Sagwort

The Historians Guild Est. 1510 “The past is but a procession of the present” All Glory to the Enlightened Owl This scholarly order seeks to objectively study the history of the realm from ancient to avant-garde and the foreseeable future. The Guild holds no allegiance other than the realm and offers their services, with a small expense, to any who require it. By researching both archaic and modern documents, excavating ancient runes for their deepest and most esoteric mysteries, and inquiring with those who have lived through history itself, the Guild unravels the past and helps weave the future. The Historians’ Codex -The historian has two core tasks: the search for historical truth and its transmission through teaching and publication- -The historian must not dismiss counter evidence without scholarly consideration- -The historian must be even-handed in treatment of evidence and eschew picking and choosing history- -The historian must clearly indicate any speculation- -The historian must not mistranslate documents or mislead by omitting parts of documents- -The historian must weigh the authenticity of all accounts, not merely those that contradict a favored view- -The historian must take the motives of historical actors into consideration- -The historian must look beyond ethics, moral, and law, recording history under any circumstance and in the most raw of forms- The expansion of the above articles are learnt when inducted into the Guild The Hierarchy The ethical historian seeks no fame or fortune for their work, thusly, they have a fairly loose construction. The Guild is led by a council of Senior members who deal with Guild politics, reviewing historical analysis written by members of the Guild and keeping the Guild in order. Below the Senior members are the simple, yet crucial Historians. They serve no other purpose than to read, research, and record. Historians have numerous duties bestowed upon them by the Seniors. Historians may become chroniclers, wandering the realm and recording events as they happen, keeping the Guild’s immense records up-to-date and organized, or their services may be chartered out to those who can afford it such as a kingdom or noble orders. So common it is for Historians to focus on a certain aspect of history, such as natural, geographic, magical, political, or militaristic. Those who are newly inducted into this prestigious order or but simple acolytes, apprentices, students, novices, etc… They are assigned a Senior member who is to train them in the methods and practices of history keeping. Once the Senior feels they can function independently they are given the rank of Historian. The Knowledgeable Loremaster Anaximander Still, there remains a most esteemed and honorary title. That of “Loremaster”. The appellation given to only the most adept and skilled Historians of the Guild who have become experts in their craft. Granted, a Historian remains ever a student and can never truly master that which never ends. Services Chartered Chronicling Those Historians who have the more adventurous spirit are chartered out to various kingdoms, clans, and countries to record the history of said country as it occurs. The chronicler has no ties to the organization, they are, however, expected to be treated with the utmost hospitality. These Historians are also tasked with studying the chartee’s history and rewriting and organizing it into a coherent document for the Guild’s use. If a patron wishes to hire a chronicler do inquire below and proper payment shall be negotiated. Public Access The Guild’s expansive archives and the Historians’ combined knowledge serve as an almost endless source of historical documents, accounts, and research. It being their duty to transmit history to the realm, the Historians allow full access to their archives for study. History repeats itself, it is wise for one to know their past mistakes. Cartography Understanding the contours and geography of the realm is a vital aspect of history and its comprehension. Thusly, the Guild provides masterful artists and map makers to bring the realm to ink and paper. Commissioned maps of a particular piece of land are also available. Inquire below. An Aspiring Cartographer “A man who does not know history is like a leaf who does not know it’s part of a tree.” Induction into the Guild The Guild of Historians only takes on the most dedicated, scholarly, and empirical of potential students. Students are expected to possess a fairly advanced knowledge of ancient and modern history upon requesting entry. Their knowledge will be tested rigorously and their writing and scripting abilities will also be tested, to make sure the potential student writes in a coherent, unbiased and detailed manner. If one wishes to join this most venerable order it is asked that they send word to one of the Senior Members of the Guild so that their skills might be tested. A note may also be posted below giving your name and two examples of your work as a scholar and writer. [MC name should also be posted] Skilled cartographers are also encouraged to join our ranks. Send one of the Senior members of this illustrious order at least two examples of your work. Or, once again, post a note below in a similar fashion to that which is stated above.

-A letter is sent to all accepted aspiring mages- To Aspiring Mages and Novices, If you novitiates of the arcane sciences seek apprenticeship under one of our more adept and masterful instructors and teachers, contact me so that we might assign a suitable master in the particular school of magic you wish to delve into. Yours Truly, Most Regards, Sincerely, In Anticipation, Love, Scholarch Ambros

I would like to point out that I am not trying to be modest. I'm being sarcastic.

