Alexandre du Faeien
Grand Magister Alexandre du Faeien (a.k.a. Rael the Red Mage)
"He had the great misfortune of being born at the wrong time, and our great fortune that he was."
Alexandre Benoit Cecil Vestoir du Faeien (7 Faenrul 3277 3E – 28 Faenrul 3498 3E), often referred to as simply Alexandre du Faeien, was a Curian-born half-elven archmage, scholar, and swordsman who served as the Grand Magister of the Arcane Society—a transcontinental magical organization—from 3337 3E until his assassination in 3498 3E.
As the son of former Grand Magister Benoit du Faeien, Alexandre had deep-seated connections with the Arcane Society and the Conaisan upper class. His mother, Alison Mariel du Faeien (née Gaventon), linked him to the noble House Gaventon in Vesium. Through his parents' union, he became the inheritor and lord of Degradbleu. During his youth, he gained wide renown as Rael the Red Mage, an adventurer and member of the Band of Six. However, his ascension to archmage and subsequent forays into the Arcane Society's hierarchy often overshadowed his involvement with the group.
In the position of Grand Magister, Alexandre was responsible for enacting the Sky Concords. Through the first of these concords, he directed the Arcane Society through educational reforms that expanded the outreach and breadth of the organization's academic offerings. On the international stage, he worked to neutralize impressions that the Arcane Society possessed biased political leanings by overseeing the gradual depoliticization of the upper hierarchy, specifically the seat of the Grand Magister and Magisters Magni. With the Second Sky Concord, Alexandre equalized the powers of the Arcane Society, the Order of Avalon, and the Sabers amongst one another on transcontinental political matters; he also established a collaborative support system between the organizations. Alexandre's representation of the Arcane Society at Conventions of the Accords had become noteworthy over the course of his tenure. The archmage had become associated with the de-escalation or outright diffusion of international conflicts.
Alexandre was widely considered one of the Arcane Society's most powerful mages of the Era as well as an accomplished scholar and innovator. He also held the title of Grand Duelist from 3471 3E to his assassination during the Grand Tournament of the Blades of 3498 3E. Alexandre's death served as the catalyst for one of the most costly terrorist attacks in the history of Curieux and the Arcane Society.
Early Life
Birth
On the 7th day of Faenrul in 3277 3E, Alexandre Benoit Cecil Vestoir du Faeien was born at the Grand Arcaneum, the Arcane Society’s headquarters, within the boundaries of the city of Curieux in the kingdom of Conais. His parents were the half-elven Benoit du Faeien and his human wife, Alison Mariel of Gaventon. For over one hundred years, Benoit had served as the Grand Magister of the Arcane Society, a massive organization that regulates the use of magic throughout the continent of Varia. Alison Mariel hailed from House Gaventon, the ruling faction of Vesium, and was the eldest daughter of its lord, Vesius III. Alexandre’s parents met during the 18th Convention of the Accords held in the city of Vesium in 3268 3E. The summit was to address the transgressions in the war between the nations of Avon, Conais, Hanaire, and Taillean. This meeting brought together the major Varian factions, including the Arcane Society, to mediate the conflict. The brief meeting at the convention led to a later audience between Benoit and members of House Gaventon. That same year, Benoit du Faeien married Alison Mariel of Gaventon during a ceremony presided by Vesius III in Curieux.With an impressive pedigree and intricate familial history, the marriage seemed promising on multiple fronts. However, difficulties set in just shortly after the ceremony. For one, there had been a nearly 250-year age gap between the half-elven Benoit and the significantly younger Alison Mariel. The couple’s acquaintances remarked on the husband and wife’s ill-suited personalities, which became apparent even during the wedding reception. These observations remained consistent in the coming years. While Benoit proved much more conservative in his beliefs and approach to social decorum based in Curian society, Alison Mariel had taken after her father's boldness, proving much more open-minded and strong-willed than was typical of Curian women at the time.
After leaving the Gaventons’ ancestral home, Alison Mariel du Faeien relocated to the Grand Arcaneum where her husband’s position kept him perpetually occupied. Moreover, the couple struggled to produce a child during the early years of their marriage. Alison reportedly loathed being confined to the mage tower but her husband’s orders refrained her from leaving before she had borne him an heir. Within the Arcane Society, it was a known fact that the Grand Magister resorted to having his wife undergo magical treatments to address purported fertility problems. Overall, the living arrangement placed an immeasurable amount of strain on the relationship between Alexandre's parents.
In late 3276 3E, nearly a decade after their wedding, Alison Mariel announced her pregnancy. The occasion was distantly celebrated by House Gaventon, although it also became the subject of much talk amongst the Curian aristocracy. Benoit refused pleas from Alison Mariel to retreat to Vesium for the duration of the pregnancy so that she can remain within his and his aides’ supervision. His wife argued over the affair though ultimately acquiesced in light of her condition. The following year, Alexandre was born in the Grand Magister’s quarters of the Grand Arcaneum. His delivery proved difficult and left Alison Mariel in a state of depression during the early months of his life. Thus, even the birth of Benoit and Alison Mariel’s only child provided no great resolution to their marital problems.
Childhood
Alexandre lived in the Grand Arcaneum with his parents during the first half-year of his life. In the months immediately following his birth, his father, to the surprise of many colleagues, devoted significant time to his care and even went so far as to arrange official duties around the child’s needs. Historian and biographer Berns Melset stated that Benoit’s display came during a period where it was uncommon for fathers to see to the early development of their children. Purportedly, the arrangement stemmed from Alison Mariel's slow recuperation from giving birth. When she failed to show significant signs of physical and mental recovery, Benoit sent his wife and son to live at Rouge-Aun, the du Faeien's personal estate in Degradbleu, where he occasionally visited over the next six years.While isolated at Rouge-Aun, Alison Mariel became the dominant influence on Alexandre’s life during his early years. Servants reported her as a doting and loving mother who devoted all her waking time to the upbringing of her son. Even as a noblewoman raised in the tenets of the aristocracy, Alison Mariel saw to even the most minute matters regarding Alexandre’s care with most servants having to implore her to allow them to assist. Beyond her mentality regarding Alexandre, Alison Mariel seemed to have returned to her previous demeanors, according to claims of family and friends who visited Rouge-Aun. This drastically positive change in her condition, after being removed from close proximity with Benoit, solidified the souring of the relationship between Alexandre’s parents.
The close care and attention allowed Alexandre to flourish even in his infancy. A precocious child, Alexandre exhibited signs of advanced cognitive abilities for his age, a trend which continued well throughout his childhood. By the age of one, Alexandre could clearly identify shapes, colors, and individuals and supposedly converse in Varian Common. He showed signs of being a polyglot by adopting various turns of phrase from the other languages spoken by his mother and servants at the estate. His father’s appearance on his first birthday allowed the young child to display his linguistic prowess to the archmage, and only some weeks afterward, tutors from Curieux, with at least one instructor from the Grand Arcaneum, arrived at Rouge-Aun to begin seeing to Alexandre’s education. Alison Mariel presented vehement opposition to their attempts at instruction so early in her son’s life, though they eventually reached a compromise when the tutors surrendered their intended curriculum to her for modification. Alexandre’s mother limited his instruction time so as not adversely affect him, supposedly to allow him to "live like the child he deserves to be." Furthermore, to offset the rigidly academic focus of his instruction, Alison Mariel saw to to Alexandre's learning of the finer arts. The young boy developed a taste for art, music, and literature which, according to Alexandre from later in his life, “instilled [in him] an everpresent appreciation for beauty.” This arrangement continued until Alexandre displayed signs of magical prowess before his third birthday.
Once news reached Benoit of his son’s manifested talents, Alexandre’s studies developed a more defined focus on the magical arts. This change in his curriculum persisted through the rest of his residence at Rouge-Aun. The Grand Magister also dedicated personal instruction to the boy during his sparse visits. Alexandre’s intelligence became an oft-discussed topic amongst his tutors with rumors of the child’s genius even floating back to Curieux. Yet, Alison Mariel spared her son from the limelight of curiosity and intrigue, blocking any requests for audiences and social calls with Alexandre from those beyond their family.
Separation from Alison Mariel
In early 3282 3E, Alison Mariel collapsed in the gardens of Rouge-Aun during one afternoon. The event came as a shock to most acquaintances, though the estate’s staff were not ignorant to the weakening of the lady’s condition. There had been precedent for her ill-health due to her past medical history and the great effort she exerted towards Alexandre’s care. As Alison Mariel’s health declined, Benoit's instructors took increasing allowances in overseeing her son’s studies over the next few years.Attempts to address Alison Mariel’s health prevented her condition from worsening at first, but in 3283 3E, the lady’s personal physician recommended further measures to salvage her condition. In response, Benoit made arrangements with the Gaventons in Vesium to tend to his ailing wife. By this time, Alexandre had developed profoundly as a young mage through private tutelage alone. He already possessed abilities which exceeded practitioners decades his senior. Benoit insisted that Alexandre continue his studies directly at the Grand Arcaneum following Alison Mariel’s relocation, though his wife, backed by the rest of the Gaventon family, contested guardianship of the young boy.
