Arcanum Council

Arcanum Council. An organization of mages, a country of its own to be precise. It extends in influence past the minimal territory it is situated in. Soul Forge and the Arcanum Council are likely the factions who have the greatest set of rules. But whilst Soul Forge has the rule breakers right below its feet, the mages who disobey the rules of the Arcanum are spread all over the world. Thus, their prospering faction appears as small, whilst indeed being more like a massive spider, spreading its web all over  the continent.

[  History  ]  One of the most ancient factions. The council was formed by the Third Child and his direct followers. Originally, they settled on a city where they started to write out their knowledge of magic and experiment. However, it was soon seen this was not enough and that expansion was needed. Thus, next to the Grandia Kingdom, this new faction, the Arcanum was formed. Eventually many cities were built, and the need for a central administration arose. With this, the main city Volon was formed. Having lead a calm and prosperous existence for a long time, this came to an end, in the First Mind War. The rebellion of the Grandia Kingdom's leadership followed by the use of their entire possession of  Artifacts and a dark ritual had forced the Arcanum to intervene. The Grandia kingdom was almost destroyed, with the ritual, written off records not completed. The Second Mind War followed shortly, and with the completion of the ritual, interference was needed. At this time, the cities were led by random mages elected by the people. The Second Mind War brought the rise of the eight Archmages, each in charge of the eight largest cities. With help from the Citadel which became closely and largely involved in it, the remnants of whatever was once the Grandia Kingdom was now in ruins. Further notable conflict was unknown. The Arcanum itself has mostly a rich tradition and is quite open to outsiders.

[  Economy  ] The Arcanum Council has a fairly decent economy. They have a minor mining industry, overall decent agriculture, they have a few native species of animals which are breed, sold and used for food. Besides that, they have a close relationship to the Citadel and somewhat to the VNC, although in the last case, it is not without some occasional problems.

[  Politics  ] The political life of the Arcanum is in and by itself lead by an amalgam of mainly three groups, with two other smaller derivates. The main one is the Council of Archmages itself, with the eight numbered Archmages, where each has a vote in important manners, and the value of their vote, is determined by their number. The higher, the more value. The other, is the rather bizarre "College County". The organization owns some land, in which the foremost educational authority of learning the use of Mind powers lies, "Pandora College". The College has power in the respect that while it does not involve itself in the political life it does bear the ultimate say on the acceptance of members in the Mage Guard, acceptance of changes into the training system, overall control of the education of mages, control of certification of official working mages, allowance of specific items and forms of magics, and many other things of this sphere. The third group is known simply as "Paracelsus" the organization that is directly dependent, or at least officially so, of the Council, and deals with the creation, destruction, documentation, protection and inventorying of mystical items, (creation however refers to items that are imbued solely by Mind) the main practicers of Mind Alchemy and for some reason that is unclear to most other people, command immense fear and respect in the eyes of both the Council and College. The Mage Guard as a more minor faction do garner respect from the overall populace, but are however not independent, and not very politically influential in and by themselves. The Umbrella Society is a mysterious group that is rumored to deal with the preserving of rare magics and mages. Nobody has seen or heard of a member of their ranks personally.

[  Military  ]  The Council appoints official mages to many different duties across their territory, or even outside. These can often be of rather conflictual nature up to the point of assassinations. The Council lacks a properly formed army, but it does have a faction of comparable size to one, the Mage Guard. People who train for the most part exclusively in the use of Body and Mind and in the latter, specifically magics that enter the realm of direct combat. More advanced members however become more versatile , with learning Formation Elemental magics, Sealing magics, Recovery magics and occasionally runes. This force, while tested and trained by the College is directly under the orders of the Council.

Powers: Mind is of course, the dominant power used, but instances of Body as well as Heart are not unseen in some of its members, mostly foreigners. Soul and Vision are rare.