The Sup-Par Guide to Role Playing By: Sagwort Forward Before I begin I would like to point out that I do not consider myself the best role player, nor an above average one. This guide is simply a product of me browsing the inter-webs using my computer processor. I came across some blogs about writing, namely novels. I have often compared role playing to writing a novel and thought: “Huh, I wonder what this is all about.” So an hour later I have fifteen different tabs open and I haven’t blinked in at least thirty minutes and I’ve been holding in a **** that could feed half of central Africa. Reading further you will find what I have managed to scavenge from the thing they call “The Writing Community” and how I think it applies to role playing. You probably won't have the patience to read through have of it, so pick and choose what you want to learn more about. Character Creation Perhaps the most amusing part of role playing is preparing for it. Creating your fresh new dark elf that you’re going to cyber with over Skype. What terrible disease will they be inflicted with? What color is one eye going to be and the other not? How heavenly attractive should they be? These are the questions that go through some of our heads as we start meandering through DeviantArt for concept pictures of our hunky hot elf sex god. I’ll say this now, this is perhaps the most crucial part of role playing. The character you decide to create will set a tone for the rest of your role playing experience. Read this section with the utmost of sincerity. Character Profile This ‘profile’ that we often create with of our characters (mostly thanks to the application system) is the pitfall for all good characters. Now I’m not saying character profiles are the anti-christ, they are good for outlining concepts for a character. Your character at ‘first glance’, if you will. However, what makes a truly spectacular character is one that you get to know...intimately. Take your character out on a steamy date, meet them in a coffee shop, arrange an accommodation to grab a pint with them on a Friday night. There is a HUGE difference between ‘knowing’ your character and ‘understanding’ your character. 'Knowing' a character is what everyone else sees, what they look like, how old they are, their backstory, their favorite food, etc... ‘Knowing’ a character is the aspect we reach when someone gives you a 100 question long profile for your character. I say, THROW IT OUT, THROW IT OUT NOW. No one cares about your character’s favorite color, no one cares about what they have in their left pocket. What people care about is how your character is going to interact with theirs. This is when ‘Understanding’ your character comes into play. To the tune of ‘Understanding’ and with the aid of a writer’s blog, I have come to the conclusion that there are Seven Pillars to a strong character: Fear, Secret, Flaw, Quirk, Desire, Strength, and Inner Conflict. Now I am sure you have immediately misinterpreted what many of those words mean so allow me to elaborate. The Fear "Fear is multi-dimensional." – Art Markman The Secret “Everyone is a moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.” – Mark Twain The Flaw “Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.” – W. Somerset Maugham Maybe they are kind to the point of smothering. You know, the whole hug a rabbit until it suffocates and dies situation. Now comes the hard part, putting a flaw into effect. Allow your character to make mistakes. Don’t get this confused with ‘don’t god-mod’. Your character could very well be a god, but allow their flaws to trip them up. Make them choose the wrong path, trip over their own ignorance, become engulfed by their own lust for power. This is not only interesting for other people to witness and rp with, but also to rp. Sometimes its even difficult or uncomfortable to rp because you just a manly man. “The bigger the flaw, the sweeter the victory.” – Kristen Lamb How aware is your character of their flaw? Well, it’s easy to say they are, but what if they’re not? There are various reasons as to why one might not be aware of their own shortcomings. Here’s a list from one of those hipster writing blogs: Anchoring – focusing on only one of a number of pertinent pieces of information Bias Blind Spot – not believing they are biased Choice-Supportive Bias – believing past choices were better than they were Confirmation Bias – supporting preconceptions by focusing on information that fits Empathy Gap – not realizing how much something will affect someone Moral Credential Effect – feeling justified in a few wrongs because of a good track record Normalcy Bias – the denial of unusual events, causing a lack of preparation or reaction Omission Bias – seeing harmful acts as worse than equally harmful omissions Restraint Bias – underestimating temptation Semmelweis Reflex – rejecting new evidence because it doesn’t “fit” with what is “known” Final note, as with the secrets and fear: why does your character have this flaw? What caused them to be this way? Maybe it’s just in their racial credentials (greedy dwarf, ignorant elf) but those are usually cliche and uninteresting. Maybe your dwarf is an attention seeker because they were ignored as a child because their parents were always in the mines. Whatever! Get creative. We’ll go more in-depth in the backstory section. The Quirk “A quirk should never exist JUST to make the character memorable or look pretty.” – MJ Bush The Desire “Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.” – Kurt Vonnegut The Strength “Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.” – Arnold Schwarzeneger The Inner Conflict “There are always two forces warring against each other within us.” – Paramahansa Yogananda Backstory Perhaps the most unnecessary part of character creation. If there was one thing you wanted to skip, skip this section. The ONLY thing that backstory should really be used for is for explaining why one of the above characterization pillars are the way they are. Everything else in a backstory is just fluff. Was your dog killed by Undead? Sure, now how does that define who your character is? Does your character desire power because they lived in squalor and poverty? Physical Description UGGGG. Another pointless part of character creation. The only ‘important’ physical description is the character’s quark, and that is not even always physical. No one cares if your character has rock hard abs (unless you’re cybering) or if they’re left eye is green and their right is blue (not a viable quark). If you do insist on explaining how tall your character is, do it in rp. For instance: You do not need to put, in your description, “Dave is 6’2’’ and has brown hair.” *****, DO YOU THINK I’M BLIND. I SEE HE HAS BROWN HAIR BECAUSE THE HAIR ON YOUR ******* SKIN IS BROWN!!