"... which utilises the Light Wind, called Hysh, whose colour is White, whose Lore is that of Light, and whose rune is the Serpent of Light, and whose practitioners are called Hierophants."
The Light Order, also sometimes called the Order of Light and the White Order, is the Imperial Order of Magic dedicated to the use of the White Wind of Magic, Hysh. Hysh has many potent applications, and its Magisters are renowned for their abilities to heal, protect, and banish darkness -- in both a literal and more occult sense. The White Magisters of Hysh, sometimes known as "hierophants" or "White Wizards," are amongst the wisest and most disciplined of all Human wizards, vehemently opposed to Chaos in all its countless forms. Their especial study is knowledge and for this reason they are also called the Order of the Wise.[7a]
The colour of the robes of the Light Order are brilliant white, and a serpentine staff representing the Serpent of Light is often carried.[7a]
The energies of Hysh are the most effusive of all kinds of magic. They quickly penetrate solid things and soak away, even into the rock beneath the ground. Light magic is reckoned to be the most difficult to master; spells that bind the White Wind of Hysh are elaborate and ritualistic.[7a]
Because of this, there are many acolytes and lowly wizards at the Light College whose duties are to keep up a chorus of incantations which is sung constantly, night and day. They also ensure that the thousands of candles and lamps are kept alight, that the incense burners are full of offerings, and that chimes are struck at appointed ritual hours.[7a]
Where Hysh is steady and constant, Chaos is random destruction, and where Hysh stands for controlled grace and self-understanding, Chaos promotes confusion, insanity, and a total lack of control.[1a]
It is with good reason that the Magisters of Hysh are particularly renowned for their abilities to banish from the mortal world the malevolent daemonic entities of Chaos.[1a]
Semiotics of the Light Order[]
The symbols of the First Lore, the Lore of Light, are many, and the most important is the Serpent of Light. The Light Order's rune is a curiosity, for it little resembles the serpent that it represents. For White Wizards, its form underpins their belief that they are the most accomplished and learned of Human wizards, for the rune seems to indicate one preeminent lore atop the symbol known as the Wheel of Magic. Whilst this belief might seem conceited, it carries a kernel of truth. The Lore of Light is hard to detect and even harder to master. Moreso than other Human wizards, White Wizards must commonly act in concert to best harvest the wind they work with.[7a]
Rumour has it that many of Light Order's teachings come from a source other than the High Elves of Ulthuan. Indeed many Hierophants' trappings, titles, and rituals echo magical practices of the lands of Men far to the south. The precinct of the Light College in Altdorf is startling in appearance, with its buildings and monuments seemingly transported from the deserts of the Land of the Dead surrounding the ancient Nehekharan city-state of Khemri, or even constructed from light itself.[7a]
Lore of Light[]
The Light Order comprises those Magisters who study and wholly embrace the White Wind of Magic, Hysh. The White Wind illuminates and sometimes blinds. It seems to fall from the sun, and is everywhere, momentarily, before fading into the earth. Ever elusive, it is the wind of wisdom and truth. It can bring life and healing, or utter destruction.[1a]
The complex spells cast with Hysh are often released with a blinding white light, and many are cast with elaborate, complicated rituals.[2a][2b]
Hysh is the magic of illumination and holy radiance. It is the Aethyric manifestation of light, including the uses light can be put to and the abstract concepts that light sometimes represents to mortals, like enlightenment and purity.
Hysh could be seen as the light that banishes the darkness and keeps the unknown horrors of the darkness from mortals' doors. Though diffused, Hysh can be compared to a constant and steady luminance that is the complete opposite of Chaos' randomness. It is also said to be the most difficult of all the fragmented Winds of Magic to gain control of and channel into a spell.[1a]
For this reason, Hierophants often travel in the company of an apprentice and, despite their reputation for being learned, are rarely welcomed at Verenan temple-libraries. This may seem an unfair burden on Light Wizards. Yet, whilst Hysh is elusive, it also penetrates the ground and drifts to areas far from the poles. So whilst it is always hard to control, it may reach places the other Winds of Magic cannot.[7a]
The nature of the Light Order's magic is as hard to pin down as the magic that forms and drives it. The spells of the White Order tend to fall into three general groups: illumination, protection or healing, and abjuration.[1a]
Illumination[]
These spells fall into two sub-categories: those of actual illumination (as in the creation of dazzling lights and so on) and the illumination of the mind (such as the ability to inspire or see through falsehoods). Hierophants are renowned for their mastery of light and brightness, and they are said to be able to bend any kind of luminance to their will in almost any way.