The fiasco extended for months, a wholly bitter matter that tainted political affairs beyond the two families’ personal squabbles. However, in 3284 3E, Benoit succeeded in acquiring sole custody over Alexandre by invoking his paternal right by the laws of Curieux, where the couple had been married. Alison Mariel moved from Rouge-Aun back to Vesium while Alexandre returned to his birthplace. The event solidified the rift between the du Faeien and Gaventon families, and neither husband nor wife would ever live in the same residence for the remainder of their marriage. Contact between Alexandre and his mother remained limited in the coming years as Grand Magister Benoit constantly scrutinized their correspondence.
Education in the Arcane Society
(3284 3E - 3288 3E)
Alexandre began his formal education at the Academy in the Grand Arcaneum during the first half of 3284 3E. With magic a common sight in Varia, so, too, were institutions which trained individuals in its usage. Yet, while sorted already into the Adept-tier by the Arcane Society’s standards, Alexandre still maintained a student’s status. He followed a flexible curriculum where, unlike most students at the Arcaneum, he lacked a defined track of studies. Instead, he took classes which most piqued his interests and studied subjects at the behest of his father. Furthermore, the absence of formal accreditation during his first year did not prevent him from taking advanced courses, though this exception stemmed mainly from his father’s influence. Alexandre also received access to Society resources beyond the allocation typical of his tier (so long as it remained associated with his academic work), nor was it uncommon for the child mage to accompany the Grand Magister on formal Society matters. These blatant acts of nepotism aroused ire within the organization’s upper hierarchy, which included most of the Magisters Magni; however, Benoit remained stubborn to conceding any of his son’s advantages.
For all the benefits his relations alone brought him, Alexandre’s talent and diligence to his studies—traits which his instructors had noted in earlier years—flourished during his time as a student. His gusto in his academic pursuits impressed all of Alexandre’s professors, so his performance did well to silence his father’s critics. Among the Arcane Society at large, impressions on Alexandre shifted; from being a benefactor of pure, unadulterated nepotism, he gradually evolved into an investment, a blossoming genius of the magical arts who showed great promise for his future and his eventual contributions to the organization. However, while his academic capability endeared him to a notable portion of the Arcaneum’s population, Alexandre's pursuits and reputation did little for his interactions with his fellow students. Arcaneum records indicated numerous accounts of disciplinary measures against peers who had committed some act of bullying or harassment against Alexandre, which eventually led him to relocate from the student dormitories into his own suite. Later in life, Alexandre said of his school experiences:
“My mother had raised me to have a very clear concept of my own talents and who I was as a person. My character. It would not be incorrect to call it pride, and perhaps one untempered by the circumstances bequeathed upon me. And that carried into my time as a student...Before I attended the Academy at the Arcaneum, I grew surrounded by adults who showed nothing but praise and encouragement. It made it a very rude awakening, for me, to see just how vicious and competitive other children could be, especially children socialized around such unrelenting children. To the other students, my talents meant little to them. My grades, my work were hardly a boon in that unofficial class culture so much as a brand marking me a pariah. Even the older year students were in on it—it being the repeated infliction of social misfortune upon myself. I was neither their classmate nor their schoolmate. I was the son of the Grand Magister receiving preferential treatment...I think that entry year was the first time I ever felt self-doubt, if not loathing, for the position I had no choice but to be born in.”
Despite the trying social aspects of his education, Alexandre excelled in his remaining years as a student. By his second and third years, independent studies and research projects occupied the majority of his curriculum, notably working with his father (a legendary abjurationist) and Transmutation master Barian Bobbit, among several others. The wide breadth of Alexandre’s studies stemmed partly from his delay in choosing a magical school or area of expertise, a requirement for graduation from the Arcaneum’s Academy. Alexandre constantly received pressure from his father to choose a specialization, though he refrained from doing so by pursuing varying projects. In 3288 3E, Benoit sent his son to conduct a tour of study where the ten-year-old traveled between the prominent mage colleges of the continent. This opportunity allowed him to see and partake in their academic offerings, though Benoit hoped that it would ultimately lead his son to decide on a specialty. As part of the tour in mid-3289 3E, Alexandre was slotted to receive tutelage in Eryl Tahl’Rei, the capital of the Kingdom of the Evergreens the Feylands. However, the young wizard became occupied with other matters before arriving at his destination.
Early Adventuring Career
(3290 3E - 3292 3E)
Alexandre reportedly met most of his first adventuring party while studying at the Crawlyne Conservatory in the city of Reven. The faithful meeting came only days before his intended travel to the Feylands. During the Faenrul of 3290 3E, he first came into contact with two elven travellers known as Idan and Knyte. The pair had inquired about a service with the Conservatory but were subsequently rejected due to their lack of identification. Alexandre had overheard the request before curiosity brought him to find them in the Chilly Goose tavern, where he also met Milecia Auberlain, a famed human bard and associate of the Arcane Society. Not long after, the growing group also encountered Doskara of Veld, a warrior and newcomer to the city who was concerned with a recent string of kidnappings. Alexandre agreed to help locate a missing individual for the two elves on the condition that he may accompany them on their search, a somewhat impulsive decision considering he lacked any form of field experience. However, instead of finding the intended target, Alexandre led the group down to the Reven sewers where they stumbled on the captured Harald of Clan Rageheart, a dwarven barbarian later known as Harald Hamhands. The abductions gave the six individuals a common goal to address, an arrangement which ultimately led to the formation of one of Varia's most recently notable adventuring groups.
The chance meeting marked the start to Alexandre’s foray into adventuring. At the time, adventuring was a valued yet extremely dangerous choice for occupation. It promised no concrete or stable reward, though individuals who succeeded as adventurers often garnered great fame. As with most matters regarding his life, Alexandre informed Benoit of his actions and intent. The Grand Magister provided his blessing with, as Alexandre later put it, “surprising ease.” Due to Alexandre's age and status, he conducted his exploits under the guise of an unaffiliated mage named Rael, later attaining the moniker of “Red Mage” due to the coloration of his cloak. Their initial adventures resolved the infamous underground slave trafficking ring of Reven, and they foiled the infamous Dusk Day’s Plot of 3290 3E. For their accomplishments, the group of adventurers, by then known as “The Band of Six,” attained honorary status in Reven and renown throughout the entire region.
Following these events, Alexandre returned to his studies at the Crawlyne Conservatory in 3291 3E. Meanwhile, most of the Band of Six attended to their personal matters. While conducting his academic research, Alexandre uncovered leads that connected the traffic ring’s head brass and the Dusk Day’s Plot instigators to the Gold Coast mercenary company based in the country of Grandia. The young mage shared the news with the rest of the Band before they reunited within Grandian borders. Working with the Order of Avalon, specifically the gnomish General Ballihan Oreses, the Band of Six disrupted a massive chain of illegal trade and humanoid trafficking originating from southeast Grandia. This situation spiraled as they traces traces of a gathering insurgent group. However, in 3292 3E, Alexandre received summons to return to the Arcane Society’s headquarters in Curieux, though the rest of the Band of Six dispersed soon after.
Return to the Grand Arcaneum
(3292 3E - 3296 3E)
Alexandre arrived at the Grand Arcaneum on the 4th of Faenrul 3292 3E after four years of traveling away from the city; he had not physically seen his father at any time during that period. Alexandre noticed the early signs of his father’s failing health then, though Benoit displayed no changes in his behavior. After his tour of study and adventuring, Alexandre officially graduated on 17 Faenrul 3292 3E to become a full fledged member of the Arcane Society. Despite Alexandre’s actions as Rael, the Grand Magister remained livid at his son’s lack of focus in his magical pursuits since Alexandre had still to decide on an area of expertise. However, Alexandre swiftly acquired a research position with Master Illusionist Lyrian Ulvenesky to abate his father’s concerns. Furthermore, Benoit announced then his engagement to Janine de Cheval, the eldest daughter of House Cheval in Curieux.
Shortly after his return, Alexandre attempted to re-establish contact with his mother in Vesium. His correspondence with Alison Mariel had deteriorated during his time adventuring with the Band of Six. Prior to reaching out, Benoit warned Alexandre of a possibly cold reception, which proved true when the Gaventon spurned his requests. Alexandre was shocked by the event, and this apparent rift between him and his mother utterly distressed him. His work suffered for it, and his collaboration with Master Ulvenesky fell through in 3295 3E due to his performance. For the first time since his entrance to the Arcane Society, Alexandre’s progress came to an abrupt halt. His father thought his son’s condition as nothing short of a phase and so assigned Alexandre to teaching and assistant duties in the Arcaneum’s Academy. Alexandre later remarked that the dredge work associated with those positions only gave him more time to ruminate on the status of his relationship with his mother, which seemed to “highlight more and more of [his] faults.” By 3296 3E, Alexandre had failed to determine an area of focus and thus qualify for Expert-tier. This lack of advancement disappointed Benoit and arranged for his son to travel to and study in the Kingdom of the Evergreens.
