Vigil is a very young nation, which is less a nation and more of a city-state. It is also the name of an order that governs the city. It arose out of perceived necessity at the rebirth of magic. The purpose of Vigil is clear, to keep the world safe from magic. The method of doing so includes keeping a strict record of practitioners of magic and known magic items. When a mage shows great potential, Vigil will initiate them into their order. “Initiate” is a strong word, as one might want to say that Vigil abducts young mages, brainwashes them to accept Vigil’s ideals, teaches them only the spells they want them to learn, and scare them into remaining in the order forever.
Vigil has an embassy in most other nations. When magic returned to the world, most were scared about the possibilities it brought with it. They rode that fear into various treaties that allow them numerous freedoms. They have the right to initiate any mage they desire, and the right to any and all magic artifacts discovered within national borders. They also serve as final authority on whether magical items are allowed in or out of a nation.
Vigil is governed and divided by three separate but equal factions, the Weave Watchers, the Enthminds, and the Sisters. The Weave Watchers are the faction of wizards, those mages who studied for hours and hours until they mastered the arcane arts. They are perhaps the largest faction of Vigil, not only because they are less selective than the Sisters and more structured than the Enthminds, but because the raw amount of wizards outnumbers warlocks and sorcerers. Almost anyone with enough time and dedication can become a wizard with enough studying.
The Sisters are the faction of sorcerers of Vigil. They have a very misleading name, as they aren’t exclusive to women, but women are just more likely to be sorcerers than men. However, the Sisters is always to be overseen by a woman, and men are outnumbered more than one to eight. While women vastly outnumber men in terms of sorcerers, they are inversely outnumbered as wizards. Many feel that if a woman is not able to innately tap into Circe’s Breath, then it is a sign from the Goddess that they are not meant to use magic. As such, women face extreme barriers to studying to become wizards, and it is often quicker and easier to make a pact with some otherworldly being or devote one’s self to the divine.
The Enthminds are a roughly patched together faction of warlocks. The smallest of the three factions by far as warlocks are much more difficult to keep track of than the other two arcane spellcasters. Patrons aren’t exactly forthcoming with lists of those who serve them for Vigil, and most choose patrons as a work around to the other two options. Maybe they aren’t the naturally talented enough to become sorcerers, or they don’t want to work toward becoming wizards. Either way, most Warlocks wish to work in private and avoid integrating themselves with Vigil any more than they must.
The members of Vigil, as well as the nations and citizens thereof who have signed the Mage Treaties, follow a set of codes. Most of the tenants of were born out of the social climates and religious beliefs of the nations who signed the treaties.
| No. | Code |
|---|---|
| 1 | Do not alter time, the flow of time, or the events of the past |
| 2 | Do not tamper with the ages of sentient beings |
| 3 | Do not withhold knowledge of spells, artifacts, or intrigue from the institution of Vigil |
| 4 | Do not profane the grave and its ceremonies against the wishes of the dead |
| 5 | Do not subjugate the minds of the unwilling for an prolonged time |
| 6 | Do not murder, torture, or destroy unnecessarily |
| 7 | Do not breach the sacred and holy |
| 8 | Do not abuse divinations to challenge fate or harm the reputation of others |
Vigil is a faction of complete and unflinching hierarchy, each member of each school follows certain rules exclusive to their school as well as the whole of Vigil. Each member is given a rank, and superiors are to be respected and listened to at all times. Each school of wizardry also falls into an overarching hierarchy which also incorporates the Sisters and the Enthminds. In addition, each wizard is given a particular quill made of the feather of a bird, which they are to exclusively use to write their spells. The head wizard of each school is given a Phoenix feather with which to write, and the Grandmaster of Vigil, if they are a Wizard, uses a Roc feather tipped with a dragon scale. The Grandmaster is decided upon by the Heads of each school/faction.
