Arcanamirium
| Arcanamirium | |
|---|---|
| (Organisation) | |
| Type | Magical college |
| Leader | Darchana of House Madinani |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| Headquarters | Absalom |
| Goals | Increase use of magic throughout society |
| Scope | International |
Source: Faction Guide, pg(s). 6-7 | |
The Arcanamirium is Absalom’s foremost magical academy. Practicality and generalism are emphasized there at the expense of f lashiness, abstraction, and specialization. Journeymen are encouraged to practice and experiment with industrial and commercial uses for magic, and many of Absalom’s export goods owe their higher quality to the innovations of an Arcanamirium maven’s transmutations. The Arcanamirium strives to populate the world with wizards who are capable of using magic to help those around them, not just in times of crisis but for everyday needs as well.[1]
Goal: App lied Magic Ascendant
The wizards of the Arcanamirium believe that magicexists to be put to use. The academy recognizes that themore magic impacts the lives of ordinary people in helpfulways, the better its reputation will become among themasses. An angry mob with torches and pitchforks is lesslikely to materialize if the commoners know they owe theirstandard of living to the small magical improvements thatthe Arcanamirium favors.[1]
Alignment: N
The Arcanamirium is a pragmatic organization and doesn’tgo in for complex ideology beyond its core tenet that magiccan make the world a better place. Professors and studentsalike act on the philosophy that nothing is free and thatanything worth having is worth paying for. This belief hasled to the Arcanamirium’s waiver system, wherein poorapprentices work their way through school while theirricher contemporaries spend their hours studying. Absalomreceives many of the benefits of the Arcanamirium’sresearches, but always for a price, never for free.[1]
Leader
Archdean Lady Darchana of House Madinani (N femalehuman wizard 14) is also the Second Spell Lord of Absalom.Of course, in an academic environment, leadership is easierin theory than in practice, and interference by the Primarchof Absalom causes constant complications. Lady Darchanadoes a good job of keeping the docents moving in the samegeneral direction through a combination of patronage,arm-twisting, and charisma. Her second-in-command,the Metadame Vannessir of House Tevineg (N humanfemale wizard 9) is a force to be reckoned with, since herposition is appointed through byzantine procedures thatlargely protect her from Lady Darchana’s interference. AsSergeant-at-Wands, Vannessir exerts some control over thecurriculum, making her an important obstacle or ally.[1]
Good Class Choices
Alchemist, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard[1]
Challenging Class Choices
Barbarian, Fighter, Rogue[1]
Headquarters
The Arcanamirium is a large complex, taking up whatwould be several city blocks in the Wise Quarter of Absalom.Inside is a veritable city of dorms, classrooms, offices,parks, and monuments. The buildings tend toward gothicarchitecture. Most of the buildings abut and intertwine,allowing knowledgeable denizens to traverse the entireacademy without once venturing outside.[1]
Joining
Once a year, an open entry exam is held at the Arcanamirium.The exams are individual and individualized, testingcurrent magical ability, magical aptitude, scholarship, andability to follow directions. While each docent issues theexams in a slightly different way, the one universal is thatevery applicant has to have some aptitude for magic. Thosewho succeed are granted admission to the Arcanamirium,becoming students.
Arcane spellcasters’ magical ability determines theirrank in the school: at 1st level they’re apprentices; at 2ndand 3rd level, journeymen; at 4th and 5th level, mavens;and at 6th level, arcanscenti. This ranking determinesthe status of the student on the Arcanamirium campus.While all are students, a maven is likely to be accepted byless experienced students as a teacher’s assistant, and anarcanscenti is respected much like a visiting professor.Experienced mages may join the Arcanamirium asassociates (rather than as students), gaining approximatelythe status of students of their level.[1]
Gaining Prestige
Gaining prestige within the academy is often as simpleas contributing new information, such as a new spell ormagic item not found elsewhere in the school. Solving ahigh-profile problem in a way that emphasizes the valueof practical magic can bring prestige as well, especiallyif it is done in the public eye. In addition to specificmissions furthering the goals of the Arcanamirium,members gain 1 PA each time they gain a level in an arcane spellcasting class.[1]
Resources
The Arcanamirium has one of the largest libraries of magic scholarship in western Golarion. Students can browse at will through the main stacks, which include every major scholarly work on combining magic with almost every human endeavor.
Restricted sections relate to topics deemed too dangerousfor students or secrets held closely by the Arcanamirium.Most obscure and dangerous spells (and all those with theevil descriptor) reside in the special sections.In addition to spells and scholarly works, theArcanamirium is filled with scholars who are willing totrade or even give away information on magical techniques.There is an informal information chain, and questionsabout a particular topic will eventually be directed to anexpert on the field in question.
1 TPA: When in the Arcanamirium library, gain a +5on Knowledge (arcana) checks. The check takes 1 hour,ref lecting the need to reference the appropriatematerials. This bonus does not stack with the +4bonus on one check listed on page 55.
1 TPA: Study in the library, whether forgeneral knowledge or common spell theory.For GMs who require characters to research beforeadding spells to a wizard’s spellbook or alchemist’sformula book, library access provides sufficient researchfor this purpose.
1 CPA: Gain a +5 bonus on any one Profession or Craftcheck representing 1 week of work. This benefit requiresdaily access to the library for 1 hour each day during theweek the check occurs.
1 CPA: Transcribe a common spell (any spell listed inthe Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, or any spell the GMfeels is common in the world) from the school’s libraryinto a wizard’s spellbook or alchemist’s formula book.This benefit does not require a Spellcraft check or anyadditional transcribing costs.
5 TPA, 1 CPA: Become familiar with an uncommonor rare spell (at the GM’s discretion) from the school’slibrary, allowing a bard, sorcerer, or similar spellcaster toselect it as a spell known at the next available opportunity(this benefit allows such a caster to gain access to bardor sorcerer spells from sources other than the PathfinderRPG Core Rulebook without having to do spell research orfind a copy of the spell while adventuring).
5 TPA, 1+ CPA: Borrow a magic item from the school’scollection for 1 week. The CPA cost is 1 per 1,000 gp ofthe item’s market price. Increase this cost by 1 CPA ifthe item must travel far from Absalom, by 1 CPA if theuse doesn’t further the interests of the academy, and byan additional 1 CPA if there is a signif icant risk of theitem’s loss or destruction. Most of the school’s itemsare utilitarian (such as a lyre of building) rather thandestructive or f lashy (such as a horn of blasting). Theschool does not lend out charged items or items that aredestroyed after use.
15 TPA, 2+ CPA: Perform independent spell research tocreate a new spell. This research takes 1 week, and the costis 2 CPA per spell level of the new spell. This replaces thenormal 1,000 gp per week per spell level cost listed on page219 of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook.
15 TPA, 2 CPA: Access a special section of the libraryfor 1 week and gain a +10 bonus on any Knowledge check.This bonus does not stack with the +4 bonus on one checklisted on page 55.
15 TPA, 2 CPA: Transcribe an uncommon or rarespell (at the GM’s discretion) from the school’s libraryinto a wizard’s spellbook or alchemist’s formula book.This benefit does not require a Spellcraft check or anyadditional transcribing costs.[1]