The
Mages Guild, also known as the
Guild of Mages, is a professional organization located throughout
Tamriel, dedicated to the study and application of
magicka and
alchemy.
Its
charter from the
Emperor specifies that
the guild must provide magic services to the public. Anyone can purchase potions, alchemical ingredients, magical items, and a selection of standard spells from the guild. However, training, goods, and services are cheaper for members, and the guild stewards are sometimes able to provide members with work. Furthermore,
exclusive services such as spellmaking and enchanting, deemed potentially dangerous to the public at large, are only made available to higher-ranked guild members in good standing.
The Mages Guild is led by an
Arch-Mage, and guided by the
Council of Mages, made up of six
Archmagisters (one of them the Arch-Mage). The Arch-Mage and the Council of Mages are headquartered at the guild's
Arcane University in the
Imperial City. The Council decides important Guild policies, such as its policy on the use of
Necromancy and also administered recruitment, sale of spells in each
local Guild Hall, and the enforcement of
Guild law. The rules of the Guild vary from location to location, some differences more drastic than others. In addition, Guild Halls exist in most cities in Tamriel, each run by a
local Guild Magister (alternatively known as a
Hall Magister). Below them are the
Master of Incunabula (alternatively called the
High Incunabulist) and the
Master at Arms. The Master of Incunabula has a counsel of two, the
Master of Academia and the
Master of the Scrye. The Master at Arms also has a counsel, the
Master of Initiates and the
Palatinus (the leader of the local chapter of the
Order of the Lamp).
Imperial Charter of the Guild of Mages
Rules for membership of the Mages Guild
I. Purpose
The Guild of Mages provides benefits to scholars of magic and established laws regarding the proper use of magic. The Guild is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and distribution of magical knowledge with an emphasis on ensuring that all citizens of Tamriel benefit from this knowledge.
II. Authority
The Guild of Mages was established on Summerset Isle in the year 230 of the Second Era by Vanus Galerion and Rilis XII. It was later confirmed by the "Guilds Act" of Potentate Versidue-Shaie.
III. Rules and Procedures
Crimes against fellow members of the Guild are treated with the harshest discipline. Whether a member may regain their status in the Guild is determined by the Arch-Mage.
IV. Membership Requirements
The Guild of Mages only accepts candidates of keen intelligence and dominant will. Candidates must exhibit mastery in the great schools of magic: Destruction, Alteration, Illusion, and Mysticism. Candidates must also display practical knowledge of enchantments and alchemical processes.
V. Applications for Membership Candidates must present themselves to the Steward of the Guild Hall for examination and approval.
ATTACHMENT A: Mages Guild Chapters in Vvardenfell District, Province of Morrowind
Chapters are established in Guild-owned, free-standing guildhalls in the towns of Ald'ruhn, Balmora, and Caldera. The chapter in Sadrith Mora is established in Wolverine Hall under lease from the Telvanni Council. The chapter in Vivec is established in the Foreign Quarter under lease from the Tribunal Temple.
The Order of the Lamp
The Order of the Lamp was founded by Vanus Galerion after he had created the Mages Guild from Firsthold. Originally, the order was created when Galerion realized that money does not bring loyalty for the Guild, so the Order of the Lamp was created to instate this. The Palatinus of the Order is one of the six types of leaders that govern over the Mages Guild. Years later, Mannimarco, the King of Worms began to spread his teachings of Necromancy to the populace of Tamriel, much to the dismay of Vanus Galerion. Vanus confronted Mannimarco, and a great battle ensued between Galerion's Mages and Mannimarco's undead army. The Order of the Lamp partook in the conflict against Mannimarco. In the end, Galerion had defeated Mannimarco, but unfortunately, Mannimarco had already transcended into a Lich and escaped.
Teachings
By the Second Era, the Mages Guild taught its students the aggregate of magical research and knowledge collected over several centuries, however its instructional methods had become haphazard and disorganized. As such, a new model based off the Shad Astula Academy was quickly adopted. This model divided spellcasting into eight "schools" of magic, providing students with a structure to more easily grasp the concepts of wizardry.
ALCHEMY: The study of the magical virtues of different forms of matter, their effects, combinations, and recombinations. To include the concoction of potions, elixirs, and magical draughts.
ALTERATION: The distortion of local reality through direct imposition of the mage's will. To include spells of paralysis, water breathing, water walking, lock opening, and personal elemental shields such as flame cloaks.
CONJURATION: The summoning and binding of spirits from Oblivion or Aetherius. To include soul trapping, spells that conjure Daedra or other creatures, spells to banish same, summoning of bound weapons and armor, as well as (for classification purposes) the forbidden necromantic arts of reanimation, conjuration, and manipulation of the undead.
DESTRUCTION: The splintering of material bonds by the direct application of force, typically elemental in nature. To include damaging spells of flame, frost, shock, and disintegration, as well as magic that drains essence or personal attributes.
ILLUSION: Altering perception in oneself or others. To include spells of light, invisibility, fear, frenzy, and silence, as well as magic that affects morale and obedience.
MYSTICISM: The class of spells used to alter the nature of magic itself. To include effects that dispel or absorb both spells and the magicka that feeds them, as well as telekinesis (which fits here as well as anywhere).
RESTORATION: The opposite of destruction, magic that resists damage or restores wholeness by reknitting the damaged material. To include wards, healing, curing of disease and poison, physical fortification, and the turning of undead (a forced purification effect).
THAUMATURGY: Magic that affects the will and personal state of mind. To include spells that calm or charm others, reflection of or resistance to magic, as well as levitation, which involves the personal rejection of gravity."
— Excerpt from Proposal: Schools of Magic, by Gabrielle Benele, Daggerfall Mages Guild
This system of classification would survive throughout the centuries, however the schools of Thaumaturgy and Mysticism were gradually absorbed by the other six divisions.
Many of the greatest mages graduated from the Mages Guild. This was partly due to the Guild's prominence in Tamriel and open-ended recruitment policy. The Mages Guild encouraged all mages of varying skill and interest to join, and promoted an active regimen of practicing ones chosen spells to gain mastery over their specific school of magic.
In the Second Era, Galerion banned the usage of Necromancy within the Mages Guild, and found the concept of soul trapping equally detestable. Due to the readily available presence of soul gems in nearly every bazaar of Tamriel, Galerion grudgingly co-opted the practice in an effort to control its use. Since the art was not a part of the core curriculum of the Guild, being taught only to the most experienced and dependable wizards for specific uses, Galerion codified and systemized the various practices of soul-trapping magics into a grimoire of a few, certain spells to be taught to students. Souls were classified into two classes; the legal, "White" souls were comprised of smaller essences from beasts or animals; the illegal, "Black" souls were derived from sentient mortals. Furthermore, the Guild outlawed "beastfolk magic", a type of wild hedge-wizardry commonly practiced by the Reachmen.
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