#mage guild

[kaninchen-reblogs]

I think this is the funniest fucking notifications I've ever gotten in Morrowind.

[wiltkingart]

thinking about his beloved Commander

[electoons]

I love the college of winterhold. everyone there is casually deranged and there's like an alarming number of students and staff who threaten you immediately when they meet you. it's always one of the first questlines I do. which makes it even funnier when you get made the arch-mage of the college. I'm level 12 and got through this questline knowing exactly 3 spells. what do you mean you want me to lead the college. this school CANNOT be an accredited institution

[arugulla]

Mannimarco fanart

[just-unearthed]

*blows up balls with mind*

[igorlevchenko-blog]

Elder Scrolls: Portrait of dunmer sorceress holding a Star Tooth.

—Cyrodiil. Year unknown. Star Teeth are magic crystals said to be able to counter Shadow Magic. Her vestments are of eclectic style—combining elements of dunmer, cyrodilic and redguard fashion. The brooch on her turban is a stylized head of a nix hound.

[kata-kemi]

Commander Lucirae, icy necromancer rose. 🌹 She is part of the Astral Ward now so very few things will limit her from getting her greedy nerd hands on her research hehe Guild Wars 2 art sponsored by Arenanet as usual! ⚔️ I will also have a dnd one shot session based on Janthir Wilds! I am so excited! Naturally I will be playing Necromancer Wizard Lucir...

[elderscrollsconceptart]

"Mage"

Concept art for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Art by Ray Lederer

[caliblorn]

230-something Vanus Galerion. The glass changes shape because it'a a different one, by the way. Not a mistake of the artist. He's just drinking a lot.

[bfoxanimation]

Urag gro-Shub doesn't agree with the new Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold's methodology for knowledge retention.

[rythukii-yrikkuyi]

If I hear “conjure me up a drink” or “conjure me up a bed” one more time. ima conjure you up a concussion.

[sigmaelxgr]

"I remember the time I used to be in the Mage Guild. We were young and naive, both fascinated and repulsed by the great elves that, with many disgust, granted us lessons. Auridion was full of those "Altmers". We shared the same traits except our skin; their is from an immaculate gold I used to be jealous of. How can you be so tall your own body becomes one with Magnus..? Envy, because we were so dark, so coal, we only were made of soil and ashes. At least, our eyes were like stars in the deepest blackened sky. We followed one of our favorite Altmers all around Auridion; Cyriel. He used to be our beacon in those troubled periods...

Yet, as I grew up, I discovered ourself to be gifted enough to concern those Altmers. Cyriel, who was as sunlike as we were still storm incarnate, used to carefully manage us - worried about ideas he made himself regarding our nascent aptitudes, he wanted to bridle them "to preserve us". He was deeply concerned about what was coming from Oblivion, as many of his kind usually are, but his first reaction has been to try in vain to shift our interest towards something else to study; Alchemy.

And you know what..?

The more he cancelled my lessons, the bitter I grew. I wanted more, because I knew that I could do more and was so eager to get at least the slightlest of recognition from the golden elves that I became elusive once again. I fled other Mages like their opinion became a jail then left the Guild when I understood that they could not and would not take a moment to listen to the painful babblings of an uncivilized ashlander like me (I barely knew how to write at the time). They had no hope for me, for I was not capable to speak a decent Tamrielic. They maybe thought I'd be the stupiddiest s'wit they would ever take advantage of. They, even, were not expecting me to become someone more than just an assistant. Assistant is the Altmeri polite way to call a pet, whose social ascension is but impossible. And, years before the Aldmeri Dominion forced the Altmers to express their disgust for lower races in private, we became to their eyes even worst than a rat. Nebarra is the equivalent of N'wah, including the slave aspect; because only were given to us the tasks no other people would have accepted.

When I got in touch with what will become our next guild, years later, I acknowledged how much the Mages had restreigned me to forms of teachings that were not absolute. Whole parts of our understanding of the Mundus and further were severed. The nature of godhood. The truth behind myths. The blood of Nirn. They did not tell me about the Flesh. They did not tell me about the Breath, about the Bone, that will become my specialty. They hid those unwanted subjects and researches behind a convenient veil of both silence and disdain. They did what they could to never make of me something else than an alchemist, only good at harvesting and purchasing powders, salts and mushrooms (because Altmers thought our Dunmeri features made us capable to detect fungii), whereas, within the Worm I used to visit from time to time, I was just about to become a promising Conjurator. The Mages astreigned me so much that this single shred of acknowledgement in my researches unleashed my frustration and precipitated me into what you would smugly call desastrous decisions without even having the slightest idea of what you are talking about.

