The Nature and History of the Imperial Mages

The Imperial Mages' Guild, with its subordinate Imperial Mages' Academy, was founded by Imperial Decree, said decree reflecting the wishes of the people.

In the year 214 NA with the war of reclamation finally at an end, the Confederation issued and imperial decree to satisfy the general population of the Confederation. The decree effectively outlawed the use of wizardly magic, anyone found practising such an offence was to be put to death. The Order of the Sword was issued with the power to implement the decree.

During the 2 ^nd Mage War and the War of Reclamation that followed the Confederation had come to the conclusion that the magic arts were an extremely potent weapon. In order to maintain the security of the confederation and to retain the use of this weapon the Imperial Mages Guild was set in motion. The guild required that all practising mages must be registered and could only practise the arts for the benefit of the Confederation as a whole or in the privacy of the Academy.

The “Ars Magica” was recognised as a powerful tool and weapon, a weapon with which the Sythian Mages had almost destroyed the combined might of the Confederation. The general populace was frightened by the use of magic. The racial governments of the realms were disturbed by the open use of magic and associated it with the recently defeated enemy. Those practitioners of the Art within the Confederation naturally wished for freedom to practice their skills, but were keenly aware of the public attitude. Several well-known spellweavers, who had been heroes but a few years before, were executed by out-of-control mobs.

Several of the fallen hero’s included Haderas Nijara who was stoned to death in the central square of Springsoniatown Forge for simply lighting his pipe with a simple cantrip. Kesmat Pyromagus, defender of Khardfee, was bound and thrown into the Trade Canal to see if using magic has tainted his soul, as he quickly sunk and drown his innocence of being tainted was proven beyond a doubt, but only at the cost of his very life. Darek Sythbane, friend and councillor of the Empress, was burned at the stake while travelling through Windtown seeking survivors of the razed College of Transmuters.

Anita Brand, the current empress saw the troubles that were slowly brewing and boiling over called for her counsellors to advise her, amongst them some prominent spellweavers, and ardent supporters of the anti-magic movement. Months were spent in discussion and debate. Finally, it was determined that the free and unrestricted use of magic would tear the Confederation apart. Equally unacceptable was the total prohibition of the Art, for such would weaken the Realms against a future Sythian invasion. Empress Brand, in desperation to establish peace among her subjects, issued one of the rare edicts of the Emperor, the second of her reign (the first had been a declaration of war against the invading Sythian Mages). By imperial edict, the public use of magic was forbidden in the five realms of the Confederation.

What did this edict of the Empress mean for spellweavers in the Confederation? That was a much-debated question, and is still hotly debated today, over 500 years later, despite the decision being made so long ago. In the first few years, there were nearly as many interpretations of the edict as there were spellweavers in the Confederation. Eventually, however, a few strong camps emerged. The general populace, led by a few vocal priests and warriors, wanted the edict to mean that all magic use was prohibited. The small number of magic and bardic colleges held to the opinion that only the “public” use of magic was forbidden, and that their members could practice their Art in “private” without breaking the law. Need I remind the reader here that the Colleges became the targets of peasant riots? The Brotherhood of Knowledge, a college comprising of diviners and enchanters, lost over half of their library to arson and only managed to save themselves only by the timely use of charms and spells of mass slumber. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dragon, an abjurers college, was forced to keep their windows shuttered and their apprentices indoors due to mob violence and rocks thrown at the building; the list went on and on with similar cases.

Anita Brand, in her wisdom, penned the first amendments to her Edict, amendments, which, with further additions over the years, eventually became the charter for a spellweavers guild which colloquially became known as the Imperial Mages Guild. It was decided that the Confederation would allow spellweavers and magi to practice their Art on the condition that they be registered with the government. In other words, the Imperium extended its protection to those practitioners of the Art who came forward to enlist in governmental service. The duty of the spellbinder has become a duty to the Emperor, to the protection of the Confederation. Those who fail to come forward and register their talents fall under the prohibition. The public use of magic remains anathema, and those who practice this crime must answer to the law.

Those who enrolled in the academy or the associated colleges gain the manifold of benefits for joining. They gain the freedom to practice their Art while removing the shadow of persecution from their everyday lives. Registered as such, they were and are be eligible for conscription in times of war, in essence becoming the defenders of Thardferr. The practitioners of the “Ars Magica” in past eras were in favor of this. Conscription is no new thing, for in wartime, peasants and commoners are often conscripted to serve as foot soldiers in the local militias. However, by registering as a magus, the spellbinder became exempted from active service as a foot soldier or a military peon, and was instead granted a position of respect and authority should he face conscription.

With the end of 217 the confederation had established the Imperial Mages Academy and the guild was well on its way to being formed. The other magical and bardic colleges subordinated their charters to the IMG insuring that their members were registered. The spellbinders of the era were quick to rally; bringing scribed copies of their private libraries to Academy located in Coopersville Forge. The organization arose from there, eventually developing into what is now known as the Imperial Mages Guild. The Academy still exists, and is still the center of magical knowledge in the imperium. It is where all magi and apprentices must be registered.

Needless to say the edict restricting magic, as past in 214 NA, outraged the elven population and any chance of the Edilar of joining the Confederation had been shattered. In the space of the next three years the Confederation set about creating a compromise, one that would satisfy the elves of Edilar and the growing animosity the people had for those who could used magic. In the end a compromise was reached and the formation of what was to become the Imperial Mages Guild was established. In 217 NA the guild was formally established with the completion of the Imperial Mages Academy in the heart of the great city of the confederation, Coopersville Forge.

