Mage

A mage is a wielder of arcana - the raw magical energy that flows through Aedelore like an invisible current beneath the surface of the world. Through years of study, discipline, and no small amount of natural talent, mages learn to shape this energy into spells that can burn, heal, shield, deceive, and reshape reality itself. They are scholars first and fighters second, carrying quarterstaves and cloth robes where others carry swords and steel. What they lack in physical resilience they compensate for with a power that can turn the course of a battle in a single word.

The Arcane Arts

A mage's training is long and demanding. It begins with the study of arcane theory - understanding how magic moves, what shapes it can hold, and what happens when it is pushed beyond its limits. From there, the apprentice learns to draw on their own arcana, the internal well of magical energy that every spellcaster carries. A mage's arcana pool is deeper than that of any other class, allowing them to sustain more spells and recover their strength more quickly. Their spell repertoire is the broadest in Aedelore, ranging from elemental destruction to subtle illusions, protective wards to divinations that pierce the veil between the known and the hidden.

The danger of magic is real and ever-present. Arcana is not limitless, and a mage who overextends risks exhaustion or worse. The history of Aedelore is littered with cautionary tales of those who reached too far - mages who burned themselves out chasing power, or who opened doors that should have stayed closed. The best mages understand this. They treat their craft with the respect it demands, knowing that the line between a spell well-cast and a catastrophe is sometimes very thin.

Place in the World

Mages are found wherever knowledge is valued and magic is tolerated. The High Elven city of Lorenzia is steeped in arcane tradition, and the libraries of Rivermount hold texts that mages travel across continents to study. Many mages follow the Arcane Creed, an ancient order that treats magic itself as a sacred force requiring wisdom and ethical discipline. Others are drawn to the Veil of Tohu, the elven religion centred on Tohu, the Dragon Goddess of Magic, who wove the arcane threads that connect all things. In communities that respect learning, a mage holds an honoured place - advisor, healer, protector. In more suspicious corners of the world, they may be regarded with fear or outright hostility. Either way, when ancient wards need reading, cursed artefacts need identifying, or something unnatural needs stopping, a mage is the one everyone turns to.