Learned Arcanist

Overview

The Andashi School of Gifts is older than the decision for resettlement in the city of Obregon. For decades, nomads would travel through the sand-covered ruins of Obregon and visit the sedentary mages of the buried spires, who would explain the arcane mysteries, purchase enchanted loot and provide guidance.

Nowadays the Andashi School of Gifts is the oldest and foremost School of Magic in The Concord. It looms over Obregon, its spires impossibly tall and regal. The students and lecturers of the Andashi School are on the cutting edge of arcane research and education. As such the mages that graduate from the school's variety of courses are well regarded as educated, effective, and powerful arcanists across The Concord and beyond.

Hungry for knowledge, proud and eager to prove, Learned Arcanists study the use of arcane magic in all its forms, in theory, and in practice, in the possible and the impossible. For something that is impossible is simply something that is unresearched.

Need:

Magus

To call yourself an Arcanist requires the Magus still, the spell chosen defines a character's graduation from the school.

Shouldn't:

None

Arcanists pride themselves on the flexibility of their minds. Later in their careers they may pick up a wide variety of skills.

Costume Marker:

Writ of Graduation

Upon completing their final trials atop the highest spire of the School, a test taken in the utmost secrecy, a graduate of the skill is granted their Writ of Graduation. Their writ details the accolades of their academic career, the names of their notable lecturers and most importantly, their graduating specialty. Depending on which spell the character chooses changes their graduating specialty as follows:

Damage: Warmagic
Fear/Empower: Illusion
Knockback/Shackle: Telekinesis
Silence/Venom: Arcanomancy
Reforge: Artificery
Mend Limb/Heal/Purify: Healing
Recall: Waystone Studies
Deadspeaker: Thanaturgy

Within the School itself, Arcanists are required to keep their writ on their person at all times to access resources, certain libraries and even whole floors of the school. As such they are often secured in ornate and protective cases on the belt or in a pouch. The regular requirements to ‘present your writ’ inadvertently trains Arcanists to present their writ quickly and often, sometimes in situations where it is uncalled for.

Losing your writ or having it destroyed is quite embarrassing for an Arcanist, as the replacement process is long and expensive. Over time, many will return to the school to prove proficiency in new spells or skills, adding additional writs or amendments to the original document to prove their newfound prowess.

History:

While the Schools of Gifts original purpose appears to be the same as its current one, that being the study of arcane magic, the specifics of its construction and use still elude its current occupants. It is believed that the structure was built towards the end of the Andashi Empire, near the year 200BE, but even this fact is debated.

What is known is that the School was first resettled fifty-one years before the resettlement of the Andashi people in the year 93AE. Its first graduates would not appear for nearly a decade, but since then the School has been testing, educating and certifying Arcanists to bear its mark.

The recognition of the School's Writ has only increased with time. The establishment of the new Andashi state and then The Concord has raised the prestige of the School and now Learned Arcanists from the School are well regarded even as far away as Crownsport in Drummond.

Three Things Learned Arcanists Are:

Adventurous Academics

For Learned Arcanists, magic is a tool to be used as well as studied. The School itself is a dynamic place and life is rarely different. Learned Mages wander the world looking for chances to prove themselves and their skills.

Loyal Alumni

The School of Gifts has given knowledge, camaraderie and skill to all Learned Arcanists, in return they give it their prestige and their time. All Learned Arcanists regard the school as their second home, and a place of great import, with many tithing their time, skill, or wealth back to it.

Proud Experts

Andashi do not balk at a conversation, and Learned Academics do not balk at a debate. A chance to discuss magic, from its smallest to its largest parts is common (reading the Magic page in the wiki is recommended). A favoured game is ‘Casting the Bait’, in a time of relaxation an Arcanist will put forward a blatantly incorrect, but a contentious statement, to which other Arcanists are obliged to debate against.

One Thing Learned Arcanists Aren't:

Bookish Fops

While Learned Arcanists are well studied and spend much of their time with their noses in books, The School of Gifts spits out the meek. Magic is the greatest challenge and gift in all existence, and only those with the courage to grab it with both hands will succeed.