The Cangannan Berethmore

Alignments: lawful neutral, lawful good and neutral good.

Summary

"To be complete in ones studies, and to control the very source of power from which Magic stems, both the Pupil and Master must have order and willpower to confront this chaos."

This is the very core of the teaching of the most unusual of Mage Sects, the Cangannan Berethmore. To most mages, to devote ones life to the study of magic in the way the Cangannan do is completely absurd. Most sects teach that magic is both a power and a servant to do with as our need and will dictate. The Cangannan, however, teach that unleashed magic is a danger, and if not properly controlled, will destroy instead of create or destroy more than was intended.

The Berethmore are seen by others in the wizardry circles as an eccentric sect, but they have provided some useful additions to the world of magic with their discoveries. The Pale Flame takes them very seriously, and views them as a monastic, almost religious group.

The order drilled into pupils of magic by the sect is the same whichever towns facilities they use. The sect's members usually prefer to use their own facilities for research and training, as the lifestyle there, while strict, is the accepted norm for them. Few other mages have the willpower to use the Cangannan Berethmore's facilities; they find the harsh regime too strict.

Day Structure

Every day for students in the monastic-like study of magic always the same, and follows this pattern|

Even with this strict military-style regime, the power of magic is the main purpose of the work at the centres. As a result, there is special dispensation for those dealing with intricate magical work, particularly with the manufacture of magic items. The sect can provide simple meals for these people, delivered straight to the workshops where such work is being carried out, although external servants are often hired to do this, as it would be wrong to disrupt the day of one of the pupils.

Teaching Methods

The people who run the Cangannan's centres are not without compassion. They know enough about most races to understand the need for achievement (or at least apparent achievement) and constantly monitor the progress of their students. Rewards are provided for those who put in the most effort, often taking the form of relief from rota duty. These rewards seldom go simply to the most able, as both hard work and achievement are measured in considering rewards. Encouragement is a vital part in all stages of a young mages training, and the rewards available provide achievable goals for all young students.

Unlike many of the other schools, the Berethmore does not have discipline problems among its younger students; the lifestyle of the initiates can be hard compared to other sects, but structure and order goes hand in had with the study of magic.

Magical Research

The Cangannan Berethmore remains at the forefront of magic, even though its membership is small when compared with many of its peers in the mainstream of wizardry. Historically the Cangannan Berethmore has been one of the most successful sects with its research, and as it has made more discoveries into its field that any other.

The sect themselves regard their success as a by-product of their ordered and methodical approach to investigation of new techniques. In reality, the success the sect enjoys with the introduction of better methods to the field of magical science is probably down to both the application of an ordered approach and down to the amount of time spent by sect members in research. There is little doubt that the methodical approach they take means that all aspects of a topics research are covered and hence published results are much more thorough than their competing sects. Also, the sect really does spent more time on research than any of their peers, and both masters and students are allowed to spend significant amounts of time on both their own projects and to further projects sponsored by the Cangannan themselves or even paid for by others.

Membership

Being a member of the Cangannan Berethmore reaches far beyond the simple support and training facilities of other sects. The Cangannan is a way of life. Those that pass through the induction process and commit to the ideals of the sect are usually members for life. The selection process is quite stringent, students are tested and put under pressure, and those that can't keep up with the pace are dropped at this point. Once training is complete they are fully indoctrinated, and they become settled in the regimented lifestyle. This makes the fall off of members small; once members dedicate themselves to the way of the Cangannan, they devote their lives to it.

There are no direct costs involved with membership of the sect, although members are expected to devote their existence to following the rigid path to righteousness through regime, structure and study. This brings its own cost. Monks are expected to tithe at least 50% of their income to the sect.

Schools

The sect's main schools are Alteration and Divination, in which it takes great pride. The only other school taught by the sect is Evocation, but this is a small branch for them. Until the Sect of Master Illusionists was formed around the year 1270, they also taught the school of illusion, but it was never a major school for them, and had been a smaller branch than Evocation.

The sect is happy to take members of any alignment provided they can stand the strain of the training structure, but it appeals more to those of the lawful alignments than chaotic. There are some towns where many non members bear the rigours of the sect as there are no others facilities to use, but they do not appeal to other sect members.

Other Classes

The Cangannan Berethmore is unique among the major sects of Arthea. They support both mages and their own branch of Monks. The lifestyle of the sect lends itself very well to the disciplines required of the monk class. Indeed, several of the wizards and sorcerers of the sect follow both classes. The monks of the Cangannan Berethmore are unique in Arthea they are a part of the only monastery that is not attached to any of the churches. The monks live and train alongside their mage counterparts at the sect's monastery-style facilities. Symbols

The sect, as an organisation devoted to the forces of 'lawfulness' and 'good', uses its symbols as representations of those ideals. It mainly uses the sign of a circle within a square, but there have been times in the past where a square within a circle has been used, although the sect's masters have been trying to use just one symbol for all the sect's dealings.

Fees

Membership costs are unlike other sects. The Berethmore charges 10% of a members income as a minimum, but more can be paid if the individual deems it appropriate (and surprisingly many do).

Additional Spells

Level 2

Impart Language (Alteration) Reversible

Range| Touch
Components| V
Duration| 5 rounds/level
Casting time| 4
Area of effect| One creature touched
Saving throw| Special

When the mage casts this spell they can impart upon one being the ability to understand any normal language which is known by the caster. Only ordinary languages can be imparted, not those of semi-intelligent (animal intelligence or lower) or the language used in written magic. It can be used to impart special languages such as a rogues guild cant. Only the ability to speak and understand one language can be granted per casting, the spell provides no ability to understand written languages. If a creature is an unwilling recipient of this spell, then the can resist with a Will saving throw. The reverse of this spell allows the caster to block the understanding of one language in the target creature. The mage can only block spoken languages, this will not work for written text, and the language must be known by the spell caster. The reverse always allows a saving throw.

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