Colleges of Magic

"After speaking with him for nearly a day and a night, I chose to travel with him across the world to this great city of Altdorf, to this very College, to beseech the brother Magisters of this Golden Order for the opportunity to prove myself worthy of being accepted as an apprentice to their College. And now, some forty cold winters later, I am here to teach you the facts and practices that you will have to accept and adhere to if you wish to survive with sanity and soul intact as long as I thrive as a Magister in the service of this different nation’s great and noble Emperor and avoid the fires of Sigmar’s Templars. I do not anticipate that many of you will succeed"

- Haqiqah al-Hikmah, Araybian Magister Lord of the Golden Order



The Imperial Colleges of Magic is an important and powerful Imperial institution who is given the task and responsibility for training all individuals who are capable of manipulating the Winds of Magic, and to be used in the service of the State and Military for the benefit of the Empire of Man. The Colleges was founded in 2304 IC under the permission of Magnus the Pious, the tutelage of Teclis, and his two Loremasters Finreir and Yrtle.

The Imperial Colleges are all stationed in the capital city of Altdorf, the only place in the Empire that magic is in some form allowed. Each College has a distinctive building that fundamentally indicates their form of magic, such as the Bright Wizard College building which is a massive molten-breathing furnace where hot steam, smoke and fire can be commonly seen around the buildings exterior, whilst the Light College's building is a giant transparent pyramid of glowing light where an underground building, similar to the one above, holds the Old World's most potent and possibly very dangerous artifacts and weapons known to man.

Most Colleges are concealed by the common eye by magical enchanments, while others such as the Gold College and Amethyst College openly show their buildings, discouraging any curious commoner from coming too close. Only wizards with a gifted mage-sight will be able to see through the vale that covers the exterior as even commoners living in the city would go by, day to day, through the streets, without having the faintness clue of the giant looming Colleges that towers over them. Nonetheless, these mighty individuals have proven time and again their dedication to their crafts and loyalty to their homeland, fighting valiantly against the dark forces that seeks to overcome them, both from within and without.

History
With the authority and permission of Magnus and the more grudging support of those subordinate to him, the first and perhaps most profound deed of Teclis and his brother mages was to offer amnesty to the hedge wizards and petty magic users that existed in the Empire at that time and to seek out as many as possible. Word was sent by galloping outriders to every part of the Empire they could reach, offering a full pardon and training to any and all that knew or suspected they had an affinity or ability with magic. For some, they experienced strange dreams, compulsions to journey to Altdorf as if some force compelled them. There, if they submitted themselves to Teclis’ judgment and training and agreed to fight in the coming war, they would not be harmed by any of the Empire’s other powers or agents. They would be under Teclis’ protection and the protection of the Great Uniter, Magnus of Nuln.

The Magical Purge
The Elven mages’ incredible skills and profound sensitivity to movements of the Aethyr enabled them to sense even the smallest conjurations by the pettiest Human spellcasters for leagues around them, thus allowing them to find potential magic users by themselves. Using their arcane knowledge, the Elves could traverse the lands of the Empire with supernatural speed and uncover many of the primitive or misguided magic users who were forced to live in secrecy. Yet there were others who made their way to Talabheim of their own accord, handing themselves over to Magnus’ authority in desperate hope.

With barely a pause, Teclis and his two companions eradicated any witches and warlocks corrupted beyond any hope of redemption. Teclis left alone the priests and clerics of the Empire’s cults, despite sensing a great aptitude for magic in many. The holy men and women of the Empire were adamant that they had no power or wish to manipulate magic, insisting any miracles their prayers might bring came directly from the deity they worshipped. It is said Loremasters Yrtle and Finreir were amused by these claims, but Teclis merely nodded and allowed the issue to drop. The priests he had approached could already work magic with faith and rituals without learning the arcane spellcraft that Teclis offered.

The great archmage saw no reason to inject doubt into their hearts by pressing his point. Teclis and his brother mages began to instruct their Human students in the ways of spellcraft much to the horror and disapproval of the many templar orders of the Empire, most notably the Witch Hunters. Indeed, many people and longstanding Imperial authorities were aghast that men should be permitted to embrace the sorcerous arts. But Magnus, Voice of Sigmar, Great Uniter of the Empire, and Last Hope against the Chaos Hordes, ordered that it should be so. Magnus had the backing of the Theogonist and Electors, so the Witch Hunters were held at bay.