Where the Pyromancers of the Bright Order create bright, burning fireballs and walls of flame, the Hierophants are able to concentrate light into a tightly focussed destructive force, which, although more limited than the destructive powers of the Pyromancer, is far more controllable and able to be directed because of it.[1b]
Healing and Protection[]
The Order of Light teaches the importance of the sanctity of mortal existence and possesses a great wealth of spells dedicated to healing injuries and protection. This drive to heal and protect is geared more towards the preservation of the spiritual being of intelligent and sentient life, rather than a mortal's body, which is more the concern of the Magisters of Ghyran.
Because of this, Hierophants are generally peaceful and non-violent, but they are not total pacifists like the sisters of sweet Shallya. Against the creatures and servants of Chaos and Dark Magic, the Hierophants are utterly ruthless, as devoid of compassion as they are of hate or fury for these creatures.
To the Hierophants, the minds and souls of Chaos servants are filled with darkness, and the creatures' natural luminance has dimmed or has been extinguished altogether. And so, the Hierophants do not view such beings worthy of the gift of life and consciousness.[1b]
Abjuration[]
The abjuration practiced by Hierophants of the White Order isn't about summoning spirits and various Aethyric beings but is instead a form of extremely powerful and dependable exorcism. Where the exorcism practised by the priests of Sigmar or Morr relies on invoking the god in question and the supreme faith of the exorcising priest, the exorcism practiced by the Hierophants relies upon their ability to focus the searing light of Hysh into the possessed person, driving the offending entity into the light of day.
However, the magic of Hysh has very limited success exorcising the spirits of dead people not overly tainted with Dark Magic. If Hysh is the light that banishes the darkness, it cannot banish a soul that is already luminescent, just lost. Daemons and spirits of the blackest magic, like wraiths, are another matter. The great Hierophants of the White Order are able to drive these creatures back to the darkness of the Chaos Realm.[1b]
Controlling Hysh[]
Of all the Colleges of Magic, the Light Order is perhaps the most peculiar. Because the Wind of Magic they channel is so fickle, they harness the energies of the wind Hysh using cabals of trained acolytes that combine their powers in careful rituals. When the arcane zephyrs that empower their skills are channelled correctly, the wizards of the Light Order can manifest their magic as pillars of blinding white fire or lances of pure energy that can blast unnatural creatures into a different plane of existence.[5a]
Because Hysh is the subtlest of all the Winds of Magic, it requires the total focus of will and an absolute determination of mind to channel and bind it into a spell. Hysh is the most difficult of all the fragmented colours of magic to bend to one's will. For this reason, the spells binding Hysh tend to be very elaborate and ritualistic, meaning that the Lore of Light is the hardest lore for a Human to master.[1b]
Master Hierophants combine the abilities of their Apprentices to draw upon the White Wind and focus it into a usable form that can be drawn into the Hierophants and channelled and sculpted by them into a spell. Many Light spells are so powerful they would obliterate any individual who tried to use them unaided.
However, using the strength of a choir of trained Apprentices to control how much energy is focussed into the Hierophant and how quickly, Magisters of the White Order can create enchantments far beyond the powers of the other Colleges. However, not all spells of the Hierophants require the aid of Apprentices, only the most powerful or convoluted spells of the Order.[1b]
Crusade of the Light Order[]
A hierophant unleashes the power of Hysh.
