Mage Guild in a low magic setting?

[theRogueRooster]

I am trying to come up with something different for a mage guild in my low-magic campaign world, but I'm stumped. I don't necessarily want the "traditional" fraternal order complete with a ruling council of elders, but I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around anything else. I'd love to hear other folks' take on what a mage guild would look like in a world where magic is fairly rare. I'm not sure "guild" would even be a proper term in such a case.

If it helps, my campaign is a True20-fried version of Green Ronin's Freeport with all the orcs, elves, and whatnot replaced with different human cultures. Some of the more magical elements have been done away with, although the bad guys are still in place and unchanged. Think of the Carribean during the Age of Sail but where native shamans actually can use magic. Better yet, think of "Pirates of the Carribean" but where there are a few who are gifted in the arcane arts. How would these few congregate and to what purpose? What would the trappings of their order be? Have you done something similar for your campaign? What did it look like?

-tRR

 

[Piratecat]

They would be a secret society of lore and knowledge. In truth, they would wield extensive personal power by doing "favors" for important people. These favors might involve supplying rare or hard-to-find information, charming an enemy during a critical negotiation, making sure someone disappeared (polymorph or murder), magically hiding someone who needed to escape from enemies, and using divination to extensively build huge, huge blackmail files just in case they were some day needed.

In a low magic world, a lot of the arcane defenses that prevent mages from running wild in society haven't been discovered, but more people will hate and fear wizards. Thus, a successful mage's guild will disguise itself as something else and subtly grow very, very strong.

 

[the_myth]

I am trying to come up with something different for a mage guild in my low-magic campaign world, but I'm stumped. I don't necessarily want the "traditional" fraternal order complete with a ruling council of elders, but I'm having trouble wrapping my brain around anything else. I'd love to hear other folks' take on what a mage guild would look like in a world where magic is fairly rare. I'm not sure "guild" would even be a proper term in such a case.

If it helps, my campaign is a True20-fried version of Green Ronin's Freeport with all the orcs, elves, and whatnot replaced with different human cultures. Some of the more magical elements have been done away with, although the bad guys are still in place and unchanged. Think of the Carribean during the Age of Sail but where native shamans actually can use magic. Better yet, think of "Pirates of the Carribean" but where there are a few who are gifted in the arcane arts. How would these few congregate and to what purpose? What would the trappings of their order be? Have you done something similar for your campaign? What did it look like?

-tRR

Covens. Small groups of people who can practice magic who band together to share resources and protection. Some covens may ally themselves with political figures. Other coverns may have to work clandestinely, esp. if magic is outlawed or frowned upon in their area. An old concept that may work perfectly for you.

 

[Someone]

May I suggest "On Stranger Tides"? The setting is very similar to what you describe, and I´m sure it´ll inspire you.

 

[lukelightning]

A low magic world might actually foster the creation of guilds; if magic is rare and difficult then it is more likely that it would require the resources of a guild in order to learn it; and if magic is seen as suspect then it would probably be safer to be in some guild (possibly governement-sponsored) than solitary.

A low-magic mage guild would probably be far more scholarly in nature than the typical D&D wizard guild; less magic but more books, learning, and scholarly research.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Agreed. Low-magic worlds facilitate the formation of guilds or other mystical organizations. This small group of individuals controls the limited flow of new items, giving them much power. It also makes them viable targets for enslavement or coersion, so banding together provides protection.

These organizations could be focused on protecting their members from an oppressive or fearful government (diplomatically, by force, or both), control of magical items (either to keep them out of the wrong hands or to squeeze as many gp as they can), or subverting the existing power structure (by force, subterfuge, or intimidation).

Your world will probably have a mixture of all these organizations. Heck, if it looks like the medieval Catholic church you can have all these be orders within the larger organization. Remember that the older an organization is, the more important rank becomes. Newly founded groups tend to be more results oriented, so a relative newcomer can quickly be promoted. A large organization that possesses smaller subgroups with varying degrees of autonomy will have friction, either because the large organization is upset at the lack of protocol or because the smaller group is frustrated at the larger's slow reaction to events.

Many, many options for intrigue and adventure.

 

[painandgreed]

Perhaps a magic school model. Wizards still need materials, training, and a place to learn. Have a college with a dean and teachers. They study and teach and it is assumed that most wizards will go there to compare notes even if they were not trained there. Eventually, the wizards who aren't loners in towers and are done adventuring settle down at the school and train the new group. Think Hogwarts.

Most medieval colleges may have been powers within the town they were in, but they usually kept to themselves. The college ruled the college and the town ruled the town and although there were often disagreements, usually each was left to judge their own. Students who misbehaved were turned over to the school for punishment. Or the school would be the main institution and the town is only there to support it, making most of the villagers effectivly staff.

 

[Andor]

For a really good discussion of what a mages guild is for, and how one might come into being read 'The Night of Madness' by Lawrence Watt-Evans. Plus it's just a good book.

 

[IcyCool]

Well, the campaign we just finished wasn't low-magic, but there was a "Finishing School" for women that specialized in teaching them to do pretty much exactly what PirateCat was talking about.

These "Pelarian Ladies" were then placed in favorable political marriages or married off to other people of power, where they could subtly work their magics on their mark.