The Rise of the Imperial Wizards
So it was the Empire’s base magic users and those slightly more refined practitioners of secret and not-too-corrupted arts (learned in distant lands or through private experimentation) that studied the rudiments of the arcane lores Teclis and his fellow mages had to teach. Time was against them, so Teclis, Finreir, and Yrtle taught relatively simple offensive spells— fireballs, lightning bolts, and ear-splitting noises. But he also taught spells of healing to cure the injured on the battlefields and other such skills that would prove useful against the dread legions of the Dark Gods.

Two from amongst the Loremasters’ many protégés excelled beyond all others, and their names are remembered to this day with awe and respect: the hot-headed Friedrich von Tarnus, shamed commander of the Corroburg Greatswords and future first Patriarch of the Bright College of Magic, and of course the most powerful and educated of all Teclis’ students, the man known to history as Volans. Alongside their Loremaster mentors, these two played a vital role with the other fledgling Imperial spellcasters in defeating the armies of the Dark Gods and scouring the Empire of the taint of Chaos. In many battles, the Elven archmages and their Human protégés showed their willingness to spill their own blood in the defence of the Empire, and all of them took grave wounds during that terrible war. Loremaster Yrtle himself fell in battle, beheaded by some clawed fiend of Chaos even as he incinerated it with the fire flashing from his hands. He was buried in Ostermark with all honours.

Following the Empire’s victory in the final battle of the Great War at the very gates of Kislev, the power of Chaos gradually ebbed away. Daemons began to melt back into the Realm of Chaos, helped along by the vicious spells cast at them by Teclis and his Human students. Once the darkness had withdrawn from the land once more, the city of Praag was levelled and rebuilt, though ever afterwards it has remained a haunted city where the dead are said to rest uneasy in their graves. So it was that the new breed of Magisters was hailed as the saviours of the Empire alongside Magnus himself. For his part, Magnus was made Emperor, and under him the provinces were united under one rule for the first time in centuries. If the Elector Counts of the time had any doubts about installing the dark-eyed minor noble and ex-seminarian to the throne of Emperor, they kept their thoughts to themselves. The people of the Empire had chosen their leader and would not be denied.

The Founding of the Colleges
Change was everywhere, but none were prepared for what would happen next. Upon his ascension to the throne, Magnus asked Teclis and Finreir to help him create an institution where Imperial citizens might be properly trained in the full secrets of magic and spellcraft. The new Emperor had witnessed firsthand the usefulness of controlled magic driving back the forces of Chaos on the battlefield. He stated the Empire could not allow itself to abandon an asset as valuable as magic, especially in the face of his uncertainty as to whether the forces of Chaos had truly been defeated or just driven back temporarily.

At first, Finreir advised against this, claiming the secrets of magic and spellcraft were not meant for Humans. Humans and Elves had come to blows in the past and would probably do so again. Teclis, however, took a longer view. He reasoned the safety or doom of the Old World lay in the hands of the Humans of the Empire, for their lands were the most populated and they held the greatest kingdoms and mightiest armies on the continent. As even grudging allies to the Elves, the Humans could prove an important safeguard in any future war against the Chaos Gods and their minions.

The Elves no longer had the strength to win such a war alone. Even more importantly, Teclis told Finreir, if the Humans were unable to resist the physical and spiritual predations of Chaos, they might also fall to the Dark Gods one day, and what then? Ulthuan, and perhaps even the entire globe, would be finished. After much private debate on the matter, Teclis’ wisdom eventually prevailed, and so he and Finreir founded the Eight Orders of Magic in Altdorf per Magnus’ request. For the good of the Empire, Altdorf was chosen as it was close enough to Magnus’ seat of power in Nuln for him to keep an eye on the budding Orders, but not so close to him that should they implode they would drag him down with them before he could react. In the Summer of 2304 IC, Magnus announced that Altdorf would house the new Orders of Magic. Riots erupted on the streets and people fled when the High Elves worked their arts to alter the nature of Altdorf to accommodate the new College buildings. Though people would eventually return, they found their city much as it always was, but also vastly different.

