This scroll was written down by the Battlemage Magus Sodagayo. It contains direct advise for Battlemages, Rangers and Monks in the Mages' Guild. It also applies for Fighters, Berserkers, even Thieves, who join this mighty guild, where the basic ideas and principles are concerned. All of these "Non-Standard-Mages" should seek special advise.
A long time ago, a Monk, a Ranger, and a Battlemage met in the Adventurers' Guild. Finding they all were unsure what tae do next, they decided tae search the catacombs taegether for further clues. In the cats they found a lot of signs. "Would-be Mages head southeast, would-be Fighters head south.", one read. "Would-be Fighter?" asked the Ranger. "I am a Ranger, nae a fighter." "I found one about would-be Monks", exclaimed the Monk, "But I am a Monk!" So off they went, roaming around, slaying kobolds, imps and rogues. They encountered a room where a huge sign said: "Would-be Mages search here!" They wondered, the Battlemage pointing out he was half a Fighter, half a Wizard, and they decided to find out about all this. So they searched walls and floors, not finding a thing. Then a Wizard entered, looked at the three friends, raised an eyebrow, swirled a magestaff, and gestured to all three, who started to grow tiny wings. The Wizard left, chuckling in a low tune, muttering "Oh, my, quite some Mages they will be". The three flew up and entered another room, where they found a scroll of knowledge. Wow! What a find!
They quickly left the Cats and looked if someone would need this scroll in Moorgate, since they could not make a word out of it. And indeed, at one corner they found an honorable person, the Archmagi Gent, who exclaimed "You found it! Good job," hesitated and frowned. "But you are no Mages of any kind!", he said, rather sad. Mages? They looked up and saw the huge building of the Mages' Guild. Ah! So this was what all this was about. Now didn't they want to enter really badly? "Please let us in! We have found the scroll," they begged.
Gent leaned back and said, "But are you sure you want to enter? Valtera, the Goddess of Magic, would not be pleased. She only wants Sorcerers, Wizards and Shamans to cast spells, with Sorcerers sticking to Sorcery spells, Shamans doing the naturalist school of magic, and wizards being good with the magical school. Where would you fit in?"
"Well, please explain to us what entering would mean!"
So the Archmagi Gent explained:
"Actually, entering this guild is a good idea for all of you. The Battlemage and the Ranger, gifted with high spell-casting ability, would never cast many spells after entering Fighters' Guild. Here you can. The Monk will learn more here than by only casting naturalist spells that are offered in the Monks Guild. But right there the problem starts:
"You will not fight with Sorcery offense spells. You will need to fight with one-handed weapons for the Battlemage, missile weapons for the Ranger and bare hands for the Monk. To be successful with that will mean to study the appropriate fighting skills. You will need to study fighting even though you are in the Mages' Guild. You will have to study Fighters at high levels, which will cost you plenty of your building capacity. Getting more magic means losing fighting ability. You will study others for Warcraft, for Physical Training, for One-Handed Weapon Skill, Battlemage, for Missile Weapon Use Skill, Ranger, and for One-Handed Weapon Skill, Monk. Those will enable you to slay the beasts that wait at every corner, and will make you quick.
"You will need a long time to be a success with spells. You can start off with basic spells like Unlock, Heal, Ogre Strength, Eagle Eye, Light Shards. Remember that the latter three have advanced spells available to you at higher guild ranks: Giant Strength, Tiger Eye, Demon Shards. You will need them, so maybe learn the first-level spells only to novice, so you can learn the second-level ones later. Once you then are able to hit quite well, I recommend the Ensnare spell. That will tangle the monsters, giving you time to slay them.
"You will need basic skills like Toughness, Resilience, Spell Resistance, but Most importantly riding. Riding will increase your damage when you charge, riding a mount. The Monk and the Ranger might improve Arcana and Herbalism, thus being great mixers one day. But better wait with that until later.
"You should not try to study all at once. Remember that spells and skills only give real benefit at a certain degree. So try to manage one school of Magic at a time. Best suiting would be the naturalist school now. So study Naturalism Spell Use, and naturalist spells. Later you may go for Sorcery Spell Use and ensnare but most likely not other offense spells.
"But study fighting skills as well. The Monk! Be careful not to study too much Called Shot, Multiple Attack, Stunning Blow and the like from Fighters! You will need your building capacity for being a Mage. If you enter, you will be fighting Mages, not Rangers, Fighters, Monks with Magic. That way is offered by other guilds.
"Wear armour, ride a mount. These are things of less importance to most Mages, but very useful for you. Entering the other guilds would offer you to follow a straight path. Entering here will make you more adaptive, more self-sufficient. This at the price of slower progress, of less expertise, ever! You will never benefit from things that are limited to Shamans, Sorcerers and Wizards. That means you will never cast what they are famous for, like resurrection or haste. NEVER! The path you will enter here requires wisdom, patience. Seek advice for every decision you make.
"I will let you enter. Actually, Valtera might not be pleased, but feel honored!" The Archmagi smiled gently on the three, who had listened intently. "But promise to devote your lives to the path of Mages, however hard this path may get. And promise not to lose faith and make the best out of yourselves!"
The three issued a calm, somewhat excited, and very serious, "We promise!". So the Archmagi stepped out of the way and a whole new world opened up for our friends. And sometimes they still may be found in that room in the Catacombs, talking about long ago days.
Alley back to the library foyer.
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