Of all the aspects of magic Men were taught to embrace by the Elves, Hysh was the hardest to corrupt and therefore its users and advocates were more difficult for Chaos to prey on, making theirs the hardest existence of all.
Darkness was simply the absence of light, so Teclis told them, and so they must take their light to the very darkest corners of the Empire and the darkest corners of Humanity's soul and banish the shadows that dwelt there.[1c]
The hierophants were to devote their lives to hunting down and casting out Daemons and evil spirits that plagued the lands and minds of Men. They were not to follow the ways of witch hunters, slaying and burning all they found corrupted. Instead, the hierophants were to destroy only the darkness within and save the person if possible.[1c]
Outside of their order, the life of a hierophant is a lonely one. They spend their lives travelling secretly from place to place, dealing with hauntings, possessions, and other supernatural phenomena caused by daemonic influence or Dark Magic.
Because of the nature of their calling, the hierophants often appear in places unexpectedly. If a possessing Daemon were aware of the hierophant's presence too soon, it could cause harm to its host and flee to a new one.[1c]
The goal of the Light Order is to rid the world of the taint of Chaos, Daemons, and Dark Magic -- a never-ending, largely thankless, and frequently terminal task. It is rumoured creatures and objects the hierophants cannot destroy or banish are instead bound and captured. The hierophants then trap the dark objects in a magical prison somewhere in the Empire, to which only they are the keepers.[1c]
Philosophy of the Order[]
The Magisters of the Order of Light are the most accomplished and insightful philosophers in the Old World; it's why they're called the "Order of the Wise." The Light Order also studies philosophies that examine the nature of reality, including the pursuit and understanding of the principles, relations, and nature of existence.[1c]
In other words, the Hierophants of the College of Light are also metaphysicians of the highest order, studying the interactions between the Aethyr and mortal thought, and they seek to understand the nature of sentient existence.[1c]
Duties and Contracts[]
The Light Order is usually in good standing at the courts of nobles who live along the northern border of the Empire. Such rulers often seek the council of Hierophants because the White Order's wisdom and ability to see truth aids those who fear the contamination of Chaos, as the nobles of many of the Empire's northern regions do.[1c]
The Order of Light receives large financial endowments from the emperor, and it's rumoured theirs is the largest endowment granted to the Colleges of Magic or even the Imperial Engineers School. Some whisper this is because the emperor knows the Light Order's darkest secret, and if this secret is exposed or destroyed, it could prove the undoing of Altdorf and perhaps even the Empire itself. Few know the truth of this.[1c][1d]
Because their ability to banish the powers of darkness is legendary, Hierophants are often employed by the Imperial armies that fight against followers of the Dark Gods. In addition, it is not uncommon for Hierophants to be asked to screen soldiers, militiamen, and sometimes even Witch Hunters who have had contact with the emissaries of darkness, to make sure none have been secretly harmed or corrupted by daemons. In the wake of the recent war in the north against Archaon, the Hierophants find themselves exceedingly busy with such tasks.[1d]
Hierophants[]
A hierophant of the Light Order
Hysh is one of the most elusive Winds of Magic, and even those with magical sight can find it difficult to identify. That is because Hysh is the Wind of illumination. And only through years of devoted study can a wizard tell the difference between a flash of sunlight and the shimmering force that is the Lore of Light. This knowledge is what separates the Light Wizards from their colleagues.[3a]
Light Wizards are known as Hierophants, but are also often referred to as scholars, philosophers, and advisors. Hysh lights the way on their collective path to knowledge. Within their pyramid in Altdorf, they dedicate themselves to study and research so that they may assist the Imperial court in matters of state. Hysh also gives Light Wizards the power to heal, giving them even more respect within the city walls.[3a]
Light Wizards hold a special place in the Colleges of Magic. The College of Light is considered the most senior magical order as the embodiment of the First Lore, and boasts that it follows the closest system to the Elven ideal. Hierophants are noted for their wisdom and their broad knowledge of the more philosophical disciplines.
