The
Craft:
Nemedian Magic and its Practicioners
The field of Nemedian magic is large. The nature of magic itself is poorly understood. It is certainly a form of energy, which is radiated by matter possibly at a sub-atomic level. We know that certain individuals, around 3 to 7 percent of the general population, are born with the ability to wield magic.
The general term for a magic-wielder on Nemedia is mage. A prospective mage is usually a child around whom strange things occur, such as dishes flying out of cupboards, or emotional outbursts that end in shattered glass. In other words, they are the source of uncontrolled, subconscious mystic manifestation. This usually begins a few years prior to puberty, no earlier than 10 or 12 years of age.
From this point they spend two years as junior apprentices at an accredited institute of magic, learning how to channel and focus mystic energy. This training regiment helps to permanently form the pathways of magic energy within the individual. This is why it is difficult to find mages skilled in more than one field of magic-it is extremely rare to find anyone capable of handling more than one method of spellcasting. They are also examined so as to find out what their particular talents may lay. Once they prove they can handle magic, they become apprentices for four to five years, learning the skills of their chosen field of study, such as magician or sorcerer. After this they are officially licensed magicians. Further ranks include adept, master, and the rarest rank earned, Arch-mage.
An individual's capacity in regards to wielding magic is measured by several esoteric criteria, many of which are of little or no use among the population. For instance there's the capacity, or amount, of magic that an individual is capable of channeling. Then there is the amount of magical energy one can control at any one time. These two are hard-wired on a biological level, which means that while one can improve their magic skills, they are still limited in terms of raw power. Among magic users, these complex measurements all fall within a certain range. What really separates a magician from a warlock is their chosen discipline.
The licensing system was developed by the Magus Alliance, an organization that represents the various mystic disciplines. The MA determines qualifications, ranking systems, licensing terms, and other legal matters, in order to prevent unethical and illegal magic work as well as fraud.
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