Table of Contents

Codex Arcana

The Mages’ Order

The Mages’ Order is one of the oldest scholarly institutions in Starfall Rest, dedicated to the study, practice, and responsible application of arcane magic. Headquartered in the Arcane Halls of the Horngate, the Order serves as a professional society of spellcasters, researchers, and magical investigators whose work ranges from academic study to field operations across the realm.

Overview

Though the Mages’ Order is influential in magical scholarship, the Order does not govern magical knowledge. Following the destruction of the Arcane Halls’ great library during the rise of the Shadow Concord, the surviving archives were relocated to the Arcane Conservatory on the Shrouded Isle, which now operates as an independent institution.

Today, the Mages’ Order remains a vital force in the realm, training new practitioners, investigating magical threats, and advancing the understanding of arcane forces.

Headquarters: The Arcane Halls

The Arcane Halls, located in the Horngate, serve as the primary seat of the Mages’ Order. Part academy, part research institution, and part guild hall, the Arcane Halls have for centuries been a center of magical learning.

Within its towers and lecture halls, apprentices study arcane theory, spellcraft, alchemy, and magical engineering. Senior mages conduct research, mentor students, and undertake assignments involving magical anomalies, rogue artifacts, and arcane phenomena.

Though once home to the greatest magical library in Starfall Rest, the Arcane Halls lost much of its collection when the Shadow Concord sacked the library. The surviving knowledge was later relocated to the Arcane Conservatory.

Rank Structure

Membership within the Mages’ Order follows a traditional progression based on mastery of magical study and practice.

Apprentice
Students undergoing training in arcane theory and spellcraft.

Journeyman Mage
Fully trained practitioners who have passed their trials and are permitted to undertake independent assignments.

Magus
Senior members of the Order who teach, mentor apprentices, and lead research initiatives.

Archmage
The most accomplished and respected mages of the Order, recognized for extraordinary mastery and contributions to magical knowledge.

Battle Mages

In her first year as a Battle Mage, Hannah Farrowlight faced her first major trial when the Battle Mages were summoned to the research labs of the Arcane Halls. A rogue spell construct, unleashed during an experimental build, had spiraled out of control, threatening the lives of the engineers and assistants. Hannah’s team moved like a perfectly synchronized dance, each member executing their role with precision. Positioned on point, Hannah kept the construct’s attention focused on her with blasts of brilliant blue flame, while her teammates struck from the flanks and rear, disabling the dangerous creation with calculated efficiency.

Among the Order’s ranks exists a specialized branch known as the Battle Mages.

Battle Mages are elite arcane practitioners trained to confront dangerous magical threats. While most members of the Order pursue scholarly or investigative work, Battle Mages specialize in combat spellcraft and tactical magical operations.

They are often dispatched to address threats such as:

  • rogue magical constructs
  • cursed artifacts
  • magical predators
  • arcane catastrophes

Battle Mages frequently cooperate with other magical traditions, including the Wyrdkin and the Sisters Ardent, when confronting threats that endanger the balance of the realm.

Relationship with the Arcane Conservatory

The Arcane Conservatory was originally founded through a historic alliance between the Mages’ Order and the Aethereals following the destruction of the Arcane Halls library.

While the Order initially sought to retain control over the new institution, the Aethereals insisted that the Conservatory remain independent. After prolonged debate, the Order agreed.

Today the Conservatory is governed by the Order of the Archives, a council of nine representing librarians, civic leaders, and major factions of the realm.

The Mages’ Order maintains a representative on the council but does not control the institution.

Magical Philosophy

The Mages’ Order approaches magic as a discipline of study and discovery.

Through observation, experimentation, and documentation, its members seek to understand the underlying principles governing arcane forces.

This approach differs from other magical traditions in Starfall Rest:

  • The Sisters Ardent draw power from devotion to the Moon Goddess.
  • The Wyrdkin practice magic through harmony with the natural world.
  • The Mages’ Order studies magic as a system that can be learned, analyzed, and responsibly applied.

Notable Mages

Magus Corselus

A respected mentor within the Arcane Halls known for guiding promising young mages.

Bastian Idris

A Journeyman Mage whose early field assignments illustrate the investigative role of the Order’s practitioners.

Maltheris

A brilliant but ambitious wizard whose rivalry with John the Spellwright produced the infamous cursed artifact known as the Looking Glass of Maltheris.

John the Spellwright

A beloved mage remembered for his warmth and leadership, whose fall from the Order became a cautionary tale about ambition and envy.