The magic used to alter the fabric of the city made the city unmappable, and ‘dorfers were left to navigate its labyrinthine streets by relying on landmarks rather than a sense of direction. This led to further rioting, but martial law ensured the populace, though grudgingly, accepted the new order. Once established, the new Orders of Magic began courting the Guilds and their leaders. It seemed the Wizards wasted no time in getting involved in the complexities of Altdorf politics. The Grand Prince, who distrusted these new developments, established a separate state of citizenry, the ‘Magister,’ to curb the growing power, while complex trade laws, voting rights, and rules of land ownership served as a stopgap measure to control the Wizards’ alarming influence in the city. Over the next several years, the Wizards and the nobility of the city jockeyed for control, engaging in a complex dance of negotiation and intrigue. Though with each decade, the Orders carved a little more power for themselves, and even now, it is fashionable among the city’s elite to keep a Wizard in their courts. It remains to be seen what the future holds for this impressive political force, for many Wizards have the ears of the most mighty and powerful, moving through all levels of society, unimpeded.

Overview
"Battle Wizards are nothing more than weapons. They are rare, thank Sigmar, and they are more powerful than other Wizards. For our good and in respect to Sigmar’s Word, these foul creatures are kept locked in the bowels of their College buildings, only to be released under the strictest controls and supervision in those times when the pure steel and honest sweat of Sigmar’s chosen people face the Powers of the Old Dark."

- Johann Nider, Templar of Sigmar

The Colleges of Magic in Altdorf are the only places in the Empire of Man where magic can be practiced freely. The common folk of the Old World generally greatly fear and distrust magic, due to its close associations with Chaos, and wizards who travel alone keep a low profile to avoid prejudice from the local population. Imperial wizards are required to carry a license to avoid the attentions of the Witch Hunters. Because of this attitude of the populace, the buildings of the colleges are usually protected by powerful spells of illusion which conceal them from the regular citizens of Altdorf and which can alter the physical space around the Colleges, making maps of the capital city notoriously unreliable.

Most Imperial wizards are trained from a very young age, recruited from young boys and girls who show a natural aptitude for magic and have avoided the taint of Chaos' corruption. The hierarchy of each College rises from the apprentice wizards, through journeyman wizards, to the magisters and battle wizards, and finally the Wizard Lords who are among the most respected and powerful of all Imperial citizens, on a par with the great Imperial nobility. The overall head of the Colleges of Magic is the Supreme Patriarch, who is chosen every seven years by means of a magical duel between chosen representatives from each of the Colleges.The current Supreme Patriarch is Balthazar Gelt of the Gold Colleges.

After the Great War Against Chaos in the time of Emperor Magnus the Pious, it was realised that for the Empire to properly defend itself against the forces of Chaos it needs to have its own cadre of loyal magic users to field in battle. With the invaluable aid of the legendary High Elf archmage Teclis, citizens of the Empire who showed natural magical talent were shown how to manipulate the Winds of Magic. Aware of the dangers to humans of using too much magic due to the inherently Chaotic nature of magical energy, Teclis declared that Imperial wizards should only learn how to manipulate a single color of magic, rather than the full High Magic of the Elves. This also appeased the naysayers in Ulthuan who feared if humans were able to access 'True Magic' they might one day become a threat to the Elves. In time, the eight branches of magic users were formed into the eight Orders of Magic, and the eight Colleges of Magic were established in the Imperial capital city of Altdorf.

Institutional Structure
"Believe me, there are many profound safeguards built into the training and instruction of our dedicated Wizard warriors. They will not turn traitor."

- Dietmar Gulonsson, Magister of the Celestial College

The Colleges of Magic are places of learning and political institutions, with physical buildings and a collection of apprentices, Magisters, and various servants. The Colleges have centralised buildings to allow the Emperor to contact the Patriarchs, or at least senior members, of the Orders of Magic when he needs to. The Orders of Magic are the lores, personalities, philosophies, ideals, rituals, traditions, and goals that the Colleges impart to their apprentices. But the Orders are also far-reaching, highly secretive societies with distinct identities and agendas. Imperial Magisters claim that the essence of their Orders are not found in buildings or dusty tomes but in the actual pursuit, manipulation, and embodiment of the Winds of Magic that lie at the heart of their Orders’ Lores.