| Order | Feather | Head | District |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evocation | Cassowary | Rondek Illori (Half-Elf Male) | Wand (Red) |
| Abjuration | Vulture | Saoidans (Elf Male) | Scroll (Blue) |
| Divination | Owl | Erasmo Nightingale (Human Male) | Orb (Green) |
| The Sisters | N/A | Florynce Juddar (Orc Female) | Ring (Orange) |
| Transmutation | Flamingo | Braedon Silvano (Human Male) | Staff (Pink) |
| Enchantment | Swan | Katya Hunter (Tiefling Female) | Potion (Yellow) |
| Conjuration | Dove | Mogland Raster (Gnome Male) | Quill (Brown) |
| Enthminds | N/A | Viceroy Novepter (Human Male) | Rod (Cyan) |
| Illusion | Peacock | Ontar Novepter (Human Male) | Crystal (Purple) |
| Necromancy | Raven | Talia Hadynter (Water Genasi Female) | Amulet (Grey) |
| Artificing | N/A | Iora (Firbolg Male) | — |
The University, or rather the city, is divided into 10 Districts (plus a single building for Artificing), one for each order, and a central district to serve as a neutral grounds for the orders as well as the home for the Archmage. The size of each of the districts varies and constantly changes, based on the current structure and how much power each group currently holds.
Artificing is a very new school of study in Vigil, brought in as a preventative measure, in case it is to grow large, Vigil wants to get it under wraps before they become too large a faction to bring under their jurisdiction. It is not very popular, as most tend to find their calling elsewhere. There are fewer than a dozen students studying under the one and only Artificing teacher Iora Nualaioch, and incredibly inventive Firbolg who is currently working to perfect the craft of Artificing. Most do not pay the Artificers any mind, nor do they take the school of Artificing seriously, they scoff at the idea of an Artificer being as important as a Wizard, Sorcerer, or Warlock. The smallest in size and least funded of the school, the Artificers have but one hall to call their own, at least, at the moment.
Headmasters’ HallÂ
The Headmaster’s Hall is where the Offices and Bedrooms of the Head Casters of each school are. Students are almost never called to this building, those that are called are usually exceptional minds. While the Administration Hall approves students’ request for higher level spell casting, students must set an appointment with the Headmasters to seek approval for the highest levels of casting, and even then are not guaranteed approval, they must be able to prove themselves to the board.
The Headmasters’ Hall is not a place that just anyone can enter, all visitations must be approved first by the Administration Hall, who determines how likely it is the visitation request will be approved by the Headmasters, and then approved by the Headmasters themselves. A magical barrier bars off entry to the hall without approval.
Sil’s GroveÂ
This grove is named after Sil, a famed satyr who helped establish Vigil and write its tenants. It is now used to practice more tranquil arts of magic, such as conjuration, transmutation, Illusion, and divination. In the center of the grove stands a gazebo treated with illusion magic to never rot or warp. This gazebo is supposedly a portal to the feywild, but no one other than Sil could get it to operate.
Artificers’ HallÂ
The Artificer’s Hall is the one building in the city of Vigil devoted to the school of Artificing. It is headed by a firbolg who, just like all Firbolg, dismisses the need for a name but is referred to as Iora, meaning “the squirrel” by his students. The hall is pentagonal in shape, with a courtyard of similar shape in the middle. Iora rarely leaves his post here, choosing to sleep on the floor of his workshop. Although eccentric, Iora is incredibly smart and creative; he mostly keeps to himself, aided by the fact that few rarely visit his workshop.
Administration HallÂ
The Administration Hall is where students and others can go to set or change their schedules, place out of classes through an exam, get approved for higher level casting, get approved for a familiar, pay expenses, submit complaints, request financial assistance, seek help in finding a career, apply for professorship, and much more. Going to the Administration Hall is something one only wants to do voluntarily, being called to the Administration Hall is often a bad sign, and usually ends poorly for the person called upon.
Hall of FamiliarsÂ
The Hall of Familiars is where students go to evoke their familiar. Conjuring a familiar is no easy task, only the brightest of minds and strongest of souls are able to conjure their familiar. It requires the utmost confidence, and failing to keep a straight mind while doing so can have terrible consequences ranging from summoning an evil spirit instead to being driven insane. The ritual is long and trying, usually taking an entire day, meaning they only allow one student to try per day.
The familiar is a manifestation of the magic within a being, whether that source be their mind or their soul. The familiar attempts to take a corporeal form, but as the form inhabited by the caster is already taken, the familiar must take another. Since it is but a sliver of the magic within the caster, it is usually a much smaller form, such as an owl, rat, cat, or other similar animal.
A ritual must be approved by administration, and a fee of 100 GP must be paid to cover materials, labor, paperwork, and other expenses. The fee can be reduced for qualifying students, and is usually at least doubled for outsiders in the rare case they are approved. It is usually a requirement for graduation within the school from apprentice to novice caster to have a familiar.