Post by Puck on May 10, 2015 14:37:10 GMT
MAGICIAN'S GUILD INTRODUCTION
An organization whose origins draw upon necessity and the collective with to pass down their life's work. The Magician's Guild devotes itself to the study and further advancement of Magic of all forms possible. There is quite a mystery behind their inclusive group. Like the Martial Forest Coalition, they rarely allow outsiders in for fear that their research may be tampered with or even stolen. That is not unreasonable especially when the 2000 Demon Outbreak has brought the supernatural out into the open. With a couple of human corporations wanting to get their hands on the "unnatural" to line up their profits, who could truly blame them?
The Outbreak, as many have seen, is a massive boon to them despite the mere mortals trying to clamor for their knowledge. Given the previous decline of Traditional Magic, the Outbreak again provided the necessary mystery that allowed it to regain its former strength before the Renaissance and Reformation periods. However, this effect is what made many suspicious of the Guild for having any form of involvement with the Outbreak. However, no such evidence exists after this long. On another note, the Outbreak allowed the Guild to put pressure on the Church. It is no secret that the two organizations were at odds at each other. However, given the I.A.C.S.B.'s involvement and the factor of public opinion, it has been effective enough to force an armistice between the Church and the Guild. However, that doesn't mean that behind the scenes such conflicts aren't possible after all.
Those in the East are generally not looked upon equals as Magicians given the conflicting ideologies of Eastern and Western Magic Systems. While Asian practitioners, Daoist Priests and even Onmyoujis, are part of the Guild, they do not have close ties to the West. There is animosity between the two spheres, but that does not prevent either from practicing each other's magic systems. That said, it is clear that both spheres are in direct competition as far as advances and knowledge goes. What they both have in common is that they rely on the Martial Forest Coalition to serve as a buffer against supernatural enemies and even the Church that directly antagonizes them. As far as the I.A.C.S.B. goes, the Guild in the East has a rather close relationship due to the earlier World War Two. The West looks down upon them, but grudgingly accepts that sometimes they may need to rely on their power, political and strength.
The Outbreak, as many have seen, is a massive boon to them despite the mere mortals trying to clamor for their knowledge. Given the previous decline of Traditional Magic, the Outbreak again provided the necessary mystery that allowed it to regain its former strength before the Renaissance and Reformation periods. However, this effect is what made many suspicious of the Guild for having any form of involvement with the Outbreak. However, no such evidence exists after this long. On another note, the Outbreak allowed the Guild to put pressure on the Church. It is no secret that the two organizations were at odds at each other. However, given the I.A.C.S.B.'s involvement and the factor of public opinion, it has been effective enough to force an armistice between the Church and the Guild. However, that doesn't mean that behind the scenes such conflicts aren't possible after all.
Those in the East are generally not looked upon equals as Magicians given the conflicting ideologies of Eastern and Western Magic Systems. While Asian practitioners, Daoist Priests and even Onmyoujis, are part of the Guild, they do not have close ties to the West. There is animosity between the two spheres, but that does not prevent either from practicing each other's magic systems. That said, it is clear that both spheres are in direct competition as far as advances and knowledge goes. What they both have in common is that they rely on the Martial Forest Coalition to serve as a buffer against supernatural enemies and even the Church that directly antagonizes them. As far as the I.A.C.S.B. goes, the Guild in the East has a rather close relationship due to the earlier World War Two. The West looks down upon them, but grudgingly accepts that sometimes they may need to rely on their power, political and strength.
MAGICIAN'S GUILD RANKS
Scholars: Mages devoted to research and the furthering of their craft. These are the kind of mages many see the most. Due to their focus to research and the search for more knowledge, the Scholars lack combat experience and many of their spells are usually not applicable for fighting.
- Students: Beginning pupils of experienced magicians. They have recently gotten into magic and need to know more about the basics. They are limited to E rank abilities, skills, and spells related to magic. They may start with one magical discipline.