Despite the Colleges in Altdorf being the centres and storehouses of magical learning and artefacts in the Old World, they are unlike the Empire’s mundane universities. Apprentice Wizards do not live like university students, attending lectures and going out drinking in the evenings. The Colleges have apprentices who come to learn the secrets of the College’s Lore, but they may rarely, if ever, leave the confines of their College unsupervised. The Colleges are also places where people who are bound by a similar fate. Being sensitive to magic in a world that despises such people, and having common interests and studies come together to share knowledge and expand their skills.

The Colleges are places of deep learning, and scholars of magic meet there to discuss complex and mysterious arcane matters. Or some poor soul found to be attuned to the Aethyric tides might choose or be impelled to go to the College, both as a means for the Colleges to control that person and also to learn from him by studying his talent. Someone who is not a Magister of a College and its associated Order, or a person with no arcane knowledge to share and who is not sensitive to the Winds of Magic, could not walk in and demand to be taught the magic of that Order, regardless of his wealth or social standing. But Imperial Magisters do not only reside within the College building of their Order; the majority are scattered across the known world. For this reason, apprentices are often taken on by individual Wizards not living near Altdorf or the Colleges. These Magisters maintain regular correspondence with their College or Order to exchange knowledge and maintain some unity.

College Layout
The seats of all the Colleges of Magic are in, or very close to, the city-state of Altdorf. Altdorf is located where the great Reik and Talabec rivers meet before heading out to the Sea of Claws, making Altdorf the hub of the three other great trading cities in the Empire: Nuln, Talabheim, and Marienburg. Because of its location, Altdorf is one of the largest, wealthiest, and most populated cities in the Empire. Altdorf’s position within the Empire is further secured by the fact that it is the capital of not only the largest and wealthiest province in the Empire, but the Empire itself because it’s the seat of the current Emperor. Finally, Altdorf is also the seat of the Theogonist of the Sigmarite Cult, the famous Imperial Engineers’ School, and the Colleges of Magic, the only bodies in the whole Empire permitted to study and practice magic.

As the home of the Imperial Colleges, Altdorf sees more Wizards and magic use than anywhere else in the Old World. As a result, the citizens of Altdorf are slightly more accustomed to witnessing demonstrations of magic than others in the Empire. Though folk of other city-states disapprove of magic use, Altdorfers make it a point of pride to treat magical events the same as mundane ones—an overstated attitude. It is true that Altdorf’s citizens generally don’t flee screaming in terror upon seeing a Wizard or witnessing some minor, or even more impressive, demonstration of Collegiate magic. But an observant person would note the onlooker’s jaws tightening or their somewhat too-fast and nonchalant dismissal of such demonstrations as unimportant. Few sane people in the Empire are ever truly dismissive of magic.

Although the people of Altdorf are more accustomed to seeing magic use, there is also a strong element of keeping up appearances to foreigners and each other. Even if a veteran soldier witnessed a Pyromancer wielding a sword of pure fire at the recent breaking of the siege of Middenheim, he would still find it a rare, spectacular, and alarming sight if he were to see it again on the streets of Altdorf. But determinedly pretending there is nothing at all remarkable about such things is a practice that even the poorest Altdorf beggar indulges in, as long as it seems safe. It isn’t as if the citizens have much choice—the Colleges of Magic are centred within their city after all.

The Winds of Magic
Teclis knew that the minds of mankind were too weak to safely manipulate the full spectrum of the Winds of Magic, known to the High Elves as Qhaysh, and to Humans as the High Magic. Therefore, he broke the High Magic into its eight component winds, and dedicated each College to the study of one particular "colour" of wind.

The eight different winds, and their associated Colleges are:
 * Hysh, the White Wind: Order of Light
 * Azyr, the Blue Wind: Celestial Order
 * Chamon, the Yellow Wind: Gold Order
 * Ghyran, the Green Wind: Jade College
 * Ghur, the Brown Wind: Amber Brotherhood
 * Aqshy, the Red Wind: Bright Order
 * Ulgu, the Grey Wind: Grey Order
 * Shyish, the Purple Wind: Amethyst Order

