The Scholars

Known regionally, The Scholars are dedicated to magic research. Founded some 72 years ago by a small group of mages, this organization has grown to become a major authority on the matters of mana crystals and magic circles. They are most known for the high quality mana crystals they sell for use in mage staves, but their personal interest is a better understanding of the nature of magic and how it can be used. Their headquarters is located somewhere near Star River.

Inner Workings

As of 1214-01-01, The Scholars number 154 members from various backgrounds. Members wear white clothes with only the extremities of their sleeves colored according to their domain of expertise. Members actively participate in experiments, in which they try to discover new spells, increase the power of existing ones or discover materials suitable for magic use. Most of these happen in controlled environments, and have never directly put individual lives at risk — at least intentionally.

The organisation’s main source of income comes from selling magic crystals, and for that reason many of the members are required to help with their production. Most consider this to be rather boring, but a group of 12 mages actively studies their production, allowing the organisation to maintain its status as the leader on the subject. Outside of producing mana crystals, the only obligation of members is to report to the organisation on a monthly basis, providing it with the results of research conducted in that time span.

Reputation

Despite being a group of researchers who utilize humane methods, the Scholars are criticized from all sides, and have a generally poor reputation. They have been labelled heretics by at least six of the churches and have been labelled as criminals by many cities for their endorsement of necromancy and more generally practices associated with necromancy. This has forced members to hide their affiliation with the organisation. The main reasons the Scholars still exist are because they are among the most powerful mages in existence and due to their dominance of the magic market. Rumor has it that a single experienced Scholar managed to defend himself against an entire group of Valkyries of Tyr — but rumors tend to exaggerate things.

Research Results

During their 72 years of existence, the Scholars have amassed an impressive library of books describing magic-related techniques. These books vary from rough descriptions of magical phenomena to detailed research into specific spells. Some of these also relate to combat arts, deemed necessary for self-defense against those with no understanding of their research. The most impressive-looking of these is probably the technique labelled as ‘Aero Amplifier’ and one of the most used ones is ‘Spell Containers’.

Aero Amplifiers

Aero Amplifiers are composed of tiny mana crystals that the user shapes to form magic amplifiers. The power of this technique comes from the fact that drawings can be performed nearly instantaneously, and can amplify a spell to ludicrous levels. One particular experiment has shown that it was possible to multiply the power of a spell by a factor of more than 20 using this technique. Obviously, Aero Amplifiers require a high degree a skill, because their use involves the ability to maintain a spell while casting another, which is why the technique is most used on simple spells.

Spell Containers

In terms of skill requirements, spell containers are the opposite of Aero Amplifiers, requiring nearly no skill whatsoever to use. A spell container can hold a single spell, and reproduce it one time. Spell Containers come in many shapes, but the most common form is a wooden cylindrical container. They have many uses, and while they are mostly used for teaching and research purposes among Scholars, they could be used to allow a personal who hasn’t studied magic to use it to a limited degree.


Creator: Neelien

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