Magisterium

The Magisterium
Type:	Academy
Location:	Luray, Virginia (among others)
Inhabitants:	Mages

The Magisteriums are academies for the training of young mages, hidden in secret locations underground. It was founded by Phillippus Paracelsus.

Levels

The wristband of Constantine Madden.

Before acceptance, the potential mage must pass a test called the Iron Trial. Here, the young mages are ranked and briefed about their nature. Those who meet the requirements will then assuredly find a spot at the Magisterium, where they will be trained as apprentices by the Masters who choose them for the year. Once chosen, attendance for the mage is compulsory.

The Masters at the Magisterium have five years to train their apprentices. Students chosen for the Magisterium are each issued a leather wristband, with a large piece of hammered metal around it (beginning with iron, and the subsequent metals would be placed over each other as they progressed through the years), as well as colored tunic uniforms that is changed every year to reflect their level:

Year	Year and Metal	Tunic
1	Iron	Gray
2	Copper	Green
3	Bronze	Blue
4	Silver	White
5	Gold	Red

On their wristband are spaces where affinity stones—gemstones representing the mastery of an element or completion of a task relating to the element—can be affixed: blue for water, red for fire, green for earth, white for air, and the rare black onyx for those who can access the fifth element, chaos. While the first year of training is compulsory, the next ones after passing Iron Year are optional.

Call standing before the First Gate.

At the end of every year at the Magisterium, students will go through a gate and receive a new metal, to be placed partly over the old one, for their wristbands that would formally confer upon them their new year status.

The Gates of Magic can only work and even be seen as activated when the mage that will pass through is deemed ready, signifying that the apprentice has learned what he/she needed to that year.

1. Gate of Control: When the mage has learned enough control to no longer be a danger to the world or himself/herself, they will be able to pass through the First Gate, formally making them full-fledged mages whose magic can no longer be bound by Masters. This gate can be found in the Hall of Graduates. When a mage is ready to pass through the gate, he/she can read the words Prima Materia carved on top.

Upon graduation, mages leave their literal marks on the school through handprints, with their names carved right over, on the walls of the Hall of Graduates. They then become journeymen, and may go on to study at the Collegium.

Structure

It has a series of complex tunnels, caverns and rivers and is hidden within a mountain, extending deep underground. On the outside, it is surrounded by a huge expanse of forest and is only a few miles from the highway. Technology also does not work within the Magisterium's walls as the concentration of elemental magic interferes with it.

Below are a few of the rooms and other features found in the Magisterium:

Butterfly Pool

A large lake near the Hall of Graduates that is given its name from the kaleidoscope of blue monarchs that roam around it and how similar the blue of the water and the blue of the butterflies' wings are. The many minerals in the water make it a great source for material to smith weapons.

Gallery

A sort of game room for the amusement of the students It appears to be unsupervised and is filled with exotic activities and snacks, even including a large lake where the students are allowed to swim and play in.

Hall of Graduates

A large room with each of the five gateways for each year at the Magisterium. When a student has gone through the last gateway, Gold Year, they are officially graduates at the Magisterium and are considered journeymen and journeywomen mages. The walls are covered in the handprints of graduates (a tradition among new graduates at the Magisterium). There also lies a large statue of Verity Torres in the center which honours her for her role in The Third Mage War.

Infirmary

The school's infirmary is ran/supervised by Master Amaranth who uses various magical methods for her healing.

Library

A large cavern that "seemed to spiral down along a steep and winding path." Along the walls of the rooms are tall shelves that hold thousands of books on magic, magical beings, and mage history. Many of the books are yellowed from age and the bindings are quite ancient. It has various tables and chairs for study groups and, like all libraries, students are expected to be quiet.

Mission Gate

A passage that leads out of the Magisterium and is located near the Gallery. It is mostly used for sending advanced apprentices on missions to hunt for elements, chaos-ridden, and certain ingredients needed by the Masters.

Refectory

The main dining hall. It is a very large area and the meals served are generally lichen and mushroom. However the food appears to be enchanted to taste like much more appealing meals. (That or the mages found a genus of the plants that actually do taste like other meals.)

Branches

It is implied that there is more than one Magisterium in the world. The only one known at the moment is found in Luray, Virginia. The Magisterium also has supply lines and safe houses across the globe.

Masters

William Rufus Unknown batch Alastair Hunt Sarah Novak Declan Novak Constantine Madden Jericho Madden Latest batch Aaron Stewart Tamara Rajavi Callum Hunt Milagros Jasper deWinter Celia Gwenda Mason Nigel Rockmaple Kimiya Rajavi Alex Strike (presumably) Rafe

Lemuel (former) Drew Wallace Rafe Laurel Haru Tanaka Peter Kai Hale Laurel North Phineus Amaranth Marcus William Rufus Joseph Jericho Madden Sarita

References

• The Magisterium:
  • The Iron Trial
  • The Copper Gauntlet