Occult Culture in the Steel Realms

Occult Culture in the Steel Realms has evolved over the years. Under the early guidance of The Brotherhood of Morkoth, wizards were not as competitive, and the brotherhood saw to the death of many who were cruel and evil. The result was that the occult craft was seen in better light in those days.

The culture of the magus is purposefully wrapped in mystery for multiple reasons. Quizmans Magusterum is the one group in particular, who has tried to make it approachable. They have done this against direct opposition and open ridicule by the other institutions and orders of the magi. Like a parlor magician explaining the tricks of his craft, they have created resentment & accusations of cheapening the image, but at the same time making the craft more approachable for those not seeking deep ties and responsibilities to large organizations.

Identification/Deciphering Services: The Ryadian Oblis lays out the process, standard charges, and outcomes that all that offer the service must meet.

Competition: The competition between the institutions of Quizmans Magusterum and Theurgi Emporium stays peaceful and this is closely monitored to prevent violence by the Guild of Solars. There is a general low key animosity towards these two more commercial orders, outside of them many orders are antagonistic, but not openly adversarial.

Expected Magi Signifiers

“A guide to common identifiers for the culture of the magus” is a pamphlet written by Quizmans Magusterum that commoners have used to complete the vision of a common magus in their heads… much to the chagrin of the other orders.

Through the efforts of Quizmans Magusterum, there are spells now that most just expect a magus to have, and if they do not have such signifiers, are not taken seriously by those in the mainstream seeking to employ them. For many, unless the mage is walking purposefully and slowly, caught up in mystical deliberation with smoke, lights, and with a whispering robed apprentice behind or next to them, they are not properly ‘of the craft’.

Joining an Order

Because joining an order takes Essence to attune the magus, it is not done haphazardly or lightly. It also means the character, like those associated with divine orders, have another voice of authority they must answer to – and loyalty within a group of adventurers may be tested. Common Precepts:

An order will allow those that join it only Trivial or Minor access if it is not the magi’s primary order.
The magus must carry their Order Focus at all times.
Orders provide access to the widely available Dus’irae – Common Spell Formulae.

Leaving an Order

Essence is not regained, but the bond with the Order Focus is broken as soon as the magus renounces or violates the tenets of the order.

Study, Discipline, and Commitment

The study of magic requires many years to master, and is organized primarily into the Tutelage tradition. Most magi are loath to share this hard won knowledge and choose to become independent after training, even if initially trained by a guild, master or Occult Order of the Steel Realms. Many wizards see the quest for occult power as the ultimate pursuit of knowledge. Magi are seen as power seeking and secretive by those outside its study. Within its study is competition, sometimes open, other times hidden, but in all cases having lethal possibilities. This is part of the Occult Culture in the Steel Realms.

Use of Feyloise (Elven)

The ‘craft’ of the magus is often done in the Elven tongue of Feyloise. Their Formulae and greetings are all done in Feyloise. If a Magus does not introduce themselves in the tongue of the craft to others magi, they are immediately suspect and distrusted as charlatans and impostors seeking knowledge of things they do not understand. In the early days of dominion, the races shared knowledge and human knowledge grew beyond what Nakrians had developed. The source of advanced wizardry in the realms stems from knowledge the elves brought and safeguarded better than the humans of The Blood of Saemon. In the early days when battles on the Godrage Plain were going, the most powerful wizards were dying before they could pass on much of their knowledge.