Sickle
The Sickle is the mage guild of the Realms, monopolising the use of magic and protecting its users (killing magic users who does not want to join their ranks). It sees itself as a force for good, but is primarily an interest group for people with extraordinary abilities and a means to stay safe from hoards of people with torches and pitchforks. Most Magi of the Sickle resides in the Octagon (the main base of operations for the organisation) in the western part of Capitoleum, but they can be found elsewhere in the city as well as in other cities or strongholds around in the Realm.
Originally, the Sickle just wanted to be left alone, but its members have over time become more and more interested in personal power. The main thing keeping the Sickle from trying to conquer the world is partly its memory of the Warlock Wars but primarily it is the fact that internal struggles for power has become the primary activity for many.
Much of this is still raw notes. Never mind if you can't understand it properly!
History
See more in: general History of Hökaland
The Sickle was started among mystics, many hundreds of years ago in order to combat the Warlocks of the Black Nettle during the Warlock Wars. They assisted the Mageslayer in ridding the lands of the Warlocks and then assisted in the building of the Old Empire and it's crown jewel: Capitoleum.
During the Prosperous Times, the Sickle improved their standing and reduced the hatred of mystics that had grown to enormous proportions during the Warlock Wars, but at the same time, the Church of Rahn propagated a strong anti-mystical rhetoric. Life improved for people able to control the forces of nature with their minds, but distrust remains high. They helped to move the river Wildrun into an impressive moat, move tonnes of soil to enable important buildings to be founded on bedrock and to irrigate the local fields as well as setting up a system of magic enhancement to improve the crops themselves, making the already massive city almost self-sufficient.
In the same time frame, the guild started to organise to specialise for different tasks. Together they started hiring their own force of militia to act as body guards and separately they divided into groups they called 'Circles'. Since then, though all members are interested in a strong Sickle, there has been an internal vying for power and political intrigue.
Both for protection and their own strength, the Sickle decided to try and incorporate all users of magic into its organisation. the trade routes of the Coins helped with this goal, but more importantly they god a public relations boost with the great fire of XXXX. It was found that it was started by an 11-year old daughter of a noble family, who had undetected magic powers which randomly manifested and burned not just the girl, but the whole estate and most of the family. The fire spread to an oil storage for street lamps and almost took on catastrophic consequences from there on.
The Sickle, which was central in putting out the fire, managed to raise awareness of the dangers of uncontrolled magic as well as creating a strong sense of urgency to report magic use in non-Wizards. When they pledged to cast a powerful detection spell, it was even welcomed.
Part of the agreement also included giving the Sickle the responsibility and authority to handle magic users. It's also common knowledge that the Sickle has enchanted Capitoleum and some other major cities to detect if anyone other than Sickle uses magic.
The Sickle also gave the King a hundred fire-free street lamps to avoid further fires and pledged to continue to deliver lamps to entirely replace the oil lamps (much to the outcry of oil salesmen and lamp lighters). The catch was that the city would have to pay for magic power at a cost similar to that of the oil lamps, a deal the King gratefully accepted. This agreement has since been honoured even after the fall of the Old Kingdom and many lamp lighters got to keep their jobs; only now they refill the lamps with magically infused marbles rather than oil.
Despite many a good deed, The Sickle has never completely gained public support even in the city, and some merchants even propagate banning 'MEP' - magically enhanced produce.
Organisation
| Upper Circle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Macharned (Grnd Adm) | 20 | The Hunter |
| Linda (f) | 18 | The Shield |
| Hermondend | 19 | The Cloud |
| Tomasi | 16 | The Hammer |
| Aripolis | 17 | The Green |
| Monicka (f) | 19 | The Tiger |
| Full Circle | ||
| Tamah (f) | 17 | The Hunter |
| Delantro | 16 | The Green |
| Torini | 16 | The Tiger |
| Leonerdie | 15 | The Shield |
| Minda (f) | 15 | The Cloud |
| Rogdynettro | 15 | The Hammer |
| The numbers represent DnD levels. | ||
The Sickle is internally seen as an "upper circle" of humanity and they call peers "members of the Circle" and a person can have the title "Name, of the Circle". Its members are divided into five more specific Circles, each with its own responsibilities and authority within the Sickle. The Circles are:
- The Circle of the Cloud - Magical research
- The Circle of the Green - Education within and without
- The Circle of the Hammer - Production of needed items and for income
- The Circle of the Hunter - Seeks and destroys demon and changeling invasions
- The Circle of the Shield - Protecting the Sickle and magic users, forcefully
- The Circle of the Tiger - Newest circle; public relations
In charge of each Circle are two Administrators. Administrators ensure that the voices of all the members of her circle are considered in the organisation, and is also endowed with the authority to solve personal disputes among Magi. The Administrators of the six circles has a council called the Full Circle. As such, being appointed an Administrator also gives the Magus the title "of the Full Circle".