There is always a resident Hierophant at the Imperial court, ready to advise the emperor. The Light College likes to take a leading role in the affairs of the state. Often, it is the order's patriarch himself, known as the "grand magister" or "high luminary," who dabbles in politics the most.[2b]
Personality[]
Light Wizards are always willing to share their knowledge with companions. This is why they are the most sought-after advisors for political and military leaders. They find great fulfilment in giving assistance when needed, which also makes them excellent healers. It is in the nature of most Light Wizards to tend to the weak of mind or weak of body. They respect the fickle power of Hysh that enables them to do so.[3a]
A Light Wizard's quest for enlightenment pervades nearly all he does. They are always focused on furthering their Order. However, they are able to avoid coming off as flighty like Celestial Wizards. They are usually quite dedicated to the task at hand, especially when it calls for knowledge that only they possess.[3a]
The wizards of the College of Light often indulge in diligent study, pushing the bounds of narrow disciplines. They tend to get lost in their research, disappearing for weeks or even months at a time, only to emerge with some wonderful new insight into magic or the mind of man. Sometimes they never emerge, simply fading away into the Aethyr, vanishing as if they were a breath of Hysh.[2b]
Reputation[]
The Light College maintains good relations with their colleagues. They are aware that many of the other Orders envy their influence in the Imperial court, so they make constant efforts to appease all parties they interact with. Because of this, the Light Order has become a mediator of sorts, able to settle disputes between the other Colleges and within the Imperial court.[3a]
Wizards of the Light Order are also well respected by the general citizens, at least as far as wizards go. They are often seen tending to the wounded or helping to teach literacy to commonfolk and children. These activities prevent the Light College from drawing too much attention from the Witch Hunters in Altdorf.
And while Light Wizards are not as well-travelled as some of the other Colleges, many an important political figure keeps a Hierophant on staff as an advisor, and thus their reputation has spread throughout the Empire.[3a]
Appearance[]
A hierophant of the Light Order wielding a staff that symbolises the Serpent of Light.
Light Wizards dress in white robes, often adorned with elaborate mantles and headpieces. Many Hierophants are employed by high Imperial nobility, so they dress lavishly to reflect their position. Other, lower-raking wizards opt to wear simpler, less elegant white robes, as they are more concerned with their study than their outward appearance.[3a]
Magisters of the White Order tend to dress in simple robes of pristine white. These robes often bear silver and gold motifs of the Serpent of Light and never seem to dirty or dull. Their ceremonial garments are more elaborate, consisting of pleated white robes with silver embroidery decorating the hems and little mirrors of supernaturally polished silver affixed to their belts and stoles.[1d]
A White Wizard's appearance changes as he is further exposed to the light of Hysh. Apprentices will soon find white streaks in their hair after performing their first few ritual castings. And even a young Hierophant's beard is long and white. Elder wizards carry an illuminating aura about them, making them appear to glow. Their skin becomes opalescent, as if their entire body is slowly being turned into a burst of light.[3a]
Older Hierophants tend to bear the marks of Hysh, with eyes that seem to glow with a faint luminosity, or perhaps even have no visible pupils or iris, being just the purest white. Also their skin grows ever paler, along with their hair, until they are almost albino-like in appearance.[1d]
As White Wizards age, they live up to their name by becoming increasingly pale. Their hair turns white and their skin becomes almost translucent. Their white College robes add to the effect, and their appearance can become quite ethereal and disturbing, polishing their reputation for wisdom and venerability.[2b]
Motivation[]
White Wizards are always in pursuit of illumination. Whether it's through study or practice of their magic, they are most often focused on acquiring new knowledge. For this reason, they take their roles as advisors very seriously.
It is in the interest of the Light Order to guide the Empire in its political and military campaigns. The more prosperous the Empire grows, the more resources the Light College will have at its disposal to pursue ultimate illumination.[3a]
While most Light Wizards do not care to venture far from Altdorf, some might find reason to do so. The Light College's pyramid continuously hums with the power of Hysh, so Light Wizards will be most powerful in their magic when near their institution.
