Mage

The Way of the Mage

The Magi of Britannia gather in Moonglow, near the Lycaeum, where they can study the ancient mystical scrolls of the Library and further the virtue of Honesty. The strictures of their profession permit Magi to wear only cloth armour and carry either a staff, dagger, or sling. Unconfirmed rumors indicate that the highest Adepts have acquired the use of arcane magical weapons. The primary weapon of the Mage, of course, is magic. As the Mage becomes more advanced, more powerful spells can be woven. Some of the greatest spells have been known to literally shake the earth, or raise the dead!

Note: The armour and weapon restrictions are by now mostly of philosophical nature. During the gargoyle war, the drawbacks of this narrow-minded thinking became clear, and the Mages of Britannia have opened themselves to all kinds of weapons and armour.

Examples
There have been many famous mages in Britannia's history. Some of them include Mariah, Nystul, Nicodemus, and Rudyom.

Lore
''Mage is the title subsuming all Britannians endowed with full magic powers and for whom magic is primary. Mages tend to settle in Moonglow, enjoying its proximity to the scholarly and esoteric treasures of the Lycaeum; indeed, many youngsters who show magical learnings are sent to live with groups of mages near the Lycaeum and schooled in its ways from an early age. Others favor Yew for its emphasis on nature.''

''All well-traveled adventurers have at one time or another been mystified by the mages of Britannia. Never to be forgotten is the sight of a cloaked figure performing an odd dance in a distant clearing. Puzzling indeed is the whispered transaction between a mage and an apothecary as the magician acquires the plants and animal parts that are the raw materials of his trade. Seeing what cannot be seen, hearing what no man hears, communing with beings not present... What ancient spirit possesses the mage that his mind constantly dwells on things not perceived by the common man? One never chooses to become a mage--one is born a mage, having from birth exhibited magical inclinations and abilities which defy rational explanation. A mage usually spends his early years studying the esoteric writings and diagrams contained in the libraries of the Lycaeum or poring over bottles and boxes of exotic herbs and minerals found in its laboratories. The tools and weapons of the mage are found in his spellbook, which never leaves his side. This tome is filled with pages of cryptic runes which describe the auspicious times, places and methods for various types of sorcerous work. The illusions and spells at the mage's command often cast him in the role of equalizer when a party of adventurers finds itself in an otherwise one-sided conflict against a megalithic foe. From a well-protected position at the edge of the battle, the mage makes the necessary preparations and utters the mysterious incantations to unleash the force of his chosen spells against an unsuspecting foe.'' Certain skilled mages possess remarkable power over nature and matter, being able to create and destroy living and inanimate things at will. The deeper secrets of the mage will be discussed later in this treatise--such secrets are not for the eyes o f all men.

- from "Compendium", Ultima VI