Burj Alhikma (burd͡ʒ al.ˈħik.ma)
"The Malika of Saba has gathered together more True Mages in one place than has been seen since the days of the Clarati Empire. Her purpose for doing so is unknown, but their actions so far have been concerning to me."
The Burj Alhikma is the largest gathering of True Mages in the Great Ring. It was founded by the Malika of Saba, who still leads it and directs its efforts. It has a dozen members other than the Malika herself, drawn from cultures across the Million Islands.
The name "Burj Alhikma" translates as "The Tower of Wisdom" in Nagari, and was originally applied to the physical structure the Malika built to house her school of Magic. Over time, the name was applied to the organization as well as the building. It is rumored the tower itself is magical, and may actually exist in more than one place - specifically that it is in the city of Tarshish and on the Ard Al-Malika at the same time.
Structure
The individual members of the Burj Alhikma are all considered equals, subordinate only to the Malika herself. In practice, there is a seniority based on age and power. Some of the members of the Burj are centuries old, and their word carries more weight than that of their younger colleagues.
Public Agenda
Ostensibly, the Burj Alhikma is an academic institution, dedicated to the study of Magic and the training of those who are gifted with the ability to wield it. In practice, the Burj magi use their magic to carry out the Malika's agenda. Many of them have been granted high positions within the Malikate of Saba, with more than a few serving as Muhafizun, governing large territories in the Malika's name. The Malika makes no secret of their magical powers, and their very existence is a deterrent to any who might consider attacking the Malikate.
History
The founding of the Burj Alhikma was one of the first acts of the Malika when she established the Malikate of Saba. True Mages have long had a bad reputation, especially in those regions once ruled by the Clarati, and young mages frequently hid their ability out of fear of their neighbors. The Malika made it clear that they were invited to come to her, and that she would help them learn to harness their gifts and give them a place of power and respect to replace the life of fear and secrets. This proved a great enticement to many young mages, and over the last several hundred years the Burj has steadily increased in size. A few members (most notably Poniriá) have later chosen to leave the Burj, but most have stayed with the tower and are loyal to the Malika.
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
An interesting piece, with some hints of definite stories. I'm curious if there was any history behind the prejudice the mages faced, like did something happen once long ago, and it had led to that mistrust? And I find the idea that they are all ostensibly equals besides the founder/head of the guild wonderfully refreshing as a concept, so often the idea of a true like mage's guild or college comes with much more staggered and multi-step hierarchies, so that is a neat and different take. Finally the idea that the actual physical structures, the organization headquarters is in more than one place at once is a very cool bit of worldbuilding, regardless if its true or simply exaggerated rumor.
Oh, there are lots of history about those with the gift of True Magic and what they did. There were the Nakaal, whose magic required the consumption of souls, and the Clarati, who used the population of Ynys as lab equipment in their study of the Egregoric Force. Then there's the Malika herself, who has used her powers to claim and hold the Malikate (including crushing any hint of rebellion ruthlessly). A little to the north is a retired member of the Burj, who has created an artist's colony - and terminated a war that annoyed her by turning everyone into stone. The people with the gift of true magic (which occurs in about 1 in a million people) have a history of being corrupted by that power. Thanks for the comment!