Sickle Phrontistery

Note: Controller is now the minor and Manipulator the major. Updates in progress.

The education centre within the Sickle, or Sickle Phrontistery, takes care of everything from basic training to support and guidance during original research on the Hypernatural Controller level, to become a full-fledged mage: a Diplomed Magus.

Normal age	Schooling	Title	Diploma	Years
21	Finished	Diplomed Magus of the Circle	N/A	Life
18 to 21	Research	Hypernatural Manipulator	Diploma of the Magus	3
16 to 18	College	Hypernatural Controller	Hypernatural Manipulator Diploma	2
10 to 16	School	Neophyte	Hypernatural Controller Diploma	6
4-7 to 10	Initiation	Mentee	Ring Training Final Grades	3-6

The official term for a fully trained mage, Wizard, Sorcerer or whatever term is used by people is to be a Diplomed Magus and is the rough equivalence of a Degree in modern terms. It includes a large amount of schooling from a young age in various topics besides the Arcane, more specific training during the person's teens as well as original research in late teens. The schooling is adapted to each individual but if the young mage is particularly gifted they are given additional research (an merit) for the Diploma of the Magus until graduation the year they turn 21 as the Sickle doesn't want there to be too young mages running about. The process works as follows:

General

Magi calls students by their titles or in general term "the Cohort". An individual

The education is spilt into three terms per year, starting in the late summer weeks until Midwinter with a break for the festivals, a second term until the Gwennport Carnival and a third term until the late spring break that lasts over the summer. The support from Artipellin is the main reason why the Gwennport Carnival is the time for a semester break.

Tourists and Tenants

The individuals learning at the Sickle are generally divided into 'tourists' and 'tenants' by the students. They are not derogatory term but define the nobles or rich merchant children who spend a few years learning the basics as well as some mundane topics and the students who, for one reason or another, will stay for life. Sometimes, 'tenants' are instead called 'lifers'. The second term can be used for fully trained Magi who are very 'patriotic' about the Sickle as a whole. Especially noble born mages who choose to commit and become full Magi can be called lifers since they actively choose against their own family heritage.

There can be negative connotations to these labels and tenants certainly do look at tourists as less serious students. At the same time, tourists may not even be there by their own choice and looks down upon tenants who usually have no other choice but to stay. Naturally, to openly show disdain can be dangerous as tenants do tend to become full Magi and may be a bit of an issue if they still hold resentment as an adult.

Manual labour

Studying is intermingeled with hard physical labour such as cleaning pots and pans in the enormous Octagon Kitchen, emptying latrines and other tasks under the watchful eye of Madam Amni, the Kitchen Mistress, that would have been much easier to hire people to do. The Sickle feels that hard labour is a way to clear one's mind and to learn better and has the motto of "idle hands are evil hands".

The Demon Summoner

A formerly beloved teacher, Maristos, was found to have summoned demons (some say was a member of the Scythe) and killed several young boys. Following this incident just a few years ago there is now always one mentor sleeping in each of the children's wards. It isn't the most popular assignment.

Initiation

All young would-be mages are Initiated in the Octagon located in Capitoleum in what is sometimes called Ring Training. They are initiated at a young age (at what time they are found to have the "spark") and are taught basic controls on the channelling abilities the child has shown but most of the focus lies in general schooling such as mathematics, history, nobility, religion, languages, etc. The focus is largely on memorisation of facts like Noble houses and historical events, but some practical exercises are also included.

The Sickle feels hard manual labour is especially important for young minds to keep them occupied and "not too energetic".

At the end of each day, the children are treated with a Radiation Sponge (or "The Sponge"), absorbing excess amounts of magical energies. This is primarily done to ensure they don't activate abilities while dreaming, but the energies are also used within the Sickle for things like lamps and other low-quality magical functions.

Male and female children are separated into different Cohorts. Though Mentee is the official term for a young mage in training, they are usually referred to as Cohorts.

At the end of the Initiation, children recieves their Ring Training Final Grades.

Subjects

• Exotic Languages
  • Acci (magical language of the hawks)
  • Elven
  • Draconic (magical language of the dragons)
  • Dwarwish
  • Veni (language of magic)
• Arcana
• Mathematics
• Basic alchemy
• Religion
• History

Hypernatural School

Mostly just referred to as "School" within the Sickle, it includes the main chunk of education for the use of magic (or "hypernatural force control"). The School involves successively less manual labour over the six year period but is otherwise similar to the Initiation.

