Grand Wizard

The Grand Wizard is the highest position one can hold in Draconian society. They not only are the leading political figure in the entire nation, but they also are the mayor of the capital city of Zephys and the headmaster of the Magic College.

Duties

Grand Wizard Salasar Feaphed by Jarhed

The Grand Wizard has many duties they must see to. They are the figurehead of Draconian society, the leader everyone looks up to. At least, they were meant to be. The Grand Wizard Struggle changed this, making the title of Grand Wizard something that was not respected from the 8th Grand Wizard up until the 64th, Salasar Feaphed, who finally put respect back on the title.

Authority Over Chiefs

Their most important duty is to create legislation for the whole of Draconian society. They are not necessarily someone that all of the Village Chiefs always have to listen to, but when a Grand Wizard does make a law, it is expected that Chiefs will follow it without any resistance.
This also follows for orders. While it is rare for a Grand Wizard to declare war (normally individual villages will do so under the orders of a Chief), if the Grand Wizard does declare war, the Chiefs are expected to join with their villages.

Wiscys Nicandir by Jarhed

In the case that a Chief does not follow the order or legislation of the Grand Wizard, it is then the Grand Wizard's job to either ensure that they do follow it, discipline the Chief for not following the law, and/or kill the disobedient Chief. The greatest example of this is the Chief Crisis, where Salasar Feaphed fought against all of the Chiefs for their rebellion.

Peace

On top of this, it is the Grand Wizard's job to keep the peace in Zephys and all of Draconian Territory. All crimes in Zephys are meant to be handled however the Grand Wizard sees fit.
Some have handled this in various ways, either having a private military force (such as the Magic College Guard that all Grand Wizards have had), leveraging the students of the Magic College to fight for them, or the normal way intended upon the founding of the position: by being strong enough to handle any coming threat.

Brenvorth Taldis by Jarhed

This is why being the strongest is what Grand Wizards are known best for. They have no choice but to be, and during the Grand Wizard Struggle when they were not, it made the title into a laughing stock.

Foreign Affairs

Often, most individual villages do not have unique relations with other foreign powers. Instead, it is up to the Grand Wizard to control what other nations think of the Draconian people.
There are some special cases, mostly with three unique examples that had nothing to do with Grand Wizards, but now must be delicately danced around to keep village autonomy but not create war. These are things Grand Wizards must be very careful about:

1. Kilprax Ildial (-1800 - -737)
2. Tobor Tuldad (-737 - -663)
3. Iorkul Kricel (-663 - -567)
4. Wiscys Nicandir (-567 - -423)
5. Nawunax Valdacmith (-416 - -169)
6. Brenvorth Taldis (-169 - -40)
7. Perzita Theldrar (-40 - 24)
8. Medroth Umtic (24 - 40)
9. Qelbor Vammush (40 - 57)
10. Faervroth Clolith (57 - 90)
11. (90 - 100)
12. (100 - 111)
13. (111 - 140)
14. (140 - 162)
15. (162 - 180)
16. Driammes Jarkul (180 - 220)
17. Lunchush Rhobroth (220)
18. Clothas Frofarn (220 - 230)
19. Vimbish Baxcol (230 - 232)
20. Viaxis Vammush (232 - 236)
21. Uardel Rairinn (236 - 240)
22. (240 - 250)
23. (250 - 251)
24. (251 - 260)
25. (260 - 265)
26. (265 - 268)
27. (268 - 269)
28. Myilthusuc Faerbor (269 - 280)
29. Dical Bavroth (280- 289)
30. (289 - 300)
31. (300 - 314)
32. (314 - 320)
33. (320 - 323)
34. (323 - 328)
35. (328 - 339)
36. (339 - 340)
37. (340 - 349)
38. Vaarnish Qelrinn (349 - 350)
39. Nomrar Nawyn (350)
40. Embed Eramorn (350)
41. Larnead Xarmash (350 - 351)
42. Falmath Uphal (351 - 364)
43. (364 - 369)
44. (369 - 375)
45. (375 - 388)
46. (388 - 390)
47. (390 - 399)
48. (399 - 400)
49. (400 - 408)
50. (408 - 414)
51. (414 - 421)
52. (421 - 423)
53. (423 - 425)
54. Echus Rhozire (426 - 449)
55. Stomle Acoria (449 -455)
56. Axas Thampoc (455 - 465)
57. (465 - 477)
58. Fulkac Sagar (477 - 478)
59. Felonius Questus (478 - 493)
60. Crordoth Narakas (493 - 498)
61. Nyxius Gririn (498 - 516)
62. Drixodal Vortrin (516 - 520)
63. Thalmejis Durzire (520 - 530)
64. Salasar Feaphed (530 - 550)
65. Hameila Neconkus (550 - 610)
66. Lorzavur Exikmaan (610 - 795)
67. The Mighty Herald (795 - 934)
68. Draqiroth Lealred (934 - 964)
69. Ardar Tilrak (964 - 981)
70. Rhoziros Nimphonker (981 - 999)
71. Ohymm Daxur (999 - 1050)
72. Caergrax (1050 - 1096)
73. Orlayas Ojeux (1096 - 1273)