@!! Your skin does a great deal of physical description you don’t have to do. In fact, take advantage of the physical entities on your skin. Describe how your character scratches his stubble, or runs long fingers through dirty blonde hair. Remember, show, don’t tell. Character Consistency The only way the above characteristics will do any good is if you stay consistent with them. Don’t change your character’s fear just because it suits the situation. Don’t make them care (or not care) about things they wouldn’t otherwise care about. This is why ‘understanding’ your character is so important. Get to know them on a personal level. Don’t let role play dictate your character. Your character should be dictating role play. They should be making the decisions, the mistakes, the choices, that will progress role play. And all of these things should be done in accordance to how YOUR CHARACTER would react, not yourself. So often we react to things in role play because that is how we personally want to react. Well, think of you and your character as separate entities. Even if you don’t agree with what your character’s judgements, go on with it. Step outside your comfort zone. One point I would like to address, I know that many people on this server are role playing because it is a subconscious release from their real life (Even if they don’t realize it). I will not go into details as to why people might consider role play a release from their otherwise unappealing lives but don’t let that hold you back. People who view role play as just a second life are role playing not as what their character might do but how they want to be perceived by others. I beg you to avoid this, sure you might be deep with emotions and personal strife, but those are your emotions. You are playing with pixels, they mean nothing. Getting attached to your characters for such hysterical reasons can only lead to poor role playing. Character Development This basically contradicts everything I just said but bare with me. You might have heard that good books and movies have character development. For example: Lord of the Rings (Frodo and Sam), Harry Potter, Star Wars. All of these classics have characters which are almost entirely different people from where they started. Luke Skywalker was an enthusiastic young padawan and turned into a vengeful, angry cyborg. This didn’t come to pass over night. It occurred over time, things happened to his character which changed him (some for the better, others for the worse). He was taken from his family on that desert planet...I don’t even know the name, his mother was killed by those ISIS space men. His anger slowly consumed him and he even killed the woman he loved, and betrayed his master. Now we grow quite attached to our character’s personas when we start, but things change, and change is good. Allow your character to not only react to events but also change with them. By this, I don’t simply mean: “Wife is killed by Undead, he hates Undead now.” No, it should be deep and impassioned. His wife dies due to the Undead and he has lost faith in the Creator. He goes into alcoholism, whatever. Even subtle things like how he might look upon children with great affection because they never had children. The seven Pillars can change. In fact, this is the best way to go about producing character development. Change one of the Pillars as a result of some in-game event and see how it ripples across everything else. Scene Synthesis When I refer to a ‘scene’ I’m talking about a small blip of role play your character participates in. For instance: your character walks into a tavern and starts talking to the bar tender. Now how do we make these scenes more interesting. I’m sure you all like casual conversations about the weather but I tend to nod off as soon as someone comes to me with role play that redundant. A scene needs to have two elements: goal and conflict. A goal can be as simple as ordering a pint from the bartender or complex as slaying an Undead Mage. Conflict is what makes the scene come to life. Conflict can be defined as stakes. What will happen if my character does not achieve this goal? In return, it will make the goal something your character wishes to strive for. What could happen that your character never gets his pint? What would happen if he does not kill the mage? Now you’re probably thinking: “**** off Sagwort, I’m not going to make every single instance of role play an action drama film.” Well, chances are, you are doing it without realizing. You walk into Petrus and overhear a group of men talking about a rebellion. Interested, you join. The goal: learn about the rebellion. The stakes: never hear about the rebellion. It can be as simple as that. But a scene should never be: “Hey...weather is nice...bye.” Unless, of course, your character has a reason for doing so. Maybe they’re woefully awkward and just looking to make friends. Maybe they’re bored. Moral of the story, don’t just do things to do things. Give your character a reason for doing it. That will make role play seem more meaningful, and chances are, it’ll last longer too. Emotes If you read no other section, I BEG you to read this section. Emotes are a thing some people use too much of, and others use too little. A good rule of thumb is: “Will the emote affect the other person in any way?” If not, don’t emote it. Don’t add pointless fluff just to seem like a ‘good role player’. A good role player gets their point across in an efficient way. Similarly, I have seen people use too little emotes such as: No. That is boring, monotone, not interesting to read. When you do emote, and it is being emoted for a reason make it interesting to read. However, don’t go over the top. Don’t give me five emotes of how Paul pours Jim a pint. I got places to be. That is disgusting, a good length, but disgusting. You may think, “Oh that's good RP, did you see all those details?”