[hider=Mage Guild of Tal'Zaroth]
[b]Regiment Name:[/b] Mage Guild of Tal’Zaroth 
[b]Banner:[/b] A golden orb pierced by a silver sword with a closed eye in its hilt. The orb and sword both are flanked by green laurels. All this rests upon a field of black.
[b]Nationality/Race:[/b] Independent/Various
[b]Racial Specifics:[/b] None
[b]Size of Host:[/b]
50 Witchblades
50 Sorcerers
50 Warlocks
60 Apprentices (20 per group)
[b]Specialty:[/b] Short-range to close quarter magical combat
[b]Typical Arms:[/b]
Witchblades – Swords, maces, Glaives with the occasional potion
Sorcerers – Orbs, Crystal shards, Staves
Warlocks – Staves, wands, scepters, daggers

[b]Typical Armour:[/b]
[i]Witchblades [/i]– Witchblades commonly wear leather and chainmail to remain mobile yet still protected. They never wear a shield, though. Due to their heavy equipment (which is often enchanted) as well as the potions and poisons they carry, a Witchblade often wears a circlet of silver with a sapphire inlaid which aids in their focus to cast spells. However, this does leave them uniquely vulnerable to arrows and ranged weapons.

[i]Sorcerers [/i]– Sorcerers stick with light and flexible, padded leather cuirass over ordinary clothes. While most Sorcerers do not expect to get hit by anything, it’s always nice to have a back-up.

[i]Warlocks [/i]– Warlocks forsake any form of defense for comfort and maximum ability to cast their spells. They wear long robes made of cloth, commonly enchanted to aid in their spellcasting.

[b]Typical Steeds:[/b] Horses

[b]Magics Used:[/b] Nearly all magic is allowed to be used within the Guild. However, through many years of refining, it was decided that Mana-based magic is the best to be used. Not only because of the ease it offers but also the power. It is a perfect balance.

[i]Elemental magic[/i] – Fire, air, water, and earth. Many Witchblades (and some Sorcerers) use mana to drive the elements to their will. Often to devastating effect. Elemental magic is also the easiest to use but sadly does not scale to higher tier spells so well. Witchblades & Sorcerers like Elemental Magic for the ease of use in the midst of combat.

[i]Imbue [/i]– Imbue calls upon magical forces (elements, mana,…) to temporary power up equipment and weapons. For example, a Witchblade will often imbue his weapon with fire, thus make it burn or superheat the metal. Commonly used by Witchblades and some Sorcerers

[i]Mana magic[/i] – While changing mana or forcing it to drive elements is certainly easy, utilizing pure mana is far more powerful. Mana magic unleashes hellishly powerful spells that do not require any chants (just like elemental magic the Guild uses) BUT does require the caster to channel as much mana into the spell as possible. Pure mana magic thus depends greatly on the casters’ mana channeling. Mostly used by sorcerers and warlocks.

[i]Soul magic[/i] – Soul magic is by far the most dangerous one and is only allowed to be used by Warlocks capable enough. Soul magic drains from the power of the soul. Mostly something or someone else’s soul. These spells are very powerful but very dangerous. As there is a constant threat that one would accidentally miscalculate their victim’s soul and thus start using their own. By many it is seen as Dark Magic and this is not untrue. Many old Warlocks often claim that soul magic brings one close to the Shadow Realm.
 
[b]History:[/b] How does a guild as might as that of Tal’Zaroth start? What and who allowed them to gather such power? These questions have long since plagued the long line of counts overseeing Tal’Zaroth as they have to watch how the Guild is more revered than they are.

It, in fact, all started with a lone traveler. A mage by the name of Yrios. He was young and studied magic from books. In that time such a thing was rare, as many with the magical gifts enrolled at schools. However, Yrios had gathered bits and pieces of many kinds of magic and made them his own. He developed a unique way of fighting. While still in its infancy, he was very capable in this self-made style. He started carrying out tasks for the people of Tal’Zaroth. Initially stupid things like killing rats or help herding cows. But as his recognition rose, so did the difficulty of his tasks. Soon he faced off against bandits and monsters in the field. Slaying them all. For Yrios was not a mere mage cowering behind robes and a wall of warriors to cast spells from afar. He dressed in leather, wielding a sword in his right and used his left palm to swiftly cast a flurry of minor spells, distracting his enemies and weakening them.

His reputation only grew until one of the school’s masters had enough of this “youngling’s ineptitude” and vowed to teach him a lesson. The vain master challenged Yrios to a duel. To be held at his own school to teach his own pupils, who have been admiring Yrios’ style of combat more and more, that he was just a warrior with a minor gift for magic. The duel lasted less than a minute. Yrios had taken a potion to enhance his speed and used his left hand to ward off the only spell the master could cast. With a blade at the master’s neck he was forced to forfeit. Thus began the years of challenge. Many more masters wanted to duel with Yrios. After a while they began to pay him for it, as they thought that winning from him would bestow great respect upon themselves. None managed it. Yrios grew with every duel. He learned how mages classically fought and used that knowledge against them. Most remained stationary and cast their barriers and offensive spells. Expecting the same. But none expect Yrios to move so fast or hit that hard. The interwoven spells in his combat were getting more pivotal in his takedowns.

Eventually, all the masters of the city had tried to take him down. All failed. This took many years and the lands surrounding Tal’Zaroth were now more at peace than ever. Thus Yrios started his own organization. But not in the ways of the schools. He began by training a single apprentice. The young boy, by the name of Aurelios, grew beside his master. Until he was deemed independent enough. Aurelios began to complete tasks of his own, following in the footsteps of his master who took another apprentice. Eventually, after many years the first 3 apprentices of Yrios became Masters of their own. Taking up their own teacher’s mantle. But the 3 apprentices had each a different philosophy and way of fighting. Thus they created the 3 branches of the Guild. Just like their master they each only ever trained 1 apprentice at the time. Who would after their training join the most preferred branch to rise to the status of master.

This all lasted, until the normal schools their masters once more thought they could best the Guild’s odd way of magical combat. However, this time they wanted to put an end to it once and for all. They tried to burn the Guildhall. To cataclysmic effects.

To them. Because one of their own younglings had told the Guildmasters about the plan. The Guild lured the masters into a trap. As they set fire to the Guildhall, the doors locked behind them and they could not escape. Some could protect themselves from the flames with magic to survive the fire. But on the following morning, they were unceremonially slaughtered. Then the Purge began. Guildmembers began to get assignments dictating to kill certain mages of schools. The city of Tal’Zaroth watched helplessly as one mage after another was found murdered in their own rooms. The Count depended greatly on both the Guild and the Schools to defend his city. He knew one was doomed and the other was rising. Interfering now would only have terrible consequences for his own city. Eventually either the mages joined the Guild or were slaughtered. And thus their reign began. They became irreplaceable to the city of Tal’Zorath. The power hungry guild forced the city council to join the Moonsong Alliance for various rights for magic users. But even now certain laws are bend to breaking point by the Guild. Who still desire nothing more than power and become the singular entity of rule over mages everywhere.
[/hider]