- Intern: Magicians that have finally learned pretty much the basics by now. They all know the theory by heart. Interns are usually teaching and research assistants of many competent magicians. These Magicians cannot be considered actual Magicians yet as they need more experience. They strive to better their craft under the tutelage of their betters. Can have access up to D rank abilities, skills, and spells related to magic. May have two magical disciplines total.
- Professor: A full-fledged user of magic. A competent conjurer employed and reasonably trusted by many. These are your teachers of Magic. May have their own Interns, at least having one under them, and many students. Capable of C rank abilities, skills, and spells with relation to magic. May have at most three magical disciplines total, this is at the stopping point of how many disciplines a magician could bother with as each one is very expansive.
- Department Chair: A professor whose prestige, skill, and/or research has become famously known in their own Schools or even in the world. They head a group of professors in a specified department of their known specialty. B rank spells, abilities, and skills of magic are accessible to them.
- Dean: Out of the group of Department Chairs, a Dean is chosen to head the whole school. A Magician who is trusted by all of the Magicians in the school. Someone who works together with his colleagues of Scholars and even the Enforcers. As of the school, they usually have higher authority than a Judge. Also represents the school when going over to the Netherlands for important political meetings and whatnot. S and A rank spells/abilities/skills is the brunt of their power.
- President: The head of all of the schools in the Magician's Guild. Democratically elected by all of the Deans. It is only a mere title, though it possesses power as they have power over the Enforcers and even the Deans.
Enforcers: Guild members who are the combative arm of the faction. These mages enforce the rules of their respective University and the Guild on an overall. Many of their spells have been tuned towards combat. Due to their focus there, they are looked down upon by the Western sphere of the Guild while the East is mostly comprised of them.
- Magistrate: Low ranking Enforcers who have been recently drafted. These Magicians are the lowest of the bunch. Capable of E to D rank abilities, skills, and spells related to magic.
- Executor: The more experienced Enforcer that have been around to get used to the job. They are most trustworthy than their lower ranking colleagues. Capable of C rank abilities, skills, and spells related to magic.
- Justice: Enforcers with much experience and the jurisdiction to judge apprehended Magicians in Court. They have much power within the Guild's society. Many Aristocratic Families are quite familiar with these people as they commonly try to bribe them into their favor. Capable of S to B rank abilities, skills, and spells related to magic.
- Chief Justice: The head of the Enforcers that number three total. They are judge at the highest court of Magical and Supernatural law in the Guild. At least someone who used to be a Justice may take this role. The Chief Justices tend to be the highest commanding officers of the Guild's armed forces under the President.
MAGICIAN'S GUILD CLASSES
Each Magician has their specialty. They are given specific categorizations based on where their specialty lies.
- Warlocks/Witches: Those whom practice the more ancient types of Magic, dating from ancient Greco-Roman practices. Those commonly associated with being "Witches" were usually of this sort. Before the Renaissance they were easily the most widespread type of Guild, but following the rise of Alchemy have since fallen out of favor slightly. Usually deal with the more abstract side of magic such as spirits, magic words, manipulation magic, rituals, and demons. The Thule Society was one such Guild before it's destruction. Since then the dabbling in any sort of demon-centric magic has been outlawed within the Guild, although some fringe cults still attempt such rituals in secret, hidden from the eyes of the Guilds. One of the two major types of magic in the Western World, and is limited almost entirely to it.
- Alchemists: Can be divided into three types, European, Chinese, and Indian. All three types have roots in ancient cultures, but only European Alchemy saw a sudden resurgence during the time of the Renaissance. For a long time Alchemy was the undisputed head of European Magecraft, and even today is still one of the most prominent schools taught in the Western World. The Chinese and Indian methodologies still exist, but are much more local and did not suffer from similar surges in popularity, causing them to be less popular in their respective areas.
- Holy Men: Treated more as Priests and religious Service Men than mages, Usually deal with magic regarding Spirits and the Soul. In the East this is the predominant form of Magic, with Onmyouji only being the term for them within Japan. However, these guilds encompass various sorts of religious holy men, such as Shinto Priests, Buddhist Monks, and etc. Compared to the Western World they are much more advanced in the arts of purification and rituals regarding spirits and demons, but usually suffer from specialization more than their Western counterparts. They are often compared to being what the Church is to Christianity towards other religious practices by the common man, and so they suffered the least backlash of all the types of Guilds after the Outbreak.