This is why, with all due respect I today may have for you as the sorcerer I became, Archmagister, you should think twice before censoring whole aspects of Magic. You create your own enemy doing so.

The Worm Cult alone is the only place you could really meet interesting individuals, where books were in fact secured and preserved even when their content was not appropriated with traditional religions (it is my role), real places with scholars entertwined in the same hunger for science and truth, pushing themselves forward again and again... Yes, we practiced necromancy. But how many discoveries could change surgery for ever into safest options and better understanding of flesh and bodies without the Worm to initiate the movement? How many of our newcomers emerged from your Guild and only expected support and companionship before you expelled them into our arms, like you did for me when I was still, to your opinion, barely able to babble correctly and so, I guess, vaguely sentient? How many despaired souls just wanted to feel relieved and became outcast because of how strictly you bend them in a new shape, that suited better your own culture? You, too, have comitted many sins. Do never forget them.

I have the gut-feeling that our dearest King may have taught you this lesson already. Don't try to trap minds you can barely reach...

Once yours, back then, - Xangr"

Do you think it would be possible at all for someone to attempt at changing your views on what could be considered necromancy (it's just a form of restoration honestly. Just a little bit... late?). Because I look up to you I really do (I suppose considering the time period it would make sense you would have your reservations) BUT if one makes a mutually beneficial agreement with the deceased it couldn't be all that bad! Ethically sourced necromancy is possible! Not all necromancers are evil!

Absolutely not!

There is, without a doubt, no such thing as “ethical necromancy”! Not only that, but to relate such a vile and twisted study to the arcane art of restoration is an appalling sentiment to be sure! There is nothing similar between healing one who is injured, and wrenching a soul from its body, in order to raise its mindless, deceased corpse under your own control!

I once had an old Psijic peer of mine attempt to argue for so-called “ethical necromancy”, as well. She believed that if a necromancer only used previously deceased bodies, it wasn’t doing any harm! She forgot to take into account the ethical boundaries that would need to be crossed in order to even attempt to desecrate a grave or tomb! Do the dead not have the right to their rest, after they have gone? What about the families of those deceased? I, for one, know full well what it is like to see one close to you risen as a shambling, rotting thrall, their lifeless eyes glazed over and their skin like leather. There was nothing ethical about it.

Or perhaps we should speak on her sigil geodes, instead! Modified soul gems that were created specifically to trap a soul for a short period of time, so that one may speak to it after death. What she regrets to mention is just how traumatic soul trapping is for its victim— and yes, they are victims— no matter what method is used. These souls must be torn from their newly-deceased bodies, must be confined in a miniscule crystal prison, inside which has been stated by released souls to be “worse than Oblivion”.

While not every man or mer that practices necromancy may be doing so for the sake of “evil”, death magic is a slippery slope into madness. The study corrupts your mind, winds its putrid tendrils around your very thoughts and constricts until you are suffocated, until there is nothing left of you but a husk of your former self. There is no way to practice “ethical” necromancy, or “safe” necromancy, or anything of the sort.

Leave the dead to their rest. Study something else.

[falmerbrook]

Early on in the Mages Guild's existence they started a summer reading program aimed at children. It functioned not only to boost awareness of and membership to the guild, but also to encourage critical thinking and research to children, particularly on magical subjects, as well as boost childhood literacy rates.

They kept the program up for many years until it became a victim of bureaucratic nonsense and got cut for "budgetary reasons" during the guild's decline.

[lizzybeeee]

The Lucanis vs Illario story would have had greater emotional depth/intrigue if the writers didn't water down how fucked up the Crows are as an organization.

Just some thoughts about how, out of all the side villains, Illario had some great potential to be a really interesting/tragic character in my opinion.

TL;DR: Zevran Aranai has a knife with Caterina's name on it for good reason and Lucanis/Illario need therapy...or whatever the Thedas equivalent is called...talking to Rook, I dunno

Going into DATV as a new player, or even as a returning one, the whitewashing of the Crows has a lot of the potential complexities of that life simply ignored or barely touched upon. The entire 'Illario vs Lucanis' boils down to: Illario seething in the shadows about Lucanis being the 'best boy'™ of the family while Illario is an after thought - which he is.

Let's be real, Illario is not subtle and immediately comes across as the Scar to Lucanis' 'Mufasa'. It's a questline with a very straightforward villain who has pretty lackluster motivations from what info we're provided - being 'I want power and to be the First Talon'. The game does very little explore what motivations he may have beyond being jealous of Lucanis/wanting more power.

However, if you play the quest line knowing what previous games have set up about the Crows - about how cutthroat and brutal the life is behind the glamour - then you can see that the entire Lucanis vs Illario conflict has amazing potential to be a dramatic tragedy.

