achieved Gold levels in both trance and mind healing are given the title Radiant Healer. Achieving gold status as both herb and mind healers earns on the title of Illuminated Healer.

Rarest of all are prodigies who have achieved gold rank in all three disciplines, and these are called Master Healers.