Out of the two representatives from each Circle, one is senior and one is junior. The Senior Administrator receives the title "of the full Circle" and sits in the Full Circle; a smaller council that supports the Grand Administrator in her decisions for the organisation. The Grand Administrator, in turn, is the utmost responsible person for all decisions in the entire organisation.
The Grand Administrator, as well as the Senior Administrators and Administrators are elected from within the council of the Full Circle, but magical prowess is one of the main attributes considered when making the election.
The title of Administrator is the same as that of officials in the Family Register, which can cause some confusion and a topic the Sickle doesn't really care about. They would prefer if people didn't even know what a Sickle Administrator even was.
The Cloud
Mage fanatics. All about magic power. Ignoring politics and even food, sometimes. Sometimes overly ambitious. Quite corruptive. The Hunter dislike most of their work. Shields feel this is what matters. Disrespects the Hammer and the Tiger.
The Green
Lots of University backgrounds. Knowledge and pursuit of it is the focus of the Green. Not always very pedagogical. Low on wisdom. Lots of cooperation and competition within.
The Hammer
Production. Economy. Arsenal. Likes crafting, hands-on. Practical. Both feet on the ground. Knows they are the least "popular", don't care much because they know they are essential. All the power of the Sickle comes from the accumulation of wealth/power/production. Close to the Tiger, also the Green.
The Hunter
Sort of Secretive. Has lots of racism against anything unnatural. Lots of knowledge of demonic magic and planes. Doesn't like dragons, but more realistic about them than the Shield. Several cases of "turners", so the circle is very vigilant about it.
The Shield
Extremely xenophobic. Worried about other Wizard guilds or ones forming. Some cooperation with the Hunter. Somewhat political. Looks where to put money for long-term investment in PR and power. Duelists and spoiled more than warriors.
The Tiger
Young. Open-minded, understanding of people. Lots of sorcerers. Newest Circle. Dislikes the Shield. Most in common with Greens. Friendly with the Hammer.
Allies
The Harbour Master is an allly, likely because of a lot of international trafic, a lot of open-mindedness and a counterweight to the Chamber of Commerce. The Sickle took the side of the HM when the Chamber tried to incorporate the HM into the guild system.
Artipellin is another ally. Generally open-minded. Also many sailors.
Recruitment
- Join us or perish sort of thing
- People willingly send off their kids as they are afraid of them
- If not wanting to become a mage:
- Have specific tattoos engraved that inhibits it and yearly check-ins to make sure they still work
- Work at Sickle indefinitely, sponged every day
Sickle Phrontistery
The education centre, 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.
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:
| Normal age | Schooling | To Become | Title | Achieved Diploma | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | None | N/A | Diplomed Magus of the Circle | Diploma of the Magus | Life |
| 18 | Research | Diplomed Magus | Hypernatural Controller | Hypernatural Controlling Diploma | 3 |
| 16 | College | Hypernatural Controller | Hypernatural Manipulator | Hypernatural Manipulation Diploma | 2 |
| 10 | School | Hypernatural Manipulator | Neophyte | Ring Training Final Grades | 6 |
| 4-7 | Initiation | Neophyte | Mentee | N/A | 3-6 |
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.
This studying is intermingeled with hard physical labour such as cleaning pots and pans in the enormous Octagon Kitchen, emptying latrines and other tasks 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".