We've seen how the life of Crow can affect Zevran - someone who was sold into the life through child-slavery. How interesting would it be to see how the life of a Crow can affect someone who was born into it? It's pretty clear in-game that Caterina intends for her grandchildren to carry on the family tradition - despite the fact that this 'family tradition' has likely led to the deaths of most of her grandchildren and however many children she had.

If there's banter about how Illario's/Lucanis' parents/cousins died specifically I haven't heard it, but the impression I got in-game was that it was likely linked to the Crows/politics in some way? Feel free to correct me! Still majorly fucked up that she pushes her grandsons into this life regardless!

Lucanis/Illario's situation was not like Zevran's - who was sold into the Crow's through slavery, with no one to speak up for him. Caterina was a woman who had power, who knew what the life of a Crow meant, and who still pushed those she 'loved' into it because is consolidated her place in the system. For all the Crows talk of 'family' Caterina doesn't seem to give a shit about them unless if they're contributing to the family business in some way - not to mention the whole 'you fail and we kill you' clause of being a Crow in the first place.

In the 'Wigmaker Job' from Tevinter Nights Lucanis talks about how Caterina hit him [also Illario] with her cane for mistakes and had him spend days without food/water. How he used to hate her but now 'realizes' that it was her way of ensuring he survived the life of being an Antivan Crow. Did it end up protecting them? It likely pushed them both to refine their skills out of fear. It's likely that simply by association with her they would be targets and thus needed to know how to take care of themselves and fight.

But why have him as a Crow in the first place? Why not simply train them well to defend themselves? You can't deny that she doesn't benefit from having her grandchildren in the family business - intentionally wanting Lucanis to take over her position as First Talon. The Antivan Crows are a force to be reckoned with and being one brings a whole lot of power in Antiva - being part of the elite of that group even more so.

If the game showed us the ugly reality of the Crows - the brutality of the lifestyle and how cutthroat the organization is, it could have really added some depth to Illario's betrayal - having it be more than "I want more power/respect" to "this is the result of what you taught me was valuable in life."

Warden: "Do you actually enjoy being an assassin?" Zevran: "And why not? There are many things to enjoy about being a Crow in Antiva. You are respected. You are feared. The authorities go out of their way to overlook your trespasses. Even the rewards are nothing to turn your nose up at."

Illario, bitter about Caterina favoring Lucanis - resentful of the fact that she has already decided that Lucanis will be her successor, being offered power by the Venatori (at the expense of the Crows) and accepting because why not? How different is it from what the Crows do? Isn't power and status the whole point of working yourself up in the Crows? Getting into a relationship with Zara because why not? Isn't sex part of the allure of being a Crow? Why can't he have this? Why shouldn't he have this?

Rook: "When we met, it didn't seem like Illario and Caterina were close." Lucanis: "It was hard to be close to her. Even for me. And...I was her favorite."

Why would he have connections to his family? Why should he? Caterina certainly never seemed to value 'family' beyond what they could do for her and their family legacy. Most of his family is already dead, and of those that remain the only parental figure he has obviously favors Lucanis. We don't have a lot of evidence in-game to show that Illario ever really cared for Lucanis, but the prequel story 'The Wake' and Lucanis' own banter imply that they were practically brothers, best friends. Perhaps he did care and then ceased to at some point, perhaps he didn't at all, or perhaps he accepted that an early death for them both was inevitable like everyone else in their family. Dead now or later - what was the difference? At least if Illario sells him out now to the Venatori then he'll get something from it instead of another dead family member to bury.

It's the tragic result of raising a child in an environment where he was taught and experienced the need for self-preservation at all costs. Constantly threatened, punished, and made well aware of that fact that his life was an expendable commodity. Then, when things in the world went to shit he picked the only option that made sense to him. To save himself.

The irony of the potential fall of the Crows, the fall of House Dellamorte, coming at the hands of one of their own - not because he had a change of heart but because he was taught too well by them. The Crows view those that fail them as disposable, someone to be discarded - if the Crows fail Illario, what is to stop him from applying that mindset to them?

But this would require the writers to acknowledge how messed up the Crows are and we can't do that to our 'Noble Freedom Fighters'™. They'll also need to address Zevran's existence and what lore was established in past games...and we can't have that either lmao.

[dirty-bosmer]

Mages Guild doodles I drew while sick

[oldschoolfrp]

The wizard takes point, ever alert for hidden dungeons and enemies in unexpected places (Bryan Hinnen wrote and illustrated The Mines of Custalcon, Wilderness Book One for the Wilderlands of High Fantasy / City-State D&D campaign, Judges Guild, 1979)