Reunion of the Band of Six
(3297 3E - 3306 3E)
Alexandre arrived at the Kingdom of the Evergreens during the month of Viserath in 3296 3E. He initially studied under the guidance of archmage Lady Vara Aeder an Faeien, though the distance from Curieux did not alleviate his stupor. In early 3297 3E, Alexandre was reunited with Idan and Knyte, both natives of the Evergreens, which drastically improved his mood. In the month of Faenrul the same year, Alexandre met Ermien Aeder an Virdel, legendary wizard, bladesinger, and close friend of King Xareael Ke an Eri, while witnessing a meeting of the Mages Council of the Feylands. Ermien took notice of Alexandre but offered him an apprenticeship only after decidedly defeating the younger mage in a duel. Alexandre accepted and began his formal training under Ermien at the dawn of 3298 3E, becoming the first of the du Faeiens to study bladesinging in over a thousand years. As with his earlier pursuits, Alexandre displayed an exceeding talent for blending magic with martial prowess, though he later attributed his remarkable progress mainly to Ermien’s teaching ability and support from his fellow Band of Six members.
Alexandre became a full-fledged bladesinger by 3302 3E, with summons from his father to return to the Grand Arcaneum following shortly thereafter. However, in the month of Gaertis, reports of unidentifiable hostile creatures near the borders of the Evergreens reached the kingdom’s court. Idan and Knyte were assigned the task of investigating the matter, though Alexandre, who once against adopted the persona of Rael, ignored his father’s calls and accompanied them in the excursion. The trio travelled to Pewitt, a village in the region of Eravlicht situated near the Feylands’ borders. There, they encountered Doskara of Veld and Harald Hamhands fending off Scourge monsters near the settlement’s outskirts. Doskara had been on a mission for the Order of Avalon to find evidence of the rumors regarding the Scourge in the area, and Harald, though not affiliated with the Order, had stayed in her company. Alexandre contacted Milecia Auberlain who arrived in Pewitt on the 2nd of Kaelhon, completing the reunion of the Band of Six. The reformed adventuring group then began another cooperation with the Order of Avalon.
Saving Eravlicht (3303 3E - 3306 3E)
Through magic, Alexandre, with Milecia, aided the Order of Avalon’s efforts to determine the points where Scourge resurfaced. By late 3303 3E, the mage duo uncovered a pattern to their spawning as centered around rifts of magical energy, which Alexandre theorized to have been the result of Eravlicht’s proximity to the Feylands. The Order of Avalon redoubled their efforts to contain, if not destroy the oncoming Scourge. While the holy order addressed the problems across the region, the Band of Six investigated rumors in the city of Nostruville which lead them to a Corruption-worshipping cult that had instigated the Scourge’s resurfacing. By Faenrul 3304 3E, the Band succeeded in squelching the cult and removing its members from the city’s government. Alexandre uncovered details of the cult’s plans through their efforts: the magical rifts would continue to spawn and were gradually expanding.
Alexandre and Milecia began collaborating with mages from the Arcane Society in devising a plan to close the rifts with their work occupying them for the next two years. Targeting two rifts openings, Alexandre headed the proceedings to design and organize the final seal, and at this point shed his facade as Rael the Red Mage. During this period, Alexandre’s research brought him farther in his magic than previously possible, reaching the level of archmage to stop the threat. Meanwhile, the Band of Six and the Order of Avalon dealt increasingly with the appearance of new rifts that threatened to overrun the region with Scourge. The Order of Avalon, the Arcane Society, the Sabers, and the local governments of Eravlicht collaborated to evacuate the area’s denizens.
The time to enact their plans came in Faenrul 3305 3E. Alexandre coordinated the mage teams in junction with the brass commanding the Order of Avalon’s ranks; however, his abilities served as the lynchpin to the operation’s success. Milecia also managed a group of mages coordinating with Alexandre’s, while the remainder of the Band of Six were allocated to varying squadrons. The coalition’s assault on the rifts presented the first time Alexandre witnessed any form of mass combat, an experience which he said prepared him for managing the realities of war as Grand Magister. Their forces casualties numbered high, though ultimately, the mages succeeded in sealing the rifts which left only straggling Scourge for disposal. Among the Band of Six, Doskara, Harald, and Idan sustained moderate to serious injuries during the assault. Worst of all, however, was the death of Milecia Auberlain. Milecia’s group had separated from the main body of the assault; left isolated against the Scourge, they still fulfilled their part of the seal before losing contact.
Milecia’s death marked the end of the Band of Six. For the last time, the adventuring group dispersed in Avelrul 3306 3E. Despite the events, the surviving members left in good faith. Alexandre remained in contact with the majority of them over the coming years. Idan and Knyte proved to be reliable confidants, even as Alexandre adopted positions of greater responsibilities. Though, even centuries later, Alexandre claimed that he felt responsible for Milecia's fate, believing that it could have been prevented if he had shown more patience in his magic. After briefly tending to his affairs in the Kingdom of the Evergreens, Alexandre returned to Curieux in Mereath of 3306 3E.
"I felt so useless. I stayed inside, poring over tomes and scrolls while my friends were staking their lives! Then I had the answer in the palm of my hands, and when the time came to give it, I just—I wanted to put an end to the sordid affair, without thinking what might happen afterward and the consequences of my brashness."
First Attempt at the Rite of Magisters
(3306 3E)
Alexandre’s return to the Grand Arcaneum in time to attend the funeral of his father, who passed just weeks before his arrival. The event caused him to spiral into another bout of guilt and depression. Over the following months, he broke off his engagement with Janine de Cheval as well as retreated from the Arcane Society’s affairs. Alexandre also returned to his early childhood home in Rouge-Aun in Degradbleu, isolating himself from the Curian upper class and the Society.
In Audh 3306 3E, Alexandre received a letter from former teacher, Barian Bobbit, about the appointment of a new Grand Magister which left open a seat on the Magisters Magni, the Arcane Society’s elite five-person advisory council of the Grand Magister. The gnomish wizard seemed to believe that vying for the position may help break Alexandre’s dismal mood. Despite the peace he found in his solitude, Alexandre made the return trip to the Grand Arcaneum to undergo the Rite of Magisters. With Alexandre’s sheer talent and status as an archmage, he swept through the practical requirements of the Rite, but at the end of the trial, he was deemed unfit for the position based on his mental and emotional states.
Tour of the Feylands (3306 3E - 3326 3E)
Following his failure at the Rite of Magisters, Alexandre arranged a return to the Feylands. However, the following two decades present a blank period for biographers, historians, and other scholars who intended to chronicle Alexandre’s life. The archmage never shared the exact details of his trek through the Feylands himself, not even to his designated biographer Hamish Ragovsky.
Alexandre reportedly arrived in the Evergreens by Faenrul 3306 3E. Witnesses claimed he stayed as a guest of King Xireael and collaborated with his previous teacher, Lady Vara Aeder an Faeien. Around 3308 3E, Alexandre accompanied a company of Lady Vara and several notable elven mages (including bladesinger mentor Ermien Aeder an Virdel) to a convention of the Mages Council of the Feylands, a conglomeration of the continent’s premier magical specialists. The itinerary for the convention included rotating summits in the major geopolitical bodies situated in the Feylands, listed in the following: the Kingdom of Gloommire, the Cascades, the Dustdoms, the Gustpeaks, and the Dominion of the Obsidian Glades. For an outsider, the opportunity to participate in the Mages Council came as no small feat, though the proceedings naturally remained privy only to its participants. The convention lasted for approximately ten years since Lady Vara and her retinue arrived in the Evergreens by 3318 3E. However, Alexandre did not return with the group, though Ermien claimed that the half-elf separated from them after the convention finished in the Dominion of the Obsidian Glades.
In mid-3326 3E, Alexandre reappeared in the Kingdom of the Evergreens after a decade of no contact, though that amounted to a brief period for the elven denizens of the country. His acquaintances there noted a remarkable change in his calm and demeanor in the brief time before his departure for Varia. During Audh 3326 3E, Alexandre arrived in Vesium. While in the holy city, the archmage reconnected with his mother and mended his familial ties to the Gaventon family which were broken decades ago by the separation fiasco. He then returned to Curieux in Faenrul 3326 3E to face the rest of the Arcane Society, changed further over his twenty-year absence and the outbreak of war in northwest Varia.