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
- Languages
- Elven
- Dwarwish
- Draconic (the magical language of the dragons)
- 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 manipulation"). 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 Manipulation Diploma and a Hypernatural Manipulator Pin, which basically makes them a "junior mage" or Hypernatural Manipulator (HM) and enables them to work for the Sickle in the breaks and earn money. As a Hypernatural Manipulator, they leave School and join the College.
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 HMs, but is instead limited to roughly half of their potential. They are assisted using the device to avoid cheating.
HMs 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.
HMs produce final projects in their selected and compulsory subjects, and if they are all accepted by their superiors, they receive the Hypernatural Controlling Diploma and a Sickle Controller Ring.
Hypernatural Research
Having finished College, an Unqualified Magus (or Hypernatural Controllers, HCs) 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 HC 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.
Nobles and Hypernatural Training
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. Children without magical potential use an Assisting Pendant to acquire the skills, should they start showing the spark later on in life.
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 the Hypernatural Manipulator School; in many cases a shorter version with just manipulation techniques. While ath the Sickle, they are, however, still subjected to hard physical labour that they are not allowed to "outsource" and they have to earn their Hypernatural Manipulation Diploma 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 1/2 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. Unless a child is a "late bloomer" in terms of her gift, the Sickle accepts no student over the age of 14.
Sickle Characters
Listing important characters within the Sickle.
Octagon Staff
- Kitchen Matron Amni - In charge of kitchen duties as well as a lot of physical tasks
Economy
The Sickle has great expenses. Besides bribes to keep the Church of Rahn off their backs (a fact very few knows of), they have a large standing army that requires salaries and housing, hundreds of members of staff, a lot of building maintenance and quite high salaries to individual members. The main way to gain incomes is by selling light energy to the city of Capitoleum and a few other cities, to sell potions, charms and other items to merchants and commoners.
Gathering Magical Energy
There are two main ways the Sickle gathers "crude sparks" for use in the guild or to sell: Through its members and through the public. Through its members, each member has to donate a portion of daily magical powers per day. This doesn't have to be every day, but can be spread out over a month or longer time, using a Sponge and multiple Mana Cells. In return, mages recieve a handsome salary for it and other Sickle tasks.
- Each Diplomed Magus of the Circle is bound to donate 15% of her daily magic powers per day to the Sickle, in addition to fulfilling Sickle work in general.
- Hypernatural Controllers are not paid but required to donate 25% of their daily magical powers.
- Hypernatural Manipulators are required to donare 50% of their daily magical powers.
- Any other initiate will donate all of her magical powers for the day after any magical training is completed.
Items
Noteworthy Sickle items and some Roleplaying rules associated with them.
Assisting Pendant
The Assisting Pendant is a relatively crude magical object that can store an amount of magical powers that is roughly the same as a young or beginner arcane user. The pendant allows even individuals without an "arcane spark" or "gift" to cast spells and is used for training purposes. The pendant must be worn against the skin or held in order to work. It is also sensitive to interruptions, so other magical items can not be worn in the immediate vicinity.
When used, it's rough design shows as it is physcally demanding to use.
The pendant is powered by a special-made Mana Cell and can also absorb energy similarly to a Radiation Sponge, but only from directed energy; it can't absorb other energy. The caster simply touch the pendant and transfers a portion of her channelling powers into it.
DnD
- Counts as "neck slot" while worn or "ring slot" if held.
- Can stores 5 lvl 0 and 3 lvl 1 spell slots worth of energy.
- Using a spell slot to cast a spell (which has to be prepared ahead of time or manually read (see Magic)) causes 1 point of non-lethal damage (lvl 0 counts as half)
- Suffering from 4 points of nonlethal damage in this fasion will make the caster fatigued. 8 points will make the character exhausted.
- Base cost: 1500gp
- Hokaland: 6000gp
Mana Cell
A commonly used device that can hold "crude sparks" used to power a lot of other Sickle-made magical items. Generally, a Mana Cell cannot be charged without some additional item, such as a Power Extractor or a Radiation Sponge.
The Mana Cells come in different materials, but the most common one is a glass-like pebble about 2.5 cm in diameter. It is a very hard little pebble to avoid it breaking, and letting out the stored energy.