Throughout school, students continue to be treated with a Radiation Sponge at the end of each day, unless exercises demand some channelling ability be retained over night.

Following this six-year period, Neophytes can attempt to get their Hypernatural Controller Diploma and a Hypernatural Controller Pin, which basically makes them a "junior mage" or Hypernatural Controller (HnC) and enables them to work for the Sickle in the breaks and earn money. As a Hypernatural Controller, they leave School and join the College.

Neophytes studying to get the HnC Diploma live in the School Wing in bunks of four students.

Hypernatural College

Like the School it is mostly referred to as "the College", students are now expected to take more responsibility for their training and are granted more freedom. Studying takes on more researching elements, but generally involves nothing original. A lot of time and effort are spent on references and commenting on others' works.

The student now also choose a bit more about what to study and joins slightly larger cohorts (if there are any at the time). This specialisation doesn't have to be related to magic, but can be things like languages, history, archeology or politics. Regardless, a significant portion of the time in College is devoted to the hypernatural.

The Sponge is still used on HnCs, but is instead limited to roughly half of their potential. They are assisted using the device to avoid cheating.

HCs are also allowed to leave the Octagon unsupervised, and usually enjoy this newfound freedom immensely. Students who misbehave outside of the Octagon are severely punished, however, and absolutely no use of magic is allowed outside the Octagon.

HCs produce final projects in their selected and compulsory subjects, and if they are all accepted by their superiors, they receive the Hypernatural Manipulator Diploma and a Hypernatural Manipulator Ring.

HnCs studying for the HnM Diploma live in the College Wing in bunks of two students.

Hypernatural Research

Having finished College, an Unqualified Magus (or Hypernatural Manipulator, HnMs) is now able to work full-time for the Sickle and only need to donate 1/5th of their abilities to the guild. HCs are allowed to take a year or more to do work within the guild rather than continue to produce their own research but are eventually encouraged to do so.

The research is supported by a mentor and a HnM is allowed to request help from any non-Administrator mage (but they can also help, if they want to) but are expected to complete the actual work themselves. This is the time where the becoming mage talks to different circles and starts to form an opinion of which one she wants to join upon becoming a Diplomed Magus of the Circle.

After finishing the research and having it Opposed by senior staff members in a hearing, the former student receives the Diploma of the Magus and the Sickle Magus Ring that is appropriate for the Circle she has choosen. For example, this may be the Circle of the Tiger and so she is then a full-fledged Diplomed Magus of the Circle of the Tiger.

Some researchers finish all of the educational diplomas and research before the year they turn 21. In those cases, additional research is generally added and they graduate with a more full set. The Sickle doesn't want too young people becoming mages.

HnMs studying to become full Magus live in the Young Mage Wing in personal, but sparse, rooms.

Nobles and Hypernatural Training

• Starting around 10-12
• 2-4 years (2 years minimum; 4 usually minimum if there is a spark there)
• Hypernatural Controller Diploma
• Hypernatural Controller Pin
• If genuine skill: 1/5 of magical energies

The Sickle offers training for Nobles in both magical skills as well as ordinary lessons. It is a service they charge for and many Houses choose to send their children there instead of having a mentor for the time period. Children without magical potential use an Assisting Pendant to acquire the skills in case they start showing the spark later on in life. These children are sometimes called "tourists" by the few children that do have a spark and stay.

Noble children with a spark are also not treated the same as ordinary children. Recognising the importance of good standing with Houses, the Sickle allows these children to just go through a custom version of the Hypernatural Controller School; in many cases it is shorter with just manipulation techniques. While at the Sickle, they are, however, still subjected to hard physical labour that the possibly spoiled children are not allowed to "outsource". They have to earn their Hypernatural Manipulator Diploma and Pin like everyone else.

However, after receiving their diplomas they are allowed to go home and go about their lives as long as magic is never used in a disruptive way and as long as 1/5 of their magical powers are sponged and delivered to the Sickle.

Should a gifted noble child choose to finish her education in the arcane, she will have to swear the oaths of allegiance; to promise to forsake blood bands for her gifted brothers and sisters if the choice ever came up.

The years noble children are sent to the Sickle varies, as does the duration, but usually they are sent there between the ages of seven and fourteen.

See: Mage School feat