The Order of Wizards & Magi was developed by the humans of Athania based on the Elven method of tracking their magic practitioners. Wizards (Specialists) and Mages (Generalists) are required to train in certified institutions, or mentored under authorized masters.
The delineation of Mage and Sorcerer some 4,000 years ago during the rule of the Great Kingdom forced a split within the magical community. Mages and wizards were now official magic practitioners while sorcerers were rogue spell casters. This turn of events has led to elitism and the hunting of rogue practitioners, know as Warlocks. The Order claims that Wizardry is the right and true path to magic while Sorcery is the left and evil path of magic. Elementalists are not allowed to study within the order. Elementalism is considered Low magic and an unworthy course of study compared studies of the Higher Magic’s.
Wizards are trained in Academies, Colleges and Universities or by private mentoring. There are many authorized independent masters and a number of institutions of higher magical learning which are scattered across the ancient realm of The Great Kingdom.
The Elves were the first to denote rank amongst their legions of Magi. Mostly they denoted if an artist practiced Low Magic or High Magic. White robes denote a low magic practitioner and emerald green robes are reserved for the practitioners of sacred High Magic.
The humans, who were taught the art from their Elven sponsors, took to magic like fire to oil. They initially learned from tutors, mentors and independent masters. This was fine for a time; the Green Age was waning and the Age of Air was waxing. Elves were passing their knowledge and wisdom to man, and mankind took it and molded it into his own creation.
While the elves experience magic as a living force of nature, a pattern to unify with to make them whole; humans see differentiation, separation and superiority. The elves saw little difference between a mage and sorcerer. Human magicians saw sorcery as a threat to its structure, a threat to true magic. Magic for the elves grew out of love and nature, and for humans it grew from power, control and military conquest.
Human wizards considered themselves at the top of the magical chain, and devised a way to keep their numbers in order while segregating out those who were unwanted, and those who need to be eliminated. During the rise of
The Great Kingdom the “High-Mages” of the time formalized the institution of The Order of Wizards & Mages. They established themselves by the right of kingly succession as only powerfully haughty wealthy mages can do. They had major funding for academy’s, colleges and universities to teach and train the new generations of wizards.As the Order grew, a secret underground philosophy came to be embraced and enacted, that sorcerers were the remnants of the abominations of the Black Age, and they were to be hunted and destroyed; thus started the rivalry. The Wizards had the right wing, the money and the power. The Order created specialist wizards (Hunters) to track down and eliminate Warlock spellcasters (Sorcerers, wayfarer mages & wizards and now Psionicists). During the past 7 millennia the Order has driven Sorcerers underground and forced them to band together in their own “Society”. The Hunters seek to infiltrate their safe houses and destroy entire cells. Yet as successful as they have been in the past they have never been able to eliminate the threat of sorcery.
