The Magic Council of Talaman
The Magic Council of Talaman is a revered institution located in the heart of Castburg, which holds the largest magic college in the world Magic College of Castburg. The Council serves as the governing body for all matters related to magic within the kingdom and beyond. Comprised of twelve Archmages, each representing a different school of magic, the Council's decisions hold immense weight and influence in the magical community.
The Council's responsibilities include overseeing the education and training of mages, regulating the use of magic, and adjudicating disputes among magic users. They also play a crucial role in the defense of the kingdom, with many Council members serving as advisors to the royal court and commanders in times of war.
The Council Chamber, where the Archmages convene to discuss matters of magic and governance, is a place of great power and mystique. Adorned with ancient tapestries and magical artifacts, the Chamber is said to be imbued with the very essence of magic itself. Access to the Chamber is restricted to Council members and their chosen delegates, ensuring that its secrets remain closely guarded.
Despite their formidable reputation, the Council is not without its critics. Some accuse them of being out of touch with the common folk, while others question their motives and decisions. However, few can deny the Council's role in shaping the magical landscape of Talaman and beyond, ensuring that the kingdom remains a bastion of magical knowledge and power.
Any city the Magic Council is centered in will most likely be a major site of magical activity. Continual flame spells light the streets at night, familiars and magical sensors are used to keep watch, and magical institutions and spellcasting services of all types will be available for those that can afford them.
Outside of its headquarters, the Magic Council has minor sites located in each city represented in its political assembly. These locations are generally small, mostly serving as places for agents of the Magic Council to operate from whenever they are given a mission in the area.
Structure
Progression in the guild works like this:
- Neomage- This is a temporary rank, held only for about a month. They are provisional members. Any crime or issue will get you thrown out of the guild, and consequently the city.
- After the trial period of a month, you advance to Novice level. This is the standard level for members who are only members for the sake of requirement, perhaps. They have no special authority, and are generally not assigned any specific work by the guild.
- After six months, you can apply for Apprenticeship. If you make a good enough case, or your skills are good enough you will be assigned to a research group lead by a Master. Sometimes, guilds require nomination by a senior member.
- If you are denied Apprenticeship, you can advance to the level of Acolyte after a year. These are the members who perform auxiliary functions not related to research. They may be sent to recruit talent from nearby villages, or work pedaling goods in the market.
- After a few years as an Acolyte, you may be selected as an Adept. This is the capstone for a non-research oriented position. They have responsibility over issues like internal peace, doing business with low level merchants, and representing the guild at certain functions. Larger guilds sometimes allow adepts to become Master or Grandmaster level for position like Internal Affairs or Enforcement.
- If the Apprenticeship application is accepted, 3 years of study follow. After this, you will be given a test and take on a personal research project. This project can take 6 months, or it can take 6 years. Either way, a decent paper (regardless of if the project was successful) will have the Apprentice advance to Journeyman. The Journeyman is focused on research under a Master. The primary task of the Journeyman is to keep the Apprentice out of the Master’s hair long enough for important work to get done, and guide them to become good researchers. A good Journeyman is tasked with doing personal research as well, but their primary duty is to help the Master. They are the workhorse of magical research. If the guild runs a university, a Journeyman might be tasked with teaching some of the lower level classes. After more years of study, a little rubbing elbows with the higher order mages, and a few successful projects / discoveries, a council will convene to decide if they are worth to be a Master.
- A Master is the research executive. They direct a section of Journeymen and Apprentices to a unified goal, and use their skills and knowledge to advance the guild. The Master has different titles depending on what they do; for example, a Master that only does research is a Master Arcanist. A Master that does research, but also teacher, would be a Master Mage. A Master that only teaches doesn’t normally exist, but may be a Master Preceptor. If an Adept is selected to be a Master, they’ll be in charge of a specialized force of non-research wizards and have the title of Special Master of [whatever their job is].
- A Grandmaster is a Master who’s selected to be on the Council of Wizards and is usually a member of the Magocracy in Yast, and put in charge of multiple sections led by Masters. These all have unique titles such as “Grandmaster of Planes Research”, “Grandmaster of Libraries and Archives”, etc. If something serious happens, they’re told to deal with it, and they hate it; they’d much rather being doing research or teaching.
- The Archmage is the highest position a mage can achieve, without being the complete leader. Since the Council has towers across multiple cities, Archmages may be in charge of one of the cities. They make decisions that affect the entirety of the massive guilds. Sometimes, such guilds are referred to as Orders, and have special positions in the local government beyond even what a normal guild would have. They will always be titled Archmage of the [city] Branch, or similar.
- The Grand Archmage is unique. Only one exists in the Mageocracy, as the name would imply. They probably enjoy a position similar to the highest nobility of a city, because they have at their beck-and-call a battalion of fire-throwing maniacs who just want to get back the lab. They usually hold a unique title to sound especially important, depending on the person. “First Arbitrator”, “Grand Spellmaster”, etc. In some instances an Archmage is the acting Grand Archmage, and may just be referred to a “Archmage [name] of [city]”
Public Agenda
The Magic Council has two main functions: being a political convention of the various nations in the region, and regulating the use of magic.
History
It began with a group of visionary mages from across the region, who recognized the need for a unified organization dedicated to the study and regulation of magic. These mages, hailing from diverse backgrounds and nations, came together in the city of Castburg to lay the foundation for what would become the Magic Council of Talaman.
The Council's creation marked a turning point in the region's history, as it provided a platform for mages to share knowledge, collaborate on magical research, and establish standards for magical education. As the Council grew in influence and prestige, Yast emerged as a major political power, its leadership in magical affairs translating into diplomatic clout on the world stage.
The Council's greatest test came with the rise of the malevolent overlord Nallorian. His reign of terror threatened to plunge the region into darkness, but the Council did not falter. Working in tandem with other factions, nations, and heroes the Council played a pivotal role in Nallorian's downfall, contributing to the liberation of the region from his oppressive rule.
In the aftermath of Nallorian's defeat, the Council's role evolved once more. The city of Castburg transformed into a neutral zone where factions could come together to negotiate and forge treaties.
Founding Date
9th of Brightfall AC
Type
Guild, Mages
Capital
Training Level
Elite
Veterancy Level
Decorated/Honored
Leader Title
Head of Government
Government System
Oligarchy
Economic System
Traditional
Subsidiary Organizations
Neighboring Nations