. Well, it is ‘good’ RP but not fantastic. First, cut out the adverbs. We don’t need them, instead use strong active verbs. Instead of ‘slowly walks’ use a verb like ‘dawdles’ which means the same thing as ‘slowly walks’. Cutting out unnecessary adverbs we now have: Much more interesting to read. In my opinion, a better emote would be something along the lines of: Now I know sometimes adverbs just need to be used to get a point across. All I ask is that you think before you say “Quickly Runs” and instead say “Sprints” or “Races”. Also note that not every noun needs to have an adjective tied to it. Not every sword needs to be sharp, not every cloak needs to be ragged. Granted, if the defining feature of the cloak is that it is ragged, point it out. Otherwise adjectives can make a sentence seem overly choppy. I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster when I read that, up and down, up and down. Think to yourself, what is unnecessary? Can we agree that most ale is pale? And that most mugs are round? Unless there is a defining characteristic to the noun that requires an adjective, such as being a cube, don’t use it. Also, if someone has already described an object with emotes, you don’t need to redescribe it. If the bartender already noted that the mug of ale was a cube, you don’t need to restate that in your emote. On the flip side, we might want to know that Tim’s lips are dry because it shows that he has probably not had anything to drink for a while. It could use some work, but overall, it’s a smoother read. Less ‘hilly’. Finally, show, don’t tell. If your character is sad don't emote: Describe it, how does she look when she’s sad? We can insinuate that Loshanda is sad because of the way she acts. Not just because you said ‘my homegirl looks sad.’ Also note that I switched up the sentence structure. I didn’t just say: Doing emotes like this over and over again becomes choppy, and monotonous. Mix it up ya’ll. Not only did we condense two emotes into one, we also created a slightly smoother and more interesting read. Side note: PLEASE don’t emote what your character is feeling or thinking. Don’t do emotes like: NO, NO, NO. All of these things can be fixed by the show, don’t tell. Other characters cannot read minds, so don’t encourage them to by doing this. SHOW how Lisa concentrates, maybe her eyebrow creases or her palms begin to sweat. SHOW how Laquifa remembers her dead son. Perhaps her eyes go to the sky, a hand over her bosom. Dialogue Phew...emotes were a big thing. Dialogue...not so much. Some major points to hit are that your character should have a voice. They should not talk passively, imagine how your character would talk and apply it to typing. Now I realize this is quite difficult, but emotes can help with that. Also realize that your High Elf is not going to talk the same as your dwarf. Accents are a major part of Lord of the Craft races, utilize them. I see some humans do excellent jobs at this with their medieval slang and what not. Even more specific, a farmer will not talk the same as nobles. Even within accents, all characters should have a voice. This is difficult to develop. Even though Gandalf and Legolas don’t have any noticeable difference in accent they talk VERY differently. Gandalf is very casual, upfront and straightforward. Legolas is more poetic, sophisticated sounding. The rules about emotes do not apply to dialogue. Dialogue belongs to your character and should suit however your character should sound. Would they use words like ‘adore’ or ‘really like’. Would they say ‘Yes sir’ or ‘Of course’. This is something that comes with practice and the more you role play with your character the more you come to find their voice. This is one of the main things I think separates good role players from excellent role players. Their ability to adopt a voice specific to their character, and change at a moments notice. Body Language This sort of goes under Emotes but meh. It’s a major thing. Body language is the best way to convey emotion and personality through emotes. Is your character effeminate and reserved? Perhaps they cross their legs when they sit. Is your character rebellious and dark? Maybe they lean against walls with their head down. Maybe your character is feeling a little nervous so they start fidgeting, rubbing their arm. Blah! I am no psychologist, here is a reference sheet for body language I find very useful. http://writerswrite.co.za/body-language-reference-sheet Finding Role Play Oop, here we go. The biggest problem with role players, not matter how good is that “There is no rp”. Well you should just go kill yourself. You know why you can’t find rp? Because your looking for it! To role play you have to create your own. Remember what I said about conflict and goals? Of course you don’t… Any-hoo, there is no such thing as ‘finding’ role play. There is only creating role play. A sub-par role player looks. A great role player creates. Now I’m not talking about getting on the event team and having a dragon attack the most populated city. It can even be subtle. Engage people. Talk to other people, emote and see if any one reacts. Give your character a goal and conflict and see to it that they carry out those goals. One thing I noticed recently are the fools who walk up to you, shift click, and run away. Well you know what, **** THEM. If they want to know if your character is attractive enough to cyber with, have them work for it. Ask them why they are bowing, engage with them. That is the key word, engage. Don’t be passive and let roleplay just go by. Create it.