- Shamans: Shamanistic and Druidic Guilds have been found across the globe, from early greco-roman European tribes to Asia, the Americas, Africa, and everywhere in-between. Since European Shamanism and Druidism have been semi absorbed by those whom practice the the arts of Withcraft, this descriptor is used less for them and more for "all the Guilds/practices they don't commonly identify". Most indigenous practices still observed among Native Americans and the tribes of Africa fall into this category. This category tends to verge on being very ambiguous and broad due to the magical community placing most anything they don't understand or think is "primitive" into.
MAGICIAN'S GUILD SCHOOLS
The Magician's Guilds is a body of magical schools broaching upon the topic of the supernatural and furthering the research of magic. While they gather at the Metis' Circle, they are divided into separate number of schools in a number of continents/countries where it is further divided into departments varying by region. Some of these schools are more specialized by styles of Magic depending on region and country. However, that does not mean that they are deficient in foreign Magic styles such as Western Alchemy and what not. Below here are the main schools in the world.
- Metis' Circle: The Central School of all of the Magician's Guild, or at least it's accepted to be. Located in Western Europe, the Circle covers a wide range of subjects and many Schools travel there for the sake of convening a conference or a gathering to discuss important matters. This is the school where many Western magicians find their beginnings here.
- Visucius Sect: The School covering Eastern Europe and the Middle East, it finds itself centered in Poland. Magicians tend to end up here to study forms of Magic that is not covered as well here. This Sect finds itself more full of Warlocks and Witches than any other style of Magicians.
- Onmyo-Ryo: Once an organization of Onmyouji serving the Emperor. Now, a Magician's Guild whose jurisdiction spans from Japan to the rest of Pacific Islanders. Many Holy Men and Shamans find themselves here, but they still offer a rigorous course of Western Magic styles here.
- White Cloud Temple: The central temple of Chinese Daoism. But also a Magician's Guild whose influence spans through the rest of mainland Asia. Like the Onmyo-Ryo, it covers a rigorous course of Western Magic while also having a bigger population of Holy Men and Shamans.
THE ARISTOCRATIC FAMILIES
The society of the Magician's Guild is by many means venomous as it is common for magicians to keep their research jealously to themselves and to their families that continues . However, the most prestigious of families tend to be of the aristocratic class of Magicians in the Guild. They are the ones that tend to fill important seats of politics in the Guild. Others may have more prestige and ability than even some of the aristocratic families around if they either once had an ancestor that was apprenticed under a prestigious magician in archaic times such as Merlin and others who may actually be related such famous conjurers. It goes without saying that either of these requirements would produce a powerful Magician family of its own.
MAGICIAN'S LIMITATIONS
- Spell Casting: The bread and butter of their existence. Magicians can all use magic with their own styles. Some can take up traditional systems.
- Technology: They aren't above from using technology. But like the Ki Artists, they tend to rely more on the magecraft. Though this varies from magician to magician.
- Ki Arts: Unlikely to find anyone willing to find an Artist to teach them given the nature of their traditions and society. But even so, the different doctrines of training would make advancement in the Ki Arts difficult for a Magician.
- Hunters: Because the Church loathes Magicians, they would do best to avoid them if at all possible.
- Hybrids and Psychics: Like any other person, Hybrids and Psychics are also capable of learning Magic. Hybrids may even have access to the unique Magic system of their inhuman race.
- Divisions: They can join either division of their own choice from the start and may change back any time.
- I.A.C.S.B.: Magicians may come to work for the I.A.C.S.B. for various reasons such as a pursuit of a career or the benefits of their own research. In either case, they would contribute to its power. However, they would not wield Spiritual Armaments as they have no need for them.
HOW THE MAGICIAN'S GUILD IS BEING VIEWED
- I.A.C.S.B.: See the I.A.C.S.B. section in Magician's Limitations.
