Colleges of Magic (Warhammer Fantasy)

The Colleges of Magic are an organization that feature in Warhammer Fantasy.

History

The Colleges of Magic was a magical institution created to train spellcasters within the Empire of Man. The founding of the Colleges of Magic began with one particular individual -- the High Elf Loremaster Teclis of Ulthuan, one of the most powerful magic-users the mortal world has ever known. Facing an imminent massive assault by the forces of Chaos, and with the permission of the future emperor Magnus the Pious and the grudging support of his subordinates, in the early years of the 24th century IC, Teclis and his brother mages offered amnesty to the Human hedge wizards and petty magic-users that existed in the Empire at that time. They also proceeded to seek out as many more potential wizards among the general populace as possible. Word was sent by galloping outriders to every part of the Empire they could reach, offering a full pardon for the illegal practice of magic and training to any and all that knew or suspected they had an affinity or ability with magic. Some experienced strange dreams, compulsions to journey to Altdorf as if some force compelled them. There, if they submitted themselves to Teclis' judgment and training and agreed to fight in the coming war against Chaos, they were guaranteed protection from harm by any of the Empire's other powers or agents. They would be under Teclis' personal protection and the protection of the Great Uniter, Magnus of Nuln.

The High Elven mages' incredible skills and profound sensitivity to the movements of the Aethyr enabled them to sense even the smallest conjurations by the weakest Human spellcasters for leagues around them, thus allowing them to find potential magic-users by themselves. Using their arcane knowledge, the Elves could traverse the lands of the Empire with supernatural speed and uncover many of the primitive or misguided magic-users who were forced to live in secrecy by those who feared their abilities. Yet there were others who made their way to Talabheim of their own accord, handing themselves over to Magnus the Pious' authority in desperate hope of acceptance. With barely a pause, Teclis and his two High Elven companions eradicated any witches and warlocks corrupted by exposure to Chaos beyond any hope of redemption. Teclis left alone the priests and clerics of the Empire's cults, despite sensing a great aptitude for arcane magic in many. The holy men and women of the Empire were adamant that they had no power or wish to manipulate magic, insisting any miracles their prayers might bring came directly from the deity they worshipped.

It was said Teclis' allies, the Loremasters Yrtle and Finreir, were amused by these self-righteous claims, as they knew all magic ultimately came from the same power source no matter the method of how it was channelled, but Teclis merely nodded and allowed the issue to drop. The priests he had approached could already work Divine Magic with faith and rituals without learning the arcane spellcraft that Teclis offered. The great archmage saw no reason to inject doubt into the hearts of the Empire's clergy by pressing his point. Teclis and his brother mages began to instruct their Human students in the ways of spellcraft much to the horror and disapproval of the many templar orders of the Empire, most notably the witch hunters. Indeed, many people and longstanding Imperial authorities were aghast that Men should be permitted to embrace the dangerous sorcerous arts. But Magnus, now heralded as the Voice of Sigmar, the Great Uniter of the Empire, and the Last Hope against the Chaos hordes, ordered that it should be so. Magnus had the backing of the Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar and the Elector Counts, so the Witch Hunters and other zealots were held at bay.

Overview

In appearance, the Colleges of Magic were an important and powerful Imperial institution of magical learning and practice. It was also known as the Imperial Colleges of Magic and as the Orders of Magic.

The Colleges of Magic are places of learning as well as inherently political institutions. They each possess physical buildings and are inhabited by a collection of non-magic-using servants, apprentices and Magisters, the title given to a wizard who is a full member of a college and therefore licensed to practice and teach magic in the Empire.

The Orders of Magic are also far-reaching, highly secretive societies with distinct identities and agendas. Imperial Magisters claim that the essence of their orders are not found in buildings or dusty tomes but in the actual pursuit, manipulation, and embodiment of the Winds of Magic that lie at the heart of their orders' lores. With these mighty Human wizards within its military's ranks, the Empire can face and defeat even the greatest and most destructive forces that would dare to assail its borders, be they mortal or supernatural.

The Colleges of Magic have centralised buildings in Altdorf that allow the emperor to contact each college's governing Magister or "patriarch," or at least the senior members of each of the Orders of Magic when he needs to. The Orders of Magic include the magical lores, personalities, philosophies, ideals, rituals, traditions, and goals that each of the colleges impart to their apprentices.

Members

• Teclis :
• Balthasar Gelt :
• Elspeth von Draken : known as the Dark Lady of Nuln and as the Graveyard Rose was a magisterix of the Amethyst Order and respected advisor to Elector Countess Emmanuelle von Liebwitz of Wissenland.
• Kerwen Sigmarsson : High Amber in the early 2500s IC, he lives in the Middle Mountains with three wolves.
• Thyrus Gormann : a wizard and Patriarch of the Bright Order who was once the Supreme Patriarch until he was challenged and defeated by Balthasar Gelt of the Gold Order.
• Dagmar von Arburg : Jade Mother of the Order in the early 2500s IC.
• Vespasian Kant : current Patriarch of the Light Order who in 2507 IC discovered that Egrimm van Horstmann secretly worshipped Tzeentch.
• Egrimm von Horstmann :

Notes

• The Colleges of Magic were created by Games Workshop and featured in the setting of the Warhammer Fantasy universe.

Appearances

• Warhammer Fantasy:

External Links

• Warhammer Wiki Entry

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