Notice A reminder to all Wizard Guild employees: we have established our base of operations in the southern most portions of Athera in a location we cannot reveal. We expect full attendance at various Guild functions from here forth. If you do not know the location of The Institute, then we advise you go into the study of astrological navigation as we are located in the longitude of Pisces and under the node of Gemini. -Chair Wizard Ambros- ​PS: The Spider Goat Initiative Program is now in full effect.

Notice A reminder to all employees. Upon our arrival to this new land we will immediately begin our Spider Goat Initiative program, where we will breed a species of goats which produce spider silk fibers in their milk. Destruction of an entire continent is not an excuse to stop getting results. We expect your full attendance upon our arrival. "Have a Great day today, and a better day tomorrow" -Chair Wizard Ambros-

W.I.Z. University The Wizarding Institution of Zapping The Wizarding Institution of Zapping advances learning through scholarship, research, and teaching of unsurpassed quality, with an emphasis on arcane and sorcery based education that is distinctive among the realm’s great universities, and with a pervasive commitment to serve the student and the realm. Enrolling Entry into W.I.Z. is a highly selective process. First, the potential student must submit an admissions application which can be found just below. The Board of Administration will review the application and determine if the student has anything to offer the University. If the Board believes the student has potential, a letter of acceptance will be sent to schedule an interview with the Provost or another member of the Board to further weigh the student's caliber. Should students be accepted into the Academy a 500 mina entry fee is due before their academics begin. Student Admissions Application Our present facilities Students are also known to be invited to the University if their previous academic exploitations are above average or desirable by the University. Students who are invited to the University generally have their entry fee waived. The Guild, courtesy of the Bursar, also offers an Apprentice Loan that the student will need to pay before graduating. Granted, with interest the student will need to pay 1,000 minas to the Board of Administrations before graduating. If this seems implausible for the less privileged of students the Guild also offers a variety of Scholarships to reduce the fees. The Roland Scholarship The Warlock Facial Hair Accolade Varsity Wizard Billiards Award The Ibar Elsiol Memorial Scholarship Excellency in Wizardry Endowment Apprentice Life Students who enroll at W.I.Z. enter a program of study under one of our five schools or Colleges. Here, they will delve into a specific field of study at the forefronts of magic under the guidance of a Professor. Our esteemed faculty of Professors are here to educate and enrich the lives of our students through any means necessary. Students will work closely with the professor of their desired field, partaking in a variety of character building tasks as well as lectures and workshops. At the end of this period the student will be eligible for a Baccalaureate Degree in their field of study. W.I.Z. offers four different kinds of Baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Thaumaturgy (B.Thau.) Bachelor of Occultism (B.O.) Bachelor of Magianism (B.Mn.) Bachelor of Magic (B.Mgc.) Granted, the well rounded student does not dedicate their lives to study alone. Apprentices are encouraged to participate the University’s many extracurriculars such as the Cauldron Cleaning Club, the Court Wizards Club, or the Future Archmages of the Realm (FAR). The more athletically inclined students can also try out for the University’s Varsity Wizard Billiards Team which, for nearly nine decades, has never been defeated in regionals being the only Wizard Billiards Team in existence. When students graduate they may continue into the magical workforce of the realm through being made Scholars, Librarians, Court Wizards, etc… or support the Guild by joining one of our premium task forces, the Departments. Here their specific talents and knowledge will be put to use in the most riveting and dire supernatural issues of the day. If grades are the only way they can seek approval and accomplishment, then the graduate may continue their course of study and receive an advanced degree through academia in the WIZ University. Colleges W.I.Z. offers five schools of study (one of which we do not speak of), each with an array of fields contained within them. For their burgeoning years at W.I.Z. the student will dedicate their time to their desired field until they receive their Baccalaureate. College of Inadvisably Applied Magic The college which researches and studies the science and art of summoning entities from the nixian plane and generally wreaking havoc. College of Illusion The College of Illusion studies the magical mind through magics involving the psyche. Not the most trustworthy sorts..... College of Alteration and Magical Theory The most meticulous of Colleges which studies the science of altering the magical and physical properties of objects as well as various other theoretical arcane “sciences”. College of Artificing The College of craftsmen study the creation of magical apparatusi, the oompa loompas of progress! College of Liberal Studies A large College that deals with all studies outside of the realm of what the Guild considers “magical” however is often closely related to it. Graduate Degrees Once an apprentice has received their Bachelors they may attempt and obtain a higher degree and even pursue full membership into the Guild through academia. The University offers 4 Masters degrees and 3 Doctorates. Masters To become a Master in a particular field one must complete and show advanced study and knowledge of a particular field as well as completion of a Master’s Thesis on said topic. This thesis is approved by the Board of Administration. Such thesis are generally not novel information, however, does show an extended analysis of the topic. Masters must also have the ability to teach. Master of Thaumaturgy (M.Thau.) Master of Occultism (M.O.) Master of Magianism (M.Mn.) Master of Magical Philosophy (M.P.M.) Doctorates To be become a Doctor in a particular field one must complete rigorous research in said field as well as write a complete dissertation of their research. The research must be approved by the Board of Administration or the Provost and said research must show results. Doctor of Thaumaturgy (Thau.D.) Doctor of Occultism (O.D.) Doctor of Wizardry (Wiz.D.)