- Martial Forest Coalition: Eastern Sphere of the Guild enjoys a closer relationship with the Coalition due to their long history together. The Western sphere enjoys the protection the Ki Artists provides as they are "paying customers" in a sense.
- Church: Goes without saying that the Church would love to eradicate them for all the heresies they wrought with their craft. Though there are more "tolerant" individuals that the Guild doesn't mind making deals with. It probably would not be long until they go into an all-out war with the Church.
GENERAL MAGICIAN SKILLS/ABILITIES LIST
Skills: You may also seeks some Skills from the Human Introduction.
Name: Magical Knowledge (<Insert name of Magic Style/System>)
Description: The skill all magician's have, their knowledge of magic. This may range from all sorts of styles of magic imagined. This may include the traditional styles such as Onmyoudo, Alchemy, and Kabbalah. Others may not follow that mold and go about their own way. The rank of this skill determines how good you are at utilizing said magic style and will be a big factor in determining how well advanced you are within your specialized field. In order to cast a spell of a rank, this skill must at least have the same rank or higher.
Rank: S~E
Name: Arma Maga Creation
Description: The skill concerning on how to create Mystic Codes. Every magi may have their own unique manner of making their own Mystic Codes with their own unique powers. As it allows an object to have a spell-like characteristic, the creation of a Mystic Code will depend on the skill rank of Thaumaturgical Knowledge. The extend of creating Arma Maga is restricted as to what kind of Magic Systems the Magician in question knows and specializes in.
Rank: S~E
Requirement: Magical Knowledge D rank
Name: Shortened Incantation (<Insert name of Magic Style/System>)
Description: One's expertise of magic becomes more apparent as they shorten the incantations needed for casting a single higher ranked spell. Lines may not be removed completely, but it is shortened for the sake of casting quickly. This range of mastery applies to B and C rank spells depending on the rank of this skill. However if the spell in question is a complicated ritual, this skill may not be able to be applied.
Rank: B~C
Requirement: Magical Knowledge B~C
Name: Accelerated Aria (<Insert name of Magic Style/System>)
Description: An improved version of Shortened Incantation as to where Magicians can speed up incantations to the point that it takes half the time to cast. This is a mark of a master magician, a very skilled one indeed. This range of mastery applies to S and A rank spells depending on the rank of this skill. However if the spell in question is a complicated ritual, this skill may not be able to be applied.
Rank: S~A
Requirement: Magical Knowledge S~A Rank and Intellectual Will C Rank
Name: Intellectual Will
Description: Training in a way that one's casting of a spell cannot be easily interrupted by external influences. It would take incapacitating actions in order to actually stop a casting magician. By C rank an interrupted Magician can continue where they left off if they wish, but it must be immediate as possible.
Rank: C~E
Requirement: Bravery Rank E
Name: Atelier
Description: Every Magician has a place where they can devote themselves to research. A very personal space that many shouldn't attempt to enter without permission. The average Magician can set up a simple "workshop" for this purpose. This workshop allows a Magician to work without drawing too much attention from mere mortals. However, the supernaturally-inclined would still easily perceive its presence. To personalize an Atelier further would require a Magical Knowledge Skill.
Rank: E
Abilities: You may also seeks some Abilities from the Human Introduction.
Name: Magical Manipulation
Description: The ability to cast Magic. One must be born to use it. With this ability, the world can be manipulated to the degree of one's knowledge and affinity in Magic. This ability ranks up with one's own Mana Statistic. All Magicians must have this ability or they cannot cast anything. That said, they must have this ranked up to at least same rank of the desired spell they wish to cast.
Rank: E
Name: Over-load
Description: The ability to "supercharge" a spell so that its effects are further enhanced. However, after use, the Magician will not be able to cast spells for at best two posts. This is commonly used among Enforcers as they are the combative arm of the Magician's Guild and sometimes they need more firepower. Scholars usually do not make much use of this ability and it is rare to see one capable of using it.
- E: + modifier to a spell.
- C: ++ modifier to a spell.
- A: +++ modifier to a spell.
Rank: A~E