Wizards
Wizards are strange figures to the people of the Empire who wield arcane magical powers and are privy to secrets beyond the ken of normal folk. Trained at the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf for many years, arcane power courses through Wizards' veins and lurks behind their hooded eyes. No sane inhabitant of the Empire willingly courts the attention of a Wizard, for they are unpredictable and, some believe, damned by the magic they can wield. The services of a willing Wizard are much desired by the Elector Counts, as many of their enemies make use of shamans, corrupt Necromancers or powerful Chaos Sorcerers. Such foes bend the Winds of Magic to destructive and usually malevolent ends and only those similarly skilled in the arcane arts can stand against their power. Battle Wizards hurl bolts of lightning at the foe, confound them with illusions or steal away their will to fight. Each of the Lores of Magic has the power to smite the enemies of the Empire in a different way and it is a rare Imperial army that goes to war without at least one Battle Wizard accompanying it. To be a Wizard is to understand the power that truly drives the world and though each Wizard can bend only one of the eight Winds of Magic to his will, such power is never wielded lightly, for to lose control of one's magic is to condemn one's soul to damnation as a plaything of the Ruinous Powers.

College of the Bright Order
Bright energy is like a hot dry wind; it gutters like flame and runs wild over sands and sun baked fields. it is attracted by fire and heat and is whipped into a frenzy vortex as it swirls over the volcanoes of the worlds edge mountains. The College of Magic which studies Aqshy, the Lore of Fire, is the Bright Order of Wizards. Bright Wizards (also known as Pyromancers) go through a series of changes after being exposed to the wind Aqshy. The one first noticed by most people would be the Bright Wizard's hair, which takes on a fiery color of blond or red, and sometimes when the Wizard channels magic his hair will move like a flickering flame. There are also the strange markings that appear on the Pyromancer's arms and face; many mistake these as tattoos, but they did not come from a needle. Other marks include glowing eyes, feverish skin, extreme discomfort in cold or rain, or a faint scent of brimstone constantly surrounding him. Bright Wizards are the most overtly offensive of the eight Colleges, not only because they tend to be aggressive and excitable by nature. Their spells range from concentrated firey blasts, to swords conjured of pure flame, to massive, all-consuming infernos. More than any other Lore, Fire is truely a weapon in the hand of its practitioner. Because of this, the magisters of Aqshy make up many of the foremost battle wizards within the Empire's armies. The art of pyromancy is not a subtle one, and wherever it is employed, great change or great ruination tend to follow, whether intentionally or not.

College of the Light Order
The College of Magic which studies Hysh, or the Lore of Light, is the Light Order of Wizards. White Wizards, also known as Hierophants or clerics, dress in pure white robes and are diligent and contemplative by nature. The magisters of Hysh are respected for being peerless philosophers, and place great value on logical method and the search for the fundamental truths of the world. Light Wizards are generally peaceful, trying to avoid violence whenever possible, possessing a wide range of healing and protection spells. However, against the corruption that spills from the Realm of Chaos, the magic used by the clerics offers the most powerful and devastating spells, calling upon the glowing energy of light to exorcise and banish daemons. Where Hysh is steady and constant, Chaos is random entropy, where Hysh stands for controlled grace and self-understanding, Chaos promotes a total lack of control, confusion and insanity. Like many of the magical colleges, the College of Light goes largely unseen, as it exists within a magical space, parallel too, but separate from the mundane world. To those who chance upon its whereabouts, the building appears as a gigantic pyramid whose translucent walls shimmer with power and the light of a thousand candles. It is an awesome sight indeed and one that few of Altdorf's inhabitants would imagine lies within their city. Deep in the lowest vaults of the College, protected by many twisting tunnels, traps, and magical fields, lies the greatest magical treasure vault in the Old World. Created by Teclis after the Great War Against Chaos, it serves as a repository and prison for many of the evil artefacts and luminous beings of power captured during that conflict. It is the sacred duty of the Guardians of the Light, an arcane society to which only the most powerful Wizards of the Order belong, to keep these powerful evils safely locked away from the world.