“Magic without results is just Druidism” An institution dedicated to the research of Arcane Arts and Sciences. Though we do not claim to know how magic actually works, we do offer a variety of services such as enchantments, alchemical substances, and education hosted in the W.I.Z. University. The Faculty The hierarchy within the company is organized into ten simple tiers: The Board of Administration This is the loose government of the Guild which oversees both the W.I.Z. University as well as any other affairs and issues which may grace the presence of those within it. There are several specific names and titles which are correlated with the Board such as the Chair-Wizard. Though most of it a frivolous and boring and hardly worth our time and too important for yours. The Deans and Chairs These fellows overlook their respective College or Department with Deans overseeing Colleges and Chairs overseeing the Departments. The Deans and Chairs are most often on the Board, though if one of them prefers pineapples over cantaloupes, they can expect a swift ejection from their seat. The Colleges and Departments are as follows: the College of Indivisibly Applied Magic, the College of Illusions, the College of Alteration and Magical Theory, the College of Artificing, the College of Liberal Studies, Department of the Public Misunderstanding of Magic, and the Department of Post-Mortem Communications. Most often the Departments deal with more focused issues while the Colleges focus their precious time on education and research. We’ll let you figure out what all of these Departments entail on your own time. The Academic Hierarchy Lecturers, Professors and Researchers act as the meat, preferably veal, of the institution. They analyse, and carry out menial tasks just as finding the transitive properties to acidic substances while applying the theory of general apothegms. The hierarchy is as follows: Professor Assistant Professor Lecturer Each Professor is directed to a College based upon the subject they specialize in. An example being: The Professor in the Creative Uncertainty would belong to the Dean of the College of Alteration and Magical Theory. They are also encouraged to perform their own individual research outside of the duties given to them by their Dean which includes teaching. Students Really not interesting people at all...they cook, buy the groceries. It’s all their really good for. The company also hosts a butlitorial work force who do about as much as a turnip can do to solve your long standing depression. Which is, surprisingly, a lot. Services The W.I.Z. University Wizard. Institution. of Zapping. The W.I.Z. University is the Guild’s educational program for aspiring young Wizards who seek out the Arcane Arts. The Board is highly selective in who they allow to enter the University, and even when admitted, they must still pay a tuition fee of 500 minas. Of course, the company does offer an Apprentice Loan for the less fortunate which must be payed back before graduation. There are several graduation requirements, actually only one… that being, the student must graduate with facial hair of some sort. The Test Subject Program For those individuals who seek psychiatric aid, the Guild is here for you. Sign up for our Test Subject Program and put your, most likely worthless, life to good use in the name of progress. Simply ask one of the Board members for an application. The Flaccid Hat Trading Co. “Have a great today, and a better tomorrow!” Results need Research and Research needs Money. To remedy this elusive substance we so often call ‘money’ the Guild offers a great many of their services at the Flaccid Hat Trading Co. Here the company offers cutting edge magical technology and instruments such as alchemical concoctions, enchanted items, and prostitutes… The Three Pillars The Guild is built upon three pillars: Shoes, Horses, and Intended Treason. Otherwise known as S.H.IT. These pillars are explained below: -A Wizard shalt not take off his right shoe before his left- -Horses shalt not be found on the roof- -A Wizard shalt never harm another Wizard of the company without good intention- Breaking one of these sacred principles will result in a ruling by the Board and highly probable expulsion. REMEMBER! -Magic without results is just Druidism- -Get results or you're fired- -If you suspect one of your co-workers of bein’ a Druid, report them immediately. We cannot stress enough that Druidism is not tolerated- Admittance for the Adept If you feel as though you are already “proficient” enough at your craft and need not enroll in the W.I.Z. University than express a letter to the Board of Administration (POST BELOW) detailing your experience and expertise. The Board will reply post haste to schedule a confab for further questioning and analysis of your particular skill set. Wizard Guild Fan Art