However, there are times when Light Wizards must set out into the greater world and leave behind the security they feel near their home. Usually the need must be pretty great to draw a hierophant from the brilliant beacon of Hysh that is the Light College.[3a]
Mentality[]
"What is magic? The soil-stained farmers of the Jade College will tell you that it is life. The Gold Order's alchemists, hunched in their laboratories, will say that it is the interaction of one substance with another. The morbid masters of the Amethyst College will say, of course, that it is a negative force, the void that is left by death. In some ways, they are all true. But of all of them, what we of the Light College believe is the truest. For we know what other men are unable to accept, a truth too cruel for them to coutenance. We know that magic is sacrifice."
The drives and processes Hysh encourages in Human minds tend towards the abstract and the contemplative, and the Hierophants of the Order of Light are philosophers and metaphysicians without equal in the Human realms.[1d]
They are not so much concerned with the accumulation of knowledge and facts like the Magisters of Chamon; instead, Hierophants seek wisdom and truth. Self-knowledge is one of the prime goals of every Hierophant. They tend towards a life of simplicity and beauty, seeking in themselves and the world at large Truth and the destruction of all that is dark and evil.[1d]
The longer they embrace the wind of Hysh, the drier and more particular the Hierophants become. They begin to act with a calm and measured grace that seems devoid of emotion. They rarely seem surprised by anything, not because they are expecting an event but because surprise is a momentary loss of control and not something Hierophants wish to encourage in themselves or others.
Extremes of emotion are believed to feed the gods of Chaos whether intentional or not, and the Magisters of the White Order will do almost anything to avoid helping Chaos.[1d]
The Light College's symbol is the Serpent of Light and their power shines from the Wind of Hysh. Rumour has it that many of of the teachings of the Light College came from a source other than Ulthuan, and indeed many of the trappings, titles and rituals of the Light Wizards seem to echo the magical practices of lands far to the south.[4a]
The college's rune is itself a curiosity, for it little resembles the serpent that it represents. For Light Wizards, its form underpins the belief that they are the most accomplished and learned of wizards, for the rune seems to indicate one pre-eminent lore atop the Wheel of Magic.
Whilst this belief might at first seem to be conceit of the highest order, there is a kernel of truth at its heart. Light Magic is particularly effuse and evasive, hard to detect and even harder to master. Alone of the colleges, Light Wizards must commonly act in concert with one another to harness the energy of Hysh to best serve their goals.[4a]
Apprenticeship[]
The Order of Light has more Apprentices than any other College. Formed into choirs, they are trained to keep up an unending chorus of incantations designed to attract and bind the White Wind to the very structure of the College building and into numerous energy-folds and arcane receptacles designed to hold its power.
When not aiding their superiors in such rituals, these Apprentices maintain a constant chorus of purification spells sung in the College halls every day of every year, assuring that Dark Magic can never settle, form, or be used in or near the College. They must also ensure that the thousands of candles and lamps are kept lit, that the incense burners are full, and that the proper chimes and bells are all struck at the appointed hours.[1d]
In addition to those who come to their College willingly and those who are dragged by other authorities, senior Hierophants of the Order of Light scour the orphanages of the city once a year looking for children with any magical ability, offering them a chance to become powerful and respected. Most of the Apprentices enlisted as children never rise through the hierarchy of the College, possessing neither the power nor the drive to do so.
They live in barracks and their lives are strictly regimented, from their uniform white robes to their nourishing but repetitive diet. They are all taught many arcane chants and are instructed in all the skills that their master Hierophants require of them, but only a few of exceptional ability will ever be taught how to manipulate magic into spells themselves.
For many Apprentices, accompanying their mentor during a military campaign grants a welcome break because even the strict discipline of military life is nothing compared to how they live within the College.[4a][1e]
Becoming an Apprentice[]
Many White Wizards attest to the suddenness of the discovery of their vocation through a life-changing epiphany. As if in a blinding flash, they come to see the true nature of the world, the nature of the Winds of Magic, and the realisation that they can wield such forces.