Tenure as Magister (3328 3E - 3345 3E)
Probation & Appointment (3327 3E - 3328 3E)
Alexandre received heavy criticism due to his absence at his return to the Grand Arcaneum. He had initially estimated a leave for approximately a decade at the most though nearly doubled that period with his actual return in 3327 3E. His notice for extension was rejected due to lacking a concrete date of return, but by the time the request had been processed, the Arcane Society had lost means to contact Alexandre because of the altered magicks of the Feylands.
Alexandre was required to attend a hearing which addressed his absence. Some colleagues called for his suspension and even expulsion, citing his effective disappearance as the act of a rogue mage. Others argued that punishment was a necessity so as not to set a precedence that well-connected and upper tier members of the Arcane Society were above the organization’s codes. Alexandre’s choice to remain silent on his exact experiences in the Feylands did not help his case either. The archmage deferred to the judgment of the hearing committee who imposed a probation period confining Alexandre to the Grand Arcaneum to conduct only mundane and bureaucratic work.
Alexandre’s probation period lasted for one year, ending in Viserath of 3328 3E. Along with his obligations, Alexandre utilized his remaining time to re-involve himself with the Arcane Society. Alexandre founded the Mystic Monthly Magazine, a monthly publication which showcased scholarly articles from all levels of study in the Arcane Society. He also used it to share his progress on his own projects as well as answer questions to those curious enough. By the end of his probation, Alexandre had eked himself into a more inclusive position in the organization. In Lorhm 3328 3E, Alexandre succeeded in his next undertaking of the Rite of the Magisters and subsequently became a part of the Magisters Magni during Grand Magister Uron Targrukon’s tenure.
Educational Chair of the Academy (3328 3E - 3346 3E)
Alexandre rose to a Magister’s seat during the Conaisan-Taillich War. He expected the outcry regarding his promotion to Magister and blatant protest towards any notion he proposed to the Arcane Society’s wider political actions. Instead, Alexandre placated his critics during his first year in the position by occupying the Educational Chair of the Arcaneum’s Academy, which traditionally drew little to no political ire within the Arcane Society. Alexandre also began formally teaching in the Academy and resumed his magical research.
His new position naturally came with teaching responsibilities. Over the years, Alexandre conducted increasingly advanced courses on magical theory, hybrid magical application, and magical innovations while occasionally holding lectures on most other schools of magic. He brought with him knowledge and a teaching style adapted from his time in the Feylands which focused on ideological synthesis and heavy discussion between himself and his students. Alexandre was considered a popular instructor; former pupils often noted his wide breadth of experience beyond the Grand Arcaneum and general eloquence, which carried into his later enterprises.
In 3331 3E, Alexandre proposed the opening of a new track of studies he initially dubbed the “adventuring track.” He hoped to spread the reach and capabilities of the Arcane Society by dispatching specially trained agents to areas that may otherwise remain neglected by the organization’s often urban-based centers. Outreach had been a glaring weakness of the Arcane Society, for the organization was required by the Avon Accords to remain politically neutral in most matters. However, concessions were made in regards to fulfilling its duty of regulating magic, usually dangerous magic, throughout Varia.
Overall, the proposed track of studies met with little resistance and was soon implemented but saw little popularity with the current student body, comprised mainly of vetted or well-to-do mages and prospective mages. To bolster registration for its pilot year, Magister du Faeien conducted a lecturing tour between the great mage colleges of Varia and visited its major cities to recruit students to enter the adventuring track. During one of these excursions in 3332 3E, Alexandre met a promising young gnomish mage named Davie Tinkermattan in Reven, who later became his first apprentice. His tour promoting the adventuring track kept the curriculum afloat in the Academy, and inspired the opening of similar programs in other mage colleges years later.
Alexandre occupied the Educational Chair for the remainder of his career as a Magister. The Academy saw increasing rates of tuition as he revamped the system of student exchanges between satellite schools and foreign bodies, such as the Dwarven Confederation and the Feylands. During this period, Alexandre also laid the foundations in the Society’s educational system for reform he later enacted after being appointed to Grand Magister.
First Apprentice (3332 3E - 3345 3E)
Alexandre first met Davie Tinkermattan in 3332 3E while recruiting students for the adventuring track in the Crawlyne Conservatory of Reven. The young gnome had been conducting a street performance outside the school, and the archmage, withholding his identity, inquired about the young mage’s background. Alexandre learned that Tinkermattan had been rejected entry to the Conservatory due to a lack of formal education prior to his magical studies, though suspected as well as his inability to afford the prospective education. Over his month long stay at Reven, Alexandre maintained a steady contact with Tinkermattan while still presuming an alternate identity. Tinkermattan proved helpful in detailing issues with the magical underground of the city while, in turn, Alexandre provided cursory magical education. The gnomish lad often questioned Alexandre’s identity though avoided pushing the subject. At the end of his month long stay at Reven, the archmage offered Tinkermattan
his mentorship, only then revealing his true position. Tinkermattan swiftly accepted and accompanied Alexandre through the rest of his promotion tour for the adventuring track.
With his return to the Grand Arcaneum in 3333 3E, Alexandre took great care to shelter Tinkermattan from the intrigue of being associated with him, while also overseeing the launch of the Academy’s adventuring curriculum. Despite his own specialities, Alexandre encouraged Tinkermattan to pursue his passion in the school of Illusion. To support his apprentice’s interest, he contacted his former mentor and retired Illusionist, Lyrian Ulvenesky; though, he gradually focused less on a singular school in lieu of providing Tinkermattan a more well rounded magical education by having his apprentice slotted into varying courses at the Academy. Alexandre admitted that his growing workload during the 3330s made the apprenticeship more difficult to handle than he initially expected, citing that Tinkermattan’s education could have been more acute than what he provided. However, Tinkermattan later expressed appreciation for his master’s support for setting him up to succeed in the school of illusion but also providing him a degree of independence in pursuing other interests and curriculums.
Alexandre officially graduated Tinkermattan in 3345 3E after over thirteen years of apprenticeship. The gnome illusionist then joined the ranks of the Arcane Society as a member of the Expert-tier. Throughout the decade, Alexandre had exposed Tinkermattan to the more political aspects of the organization which attributed to Tinkermattan’s choice to return to the Crawlyne Conservatory in Reven. However, Alexandre’s relation with his once apprentice remained strong despite the distance. Inspired by Alexandre’s actions, Tinkermattan forwarded a program in the Crawlyne Conservatory which sought out prospective young mages to provide them a chance at education. Later, Alexandre found a stalwart supporter in Tinkermattan, especially once the gnomish mage achieved the position of Magister, regarding Society politics.
Founding the Aizur Convention (3335 3E - 3336 3E)
Following the launch of the adventuring track, Alexandre set his sights towards improving the research divisions sponsored by the Academy. He had remained consistent in his developing his personal research which he gradually made more public with his increased exposure as Magister. In 3334 3E, Alexandre discussed the prospect of a magical exposition with the government of Curieux. The talks culminated in a prototypical event in 3335 3E during the Faenrul Festival where ten Expert-tier to Master-tier members of the Arcane Society presented their scholarly and practical research. Alexandre himself provided the headlining exhibition on the transposition of illusionary magics into reality, a project he had focused on to encourage his apprentice.
Though diminutive in size to the rest of the Faenrul Festival’s major events, the presentation drew surprising crowds often attributed to the general curiosity for the work of mages prevalent then. The organizers of the Faenrul Festival contacted Alexandre again immediately after the Faenrul Festival to organize a similar event for the following year but at a larger scale. In 3336 3E, the first Aizur Convention was held in the Aizur Quarter of Curieux, with Alexandre acting as the main host and featuring the work of dozens of Society members. Its following success made the Aizur Convention a staple of the Faenrul Festival and served to boost Alexandre’s popularity within the magical organization.
Campaign for Open Door Education (3337 3E - 3343 3E)
In 3337 3E, Alexandre rode on the momentum of his rising popularity coupled with his position as Educational Chair of the Academy to leverage his first major motion as a Magister. He called for a restructuring of the Arcane Society’s system for evaluating and accepting prospective students into the organization’s associated educational institutions. Prior to this motion, Alexandre had excluded himself from the more heated affairs of the Arcane Society’s internal workings, especially as it concerned international politics. He cited his observations throughout his tours of the Varian mage colleges during his own studies and his promotion of the adventuring track. Davie Tinkermattan also became his prime example for the potential lost through what he called the organization’s “archaic and harmfully exclusive vetting.” Alexandre pitted the Arcane Society’s strong political presence versus its comparatively lacklustre humanitarian efforts and slipping control over the apprehension of rogue magic users. In his efforts, he found an ally in Magister Loug Dartmand, formerly the most junior of the Magisters Magni prior to Alexandre’s promotion, as well as growing support from Grand Magister Targrukon.