-An ornate teacup shoots from a nearby shrub, cracking to display a sumptuous note within- ------~=+O+=~------ Paul Ryan is not 'cool' Paul Ryan is not at all 'cool' Paul Ryan will never be 'cool' -The Gentlemen's Society- ------~=+O+=~------

Est. 1475 gen·tle·man [jen-tl-muh n, pl -men] a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered man: He behaved like a true gentleman. ------~=+O+=~------ The Gentlemen’s Society is an order of extraordinary and exquisite men of a higher standard in living. Together, we learned Sirs hope to educate and explore the more affluent contours of philosophy and disciplines. ------~=+O+=~------ The Gentleman’s Code 1. The Gentleman means what he says and says what he means 2. The Gentleman shall observe scholarly, and judge indifferently 3. The Gentleman is always presentable 4. The Gentleman does not utter foul language, it shows no class 5. The Gentleman’s preferred form of combat is bare knuckle boxing 6. The Gentleman’s facial hair is habitual, scriptural, and beneficial 7. The Gentleman is well versed in the philosophical, inebriant, belvederes, muliebrous, and vestments 8. The Gentleman is punctual 9. The Gentleman has jurisdiction over his fervor 10. The Gentleman takes great honor in his hat ------~=+O+=~------ “The world is full of boys, be a man” ------~=+O+=~------ The Chevalier Gazette “Look Sharp, Live Smart” For the literate patrician, the Gentlemen’s Society offers The Chevalier Gazette: a contemporary and illuminating commentary on the most current and alluring occurrences of the realm. It also includes guidance upon vestments, euphoria, and living a more illustrious and ethical lifestyle. Members will receive a complimentary subscription, though those who are not so fortunate may compensate with a 20.00 mina payment per Gazette. Inform our Vice-Chairman if you wish for an accession. ------~=+O+=~------ Aquantincing The Society is decidedly selective in who they admit into the circle of Gentlemen. Several rigorous trials must first be concluded before the initiation process may take place. To those who adhere to the Society, we invite you to compose a poem and install it below. If the poem meets a most poignant and passionate of precedents, an invitations will be sent to those the Society believes to meet the communal definitive of our doctrine. The Board ------~=+O+=~------ - Chairman Ambros - - Vice-Chairman Jingeh Claw - - Beverage Dissemination Officer Wikz Claw - - Somatic Cajolery Consultant Draen Aris - Affiliates ------~=+O+=~------ -Xavier de Sola- -Nathaniel Wilde- ------~=+O+=~------ “Swagger is for boys, class is for men.”