DnD
A standard Mana Cell can store up to 20 levels of spells. If destroyed (HP 10, hardness 5), it will explode. In order to see how much damage to roll, first roll one D4 per 3 levels of spells stored and add 1. This is the number of D6 force damage to be rolled for a 10ft radius. The Reflex DC is 8 + the number of D6 damage dies. The next 10 feet outside of the immediate blast radius receives 10 less damage and this decreases by 10 damage per 10 feet until an area receives no damage.
- Evasion does not negate damage completely, instead it counts as being 15 feet further away from the blast zone when calculating the half damage.
- Improved evasion works normally.
- Base cost: 1000gp
- Hokaland: 4000gp
Power Extractor
The Power Extractor is a tool mostly used by mages to extract excess energy to donate to the Sickle. It is a small, 1 foot long rod about 4 cm in diameter made of brownwood with rounded edges and a metal tip on the top side. The tip can be opened and there lies a Mana Cell which stored the power.
The rod can also extract magical energies just from touching a willing target. For very weak-willed individuals, the rod can also be used to drain life energy, but it doesn't work on most people. Storing magic in this manner is quite crude and it hurts a bit to use the device. The sensation can be likened to a powerful static electric shock that also makes the person feel tired.
Weaponised Power Extractors exist, but they are few.
DnD
- To actively imbue the Sponge with power, it just counts as a standard action spellcasting that has no other effect than making one spell slot used.
- To extract essence from a willing non-caster, the target suffers 1 points of nonlethal damage and one spark (half a spell slot) is added to the Sponge.
- Suffering from 2 point of nonlethal damage in this fasion will make the caster fatigued. 4 points will make the character exhausted. After dealing 4 points of nonlethal damage, the target suffers lethal damage instead.
- Resisting extraction is a DC5 Will save. If a target saves against the rod, the same rod will not work on that target for 6D6 hours. Each attempt to drain power allows for a save. An unconsious target will try to resist.
Radiation Sponge
Also known as just "The Sponge",
Other notes
- "The Sponge" (or "Radiation Sponge") stores the power in a Mana Cell
storing magic is quite crude and it hurts a bit to use the device (1 point of non-lethal damage), and the energy can't be used for very powerful things (higher spell slots). The energy is mainly used for powering lamps, cleaning water or helping with the enhanced farming systems outside the massive city. These in turn generates income to the guild, part of which pays your salary.
- many mages finish at 21, some later but no diplomas are given ahead of time regardless of aptitude; they don't want too young mages running about
- Hypernormal Rating of 15 is the equivalence of a DnD lvl 2 Wizard.
Sparks are higher entropy energy than higher spell levels. They are hard to use for powerful magic and better suited for low cost, long life spells or for powering particular items. The point here is that they are easy to accumulate and hard to use. The Assisting Pendant is relatively crude, but still quite advanced. Primarly they were made for education before people receive their powers properly, so their cost is already "paid".
The Sponge used by the Sickle on poor people. They get a copper (or something) for a little manual labour, involving sorting stones in a small room. The room's Sponge extracts one Sparks every 10 minutes and deals one point of nonlethal damage from it.
Another "service" they provide is to offer to clean people of magic residue they accumulate on a daily basis. For people with no magic ability, it deals 1 point of nonlethal damage per drain and creates 1 Spark. Pays people money for helping keeping the world free of magic pollution as part of PR campaign.
Lights, water purification, personal magic detection and other items run on Sparks. There are items that just produce them (like a permanent item), but are complicated to make and expensive / takes time. "Producing" sparks from the population is a lot more cheap.
The detectors also see usage of magical weapons (when they hit the opponent), equivalent of a cantrip spell.
It's rude to use spells near other wizards, except for necessary things; it is seen as boastful. An undisciplined youth may be schooled by the use of a much more powerful spell as response.
Using spells silently is much more accepted, seen as cheeky.
Circle of the Spirit
Circle of the Spirit once existed. Infested with Scythe and did death magic. Still some happens, but limited funds and a lot of scrutiny.
| Factions nav (e) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Religions | Peoples | Kingdoms & Noble Houses (Ascendancy) | |||||
|
Alchemists' Guild |
Church of Rahn |
Dragons |
Artipellin |
|
Sovereigns Oakshield |
|
More Chivalric orders | |
|
Other: Tall | ||||||||