Forums: Forums -> Spellcasting Traditions in the World

Every race has some connection to magic, and so each race has developed a method of training and harnessing this gift within its members. Few have allowed their casters to devote themselves wholly to the study of magic, though, and it must be remembered that the more a caster must do, the less he can develop his magic.

Dwarves
Dwarves have little in the way of formalized spellcasting tradition. Spellcasters in dwarvish society are treated essentially like any other experts, they are trained by a master in their art until considered competent enough to take on a new role as a master. Dwarven spellcasters are taught with the intention of putting their skills to use for the clan, wherever they are needed. Naturally a master can only teach his apprentice those skills he possesses, so if additional needs are required a spellcaster may receive additional training from other those of other crafts to supplement what he knows of magic.

Kobolds
Church dogma held that magic use by kobolds was an effect of their draconic blood, a gift of the dragon gods. Believing that those who could use magic must have purer draconic blood than other Kobolds the Church took and trained as many of these as it could as priests.
The shortlived Republic abolished this practice and tried to encouraged reasoned examination of magic, but was quickly replaced before any useful outcome could be had. For Drak spellcasters have use in their ability to serve dragonkin. He has endeavored to create his own version of the Imperial Marshals using only spellcasters and bypassing the Academy entirely. His Dragons, as they are called, are trained to act as spies, secret police, soldiers, and strike teams. They are trained in the best magics available from the days of the Church. Any known caster in the realm is required, for the glory of dragonkin, to join the Dragons. Deserters are executed on capture.

Goblins
Spellcasting in the Goblin kingdoms, like most of their civilization, is built on the backs of the elves that preceded them in the area. What remained of the works of elvish wizards as the goblins built their kingdoms was studied by the priests of the goblins and used as the basis for their own works. The priests had always bypassed the petty feuds of the tribes, and were able to form their own society apart from the kingdoms. The Goblin mages now live in a separate church that is independent even of the King, its members considered inviolate in all feudal squabbles. In spite of this independence from authority, the church also demands a tithe be payed them by all goblins, to support them. This is in addition to the revenue the church can make through the services provided by its members. The church directs where its members are placed and assumes responsibility for all spellcasters.
Potentials are identified while young by a local priest and sent to the nearest temple where they are trained. On completion of training they are sent where they came from, or as close to it as possible. Those from powerful families, or identified as being particularly powerful mages, are kept in the temples to continue study and eventually become higher ranking priests. There is a temple of some sort in every major city. Most have an open shrine at the top where sacrifices are performed for all to observe.
The largest of these temples serves as the central headquarters of the goblin church. It is built in the remains of an ancient elven palace, a pyramid shaped structure with the top converted into a square shrine. Here sits the High Magus, head of the church, and his Magi.

Elves
The once mighty elven wizards are now remembered only through what of their work has been stolen by goblins. Now the elves look to local witches. A witch is responsible for far more than just spellcasting, he is the leader of an elven community; storyteller, doctor, historian, teacher, and guide. A witch selects his apprentice from amongst the elvish youth, choosing the most promising of the young elves to follow him and learn the craft.
Witches live on the gratitude of their people. Although they never ask payment, by tradition, they also never need to. A witch can always expect to be shown respect and gratitude, and all they have to do is earn it.

Humans
Spellcasting is the only trade in the Empire that is not unified. Even Imperial authority fears to disrupt either side of the divide. On one hand are the churches, most of which predate the empire itself. On the other is the Academy, which has risen under the protection of imperial authority.
The churches of the human lands have never unified; there are simply too many gods worshiped in the lands claimed by the empire, and no emperor has ever dared to try to prohibit any worship for fear of angering the wrong god. So all of the old temples and shrines still have worshipers and priests who recruit based on their own methods that the empire simply ignores. Some of the temples devoted to widely worshiped gods have unified to form collective churches dedicated to particular god, but no church of all the gods has ever formed.
The Academy was formed by sorcerers who wished to learn more about magic in general, unable to accept the assertion of many churches of their day that it was a gift from the gods. "If that were so," they argued, "why would every god grant the same powers?" The chief among these was Mustrum Weatherwax, who was the first Archchancelor of the Academy and its founder. There are now academies in every provincial capital, each headed by a Chancellor, but the primary Academy is in the imperial capital and its leader, the Archchancellor, is the head of them all. The Academy concerns itself with three things: the training of wizards, the study of magic, and the pursuit of all academics. Academies all have different specialties in these fields, but all take an interest in all scholarly pursuits.
Another, unofficial, mission of the Academy is to train new members of the Imperial Marshals. Although not all Marshals are spellcasters, they are the only casting division of the Imperial military and police forces. Many Academy students are pressured in some to join the Marshals.
Those who show magical affinity are officially encouraged to join the Academy, though many devout families and regions prefer their local deity's church. And there is no official law requiring either of these training regimens though very few casters choose to go alone.

The Traveling People
Much like the elven witches, the caravans are led by a Loremaster. His duty is to remember the legends, lead the caravan, act as its emissary amongst other peoples, teach his people, and serve as their link to magic. Loremasters select their apprentices like any other apprentice in the caravan, requiring not only the ability to cast spells but also the temperament and abilities needed to fulfill all the duties of the Loremaster. Loremasters train anyone who might have magical affinity to use their talent, but those who cannot become Loremasters tend to drift to another line of work in time.

Centaurs
The spiritual leader of a centaur tribe is the shaman, which roughly translates to "one who speaks with spirits and commands their power." Centaurs believe in spirits of varying power that exist within, and move between, everything in the world. Shamans, they believe, and summon these spirits to speak or act on their behalf.
As soon as a shaman identifies one whom the spirits also speak with he begins training the young centaur as an apprentice. Shamans are the keepers of the tribe's legends, they are healers and historians, leaders and guardians. In many tribes the shaman is the tribe's sole leader and even in those with another form of leadership the shaman is of great importance.