Member of the Council

Dungeons & Dragons BRCS 3.0/3.5 Edition
21

There are many high level wizards around. Just take a glance out over the realm wizards.

Aelies, Caine, Torele Anviras, the Wizard, Second Swamp Mage and the Sword Mage could all be in the council. Dosiere could too, and since he’s Diviner he could be Master of that. And here we’re talking Anuire.

The council apparently consist of Wizards of all regions.

So moving on to Khinasi we have Khalil el-Arrasi, Red Wizard, Bedoureg, Barouya, Jayim el-Zisef, Swan Mage, Kalilah bint Faroud, El-Sirad, Gray Shadow, Dashid, Wind Mage and the White Sorceress.

Until now we have only focused on those established realm wizards. There are probably at least twice the amount of what I have mentioned that are of sufficient level and skill to be in the Council.

22

Raesene Andu schrieb:

>This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.

> You can view the entire thread at:

> http://www.birthright.net/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=24&t=2983

>

> Raesene Andu wrote:

> While it is all very well for the college to say it wants all wizards on its council, I doubt there are that many high level wizards around, which is the reason why the two magicians (specialists in divination and illusion) are on the council.

>

And of course because the Royal College of Sorcery accepts also

Magicians as students, not only Wizards. If these Magicians learn at the

College they need teachers who can teach them and as the Magicians are

more than just specialized Wizards they´ll need Magicians as teachers -

and likely a Magician in the Ruling Council.

bye

Michael.

23

And in 3.5 there is no longer a restriction that a magician must be non-blooded. A character can now multiclass as magicain/wizard or wizard/sorcerer or magician/sorcerer, etc.

Different game mechanics, different rules and restrictions.

24

I don’t think any wizard who is currently a regent in his own right would sit on the council of the college of sorcery. That would make it a political body, like the Imperial Senate, rather than a council of wizard dealing primarily with the college itself and with monitoring magic in the Imperial City.

I would prefer to see the college council as the highest ranking staff members/teachers in the college. Most likely they are the only ones available for teaching, as given the small number of true wizards around, there isn’t going to be a lot of skilled wizards available as teachers at the college.

Also, remember that the college does teach both magicians and true wizards, and in fact a good number of their members are likely magicians rather than wizards.

25

BOM: p 56
Only wizards may sit on the council, and a wizard must have attained at least 9th level to gain a council seat.

BOM: p 58
Graduates receive a ring - silver for magicians, gold for wizards - embossed with the college’s symbol.

That clearly states that there’s a difference between Wizards and Magicians and that only Wizards may sit on the council, otherwise why would it say ONLY wizards? Also there’s the whole thing with each council member controlling a ley line, something only Wizards may do.

26

It does, but there is no reason why that can’t be changed. The college obviously is not the power it was during the height of the empire and perhaps they have been forced to make sacrifices just like everyone else. In a perfect world it would be ten wizards on the council, but perhaps there aren’t ten wizards available, so two magicians have filled places instead. Another member of council is 110 years old, well past retirement age. Perhaps he is only continuing to serve on the college council because no replacement can be found (good opportunity for a PC wizard to fill in there).

I’m not going to quibble over such small matters though. Whoever takes the time to sit down and write up the description for the college of sorcery (see the Organisations section of the Atlas) can decide on how things are arranged. If everyone agrees, then that will become the official version of the college and its council. I don’t have time to do this right now, so if you want to do it and post the information here in this forum for everyone to discuss then you can decide on how the college is setup, and who sits on its council.

Here is what I have set down so far for the College. As this is a major institution I’d like to see at least 1-2 pages on it. There is no need to set out the full stats of all the council, but just a quick mention of their names and basic info would be good.

COLLEGE OF SORCERY

Regent: Ruling Council
Alignment: Neutral
Status: NPC Domain

Holding Level Province Domain
Source 0 Imperial City Imperial City

Treasury: 4 GB / 0 RP
Income: 3 GB (Special) / 0 RP
Expenses: 2 GB (Special 2 GB)

The Royal College of Sorcery was founded nearly a millennium ago by a trio of Anuirean wizards who sought to increase the body of magical knowledge understood by human spellcasters of Cerilia.

LOCATIONS
The college only has one major holding, and that is the College of Sorcery itself, a sprawling estate that spreads across nearly a fifth of the aptly named Wizard’s Isle in the Imperial City of Anuire.