This epiphany can come at any moment in their youth, usually to otherwise academic and respectful persons, students or apprentices in other fields.[2b]
Sometimes an apprentice from another order becomes suddenly aware that his future lies with the Wind of Hysh, and moves to the College of Light. Stories from across the Old World abound wherein a seemingly normal person, without warning, is filled with the desire to journey to Altdorf and to enter the pyramid of the White College. They call this "Seeing the Light."[2b]
The Light College[]
"I once was told a tale, and I do not know whether to believe it. The teller was a once-powerful master of his art, but could now barely move, fading, it seemed, into the very fabric of his chair, insubstantial, almost ethereal. He told me that those apprentices of the College of Light who do not show enough single-mindedness and individuality to become an esteemed Hierophant are kept in the College, arrayed chanting around a blinding light at the centre of the pyramid, deep below Altdorf. He said that there were countless numbers of them, a battery of chanting peons contributing their entire lives to a single eternal spell of Hysh. As one apprentice becomes exhausted he is carried to his cell by a Master Chanter to recharge while another takes his place. And so on, forever. The winds of Hysh are hereby focused upon Altdorf in defence of the realm. If the chanters were to ever stop or falter, then the pyramid would split apart, or disappear, or crack, or something. These rumours are spread across the Colleges of Magic, but it is not clear what might really happen if the spell were to fail."
- —Gavius Klugge, Grey Wizard[2b]
The Light College in Altdorf
Much like the Bright Order, the Light Order's headquarters is mystically hidden within the Imperial capital city of Altdorf. However, the way in which it is hidden differs significantly. There is no magical barrier surrounding the Light College and no spell hiding it from prying eyes.
Instead, it is built where no less than six intersecting ley lines have created a location hidden within the folds of space. Even the Waystones that mark and guide the lines of magical space drift in and out of visible existence, appearing only a couple of times a decade, materialising briefly on street corners and in overgrown gardens when certain stars are aligned and Morrsleib, the Chaos Moon, is full in the night sky.[1e]
Hidden from the view of those without magic sight, the college building is a simple pyramid, made of some strange translucent material. Neither large nor ornate, it seems to be an unusual base for such an important institution. In fact, the pyramid extends far beyond what is visible, to a vast underground complex.[2b]
The pyramid is designed to focus the elusive Hysh and to make it readily available to members of the Light College. Altdorf therefore is a fine location for the casting of the spells of the Lore of Light -- within the Light College is even finer. The further a Hierophant travels from the Imperial capital, the harder it could be for them to gather power for their spells.[2b]
To those who do discover the Light College's whereabouts, usually only possible by being shown the way by a Hierophant, the building is unlike any in the Old World. The Light College forms a gigantic pyramid, whose shape draws, concentrates, and retains the White Wind of Hysh.
Within its walls, hundreds of Apprentices maintain the ritual incantations that echo throughout the Pyramid of Light, so the entire building actually seems to hum with radiant arcane power. Because of the high levels of Hysh saturating it, the white marble walls of the Pyramid are translucent, making the pyramid glow with the thousands upon thousands of lights burning within. It is an awesome sight, one few Altdorfers imagine being within their city.[1e]
The precinct of the Light College in Altdorf; note that many of its buildings are inspired by the architecture of the ancient Nehekharan city-state of Khemri.
The Order of Light can be found on the left bank of the Reik River, an area that just a century ago was the home of many rising merchant families. Fortunes change, and the area is now lower class and sinking. The alleys and roads crossing the folds of space link up, but mapping them accurately is impossible; the creases in space created by the Order of Light mean the area cannot properly be represented in three dimensions, much less two.
People who live there get used to finding their way around, largely on faith and instinct, and they try not to think too hard about its strangeness. Those who do are rumoured to either go mad or start manifesting a vague aptitude for magic. Unsurprisingly, there is a small safe house in the area where Sigmar's Templars keep a close eye on the locals.[1e]
The trick to reaching the College is to turn at ninety degrees to all six cardinal directions: up, down, left, right, front, and back, at the appropriate point in the road. Those corrupted by Chaos walk the path more easily as long as they know what to do, but they would be foolish to seek out the Pyramid of Light.