College of the Gold Order
The College of Magic which studies Chamon, the Lore of Metal, is the Gold Order of Wizards. Gold Wizards practice the art of alchemy (and are therefore sometimes called Alchemists), of analytic science, and seek to observe the effect of the unnatural order of magic upon the natural order of the physical world. They believe that through a process of empirical observation and experimentation they can discover the traces of the Aethyr that they believe exists in all physical things, in order to unlock the secrets of transmuting base metals into gold. Due to their considerable understanding of the nature of metal and chemicals, Gold Wizards work closely with the engineers and gunners of the Empire, developing better formulas for black powder and safer alloys for the casting of cannons. Gold Wizards can easily affect metal objects with their spells, weakening them with corrosion or strengthening them with enchantments. Among humans, they are by far the most capable crafters of magical weapons. The nature of Chamon has an affect on the appearance of Gold Wizards, seemingly transforming their skin into gold plate.The buildings of the Golden Order are neither rich nor ostentatious, but are more akin to great forges with several furnaces and tall chimneys that belch glowing, multi-colored smoke into the air. This College lies not near the center of the city (much to the relief of the citizens of Altdorf) but upon its edge by the River Reik. The river cools the forges and it is a common sight to see the waters running with fantastical colors in the wake of some mysterious experiment. The Golden College is not hidden from view like some magical colleges, but few dare approach it for fear of the evil vapors and crackling magical energies that surround it.

College of the Jade Order
The College of Magic which studies Ghyran, the Lore of Life, is the Jade Order of Wizards. Jade Wizards, (also occasionally mistaken for druids to which their power is related), are powerful healers, who spend most of their time wandering the countryside of the Empire providing their services to rural communities. They construct monolithic stone circles around hidden groves where Ghyran is strongest, using them in their yearly rituals which they perform in order to channel their magic into the soil to provide fertility and abundance. These often lie at the confluence of three streams, for such places are rich in life magic. Jade Wizards wear predominantly green and turquoise colours, and usually carry a sickle.Within Altdorf itself, the College takes the form of a plain and unimposing enclosure to the outside world, yet within is a wondrous arbor of beautiful trees whose boughs form the beams and pillars of numerous mighty halls. Glittering pools and streams flow amongst the glades of this hidden world and at its center is a wondrous silver lake where the power of Ghyran collects and whose enchanted waters are said to be able to cure all maladies.

College of the Celestial Order
The College of Magic which studies Azyr, the Lore of Heavens, is the Celestial Order of Wizards. Magisters of Azyr are also sometimes known as Astromancers. They spend most of their time gazing the sky and studying the movements of heavenly bodies. It is said that they can divine the future from the movements of the blue Aethyric clouds of Azyr that drift across the upper reaches of the atmosphere, and the manner in which they distort the stars and planets. Celestial Wizards are expert astrologers, using charts illustrated with arcane symbols to predict with certainty conjunctions of the constellations with planets and the sun and the moon. Their spells give Celestial Wizards the ability to influence destiny and fate, and the power to summon eldritch lightning and to call down comets and meteors from the heavens. The Celestial College uses blue as its colour, and astrologers usually wear robes of deep blue adorned with decorative stars and planets. The symbol of this college is the comet, for no other astral entity carries as much significance when it comes to foretelling future.The sixteen glittering towers of the Celestial College are the tallest buildings in Altdorf, overlooking the Temple of Sigmar and rising far above the Emperor's Palace. None but those with magical sight would know of this, for cunning spells of concealment shield the buildings of the Celestial College from the curiosity of passers-by. A shimmering dome of magical glass sits atop each tower, enchanted to allow the Celestial Wizards to focus on specific aspects of the night sky, and from these observatories the Wizards of the Celestial Order plot the movements of the heavens. Information gathered from the towers is fed into a magical astrolabe at the heart of the College that spins on the head of a silver needle and from which the Celestial Wizards read the myriad potential futures.

College of the Grey Order
The College of Magic which studies Ulgu, the Lore of Shadows, is the Grey Order of Wizards. Grey Wizards practice the magic of illusion, using spells that manipulate perception and emotion. They also have some control over the weather, and are able to move quickly from place to place. The usual attire of a Grey Wizard is a voluminous grey hooded cloak that they keep drawn around them, concealing themselves from prying eyes. They travel far and wide, gathering knowledge of events from the furthest reaches of the Old World. Some folk whisper that the Grey Wizards operate an arcane spy network with the purpose of infiltrating underground organizations that plot against the Empire, bringing them down before they become powerful enough to cause any real harm. The symbol of the Grey college is the Sword of Judgement, a reminder that seeking knowledge is not enough, for wisdom must be used to correct mistakes and to destroy faults.The Grey College itself is a worn and shabby building, in Altdorf's poorest and most disreputable district. Even the city watch shun this area and no honest citizen would ordinarily risk entering such a den of rogues. Though the building appears unremarkable, Grey Wizards come and go by a multitude of secret entrances and a warren of magical tunnels extending beneath the building - where they emerge is a mystery known only to the Order's Wizards.