Ok, first of all, bud, these rules have been on arcane magic since this whole "system of magic" was created several...many months ago. I am not restricting, I am taking what is already there and making it a 3 step easy system that people can understand. In fact, I left out huge chunks of other 'rules' about more specific things like illusion, and evocation, and how the void works, and how you can't physically enter the void yada yada yada YADA. This is nothing more than a simplified version of what is already in place.

These laws only apply to Arcane Magic (Don't say Void Magic. . .) These laws would apply to ALL types of Arcane Magic. For transmuting, something should still retain its original mass. (I made this a rule back when I created the sub-type for the magic team, not sure if it is still seen through though). This way, people cannot turn feathers into boulders and boulders into solid gold. Now enchanting is a bit tricky, but think about it, the third law ONLY applies to Arcane Magic which involves Transforming. Meaning: even though the law may apply to all arcane magic, that does not mean it affects the magic. Enchanting is not Transforming, it is...well, enchanting. You are not altering or changing the physical appearance, you are changing its...'properties'. So for enchanting, you could make a pocket which is deeper than it appears or a stone which is much lighter than it looks SO LONG as it does not change the physical appearance. You should not be changing something's physical appearance anyway in enchanting. Now you might be thinking, well in Transmutation can't you change the actual object into a completely different one? I personally believe, no. Transmutation allows you turn ice into water, but you cannot turn that water into lava. Ice and water are the same thing, just in a different state, lava is an entirely different substance. Allowing people to turn one object into a completely different one is a tad...well...I can see it easily abused. Besides, you can achieve a similar effect with illusion. Do not confuse Arcane Transmutation with alchemical transmutation. In alchemy you might be able to turn lead into gold, in magic you can only turn that lead into a horse shoe.

Good eve' I am here today to offer a proposal. As I am to understand, magic has recently been 'set free', as they say. Now I have no complaints about this, but as far as Arcane Magic goes, I wanted to show my simple three law understanding to arcane magic. Note that some of these laws more or less exist in real life, I simply altered some of them to fit the needs of our particular Arcane Magic system. The Conservation of Reality The theory that anything performed by magical means takes up the same amount of energy if it were performed with non-magical means. The Law of Creation The law that something cannot be created from nothing, meaning, all forms of arcane magic must have an equal sacrifice to perform. We see this mostly in the form of mana. This also goes to say that things cannot be destroyed either, as all things Arcane come from the void and all things return there. The Law of Transformation The law that something cannot be altered or changed unless it retains its original mass. This law also states that, when transforming something, the change must be physical, not chemical. This means that a paper can be folded into a crane, though it cannot be turned to ash. The ash cannot be turned back into paper. Note that these laws are not restricting of Arcane Magic in anyway. They simply take the general laws of Arcane Magic that already exist, and simplify them into three easy to understand ideas. I also think these laws could be fundamental in creating new forms of Arcane Magic (Not that we need any...).

[[Please refrain from turning this into an RP thread, as it is not. It is meant for giving important notices to other members of the guild and for answering any questions people may have about the guild.]]

((In what world do you plan to get every magic user to unite in a civilized manner?....)) (( I'm certainly not working with some mushroom smoking hippy))

[[Yes, as of today we will begin accepting new apprentices]]

Notice ----- Congratulations Song: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/54094913/Clap%20Jam%202.mp3 The Conclave of Magi, of the Mages Guild, has decided upon the following Apprentices to continue their magical training within Wyverywn Hold. James [markdalgaard] Garth [FideiDefensor] Elene [Meguzara] Yuln [Godness_Aurea] ----- Congratulations to the above Apprentices, I am afraid I must ask any unaccepted Apprentices to leave the premises of Wyverwyn Hold (Unless given special permission). If your name IS listed above then arrive at the Hold as soon as possible to be paired up with your respected Master. ----- Most Regards, Arch-Mage Ambros

Ambros wakes up from his dreamless slumber, a puddle of droll had accumulated in the center of his desk. Rubbing sleep out of his eyes he looks across the expansive table of mahogany to find it in an absolute clutter, more so than it usually would have been in. All across the desk lays papers of arcanic circles and magical diagrams. If this was not unusual enough, scrawled across every single one of them was the same cryptic message. The Guild had made little sense of these markings thus far, and such symbols corrupted the college walls with their mockingly confusing aura. His upper lip twitching his face met the desk once again, in a slobbery, snoring harmony.