Magic

The Tower
The Tower, sometimes known as the Grey Tower, is the main place of magical learning within the Maldorian Empire. Established in 57.AG as a result of an increasing number of naturally-born mages, it is the largest school of magic in Ranos, with over two thousand students. Seen by some as a sanctuary and by others as a prison, it is closely watched by both the Church and has a constant complement of Moon Knights nearby. Dedicated primarily to teaching students how to properly refine their magical talents and warning them away from certain paths, it has a high rate of mid-level elemental mages, most of whom go on to serve as Battlemages in the Imperial Army. The Tower is well-respected for its openness towards applicants from all walks of life, regardless of social status or gender. While this is largely due to the Maldorian Empire's laws on those found with magical talent, it has allowed thousands of low-born individuals to rise through the ranks and prove themselves over the years.


 * Archmage: Tom Savlos
 * Head of Magical Studies: Ronald Chaltim
 * Head Battlemage: Mage-Commander Alayne Redding
 * Church Liason: Knight-Commander Orrin Black

Levels of Power
To every mage, power is an important thing. The mere fact that they are capable of magic makes them somewhat superior to any normal person in some regards, and those who choose to refine their talents only grow more powerful as they improve over time. Over the centuries, a clear ranking system to gauge the power of each magic user has been set out through research collaborated through the four major institutions of magical study, allowing for quick identification. Many are also identified by their 'Flame'; the magical ignition of fire is usually the first thing an aspiring mage learns, and as such the colour of this fire will often change as they grow more powerful.


 * A Potential is someone with extremely limited magical powers. Most children who have begun to exhibit magical capabilities are within this class. Most are barely capable of casting the weakest of spells, and some do not develop beyond this stage into adulthood, leading to a life of servitude under greater mages. In spite of their low level, the Church's decree forces all Potentials to be kept under watch in case their magical skill suddenly blossoms, making them a possible threat.
 * An Adept, also known as the Hedge Wizard or Red Flame, is a mage with growing power, able to cast many basic spells. These are mostly mages undergoing training who have yet to properly specialise in a certain school. Nonetheless, they can be dangerous as even basic offensive spells can easily kill most people. These are the most widespread type of mage as many are simply unable to progress further or live outside the school's influence, leaving their potential untapped.
 * As they begin to specialise in a single school of magic, a mage is designated as a Journeyman or Green Flame. Most mages holding jobs within society are on this level, and are generally assumed to be capable in their chosen field. As such, they are incredibly varied in power as some may be recently-graduated Adepts while others have decades of experience under their belts.
 * A relatively high level of power, a Magister or Blue Flame has mastered one particular type of magic and is usually dedicated to teaching students in their field. They are often regarded as incredibly deadly foes in battle, and the presence of a rogue Magister usually warrants the deployment of Moon Knights by the Church immediately.
 * Generally regarded as the pinnacle of magical power for most, an Arch-Mage or White Flame has fully mastered the magical arts. As only one in a thousand mages ever reaches this level, each Arch-Mage sits on the international Council of Magi while the most powerful leads their respective institutions. While their power does not compare to that of a Conduit or Sorcerer, they tend to live very long lives and are both respected and feared by their peers.
 * The highest level of magical classification, a Conduit or Black Flame is an incredibly rare phenomenon in Ranos. With only twelve recorded instances of a Conduit-level mage emerging over the past four thousand years, these are individuals believed to have limitless potential and are seen as avatars of the Godess Vasha's power. With power levels rivalling that of a Sorcerer, Conduits are incredibly dangerous and each has the power to change the world if he or she wishes. While some have lived full lives dedicated to helping others under the Church's watchful eye, others have used their talents to sow death and destruction before being put down. The emergence of one immediately prompts preparations across multiple countries for the possibility of having to kill a Conduit in case he or she goes against the world.

Channelling Magic
While many mages can and do simply cast spells from their hands, over the millennia it has become commonplace to use staves or wands to focus the flow of magical energy. Traditionally made of wood or metal, these devices have become status symbols and weapons of magical practitioners all over the world; most apprentices are traditionally given a staff upon graduating to the rank of full mage. Depending on the mage's own personal choice, they may go through several of these over the course of their life or rely on the same staff for as long as they live. Many are decorated by their owners, and contain gems or other items to store energy before spells are cast. Wands are not as commonplace as magical staves, and are mostly favoured by Oknarian wizards for their easy concealment and quick usage. Despite popular belief, they are just as potent as fully-sized staves when used to cast spells.

Though rare, it is possible to channel magical power through swords and other weaponry, so long as the metal works as a conductor. This has made more combat-inclined magisters a formidable foe on the battlefield, though unlike staves these weapons are usually more unstable due to their heavy physical usage; more than one sword-wielding mage has inadvertently disrupted their own magical flow during a sword fight and died in the resulting burst of energy. The use of smaller weapons like daggers or even simple cutlery as a way of channelling magical energy has become popular for mages wishing to be discreet without resorting to hand-based magic.

Moon Knights
A secretive division of the Church of the Twin Divines, the Moon Knights were created shortly after the war with Garmos to prevent a tide of rogue mages wreaking havoc in the still-recovering Empire. Absolute devotees of the Godess Vasha, these individuals are often well-armed and make up the elite of Mage-hunting parties should one go rogue within the Empire's territory. While the training is tough and many are killed on their first missions, those who survive become proficient mage-killers and are often called upon should a particularly dangerous mage endanger innocent people. It is said that an Outsider Moon Knight is the single most dangerous opponent that a mage can ever face.

Baldorian Forging
Like all weaponry forged by the ancient civilisation, Baldorian weapons and armour are incredibly resistant to all forms of magic and can often stand up to most spells long enough for the wielder/wearer to get close enough to kill the targeted mage. Some incredibly powerful spells may penetrate the armour, however, making it an unwise choice to charge in against a powerful opponent due to the incredible rarity of both the armour and weapons. As only a few dozen complete suits of armour remain and weapons are often closely-guarded by their wielders, this is a risky but potentially effective choice.

Outsiders
A sure-fire way to deal with any hostile practitioner of magic would be to use an Outsider. These individuals are incredibly rare; roughly one in every hundred thousand people will be born as an Outsider. Though they possess no unnatural talents and can live regular lives, they have a complete immunity to all forms of magic and are greatly feared by rogue mages. Magical attacks will harmlessly wash over them and attempts at illusion or concealment will simply not work. Mages can detect Outsiders from a great distance as their very presence makes them incredibly uneasy, and as such many are taken at an early age by travelling members of the Church for their potential and are inducted into the Moon Knights. Such individuals are seen as blessed by the Church and each is treated as a holy relic in his/her own right. The highest concentration of Outsiders seems to originate from the isle of Starfall, where Golyar Chaltim, himself an Outsider, originally hailed from. The powdered bones of Outsiders also happens to be an effective form of combating magical spells, as it disrupts and shuts down most shielding and can even negate a mage's power temporarily if applied directly. It is usually found only by serious mage hunters due to the pricing and rarity as an ingredient. Most Outsiders who die in the Church's service will most likely have their remains powdered for the purpose of hunting more mages in the future.