IMPORTANT FIGURES
???

OTHER ASSETS
???

The same goes for anyone else who has strong feelings about how a particular realm/guild/temple/wizards/whatever should be portrayed. If you want your version in the Atlas, then please write it and submit it to this forum. As long as everyone else approves of it, then it will be included. If you don’t like something, then offer an alternative.

27

Originally posted by Raesene Andu@Feb 4 2005, 10:43 PM
It does, but there is no reason why that can’t be changed.

Is there a reason it should be changed?

28

I’ve got some stuff written about the College of Sorcery, but I don’t know how to upload it.

29

Originally posted by A_dark+Feb 5 2005, 08:40 AM–></div><table border=‘0’ align=‘center’ width=‘95%’ cellpadding=‘3’ cellspacing=‘1’><tr><td>QUOTE (A_dark @ Feb 5 2005, 08:40 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id=‘QUOTE’> <!–QuoteBegin-Raesene Andu@Feb 4 2005, 10:43 PM
It does, but there is no reason why that can’t be changed.

Is there a reason it should be changed? [/b][/quote]
Yes, because the game mechanics have changed drastically. In 2nd ed only humans, and elven blood could be magic users (core rules) except that gnomes could be illusionists. There were no sorcerers and only humans (maybe 1/2 elves too, I can’t remember exactly) could be bards (except in BR which added elves).

In 2nd ed a character could only take one class per group (i.e. either fighter ranger or paladin but not all). In 3.5 there is no restriction. In 2nd ed there complex rules for multiclassing, in 3.5 these have changed.

In 2nd ed a scion couldn’t be a magician, again this has changed.

Why lock into a rule based so strongly on the 2nd ed game mechanics?

30

Originally posted by irdeggman+Feb 5 2005, 08:20 PM–></div><table border=‘0’ align=‘center’ width=‘95%’ cellpadding=‘3’ cellspacing=‘1’><tr><td>QUOTE (irdeggman @ Feb 5 2005, 08:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id=‘QUOTE’> [quote]Originally posted by A_dark@Feb 5 2005, 08:40 AM
[b] <!–QuoteBegin-Raesene Andu@Feb 4 2005, 10:43 PM
It does, but there is no reason why that can’t be changed.

Is there a reason it should be changed? [/b][/quote]
Yes, because the game mechanics have changed drastically. In 2nd ed only humans, and elven blood could be magic users (core rules) except that gnomes could be illusionists. There were no sorcerers and only humans (maybe 1/2 elves too, I can’t remember exactly) could be bards (except in BR which added elves).

In 2nd ed a character could only take one class per group (i.e. either fighter ranger or paladin but not all). In 3.5 there is no restriction. In 2nd ed there complex rules for multiclassing, in 3.5 these have changed.

In 2nd ed a scion couldn’t be a magician, again this has changed.

Why lock into a rule based so strongly on the 2nd ed game mechanics? [/b][/quote]
First off then Birthright doesn’t have Gnomes, at least not as part of the character races. The 5 subtypes of humans, elves, dwarves, halflings and half-elves are available as races.

Only blooded humans and those with elven blood (½-elves and elves) can cast true magic. This should be carried over, since I feel it means a lot to the setting, as it limits the amounts of Wizards running around. There were no sorcerers, since sorcerers in general doesn’t fit the setting, except perhaps there may be some elven sorcerers. Controlling magic in Cerilia is difficult.

I agree that multiclass rules have changed and that things should get adjusted to fit. Perhaps add the classes together and then dividing by the number of classes. For instance Fighters gather 100% province and 100% law, while Cleric collect 100% province, 50% law, 100% temple. Then add those two together to 200% province, 150% law and 100% temple and divide it by two: 100% province, 75% law, 50% temple? Then it wouldn’t really matter with skills, something which I feel forces people to focus on certain skills and if it’s a low level character you gain few RP. For instance Eluvie Cariele must spend 10 of her perhaps 15 skill points on two skills, so that she can get RP from her holdings.

Reading over the Magician, then there’s nothing in the description that states that it can’t be a blooded human. Learning lesser magic is just not encouraged, when you have the gift to cast true magic. Kalilah Sun-Eyes is a blooded Magician and proof that a blooded character can achieve the class.