In the ough of 217, Edilar was asked to join the Confederation. With the edict of the Empress greatly restricting the use of magic, many of the Elves were against joining. However, the greater number of Elves were more than willing to join with the Confederation and their non-elven allies, forming the Confederation into the six realms. But, the Elves had one condition that had to be met before they would join. Edilar was to be exempt from the prohibition on public magic use. Edilar has always had its own academies of the “Ars Magica”, and spellbinders have always held a position of esteem and high regard within elven society. Therefore, most of the Elves refused to register with the Imperial Mages Academy. They viewed conscription as demeaning, for feynon magi would volunteer first. It was many years before the Academy saw an elven member, nearly a century in fact, for it was the year 312 when the Elves first accepted the magical restrictions of the Confederation. It was at this time that the collegiate of Ta'Aralas signed the Academy charter and offered their allegiance.

These few elven spellbinders brought their knowledge, their wisdom, and their craft to the human academy. These worked toward loosening the restrictions imposed by the Emperor, and to a certain extent have done so. The laws have become much more lenient than the original edict with its general prohibition.

The Imperial Mages Guild did not take so light a stance on the elves as the Academy did. While elven spellsplingers remained with in the sanctuary of Edilar the guild had no dispute with them, but should they wish to travel the lands of the confederation then they must be registered with the academy. The only exception to this law was for travelling ambassadors from the Edilar nation, but only while under the protection from the Order of the Sword.

There were only a few instances where the edict relating to the use of magic permitted the use of it in any public forum. The first concerned the well being of the mage, when their lives are in mortal danger, and there is no other way to save it, then magic may be used. However, the magic used must not kill or in anyway permanently injure the targets and no damage can be caused to any from of property, whether intentional or not. The other time when magic was permitted was when on official guild business, and even then discretion must be shown.

All spells from the schools of invocation, evocation, conjuration, summoning and necromancy are outlawed by the guild. They are never taught and it is an offence to even have them in your spellbook (there are however a few exceptions, such as the shield spell). This is not to say that the spells are unknown to the mages, they are just extremely well controlled and regulated by the guild. Special permits need to be gained before their use or even delving into their secrets through research. The schools of conjuration and summoning have had their restrictions reduced in recent times, allowing several of the lower powered spells into general use.

Since its conception the guild has expanded over the years and has formed three additional branches, such as a policing and intelligence arm, an administrative section, and a researching branch. Combined with the fourth part, the mages Academy the guild has diversified and with the aid and assistance of the Order of the Sword can now effectively govern the use of magic within 5 of the 6 realms in the confederation.

Those magi who register with the Academy are branded with a magical tattoo, identifying their affiliation with the Confederation. They also have their magical “signature,” an aura unique to each spellweaver, recorded and stored on file. Upon attaining a certain degree of power, usually when the magus attains access to magics of the Third Circle, the spellweaver is required to undergo certain tests by the IMG. Success in these tests allows the spellweaver to graduate from the Academy into the Guild, receiving an upgraded tattoo, and earning a great burden of responsibility to the Confederation and to the Emperor.

Unfortunately, for 500 years, there was no enemy to fight, no Sythian magi to threaten our existence. Many spell binders grew soft in the interim. They decided that by not registering, they could avoid the conscription clause. They saw the academies of the Elves and the magical liberality of Edilar, and felt slighted by their own conservative government. Many spell binders sought hidden guilds, anarchistic academies free from imperial control. The Inconnu, formerly a defender of the Confederation, joined in this movement, establishing their own hidden, outlaw college of magic.

It was then that the Syth chose to make their appearance once more, after the magi of the Six Realms became lost in their own world, separated from each other, no longer serving the Empire. Some of these rogue spell binders, having forgotten the true nature of the Syth during 500 years of peace and prosperity, joined with the enemy in hopes of reward, and some in a misguided sense of patriotism felt that peace could be achieved by bringing a quick end to the military forces of the Confederation. Even one of Elven Academies proved to be allied with the enemy of all Thardferr.

Mayhap, without the most recent war, public opinion might have eventually become tolerant of the Ars Magica. As things stand now, however, the superstitions of the people have been reinforced. Spell binders have been shown to be evil, in league with the enemy, and not to be trusted. This is all the more reason for all magi in the Realms to register with the IMA, to educate the populace. Sadly, however, the rogues and renegades continue to make a further bad name for those of us who are patriots. These renegades preach anarchy, and overthrow of the imperial order. They see order, discipline, and patriotism as shackles to be loosed, as a burden to be shed. My heart weeps for these, but at the same time I cry out against them, for such as they weakened us before the Sythian enemy, and they continue to weaken us now, as a new enemy arises with the internal strife which tears apart the Six Realms.

For five centuries, we were strong, though our numbers have never been many. Through discipline and unity, we survived these five centuries despite fear and persecution and mistrust. The civilization around us has altered their views toward our gifts many times over these centuries. One generation might wish to hunt us down as devil-spawn, only to be halted by our Imperial sponsor; the next generation would venerate us. One generation might see us as non-persons, ignoring our presence; while the next would go out of their way to make our lives miserable. The most common reaction we get from people, though, is a mixture of fear and respect. Though they fear us and despise us, they recognize the power we wield. I refer not to the mystical power, though that is the source of their paranoia, but of political power. We have a high place in this society.

During the recent years of rebuilding, we have attempted to restore our tarnished image before the people. Too many still see all magic users as being cut from the same cloth as the traitorous elven magi, they consider all spellbinders to be traitors to the Confederation. Some, however, know better. Of late, the cowed fear has started to return, as the young Emperor shows his support of us, and as we re-earn the people's respect. During the arson fires which swept through Coopersville Forge with the assassins of Torin's Coronation Day Festival, several of our number were seen to be assisting the Guard in containing the flames. That city has grown more tolerant of us in recent months.