However, Alexandre’s opposition included fellow Magisters Berea Smithe, Margaritte de Veullon, and Lester Bornewrighte. Initially, their camp targeted Alexandre’s talents and history. For one, Alexandre had heavily benefited from the system he sought to radically change. His apprentice was debated to be an exception rather than the norm, due to Alexandre’s status as an archmage. The most vehement argument came from the financial and social impact that a restructuring would cost the Arcane Society. During periods of wartime, the organization had a notorious reliance on tuition fees from well-to-do families of students and private donations. More underhandedly, Alexandre’s opponents dug up his previous absences from the Arcane Society, though these attacks were countered with his more illustrious adventuring career. When the attacks on Alexandre subsided, arguments against Alexandre’s propositions drew on the security threats that could result from further opening the Arcane Society’s doors. Despite the opposition, Alexandre’s push for educational reform continued at a steady incline through the early 3340s 3E, coming to a halt only with the outbreak of conflict between Avon and Grandia.
The Avon-Grandia Dispute (3343 3E - 3345 3E)
On 29 Arkrul 3343 3E, Alexandre, along with the rest of the Magisters Magni, learned of the kingdom of Avon’s attack on a trade caravan owned by the nation of Grandia on the Day of Dusk just the day before. The Avonians claimed the assault had been conducted on the principles of national defense as the caravan travelled close to the kingdom’s borders. Grandia had mobilized the caravan incognito in cooperation with the Order of Avalon due to undisclosed circumstances. With infractions on both sides of the affair, the 20th Convention of the Accords in Vesium was scheduled for the first week of Ereval in 3344 3E as a settlement to the two powers’ grievances pre-emptive of any escalated conflict.
Due to his status as the junior of the Magisters Magni, Alexandre remained in the Grand Arcaneum for the duration of the affair. Grand Magister Targrukon and Magister Smithe departed for Vesium on the 1st of Mereath, though their convoy was attacked during nighttime on 12 Mereath. The attack caused no immediate deaths, despite injuries, though Grand Magister Targrukon disappeared during the incident. Conflicting reports suggested that Targrukon’s carriage had separated from the rest of the convoy during the The 20th Convention in Vesium was subsequently delayed while Alexandre headed the investigation of the events. On 27 Gaertis 3344 3E, his committee discovered Targrukon’s body on the banks of the River Feldart, just to the south of the city of Pont du Vivre. However, the discovery of the late Grand Magister’s corpse did not solve the mystery of his death and the Arcane Society continued to invest resources to exposing the perpetrators; though, by that point, Alexandre had been reassigned from the proceedings. By the end of the year, the Magisters Magni ceased investigations by majority vote of 3 to 2 where Alexandre voted for the case to persist.
Tenure as Grand Magister
(3345 3E - 3498 3E)
Appointment (3345 3E)
"The utmost junior amongst the Magisters Magni at the time of my promotion, I once more I felt like the child in the room, albeit now wearing the largest robes. In those first few months, I served as Grand Magister in name alone. Yet, it was as much in my best interest for my council, the honorable Magisters Magni, to lend their aid. Though, clearly, there was a point where I decided to have no more of it."
Following the final rites of Grand Magister Targrukon, the Magisters Magni held their first meeting to determine his successor on the 1st of Avelrul 3345 3E. By Alexandre’s admission, he did not receive the typical experience of choosing the next Grand Magister. He had expected the proceedings to take months at the least, based off previous appointments, but the decision took no more than twenty days. Though he refrained from sharing the exact details of their meetings nor the logistics of the final vote, Alexandre claimed that the majority of the Magisters Magni of the time may have chosen based on the upcoming 20th Convention of the Accords in Vesium.
Compared to the rest of the Magisters Magni, Alexandre lacked any formal records in political affairs up until then, beyond what could be construed from his time in the Band of Six. In later reflections, he surmised that his purportedly clean slate and relative inexperience made him, to most of his colleagues, the safest choice for the position at that particular time. Still, the choice came as a shock at the time of its declaration. Prior to his inauguration as Grand Magister, Alexandre finished Davie Tinkermattan’s apprenticeship, resolving that obligation, as well as addressed his personal affairs with House Gaventon and the Curian nobility.
Alexandre formally ascended to the position of Grand Magister of the Arcane Society on 27 Avelrul 3345 3E. Despite the event’s importance to his familial legacy, his promotion met only quiet celebration muted by the organization’s circumstances over the past year. Alexandre experienced far less changes than he anticipated in both responsibility and perceived status amongst his fellow organization members. He revived his educational reform campaign in the first few months of his promotion and began organizing further changes while masked of the chaos surrounding the oncoming Convention of the Accords.
20th Convention of the Accords in Vesium (3345 3E)
Alexandre arrived in Vesium on the 23rd of Kaelhon 3345 3E to attend the 20th Convention of the Accords held in the city. He had made arrangements with Lord Varius V of Gaventon to allow a temporary teleportation link between the Grand Arcaneum and the city’s College of the Marble Bishop to circumvent overland travel. Furthermore, despite Alexandre’s initially lax handling on his duties as Grand Magister he appeared in Vesium as the sole representative of the Arcane Society. On the 24th, he met with the representatives of the other attending factions in a mixture of private audiences and a welcoming reception organized by House Gaventon.
During the proceedings, Alexandre served first as an advisory mediator. After the presentation of the cases, he showed support for reparations to the Order of Avalon paid for by Avon. Further complications arose when evidence revealed the misuse of enchantment and divination magicks by both parties which pulled Alexandre into the position as a primary mediator. Now among the primary arbitrators, Alexandre proposed amendments to the Accords for greater transparency regarding the movements of the supposedly politically neutral organizations through territories beyond their spheres of influence. These changes were implemented albeit with a compromise enabling a degree of extraterritoriality to the Arcane Society, the Order of Avalon, and the Sabers in their movements through specific areas. The Convention ended on 30 Ronthean 3345 3E, and Alexandre returned to the Grand Arcaneum the following day, the 1st of Faenrul, having established himself on the stage of continental politics.
The Sky Concord
By Alexandre’s return in Curieux, back from the convention in Vesium, the Faenrul Festival of 3345 3E had just launched its festivities. Immediately upon his arrival, Alexandre attended the opening ceremony of the Aizur Convention, celebrating then its 10th year, and made an impromptu declaration to the gathered crowd that became known as the “Sky” speech.
”Knowledge. Knowledge and education is the fuel for a greater future. Where not even the sky shall limit us!”
In the address, Alexandre detailed his plan to tackle the Arcane Society’s educational structure, uplifting programs like the Aizur Convention, and expand on the organization’s reach in its scholarly pursuits. His speech met with positive reception from those in attendance but sparked various speculations about how Alexandre intended to put his plans to fruition. However, on the third of Faenrul, Alexandre presented to the Magisters Magni the Arcaneum Foundational Education Reform (AFER), which was based on some of his previous drafts as Magister campaigning for open education. The resolution opened the Arcaneum’s Academy to all prospective students first in the nation of Conais, which included any non-adult individual who displayed any level of magical aptitude. It also established a budget for allocated funds to implement. The changes took effect in the academic year of 3346 3E, serving as the trial for further reform. Unsurprisingly, the Academy saw a notable increase in registered students, though that rise correlated with the decrease of reports of magical misuse within Curieux and surrounding areas.
Following the apparent success of the AFER, Alexandre widened the span of the resolution and made amendments to the selection criteria. He looked towards implementing the open education policy in every institution affiliated with the Arcane Society. Alexandre personally met with the heads of these institutions to discuss his reforms. Beyond mage colleges, Alexandre also convened with non-magical academies and other establishments to form partnerships. The resulting accumulation of these agreements became known as the Sky Concord, which Grand Magister Alexandre du Faeien enacted on the 17th of Audh 3350 3E. However, in the coming years, the Sky Concord evolved into an act of consolidation within the Arcane Society, strengthening the authority of the Grand Arcaneum over affiliated institutions.
For the next fifty years, the Arcane Society’s membership swelled along with the scholarship produced by organization on a yearly basis. The Aizur Convention further grew to become one of the Faenrul Festival’s hallmark events. In general, the public’s awareness of magic showed a remarkable increase, along with an increase in concern for its impact on wider society. Alexandre maneuvered the impressions of the wider masses regarding the Society’s mages by showcasing its applications in mundane tasks or prospects in answering notable social problems of the time. With wider access to the chronicles in the Arcane Society’s legendary library, the Archives Infinium, there came a revival of interest in Varian histories. War historian Oreth of Havish claimed that Alexandre inadvertently sparked an intellectual movement which, for the first time in centuries, questioned the status quo of the Third Era’s ongoing warring states.
Mediation of Conflicts (3380 3E - 3498 3E)
After the 20th Convention in Vesium and the subsequent enactment of the Sky Concord, Alexandre maintained the Arcane Society’s direction towards internal affairs. However, even with this focus, stipulations of the Avon Accords and external powers occasionally involved the Arcane Society. Alexandre dealt with three major geopolitical conflicts as Grand Magister that shaped his reputation from a pacifistic negotiator to a veteran pillar in Varian politics. Yet, no matter his approach, Alexandre’s actions seemed to prioritize the keeping of the peace, even if it meant leveraging the influence of the Arcane Society.
