Far From the Guilds
The people of Luisant have heard of the “mage guilds” of the Throne. These mysterious and strange wizards are fuel for fanciful stories about the “outside world”. And for most, they remain nothing more than that – distant stories. The villagers know little to nothing of the actual structure of the guilds, or the political relationships between guild, church, and ruler. The Guilds, in turn, have no reason to care about a tiny, remote village. The result is that “mage politics” are irrelevant in Luisant – instead, views on magic and mages come from individual relationships and social perspectives.
Mages in Luisant
Currently, there is only one known mage living in Luisant – Ludovic, an Earth mage. There have been others in the past, but rarely – long enough ago that there is no specific tradition or community for them.
As Ludovic seeks apprentices, there may soon be more mages in the village. It is not yet known how this will affect the community.
Perspectives on Magic
The community’s opinions are divided, and not just along the older lines of local tradition vs. Benalian orthodoxy. The particularly faithful both of old gods and new view magic with suspicion; Vecatrans see it as a violation of the natural order, while Benalians link it to the sin of Sloth and still remember that it was wizards who murdered holy Benalus. Those with a less zealous view are willing to recognize the potential benefits of magic, even if they may treat it warily. There are also those who fall in love with the idea – those hungry for thrills, mystery, or power.
Overall, the presence of a mage has been met with grudging acceptance on average, and now various folk find themselves using the mage’s services from time to time. Acceptance of the mage was significantly boosted by his efforts against the plague, and by the support of the nobles.
Ludovic
The sole mage is either a local or an outsider, depending on whom you ask. Ludovic was born in Luisant but was taken away as a child, when his parents left the village to seek greater fortune elsewhere. He returned only a few years ago. His presence is divisive, but he is directly supported by the noble house, who called on him to return specifically to aid with the plagues afflicting the territory.
Ludovic’s magic was a major element in the defeat of the last plague outbreak, and he was a part of the rebuilding effort as well. Now, his spells are most commonly used to protect villagers against dangers of the woods; to aid in harvests and production; and to accelerate construction when it is needed.
Ludovic has many esoteric interests, and thus often seeks assistance with strange tasks. He is the village’s foremost expert on gems, and collects them for both aesthetic and arcane purposes. He has expressed interest in the various ruins around the village. He values unusual knowledge, particularly knowledge about the distant past and about supernatural topics.
He treats everyone in the village nearly equally, with little visible regard for social status, position or lineage. Unusually for Luisant, he does not seem to care about the distinction between the well-regarded lineages and the Outcast. Traditionalists see this as another reason to dislike him, but it has earned him some support among those who are otherwise at the bottom of village society.
Ludovic has openly expressed interest in apprentices. He is fond of puzzles, and often leaves various puzzles (written or physical) in the tavern as a challenge to would-be apprentices.
Current Apprentices?
As the broader community of the town will be made up of PCs, staff does not yet know whether there will be any active apprentices working with Ludovic at the start of game events. The same is true of all Prominent Figures that might have initiates, apprentices, or pages. Players that desire it may propose an existing relationship with Ludovic as part of their backstory, and should consider the Favored perk. Such apprentices would not yet be learning magic, but would be studying mundane knowledge and working to prove themselves worthy of advancement.