All that awaits them there is immediate and unceremonious obliteration. It does not take long for apprentices to find the way automatically because the more often the way must be found, the easier it becomes to find it.[1e]
Once around the impossible corner, the stench of the streets vanishes, and the scene suddenly opens before a visitor's eyes. The alleys and streets now lead into a large square laid with white marble and sparkling slabs of quartz pavement.
The centre of the square is dominated by the Order of Light, an enormous pyramid that at first glance seems to be constructed of pure light. Anyone with even a passing sensitivity to magic can feel the power humming in the square, sustained by the ritual incantations invoked perpetually within the College.[1e]
The wind of Hysh is particularly strong here, and the effects on spellcasting are profound. Magisters and spellcasters not of the White Order find it harder to grasp and channel their Wind of Magic here because of the saturating Hysh.
However, Hierophants of any level of mastery will find their abilities greatly enhanced while they remain within the bounds of the Order of Light. Journeyman Apprentices to the Order are no more powerful within the Pyramid Square as outside it, but they face less risk using their magic.[1e]
Despite initial appearances, the pyramid is not made of light. Looking for longer than a moment reveals that it too is made of white marble and quartz, but all the lights shining within the College can be seen through the walls. Only the lights can be seen -- even lights buried deep within the pyramid are clearly visible, but observers will notice the lights do not illuminate anything outside the College.
The walls are not transparent, so those outside cannot see things or people inside. The lights inside somehow do not illuminate the dead stone of the square but do illuminate any living creature standing within the square.[1e]
The great doors of the Order of Light are fashioned from a magical silver alloy, polished to mirror brightness. They are surrounded by dozens of smokeless lanterns that burn with a brilliant white light and never go out. More lanterns are set into the doors, and as a result, the doors are bright even compared to the rest of the pyramid.
Entry to the College is by invitation only, but anyone who manages to reach the door will always be given a polite hearing unless they bear the taint of Chaos, which, because the College is populated by Magister exorcists, does not have to be visible to the naked eye.
If an unexpected visitor asks to speak to a particular Magister, and that Magister is in residence, a servant is sent to fetch him. There are very few Hierophants who will not come at least as far as the door. If the Magister knows the visitors, he is at liberty to invite them inside.[1e]
The interior of the Order of Light is decorated in white, pale gold, and silver, with countless huge, polished mirrors. Lanterns, candles, braziers, and other sources of light (all strangely smokeless and devoid of soot), are everywhere, and the pale surfaces of the Colleges internal décor reflect the brightness.
There are no windows, but the corridors are as brightly lit as an area in direct sunshine on a summer's day -- and the temperature remains constant, neither too warm nor too cool. The perpetual incantations of the Colleges choirs of Apprentices can be heard everywhere, and even people devoid of any magical sensitivities can feel the power vibrating in the air.[1e][1f]
The rooms of individual Magisters within the College are brightly lit and contain many books. Beyond that, there is a wide range of decoration. Hierophants have a diverse sense of beauty. Thus, their tastes can vary widely, though they tend towards simplicity and minimalism.
Rooms are decorated in styles from across the Imperial provinces, as well as Tilea, Estalia, Bretonnia, Norsca, Araby, and even more distant lands. The common factor of every room is that they are very well lit, spotlessly clean, orderly, and all furniture and décor is made from very light, if not white, materials.[1f]
As a general rule, all master Hierophants who want them may have rooms in the Order of Light, but Journeyman wizards only get them if they are particularly well connected. There are guest rooms available for any member of the White Order for brief visits, and the common areas of the College include dining halls, as well as studies, libraries, sun rooms, rooms for contemplation and meditation, and even a few arcane laboratories.[1f]
The College is a good place to meet Hierophants but not much else. Sneaking around the Order of Light is impossible. There are no shadows; the light sources are deliberately arranged to ensure this. The interior of the pyramid is riddled with tunnels, rooms, and secret passages, and it is full of arcane symbolism important to the order, such as the Serpent of Light, the Tree of Learning, the Tower of Isolation, the Candle, and the Pillar of Wisdom.