Southern Coast War (3380 3E - 3381 3E)
On 4 Gaertis 3380 3E, King Fabian of Conais, head of House Daramond, declared war on House Gaventon by ordering an attack on the city of Pont du Vivre. The outbreak presented the Arcane Society’s first involvement in geopolitical affairs since the enactment of the Sky Concord. Both House Daramond and House Gaventon conducted missteps during the initial battle in Pont du Vivre. On 5 Gaertis 3380 3E, the Gaventon officials of Pont du Vivre appropriated the Targrukon Academy, an affiliated school of the Arcane Society named after Alexandre’s predecessor, and utilized its grounds for defending the city’s upper brass. Meanwhile, Daramond forces continued their assault into the school’s premises.
When Alexandre learned of the events, he immediately contacted representatives of the noble houses on 9 Gaertis. He engaged in individual meetings with the heads of the houses over the course of the next month. According to Alexandre, he refrained from calling for a Convention of the Accords due to both parties of the war acknowledging their infractions. On the 25th of Audh 3380 3E, Alexandre brokered an armistice between House Daramond and House Gaventon with their heads of state present, King Fabian of Conais and Lady Velecia of Gaventon. As part of the arrangement, he also provided them absolution of the reparations towards the Arcane Society. During the armistice, the two factions conducted further talks which ended in a peace treaty on the 3rd of Avelrul 3381 3E.
36th Convention of the Accords in Ehreal (3413 3E - 3414 3E)
The Sixth Central Varian War began in 3410 3E between Taillean, Avon, their allies, and the surrounding states. However, on 8 Faenrul 3413 3E, reports of rampant violations of the Avon Accords, including appropriation of neutral assets and misuse of magic from both sides of the conflict reached the Grand Arcaneum. Reported incidents included the usage of evocation magicks to cause widespread damage during battle, the employment of enchantment and divination magics for torture, and numerous other offenses. Alexandre immediately called for a summit of the Avon Accords which was slated for the 1st of Ronthean.
With the various factions embroiled in war, the transgressing parties refused attendance and continued with their conflict. Alexandre pushed to nonetheless hold the 36th Convention of the Accords in Ehreal. True to their proclamations, the belligerent nations did not appear for the summit. Beginning on 7 Arkrul 3413 3E, Alexandre, representing the Arcane Society, conducted the proceedings with representatives from the Order of Avalon, the Sabers, and the coastal powers of Varia. In the most powerful usage of the Arcane Indictment during the Third Era, Alexandre ordered a complete embargo on magical services within the Central Varian area. Alexandre predicted he would be able to enforce the ban throughout the Arcane Society, more consolidated then than in years past. However, the greatest impact could only be achieved with cooperation between the Order of Avalon and, to a lesser extent, external states to maintain the embargo. On 3 Avelrul 3414 3E, Alexandre and the Pontiff of the Order of Avalon signed the Absolute Magical Embargo (AME) resolution into effect with acknowledgements of support from the present factions.
Both the Arcane Society and the Order of Avalon ordered affiliated institutions to cease services in Central Varia and, in some cases, recalled personnel. Alexandre formed the Embargo Enforcement Committee which handled any form of dissent regarding the embargo, including the apprehension of mages who disobeyed it. The embargo starved the areas of Central Varia of magic, from goods to services and even mages, for the next three years. The warring parties contested the presence of the Arcane Society in their territories despite the validation the AME provided. At its most heated moments, the Arcane Society was engaged in open conflict, to which Alexandre answered with escalating their taken measures.
In 3415 3E, Avington and Cir Moraine, the capital cities of Avon and Taillean respectively, suffered moderate to heavy property damage. Previously magically protected structures began to collapse with reasons attributed only to the Arcane Society’s intervention. With the nation’s centers threatened with destruction, the Sixth Central Varian War gradually petered to an end, though the AME was lifted only after the signing of the peace treaty. While Alexandre’s directions of the Arcane Society escalated the war to a close, neither Avon nor Taillean sought to repair relations with the magical organizations for the remainder of the century.
Second Apprentice (3404 3E - 3422 3E)
In Mereath 3404 3E, Alexandre ordered the Arcane Society to carry out an evacuation of the Grey Raven Institute in the city of Jorres after it was targeted in a terrorist attack by a band of rogue mages. The students of the college were subsequently incorporated into the Academy, among them being the 7-year old Loreta Ulvenesky. Ulvenesky became a ward of the organization since her parents, both members of the Society, were killed during the aforementioned assault on the Grey Raven Institute. Alexandre had been a family friend of the Ulveneskys since his work with Lyrian Ulvenesky and personally saw to the young girl’s well-being within the Arcaneum. He took her on as his apprentice in later that same year.
Though he had successfully graduated a previous apprentice, Alexandre faced the new challenge of balancing his duties as Grand Magister with his duties to his apprentice. He resolved to teach Ulvenesky the same brand of Illusion magic that her great-grandfather, Lyrian, had propagated during his time in the Arcane Society and subsequently taught to his descendants. Though Ulvenesky veered away from the school of Illusion for her specialty, she nonetheless expressed a deep gratitude towards Alexandre for helping her continue her family’s tradition. For the duration of this apprenticeship, Alexandre had Ulvenesky accompany him on formal matters of the Society and excursions as they intersected with the time he allotted to her tutelage. The promising wizardess thus developed a savvy for Society bureaucracy, but more so than that, the arrangement kept Ulvenesky close to the Grand Magister. Colleagues concurred that Alexandre’s relationship with Ulvenesky eventually teetered into that of a father and daughter as much as a teacher and student.
Loreta graduated from her apprenticeship in 3422 3E. She then pursued a career that took her away from the Grand Arcaneum as an adventurer focusing on the apprehension of rogue mages. Over a decade later, she completed the Rite of Magisters and joined Magister Davie Tinkermattan, a fellow former apprentice of Alexandre, on the council.
The Second Sky Concord (3433 3E - 3498 3E)
After the 36th Convention of the Accords in Ehreal, Alexandre began to draft a second set of resolutions that would alter the structure of the Arcane Society within and without. On the 1st of Faenrul 3433 3E, Alexandre enacted the Second Sky Concord with majority approval of the Magisters Magni through the support of Magisters Loug Dartmand, Davie Tinkermattan, and Loreta Ulvenesky.
The Second Sky Concord enforced stricter de-politicization codes on the Arcane Society, requiring present and future members to shed political allegiances. A system was also included to enable the restoration of these affiliations while retaining standard obligations to the organization’s regulatory purpose. The Notice of Exclusion served as the most common application of this system, acting as a binding document to the magical restrictions of the Arcane Society whilst allowing wider political freedom. Alexandre provided himself as an example by deferring his familial titles as well as returning territories or otherwise setting aside control of territories bequeathed to the du Faeiens’ by political connections. The act also saw a reformatting of membership standards and expectations to accommodate the growing numbers of the Arcane Society. Lastly, Alexandre applied modifications to requirements and process of undertaking the Rite of Magisters to better encourage future members.
Rather than just an internal plan, the Second Sky Concord reached out to the Order of Avalon and the Sabers to equalize their power on international affairs. The act found a balance with the other geopolitical powers of Varia by restricting the powers of the three aforementioned organizations until their purposes, as detailed in the Avon Accords, were specifically invoked. These organizations also established support agreements to provide aid to one another in the event of disaster. The Second Sky Concord also laid the foundations for the Arcane Society’s later collaborations with the Mages Council of the Feylands. Alexandre remained in charge of its execution throughout his remaining tenure as Grand Magister.
Third Apprentice (3456 3E - 3466 3E)
Alexandre first met fifteen-year-old Avernicus Corrogne during his orientation after he transferred to the Arcaneum’s Academy in the autumn of 3456 3E. Corrogne’s father, Cerrius Corogne, became the kingdom of Avon’s ambassador to Conais that same year who then opted to transfer his son from Avon’s College of Aldeville to the Academy. Alexandre noted that, at the time, Corrogne indicated no more potential than the average student of his age at the Arcaneum though seemed well liked by his peers. Alexandre’s extended interactions with Corrogne came from receptions after his lectures, which by then had gradually grown rarer and rarer due to his duties as Grand Magister.
When Corrogne’s marks showed a remarkable drop in early 3456 3E, Ambassador Corrogne implored Alexandre, who he came into occasional contact with due to dealing with the Conaisan government, to provide some means of academic support to his son. Alexandre had the young Corrogne assigned to supplementary lessons by higher-tier instructors. However, when Corrogne’s grades indicated no improvement, Alexandre sought to dissect the boy’s problems, after further prodding from the ambassador. Over this process, Alexandre came to know of Corrogne’s lack of motivation in his studies and began providing further guidance, even beyond matters of study. This point marked the unofficial start of Avernicus’s apprenticeship to Alexandre, who did not declare his acceptance of a third apprentice until 3458 3E.