31

Only blooded humans and those with elven blood (½-elves and elves) can cast true magic. This should be carried over, since I feel it means a lot to the setting, as it limits the amounts of Wizards running around. There were no sorcerers, since sorcerers in general doesn’t fit the setting, except perhaps there may be some elven sorcerers. Controlling magic in Cerilia is difficult.

I absolutely disagree with this. The BR restriction was in order to be a wizard (greater magic) a character had to be blooded or have elven blood. The only reason the other races were eliminated was because the cores rules didn’t alow them to be magic users (that was the point I was making and only gnome in the core rules could bypass this one). And the issue about who can and can’t be a wizard has already been decided for the BRCS - the chapter was sanctioned except for the noble class and skills, feats and equipment already. The BRCS does say that the other races (halfling and dwarves) have very few arcane casters.

I agree that multiclass rules have changed and that things should get adjusted to fit. Perhaps add the classes together and then dividing by the number of classes. For instance Fighters gather 100% province and 100% law, while Cleric collect 100% province, 50% law, 100% temple. Then add those two together to 200% province, 150% law and 100% temple and divide it by two: 100% province, 75% law, 50% temple? Then it wouldn’t really matter with skills, something which I feel forces people to focus on certain skills and if it’s a low level character you gain few RP. For instance Eluvie Cariele must spend 10 of her perhaps 15 skill points on two skills, so that she can get RP from her holdings.

IIRC there was already a poll on whether or not RP collection should be tied into skills or classes and skills won. Regardless this discussion isn’t really appropriate for this thread since it is supposed to be about a specific prestige class and just sort of spread into covering the council itself.

32

Only blooded humans and those with elven blood (½-elves and elves) can cast true magic. This should be carried over, since I feel it means a lot to the setting, as it limits the amounts of Wizards running around. There were no sorcerers, since sorcerers in general doesn’t fit the setting, except perhaps there may be some elven sorcerers. Controlling magic in Cerilia is difficult.

I absolutely disagree with this. The BR restriction was in order to be a wizard (greater magic) a character had to be blooded or have elven blood. The only reason the other races were eliminated was because the cores rules didn’t alow them to be magic users (that was the point I was making and only gnome in the core rules could bypass this one). And the issue about who can and can’t be a wizard has already been decided for the BRCS - the chapter was sanctioned except for the noble class and skills, feats and equipment already. The BRCS does say that the other races (halfling and dwarves) have very few arcane casters.

I agree that multiclass rules have changed and that things should get adjusted to fit. Perhaps add the classes together and then dividing by the number of classes. For instance Fighters gather 100% province and 100% law, while Cleric collect 100% province, 50% law, 100% temple. Then add those two together to 200% province, 150% law and 100% temple and divide it by two: 100% province, 75% law, 50% temple? Then it wouldn’t really matter with skills, something which I feel forces people to focus on certain skills and if it’s a low level character you gain few RP. For instance Eluvie Cariele must spend 10 of her perhaps 15 skill points on two skills, so that she can get RP from her holdings.

IIRC there was already a poll on whether or not RP collection should be tied into skills or classes and skills won. Regardless this discussion isn’t really appropriate for this thread since it is supposed to be about a specific prestige class and just sort of spread into covering the council itself.

33

Originally posted by Angelbialaska@Feb 6 2005, 12:28 AM
I’ve got some stuff written about the College of Sorcery, but I don’t know how to upload it.

If it is a word of pdf document that you would like attached to a message, I can do that for you, please e-mail it to hoss@chariot.net.au and I’ll do it as soon as I get it.

You can just cut and paste the information into a post though and I’ll then cut and paste it into the Atlas document :slight_smile:

34

Originally posted by Raesene Andu@Feb 4 2005, 09:47 PM
[b] I don’t think any wizard who is currently a regent in his own right would sit on the council of the college of sorcery. That would make it a political body, like the Imperial Senate, rather than a council of wizard dealing primarily with the college itself and with monitoring magic in the Imperial City.

I would prefer to see the college council as the highest ranking staff members/teachers in the college. Most likely they are the only ones available for teaching, as given the small number of true wizards around, there isn’t going to be a lot of skilled wizards available as teachers at the college.

Also, remember that the college does teach both magicians and true wizards, and in fact a good number of their members are likely magicians rather than wizards. [/b]

Which is why I suggested that ranks in the College be given at the progression of the PrC. Only those truly devoted to the College of Sorcery will attain any significant official rank within its halls. However, nothing stops Caine, HMA, etc to becoming honorary members or working with the College.