There are also bells, candles, and burners of white incense, which are tended at regular intervals by Apprentices. In addition, the Hierophants are more careful about unescorted guests than most Colleges. The only groups that could sneak about are those that include, or can imitate, a Hierophant.[1f]
Once inside the pyramid, it is very easy for the newcomer, novice, or interloper to become lost in its seemingly endless corridors. The pyramid extends hundreds of feet underground; the visible portion is only the tip of the immense structure.[1f]
Deep within the College, far beneath the pyramid, it's rumoured there are magically sealed vaults where dark artefacts and creatures are kept safe, protected by many twisting tunnels, traps, and magical fields. The story goes this was created by Teclis and Finreir as a repository and prison for many of the objects and creatures captured during the Great War that could not be safely destroyed, transported to Ulthuan, or banished.[1f] These dungeons are said to feature a series of traps, tunnels, and magical barriers designed by Teclis.[6a]
Supposedly, the most powerful and wise of the Hierophants work to keep these evils from the world, though whether any of these rumours are true is something that members of the Order of Light refuse to confirm or deny.[1f]
Opinions[]
The College of Light is generally respected among the other Colleges. It often arbitrates on disputes between the Colleges and between the Colleges and the state. It is in the interest of all other Colleges that good relations with the College of Light are maintained, and it seems that the College of Light has good relations with all the others.[2b]
The College's affinity for light, illumination, and the acquisition of knowledge are often seen as more benign pursuits than those of many of the other Colleges. As such, the Light Order tends to keep its members out of controversies, and away from the suspicious eyes of the Witch Hunters, far better than the other Orders.[2b]
Notable Hierophants[]
- Alric – Master Chanter, Savior of Apesto, late mentor of Egrimm van Horstmann.
- Egrimm van Horstmann, the Traitor - Previous Magister Patriarch of the Order of Light, now a powerful Chaos Sorcerer in the service of Tzeentch.
- Heinz Meissner – Founder of the Ancient Library.
- Horx – A High Luminary that unleashed a Storm of Magic upon Altdorf in an attempt at seizing the office of the Supreme Patriarch, instigating the Night of a Thousand Arcane Duels.
- Jovi Sunscryer – Magister Lord of Templehof. Inventor of the Wyrdglass.
- Konrad Messner – Prominent Wizard Lord within the Order.
- Verspasian Kant – Current Magister Patriarch of the Order of Light.
- Volans – First Patriarch of the Order of Light, and first Supreme Patriarch to the Colleges of Magic.
College Estates[]
- Ancient Library – A few miles north of Carroburg, just outside the village of Tubingen, stands a fortified manor house surrounded by a moat. This is the base of the Library and Repository of Wisdom and Magic, or the "Ancient Library" as it is better known. At first glance, it looks ordinary, but anyone with knowledge of warfare would notice its location is very defensible; a small force could hold this place for weeks if need be...
- Templehof Light Order – Led by the prime magus Jovi Sunscryer, a cabal of wizards from the Light Order took up residence in Templehof, Sylvania and set up the Templehof Order. At first the people of the township were suspicious to the point of hostility. But the wizards were generous with their coin and were grudgingly allowed to stay, provided they kept themselves hidden away from "proper folk"...
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition: Realms of Sorcery
- 2: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition: Tome of Mysteries
- 3: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 3rd Edition: Winds of Magic
- 3a: pg. 47
- 4: Warhammer Fantasy: Storm of Magic
- 4a: pg. 36
- 5: Warhammer Campaign: Sigmar's Blood
- 5a: pg. 30
- 6: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition)
- 6a: pg. 26
- 7: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition: Winds of Magic (RPG)
- 7a: pp. 55-59
- 8: Van Horstman (Novel) by Ben Counter
- 8a: Ch. 8