Of his three apprentices, Corrogne became the only one to whom Alexandre instructed in the school of bladesinging, marking a rare exception that one of non-elven heritage became a practitioner of the technique. However, Corrogne also proved a notable contrast to Alexandre’s previous pupils. Corrogne held a more aggressive, arguably Avonian, mindset towards the Arcane Society’s place in politics, which Alexandre often dealt with publicly. Furthermore, while skilled in Alexandre’s private tutelage, Corrogne remained intractable in his general studies which caused Alexandre to delay his graduation for several years.
However, by Faenrul of 3466 3E, Alexandre concluded Corrogne’s apprenticeship, and Corrogne opted to remain in the Grand Arcaneum as a novice instructor. Despite their differences in mindset, Corrogne remained a loyal supporter of Alexandre, who reciprocated with continued guidance. On 13 Ereval 3473 3E, Corrogne submitted a Notice of Exclusion before subsequently returning to the Kingdom of Avon. Since the enactment of the Second Sky Concord, a Notice of Exclusion allowed members of the Arcane Society to place their obligations to the organization on hiatus and become politically involved with the geopolitical factions of Varia, though they remained bound by organization’s codes regarding magical use and lost any benefits granted by membership. Since Corrogne’s departure, Alexandre had reportedly cut contact with his former apprentice.
Grand Duelist (3471 3E - 3498 3E)
The Faenrul Festival of 3471 3E came concurrently with rising tensions in Central Varia. The newly coronated King Balthazar II of Avon and head of House Rsymarck had made bold claims to elevate his kingdom’s position in the wider power scale of Varian geopolitics. Surrounding powers to Avon each expressed concern, if not indignance, to the implied possibility of war. Sentiments of citizens from these areas carried over to Curieux’s Faenrul Festival which saw the congregation of individuals from all over the continent.
Alexandre participated in the Grand Tournament of the Blades on, according to him, a whim. However, rumor had it that the reigning Grand Duelist at the time, Lord Germain de Cheval, boasted that his prowess with the blade exceeding the might of any man. Supposedly, Alexandre, who had become renown for his bladesinging in Varia, fell into the mix, and Lord de Cheval lambasted the Grand Magister’s style, claiming that even magic could not best true swordsmanship. Alexandre denied any claims that he had taken Lord de Cheval’s words as a challenge, though his statement has since come into question after his defeat of de Cheval.
The Grand Tournament of the Blades had two events: the determination of the champion contender and the title bout. During the contenders’ matches, Alexandre refrained from utilizing his magic up until he faced off against Sir Beren Trow, a Knight of the Blue Rose, to determine the champion contender. The final match against the Grand Duelist occurred on 29 Faenrul 3498 3E. Alexandre issued a declaration that de Cheval could not lay even a scratch on him. True to his word, he bested the Grand Duelist, bringing the end to his eight-year reign to begin his own.
Alexandre’s participation caused a stir amongst fans of the event in the coming years. Some called for the ban on magic during the Grand Tournament, citing it seemed against the spirit of the sword fighting competition. However, no such ban occurred as records indicated that the first Grand Duelist, Derogen, had been a swordswoman who practiced magic as part of her style. Still, Alexandre’s techniques during the tournament, and later tournaments, spawned amendments to the competition’s rules. At the time of his first victory, his stunt bolstered his popularity in the region, increasing only as he defended title despite increasing limitations on his usage of magic. For the following 27 years, Alexandre maintained his status of Grand Duelist at the yearly event, though by 3498 3E, he intended to step down from the title.
Diplomatic Mission to the Kingdom of the Evergreens
(3474 3E - 3475 3E)
On 1 Ronthean 3474 3E, Alexandre departed from the Grand Arcaneum to the city of Reven from where he proceeded to travel overland to the Kingdom of the Evergreens. He arrived in the elven nation’s capital of Eryl Tahl’Rei on 26 Ronthean 3474 3E. King Xareael once more welcomed Alexandre though now as a guest of similar standing. By that time, nearly a hundred-fifty years had passed since Alexandre’s last departure from the Evergreens, and the occasion also marked the first official visit that Grand Magister of the Arcane Society has taken in the Feylands since 2000 3E. During his visit, Alexandre renewed the Arcane Society’s scholarly exchanges with the Kingdom of the Evergreens. More notably, he established reinsurance agreements with the Mages Council of the Feylands through their head representative in the Evergreens, archmage Lady Vara Aeder an Faeien. By integrating the Mages Council into the Second Sky Concord, their negotiations afforded the Arcane Society with extraterritorial support in the event of dire need or emergency from the Mages Council and vice versa. Alexandre departed from the Evergreens on 6 Avelrul 3475 3E, arriving back at the Grand Arcaneum on 29 Avelrul.
The Rysmarckian Conquest
(3474 3E - 3498 3E, ongoing)
Balthazar III, King of Avon and head of House Rysmarck, called for imperial conquest in 3465 3E. However, its visualization did not begin until 3474 3E, invoking the same belligerent spirit present in the nation during the Sixth Central Varian War. Yet, with the amendments in of the Second Sky Concord in place, Alexandre and the Arcane Society remained neutral to the affairs without a specific cause for action. Avon had learned from its previous transgressions by operating within the codes of the Arcane Society, which persisted even through a change in the Rysmarckian’s power structure.
As the Rysmarckian Conquest escalated in Central Varia, Alexandre tackled his own share of problems in the Grand Arcaneum. After his allowance of Loreta Ulvenesky’s Notice of Exclusion in 3483 3E, the Magisters Magni gradually crumbled as Magisters sought to support their native allegiances or flee from the fallout of the conflict. Attempts to replace Magisters dwindled as strings of seeming misfortune befell old and upcoming Magisters, stymying prospective mages from undergoing the Rite of Magisters. With his personal support system as Grand Magister collapsing, much of the duties managed by the Magisters Magni fell upon Alexandre.
As Grand Magister, Alexandre found himself at the strange state of holding the largest amount of power anyone in his position had held since perhaps the inception of the Arcane Society, though he had maneuvered himself into a situation to wield it only in the most necessitated circumstances. His further inability to specifically hone in on the micro-operations of the organization also resulted in the depreciation of the quality of its services. Moreover, as the Rysmarckian Conquest involved more and more factions, the Arcane Society’s overall profits from distributing magical items and services dwindled as trading options closed off due to involvement in the conflict. Over the course of fifteen years, Alexandre, who popularly engaged with his members, gradually grew more and more isolated from the rest of the Arcane Society, a fact noted by many of its senior members. He grew notorious for overworking himself beyond humane limits; rumors of his failing health were not uncommon, though Alexandre often abated such hearsay through his public appearances, such as in the Grand Tournament of the Blades.
In 3498 3E, no more than three months prior to Alexandre’s assassination, Emperor Rainan of the Rysmarckian Empire conducted a mass execution of dissidents, ranging from merchants to nobleman, during a gathering for Gerhart of Leitritter’s execution on the 17th of Kaelhon 3498 3E. Emperor Rainan’s means for killing the individuals involved extremely powerful fire magicks. The usage of magic to cause physical harm, especially that resulting in death, was considered an advanced crime by the Avon Accords. News of the event reached the Grand Arcaneum later that same day. Grand Magister du Faeien issued an immediate investigation of the event that lasted for several months. On the 17th day of Audh 3498 3E, the Arcane Society issued a formal Arcane Indictment on Avon and the Rsymarckian Empire.
Despite criticism for the seeming delay in its issue of the Indictment, Alexandre had ensured that the Arcane Society collected enough evidence and accounts to call for a Convention of the Accords without allowing Avon to contest for a veto or delay of the summit. By the second week of Faenrul, the Arcane Society had set the 11th day of Ronthean of the same year as the date for the 37th Convention of the Accords in the city of Ehreal in Grandia. With the extent of the Rysmarckians’ transgressions, it was theorized that any verdict decided at the Convention would have put an end to the empire’s ongoing conquest.
Death (3498 3E)
Just three days prior to the Grand Tournament of the Blades held at the yearly Faenrul Festival in Curieux, Grand Magister Alexandre du Faeien announced his intention to not defend the title of Grand Duelist and formally withdrew his entry into the competition. The announcement came as a blow to the thousands old tradition of the tournament where the holder of the title defended it against the most skilled of contenders. Criticism quickly arose of Alexandre’s seeming disregard for the festival tradition, especially at relatively short notice. Alexandre attempted to abate critics by guaranteeing his presence for the proceedings. The tournament’s organizers proposed a middle ground to recognize Alexandre’s final year as Grand Duelist with a show match. However, the details of the particular event were not revealed to Alexandre or any of the contestants until the end of the first day of the competition held on 27 Faenrul.
