The Articles of Astran

Before this legendary document, the path of the mage was one of persecution and death. The ignorant feared the mage, though this perhaps was for some valid reason as rare was the mage that was sound of mind. However, some mages began to control their powers, and to better understand them. They yearned to live not in the shadows but as recognized beings of the world. So it was that Grandmaster Zibeus would come to King Julius and seek council in helping bring about perhaps the largest and greatest legal procedding the world has ever seen. These articles list out the stipulations and rules that a mage must follow in order to be recognized as legitmate by the state.
There was fierce debate had by all, and this was perhaps the most intense debate the kingdom of Ashenfeld had ever seen. THe Church of the Flame was opposed to it on all counts, and it was quite common for the court room to explode into fiery rhetoric and threats and curses hurled at either side. Many mages gave testimony and advice on these eddicts, and King Julius regurarly had to either silence the court room or call for breaks to soothe his now frequent headaches. However, amazingly, through the masterful diplomacy of Grand Master Zibeus, and an entire horde of legal scholars and professionals reviewing every last drop of ink and inch of parchment, it was done at last. The document is enshrined ot this day, utterly bzyantine and full of seemingly hundreds or thousands of pages of legal procedure, but it was done. So it was that in the year 345EC, The Articles of Astran were signed, and though some in the wider public were skepticle or ambivelent, many cheered and celebrated. Soon many other goverments would sign along the treaty, or adopt it in some manner, as it provided the most convienent way of dealing with the question of arcane magic. 
Regardless, this agreement put an end to the worst years of arcane persecution the world had ever seen, and put an end to many of the fears of arcanists becoming tyrants and warlords. Now the only fear of that was from the dreaded lands of Zakkar, but none looked favorably on them anyway.  It is kept safe and enshrined in the royal church of Aramoor, but copies have been made for Lunerra and other various magic academies.

Read the Document

The Articles of Astran

The full text is thousands upon thousands of pages long, but primarily is spread upon several articles, that go as follows:

Articles of Inheritance

"So let it be known, that this document emblazons forever more that mageborn shan't use their magicks for control over the masses. They are barred from noble titles, and as such can be fully devoted to the study of magic and learning."

This stipulations primary purpose is to calm the worries of the church and the common peope, by helping avoid mages coalescing power to become horrific sorrceror kings. This also means that any noble who is Mageborn is stripped of titles, and instead must be sent to the academy upon discovery of magical talent. This applies to royalty as well, as the ever looming spectre of Zakkar and stories of evil wizard lords haunt the dreams of many

Articles of Neutrality

"To those that agree to this document, they hearby recognize the Lunerra Academy as its own soverign entity if, and only if, it remains neutral and impartial to the political affairs of nations. The College shan't campaign or endorse one nation above any other, with the exception being for individual mages who choose to fight in wars of their own accord. If this neutrality is held, the Mage is hearby granted the same rights and dignities of the common mortal, and is fully consdiered a citizen of the nation they dwell in. They are exempt of taxation, retain the right to practice their arcane craft, and may freely travel the lands."

This stipulation Ensures that mages do not face the same rampant persecution they once faced. While the academy has to remain neautral on all foreign matters, an individual mage is allowed to swear loyalty to an army or cause and fight in polticial wars. Doing so however means the academy essentially washes their hands of the mage, and they are on their own up until the end of the conflict.

Articles of Warding

"Those present and to come hearby grant the Mages of the Lunerra academy the right over the Mageborn. Should they be found admist anywhere in the nations populace, they are entrusted as Wards of the children and aspirants, who are charged with boarding, protecting, and instructing these young in the ways of magic until they come of age. Under no circumstance may exception be given to children of any station, no single noble house or royal family."

After thier instruction, adult mageborn are free to depart from the academy and pursue the life of a Journeymen Wizard. Most however opt to to remain part of the orginization to some degree. While some debate has been had on if someone has to attent the academy should they be found to be Mageborn, by and large most agree that it is at least very much encouraged to send Mageborn to Lunerra.

Article of Enterprise

"Those present and to come hearby recognize the Lunerra Academy as free to conduct its own affairs and govern itself within the stipulations of this agreement. It shall keep to its agreed upon territory, and shall be the sole voice of law and order within its borders. Should any other academy be made, they shall be subject to rigours and intense scrutiny, wherein the sucessors of these founding orginizations shall either approve of disapprove of new academies."

This agreement was to make Lunerra the sole ruler of its borders, and that it shall not seek to expand its borders anymore than the agreed upon borders at the time of the signing. This also allows the academy to offer magical services impartially to any and all clients and nations as long as it is at fair and equal cost. This also in turn legalized the production and sale of arcane artifacts and items, so long as they were produced from the academy itself. This also paved the way for addiotnal academies to be made, though few have the same backing and recognition of Lunerra.

Articles of Malefiction

"These nations and peoples present and beyond hearby recognize that measures to forbid select magic discplines is not only wise, but a basic requirement for this article. Lunerra and any academy hereafter must never teach students the summoning of demons and devils, creation of undead, bending of sanguine fluid, or corruption of the land and life itself. Any mages found practicing such disciplines shall be put to death, and all legal protections on them instnatly revoked upon discovery. If the academy or any after are found breaking this article openly, the entire article is consdiered void, and they lose their protections."

Perhaps the most important part of the entire debate, these articles hearby banned the practice of necromancy, sangromancy, and daemonology primarily. However, it should be noted that due to its wording, while it bans the practice it does not ban the study. There have been some who tested the boundaries they could push with this fact, and it has resulted in several instances of redeabting the articles. However it is clear what happens when one practices such banned magics: they are hearby consdiered an outcast, and better off dead for the good of everyone. Enforcment is taken very seriously, but is often difficult for these practioners are often not very keen on being seen out in the open.

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Type

Decree, Governmental

Ratification Date

345EC

Location

Nilush

Authors

• Melissa Reynolds

Signatories (Characters)

• Grand Master Zibeus
• King Julius
• Pope Clement