The Harrowing

Mage Training

The ultimate test of a Circle mage is the secret and sacred rite of the Harrowing.

Execution

The rite itself is fairly simple. With the aid of a dose of lyrium, the apprentice’s mind is sent across the Veil and into the depths of the Fade. There the apprentice must resist the attack of a demon, which attempts to possess the candidate. If the apprentice’s will is strong enough to fend off the demon’s attack then the test is successful and the candidate becomes a full-fledged mage of the Circle, having proven the necessary strength of will and character to master and use magic.

Components and tools

• A dose of Lyrium 

Participants

It is the event every Circle apprentice studies, trains, and prepares for.

Observance

The Harrowing looms large for apprentices in part because the enchanters of the apprentice’s Circle decide, on their own and in secret, when and if the apprentice is ready for the rite. When they do so the apprentice is taken, without warning or preparation, to face the Harrowing. It can come at any time, and so one must always be ready.

Related Ethnicities

• Circle Mage