The following day, 28th of Faenrul 3498 3E, Alexandre was assassinated shortly past midday while participating in the show match. The archmage had been pitted in a free-for-all fight against the four semi-finalists of the tournament: Ronan the Brave, Jester Trow, André de la Conais, and Arisa Tuccen. In the midst of the bout, Alexandre, who had sustained some injuries from the proceedings, was attacked by an assassin in the stands hidden amongst the crowds in the massive Coliseum of Derogen. Alexandre seemed to have survived the initial attack before the contestant Arisa Tuccen repeatedly stabbed the helpless archmage. His death was followed by the disruption of the tournament due to the appearance of a giant monster, claimed to be Scourge and ranks of undead in the Coliseum’s stands.
Despite the attack being dealt with by the contestants, local law enforcement, and some individuals from the audience, Alexandre was unable to be saved or resurrected on the scene. In the following hours, the Prismatic Bridge which connects the Isle of Faen, where the Grand Arcaneum is located, to Curieux shattered. Distortions in the sky surrounding the massive mage tower and the area around it indicated issues in the headquarters that took nearly 24 hours to resolve. Over the course of these events, Alexandre’s body remained in the safekeeping of the city’s church to Avalon.
(3297 3E - 3306 3E)
Milecia’s death marked the end of the Band of Six. For the last time, the adventuring group dispersed in Avelrul 3306 3E. Despite the events, the surviving members left in good faith. Alexandre remained in contact with the majority of them over the coming years. Idan and Knyte proved to be reliable confidants, even as Alexandre adopted positions of greater responsibilities. Though, even centuries later, Alexandre claimed that he felt responsible for Milecia's fate, believing that it could have been prevented if he had shown more patience in his magic. After briefly tending to his affairs in the Kingdom of the Evergreens, Alexandre returned to Curieux in Mereath of 3306 3E.
"I felt so useless. I stayed inside, poring over tomes and scrolls while my friends were staking their lives! Then I had the answer in the palm of my hands, and when the time came to give it, I just—I wanted to put an end to the sordid affair, without thinking what might happen afterward and the consequences of my brashness."
(3306 3E)
(3345 3E - 3498 3E)
By Alexandre’s return in Curieux, back from the convention in Vesium, the Faenrul Festival of 3345 3E had just launched its festivities. Immediately upon his arrival, Alexandre attended the opening ceremony of the Aizur Convention, celebrating then its 10th year, and made an impromptu declaration to the gathered crowd that became known as the “Sky” speech.
”Knowledge. Knowledge and education is the fuel for a greater future. Where not even the sky shall limit us!”
(3474 3E - 3475 3E)
(3474 3E - 3498 3E, ongoing)
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Alexandre appeared as a youthful half-elven man in his prime. He sports a lithe build reflective of his elven ancestry and years of physical training with a blade.
Body Features
Alexandre possessed generally pale skin from years of work indoors though had a healthy complexion.
He had blond hair that reached to the small of his back. Alexandre most commonly styled it back behind his head with a clip but left side-swept bangs over his forehead and two shoulder-length locks of hair to frame his face.
Facial Features
Alexandre had a heart-shaped face, a high jawline, and soft cheekbones with no facial hair. He also had soft golden eyebrows, a narrow nose, and delicate-looking lips. His appearance often muddled perceptions of his age and, to his own consternation, occasionally had him mistaken for a woman.
Physical quirks
Alexandre is ambidextrous, as seen by his ability to write with both hands simultaneously on two separate documents. He has a graceful, gliding gait and, more often than not, stands with an upright posture.
Apparel & Accessories
Find the brightest, loudest shades of blue on the continent, and those were Alexandre's preferred color for his apparel. As far as style, the Grand Magister usually wore some sort of ornately laced tailcoat that fit close to his figure. He matched this garment with appropriately colored chaps and leather boots.
Rare was it to see him without some assortment of brooches, jewelry, or chains, along with a set of pristine white gloves. Alexande, however, had pierced ears and often wore some sort of bejeweled earrings. He also donned a metallic belt from which a sword (an heirloom of the du Faeien line) and scabbard hung. Occasionally, Alexandre wore the Grand Magister's Robe: a lavish hooded royal blue robe accented by trimmings of white, complete with a stole decorated with golden runes.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Alexandre believed in the perpetuation of knowledge and magic, though shared the Arcane Society's tenets in the temperance regarding them. He had been an advocate for widespread education and the uplifting of those individuals who showed particular aptitude in both magical and scholarly studies.
Savvies & Ineptitudes
Alexandre displayed extraordinary talents with magic and intellectual scholarship. By extension, he also possessed significant knowledge of ancient and extraplanar topics.
Vices & Personality flaws
He had shown a tendency to procrastinate, if not become scatter-minded when posed with too many tasks. Furthermore, he seemed to possess a dedication to his position and work that borderline on self-destructive.
Personality Quirks
When entrenched in thought, Alexandre occasionally tuned out others around him while muttering to himself.
Hygiene
Alexandre kept his person in the highest state of cleanliness and orderliness. However, his office, workshop, and, presumably, his personal quarters have been described as "functionally chaotic."
Social
Social Aptitude
Often touted as one of the Arcane Society's more charismatic leaders in centuries, Alexandre was more than capable of carrying himself in social functions. Confident, animated, and occasionally eccentric, he enjoyed constructive conversation, with special enthusiasm in discussions regarding magic and scholarly topics. He possessed enough knowledge of high society to maintain proper etiquette.
Speech
Alexandre spoke in a rather extemporaneous manner, often fluctuating his tone to emphasize his excitement. He tended to speak both eloquently yet promptly.
He seemed to have been fond of "Ta-ta!" as a farewell expression.
Wealth & Financial state
Through his family's assets, Alexandre was the inheritor and lord of Degradbleu, a vast strip of land on the Hanalian coast just to the north of Conais proper. The lands had been entrusted to the Gaventon family indefinitely as part of the Second Sky Concord. HOwever, he received a yearly tithe from the land's productions, which are known for its vineyards.
Alexandre also conducted years of scholarly work, written articles, magical services, and other endeavors. As a result, he amassed a significant amount of both tangible and intangible wealth. Known to heavily support the individual projects of the members of the Arcane Society, Alexandre remained the benefactor of his investments until his death. Along with endowments from the Arcane Society, the archmage had more than enough to live comfortably and, at times, excessively.
However, in recent decades, it had become an unspoken fact that the Grand Magister provided a significant chunk of the organization's funding from his private assets as the perpetual warring in the continent had closed off certain avenues of income generation for the Arcane Society.
Alexandre also conducted years of scholarly work, written articles, magical services, and other endeavors. As a result, he amassed a significant amount of both tangible and intangible wealth. Known to heavily support the individual projects of the members of the Arcane Society, Alexandre remained the benefactor of his investments until his death. Along with endowments from the Arcane Society, the archmage had more than enough to live comfortably and, at times, excessively.
However, in recent decades, it had become an unspoken fact that the Grand Magister provided a significant chunk of the organization's funding from his private assets as the perpetual warring in the continent had closed off certain avenues of income generation for the Arcane Society.
Alexandre du Faeien, circa. 3497 3E
"Waiting for someone else to come along—It can be what keeps the world as is, than what it should be."
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Grand Magister of the Arcane Society
Grand Duelist
The Archblue
The Great Diffuser
The Great Refuser
The Red Mage
Lord of Degradbleu
Scion of House Gaventon
External Advisor to the Mages Council of the Feylands
Honorary Sentinel of the Order of Avalon
Hero of Eravlicht
Grand Duelist
The Archblue
The Great Diffuser
The Great Refuser
The Red Mage
Lord of Degradbleu
Scion of House Gaventon
External Advisor to the Mages Council of the Feylands
Honorary Sentinel of the Order of Avalon
Hero of Eravlicht
*Titles combined from all aliases
Professions
Previously Held Ranks & Titles
Year of Birth
5277
221 Years old
Circumstances of Death
Assassination
Children
Gender
Male
Hair
Long, sleek, blond
Height
6'+ (with heels)
Weight
167 lbs.
Aligned Organization
Elven (fluent)
Draconic (fluent)
Celestial (fluent)
Sylvan (fluent)
Dwarven (fluent)
Orcish (fluent)
Gnomish (fluent)
Halfling (fluent)
Thieves' Cant (fluent)
Ancient (familiar)
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This was an intense read, I enjoyed it though. I would have loved to see a legacy section at the end, wrapping up what he brought and how his life and death impacted the world!
Thanks! He recently died in my campaign, and my players are bound to see this article soon. I held off on the Legacy section to give the party the benefit of the doubt, so I hoped to integrate the implications of his death throughout the sections of his life instead.