Nawunax Valdacmith by Jarhed

• Yirthum is a Draconian village, but also an Elven proxy state. Due to this, Grand Wizards must be careful with domestic policy to ensure it does not upset Elven foreign policy, since the two overlap in Yirthum.
• Ilder and Waire, due to being either on the direct border with or within the Elven Forest are more prone to wars with and attacks from the Elves. Grand Wizards need to distance themselves from these villages enough to not go into full blown war with the Elves while also not alienating the citizens of those villages.
• Bortan is known as the militaristic village, due in large part to its penchant for fights. Not only is it more likely to fight with other Draconian villages, but also the Elves of the Elven Forest it borders. Bortan also has a long history of battles with the Dwarves over their border village Ebreichzell, which was once a Bortanian colony known as Zeldarr.

Aside from this, the other villages fall in line with the Grand Wizard in terms of foreign relations.

Powerful Example

The Grand Wizard is an example to not just the Draconians, but also the entire world. It is said that the Grand Wizard's power defines the power of the world, as people look to the Grand Wizard for inspiration to be stronger. A weaker Grand Wizard inspires a weaker world, but a stronger Grand Wizard can make a powerful world.
This does not mean that a stronger Grand Wizard makes a more stable world. In fact, with more powerful people around, there is a higher chance of someone strong causing trouble. However, it is then the Grand Wizard's job to deal with this trouble they caused.

Becoming Grand Wizard

There are two important qualities that a Grand Wizard must have, and thus two requirements they must clear to become Grand Wizard.

Thalmejis Durzire by Jarhed

The Noble Council

The first thing is that a Grand Wizard must be a good leader. The Noble Council decides from a list of candidates supplied either by the previous Grand Wizard, by the Chiefs of each village, or full of candidates chosen by each member of their own council.
The Noble Council has final say over who becomes Grand Wizard. Often they are at odds with the wishes of the former Grand Wizard, so that suggestion is thrown away almost immediately.
The Chiefs have better suggestions for them, often supplying a list of one powerful mage from their village. It is also, normally, the Chief themself that gets suggested, as Chiefs have similar requirements for their jobs.
However, it is not out of the question for a Grand Wizard to simply be chosen from the Noble Council. They either get a Grand Wizard who is sympathetic to them or, in some cases, is one of their rank. This was the case for the 63rd Grand Wizard, Thalmejis Durzire, who was appointed from the Noble Council despite not being very powerful.
There is also, often, another candidate added when the Grand Wizard dies... the one that kills them.

Killing the Predecessor

This is the second requirement. Killing a Grand Wizard does often place a candidate at the top of the list as the successor. This is why the second thing a Grand Wizard needs to be is strong. They must be powerful enough to keep peace in Draconian Territory and fight any enemy on their own. They are often the most powerful Draconian, at least they were meant to be.

Perzita Theldrar by Jarhed

This has gained a new definition in recency after the Grand Wizard Struggle, thanks to Salasar Feaphed's redefining of power. Now, they must be powerful in Magic, which also means they must be smart. Salasar changed much of what the Grand Wizard, and therefore magic and power in Draconian society as a whole, means to the people.
This requirement can destabilize things, and when the Grand Wizard Struggle led to Draconians killing each other for hundreds of years for what became a near meaningless title, the territory was incredibly destabilized. Salasar Feaphed, however, once more stabilized it after the conflict known as the Chief Crisis, showing what a true Grand Wizard is in the face of adversity.

Resignation

There is one other way a Grand Wizard can be chosen, though it has only happened once. If a Grand Wizard resigns, they can then choose their successor, and the Noble Council will have to listen to them.
This was an unprecedented thing when it happened, with 6th Grand Wizard Brenvorth Taldis resigning to give the title to Perzita Theldrar. Even after half a millenium, it is still an unprecedented, ridiculous move.

Origin

Grand Wizard is a title that originated from the man believed to be the most powerful to ever walk Totania. The man who learned everything there was to know about magic, life, strength, and Totania itself. The man who defined what it truly meant to be a Grand Wizard. The man known as Kilprax Ildial.

