The Institute of Wizards
We approached the spiralling tower. "Oi, Bellmont!" Loke fran Tundren banged on the door and the hinges rattled, "I ain't gettin' much younger out here - open up, klöka, and get your snout out those books!" No answer. "Perhaps he's not home?" I suggested. He spat on the dirt. I gawked up at him, "For luck," the hunter said.The Institute of Wizards was formed after The Mages' Accord to legislate and hold mages accountable. A new culture emerged from the subsequent conflicts within aether-gifted communities, which meant the values of the Institute became the ideals of wizards in general.
Structure
Wizards hate to be regulated, but can put up with it in a democratic capacity. A university governs itself through a voting process amongst all the adult wizards, overseen by the Arcane Chancellor. Youths and Apprentices aren't allowed to take part in these discussions, instead to conduct maintenance whilst their masters are away. Renegade wizards - or those who have simply run away - also don't have a say on their operations.
Though rumoured to be dead, Merlin tends to be the Order's representation in the "aether-ignorant" world, especially in the Council of Camelan. This is because the Institute's real leader, Krupin, hardly ever takes interest in politics or matters within the Institute.
Culture
To learn more about wizards themselves, check out the appropriate article. This will explain the attitudes that the organisation nurture.
Their main objective is to use their knowledge only for the advancement of the whole and to gain a further understanding of the cosmos. Regularly compared to philosophers and physicians, their clinical precision and lack of mortal concerns make them unapproachable by those without something academic to say.
It's a culture of high discipline, but only if people are in breach of their ideals. They remain apathetic about breaching normal research ethics and the concerns of the aether-ignorant. Though they permit wizards to consult outside sources for research purposes, or to gain new understanding, they don't expect to be evaluated against the standards of outsiders. After all, what would they know about the cosmic balance?
Public Agenda
Their primary objective is to research magical phenomena and to learn how to use aether for the advancement of humanity. They insist their work isn't just for the good of certain people or communities but for the benefit of all existence and shouldn't be interfered with. Whether these world-progressing findings are shared is up to an individual wizard.
As people have been suspicious of magic (partly due to the wizards being so secretive about what it is they actually do), they don't have the right resources to help those able to use magic control their powers. Instead, most commoners would send their child to a Wizard University to live with "their own kind", thinking it for the better. They can also serve as custodians of children without parents if a monastery or conventional orphanage won't take in, especially cambion children.
Assets
Wizards set up wherever happens to be vacant and unclaimed. Some more unscrupulous members set fire to their desired building with a spell, watch the market value plummet as it burns, then build it back up again when they've staked their claim.
If someone tallied up their magical possessions and materials, they would be as wealthy as the Church, but most of these supplies are to be used up in spells or experiments rather than bartered. A wizard can live in just as much comfort as a conventional noble, with little effort on their part. That's even with alchemy, necromancy and "magic for mundane interests" being forbidden.
History
The King of Camelot, along with other rulers from Poraile, signed a demand for magical persons to be held accountable for their actions within "aether-ignorant" territories. This document was known as "The Mages' Accord".
Some mages responded by founding the Institute of Wizards, but remain uninterested in self-legislation to this day. Instead, they make their own internal rules, which they call "guidelines" and refuse to make appearances in court unless specifically summoned through a humiliating ritual. People don't tend to call the wizards out for this, otherwise something bizarre and disturbing might happen to them.
With wisdom we conquer / Fuérimus in sapientia
Founding Date
230
Type
Educational, Society
Alternative Names
The Wizard's Guild, Magic University, Broom Schools, (defunct) The Institute of Mages
Demonym
Wizards
Leader
Location
Official Languages
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Notable Members
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