Order of the Magi

The sigil of the Magi consists solely of a hand with a quill on a white background

The Order of the Magi is an order of scholars, loremasters, scientists, doctors, healers, magicians, and other learned people in Pelegon. 

View of the House of Wisdom

Recruitment, Training, and Structure

The Order of the Magi is structured in a ranked system. The Order is open to all social classes and all races, making it a common destination for the more intellectually gifted commoners looking for social advancement. Anyone may enter the Order and achieve the lowest ranks, however, going past the rank of Scholar requires one to take an oath of allegiance to the Order, giving up all inheritances and taking a vow of celibacy and service. Magi dress plainly, often in white robes, only ornamented by the symbols of the Order and their awards of knowledge. 

The most distinctive feature of the Magi are their headgear, a conical hat with a veil on the back. These are the most identifiable feature of the Magi and have become a symbol of scholarship across the Empire.

A young Magus in the robes and distinctive headgear of the Magi

• Acolyte: a new recruit who has yet to finish any course of study
• Scholar: a learned student who has completed at least one course of study but no more than three
• Magus: upon completing three courses of study, a scholar may either leave the Order or take their vows and become a magus to continue their education
• High Magus: rank granted upon gaining and proving expertise in a particular subject or subjects, sits on the Council of High Magi
  • Council of High Magi: the closest thing the Order has to a legislative body, the Council is the governing body of the Order and consists of all of the High Magi, making its size constantly in flux
• Court Magus: the magus, usually one of the high magi, who sits on the Imperial Conclave and serves as the personal magus of the Imperial family; selected by the Council of High Magi
• Archmagus: the leader of the Council and Order, elected from the high magi by the High Magi for a one-year term. The only difference between the Archmagus and the other High Magi is that the Archmagus' vote counts as three

Service

By law, all houses of lordly status must pay for the services of a magus. Many smaller houses also pay for a magus due to their knowledge.

History

The Order of the Magi was founded by its first Archmagus, Zahra, shortly after the fall of the Octarchy. Originally a staple of Notoshi culture, after the Pelegonic Conquest the order received jurisdiction across the entire Empire. Zahra was a noted scholar and had fled from Armiloth during the Sundering of the World, bringing a limited amount of knowledge with her. She settled in an island in Lake Arcanos and built a small order of scholars. Over time, this would grow into the Magi.

Many nobles have studied at the House of Wisdom up to the rank of scholar, most notably Adrastus I, who became a scholar in his youth.