Kilprax Ildial by Jarhed

Kilprax was born in Evity, which at the time only studied the basics of magic gifted to them by their Goddess, Helle. However Kilprax wanted more. He wanted to learn more than just the basics, so he traveled to the strange structure in the sky that would become known as the Magic College.
Kilprax studied under the Golden Dragon Lord, Kath the Eternal, the first being to ever walk Totania. Kath had cultivated knowledge of everything, and he was glad to pass it on. Kilprax manipulated him, pretending to care about Kath to get the information.
Kilprax then opened up his city of Zephys to the world and promised to teach them magic at the Magic College. He only taught Draconians, but later it would be opened to all races by his successor, Tobor Tuldad. Yet Kilprax then betrayed and fought Kath, who abandoned the Draconians after this.

A Weakening Title

Kilprax was later killed by Elves, who planted the weak Tobor Tuldad in Kilprax's place. Tobor nearly destroyed the title with his weakness, but it was saved by the third Grand Wizard, Iorkul Kricel, and the next few up until who was considered the final real Grand Wizard.

The Power of the Grand Wizard

Without Perzita, the title likely would have weakened when her predecessor, Brenvorth Taldis, resigned. This was seen as a very cowardly move, one not befitting a world leader.
However, Perzita knew what a Grand Wizard should be. Moreso, she was confident in her own strength, and that she was greater than all other combatants in not just Draconian Territory, but the world. She fought every single person willing to fight in Draconian Territory, even children who were overconfident. She did not try to fight too hard against weaker opponents, knowing when it was appropriate to use her full strength and when she could hold back while still showing that she was well beyond their league. Perzita then toured Totania, fighting every powerful combatanat she could find to prove to them what it meant to be a Grand Wizard.
It was her death that caused the Grand Wizard Struggle, and the Grand Wizards from Kilprax to Perzita (even including Tobor Tuldad) were idolized as what society should strive for once again.

The Year of the Grand Wizard

There was a year within this struggle that nearly destroyed Draconian society as it was known. 350, the Year of the Grand Wizard. There were four Grand Wizards in this year: Vaarnish Qelrinn, Nomrar Nawyn, Embed Eramorn, Larnead Xarmash.
Vaarnish, the 38th Grand Wizard, died at the start of the year, and three separate Grand Wizards were named. A battle then ensued between them, and if not for Larnead Xarmash's death the following year to his successor, Falmath Uphal, the Grand Wizard title would have been destroyed entirely. Falmath, however, saved it with strong leadership but weak power.

The 520 Massacre

The title would have, again, been destroyed in the 500s. The century was rung in with the death of the 60th Grand Wizard, Crordoth Narakas, to a group of Goblins known as the Monions, alongside the publication of embarrassing diary entries from the 59th Grand Wizard, Felonius Questus. The 61st Grand Wizard, Nyxius Gririn, was ineffective, and was replaced by an equally bad 62nd, Drixodal Vortrin.

Urokris Erthar by Jarhed

There was a candidate for his successor at the time, a 3rd year at the Magic College known as Urokris Erthar. Urokris and his classmates approached Vortrin at a New Years Celebration on the eve of the year 520. They asked for Vortrin to step down, said that Urokris would take over and fix the problems of Draconian society.
Vortrin grew jealous and enraged, fearing for what would become of him. He could not believe these children would dare try and steal his achievements out from under him, and in his emotion he lashed out. As the moon lingered overhead, and Kath the Eternal did his New Year flight over the world, Drixodal Vortrin burned the Class of 521. All of them, save for the one man who was able to survive, covered in ash. Urokris Erthar.
Drixodal believed he killed all of them, and as he stood over their corpses, grief overtook him. He realized he, like all of his predecessors, had failed, and so he took his own life. Urokris witnessed all of this and renounced the title he was meant to take. It is from this that the well known song "The Grand Wizard's Requiem" was written.
Thalmejis Durzire was appointed by the Noble Council, but the people had lost faith in the Grand Wizard after Vortrin and the actions of his predecessors. Thalmejis, as someone with no power appointed by out of touch nobles, was seen as a sign of the weakness that the Grand Wizard title had become. He was hated even more than the man who had slaughtered a class of innocent students.

The Saving Grace

This was when Salasar Feaphed arrived, killing Durzire in front of the Draconian people and bringing order and respect back to them. Since Salasar, the only feelings against the Grand Wizard have been the lingering feelings from the Grand Wizard Struggle and those who specifically have a hatred for him. Aside from that, Grand Wizard has gained the respect it had when Kilprax Ildial, Tobor Tuldad, Iorkul Kricel, Wiscys Nicandir, Nawunax Valdacmith, Brenvorth Taldis, and Perzita Theldrar held the title.