College of the Amethyst Order
The College of Magic which studies Shyish, the Lore of Death, is the Amethyst Order of Wizards. Contrary to what many people believe, Amethyst Wizards are not Necromancers, and have no spells that raise the undead, nor would they want them. The magisters of Shyish embrace the certainty of death and all other endings, while those who practice the black art of necromancy strive to prevent their own ending at all costs and alter the natural order. While Amethyst Wizards are able to see the spirits of the newly dead, and even communicate with them, they wield no power over them. They are often thought of as introspective and uncaring, but although they generally tend to be a quiet lot, they retain a wicked wit and respect for life. Amethyst Wizards invariably have the last word. Their symbol is the scythe, signifying mortality, and reminding the Wizards of this college to seek their rewards in this life rather than the next. The College building of the Amethyst Order is dark and sepulchral, shuttered against the light and only dimly illuminated even in the dead of night. Within its silent halls the dust lies thick where it is dragged by the Wind of Shyish from all the ages, bringing with it the stench of eternal decay. Though the citizens of Altdorf are fully aware of this building, none dare approach it for fear of damning their immortal soul forever. Its crooked towers are the abode of bats and carrion birds, and its cellars crawl with all manner of verminous creatures. The Amethyst College overlooks the infamous haunted Cemetery of Old Altdorf, where tens of thousands were interred in mass graves after the ravages of the Red Plague. The cemetery itself is associated with all manner of foul rumour, and the Amethyst Order's proximity to it is taken by many as proof of the unholy practices engaged in by the secretive Amethyst Wizards. True evidence of such deeds has yet to come to light, but still the good citizens of Altdorf give both the cemetery and College a wide berth, leaving the Order to their secrets.

College of the Amber Order
The College of Magic which studies Ghur, the Lore of Beasts, is the Amber Order of Wizards. Amber Wizards are rarely seen in the towns and cities of the Empire, preferring to live a solitary life in the wilderness where they are better able to develop their affinity with wild beasts. Ghur magic allows them to commune with the spirits of animals, call the beasts of the wild to their side, and enhance their abilities by summoning the speed, strength and senses of animals. It even allows the wizard to shapeshift into the forms of these animals to fight or travel. Amber Wizards are said to have mastered the feral heart that lies under the civilized mask that hides the animal heart in every human. They have an unsentimental vision of the world where only the fittest can survive and where the life-force of the weak feeds the hunger of the strong. Accordingly, they are excellent hunters and trackers, and they tend to dress themselves in rough furs and skins decorated with horns, teeth and claws. Their symbol is the hunting arrow, the means of survival in a world where everybody is hunter and hunted at the same time.Of all the Orders of Wizardry, the Amber College is the only one without buildings in Altdorf. Its masters inhabit the caves high in the Amber Hills beyond the city, which take their name from the order. These refuges are not easily found and visitors are not welcomed. Other lairs are said to exist throughout the Empire in the depths of forests and high on mountaintops, but monstrous bears or other powerful wild beasts guard these solitary caves and it is a brave individual who dares disturb an Amber Wizard.

The Supreme Patriarch
Each of the Colleges is led by their most powerful wizard, known as the Patriarch (or Matriarch), as determined by ritual magic duels. All of the Colleges, however, bow before the mightiest Human wizard: the Supreme Patriarch. The Supreme Patriarch rules the Colleges for a period of eight years. At the end of each term, he may be challenged for his (or her) right to remain Supreme Patriarch. Again, this challenge takes the form of a magical duel. The winner (usually the survivor - many duels end in the loser's demise) becomes (or remains) Supreme Patriarch for the next eight years.

The current Supreme Patriarch of the Colleges of Magic is Balthasar Gelt, of the Gold Order. He defeated Thyrus Gorman of the Bright Order for the title even before he secured his own seat as Patriarch of the Gold Order.