Archmage of Winter
Overview
Archmage is an Imperial title bestowed upon a magician by the members of the Imperial Conclave. There are six archmages; one for each of the magical realms. They serve as a focal point for ritualists of that realm, as well as helping to guide the use of the Conclave's resources. The six archmages match the six realms into which magic is divided. Where the influence of a grandmaster is primarily political, the archmages are responsible for attending to the magical business of the Conclave. They are assumed by the Senate, the Military Council, foreign dignitaries and eternals alike to be well-versed in the capabilities and lore of their realm. The archmages are often seen as the public faces of the Conclave; they are the individuals most likely to be consulted by other Imperial bodies when they wish to know what magical possibilities exist.
Each archmage is addressed by their title and the name of the realm of magic they stand for - Emillia, Archmage of Winter or Archmage Syn Truth-walker Returned of Winter. The title archmage comes originally from Urizen, a development of the title mage.
Responsibilities
The Archmage of Winter is responsible for attending to the magical business of the Conclave, and bears powerful tools to help them do so. They represent the Empire to the eternals of the Winter realm, and vice versa. They also work with magicians versed in the lore of Winter magic to expand the Empire's understanding and power in that realm, and employ it to the advantage of Imperial citizens.
Powers
Each archmage position is an Imperial title in the Conclave.
Archmage of Winter
The Archmage of Winter has the legal powers common to the archmages. They can address the Conclave; accept a formal parley with Winter eternals; and advise the magistrates as the recognised master of Winter magic;
Regalia of Winter
In common with the other archmages, the Archmage of Winter has legal ownership of three powerful magic items that make up the regalia of the archmage. These include the Staff of Winter which greatly enhances the bearer's prowess with Winter ritual magic; the Cobalt Chain of Aesh that can reduce the magnitude of a Winter ritual; and the Belt of the Drowned Man which can allow multiple covens from the same nation to cooperate in the performance of a single Winter ritual.
Appointment
The appointment, replacement, or removal of the Archmage of Winter is made by declaration of candidacy as part of a Conclave session. A candidate can be presented for the post of archmage only once a season, and the title can be held by any Imperial citizen.
The Archmage of Winter serves until they are replaced by another magician using the declaration of candidacy. As a title in the Conclave, an archmage cannot be revoked.
| Winter Eternal | Concerns |
|---|---|
| Agramant | Hunger, cannibalism, cruelty |
| Kaela | Entropy, despair, endings |
| Sorin | Privation, strength from weakness, oaths |
| The Thrice-cursed Court | Curses, power at a price, spite |
| Wise Rangara | Wisdom, tradition, children |
The Eternals of Winter
The Archmage of Winter is the Empire's formal representative to the inhabitants of the Winter realm, and often serves as a go-between when those eternals wish to communicate with the Empire. Most eternals will treat the archmage as a peer - although that can mean very different things for different eternals. One of the most potent abilities the Archmage of Winter possesses is the power of plenipotentiary, allowing them to communicate with eternals from their realm and potentially arranging a parley. A list of previous plenipotentiary results can be found here
Of all the archmages, the Archmage of Winter may be said to have the most difficult job when dealing with the eternals. The Winter eternals are monsters; they are never truly friends to mortals. Even the most benign of them will constantly seek to test the resolve and wisdom of those they deal with, including the Winter Archmage. While they are as unlikely to lie to mortals as any other eternal, especially during the bounds of a parley, the boons they offer are often cruel, and may come with unexpected consequences. A wise Winter Archmage questions any agreement with a Winter eternal that appears to be too good to be true, and checks their understanding of what is expected from both parties. While this cautious approach is easy to remember when dealing with the obviously malevolent eternals (Agramant and The Thrice-cursed Court) it is equally important not to become overconfident when dealing with even the most seemingly benevolent Winter eternal - even Wise Rangara is quite capable of unleashing horrible curses against those who transgress her rules.
The Archmage of Winter is often in a good position to present declarations of amity and enmity to the Imperial conclave when relations between the Empire and an eternal need to be formalised. Indeed, more than any other Imperial title, the Archmage benefits from staying abreast of the relationships between the inhabitants of the Winter Realm and Imperial citizens. The current status of the Winter eternals with an interest in the Empire can be found here.
| Summit | Nation | Elected |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Equinox 385YE | Urizen | Ematius of the Great Library of Ankarien |
| Winter Solstice 383YE | Urizen | Ematius |
| Autumn Equinox 382YE | Navarr | Syn Truth-Walker Returned |
| Winter Solstice 381YE | Urizen | Emilia Ankarien |
| Autumn Equinox 378YE | Syrus Skybreaker | |
| Winter Solstice 376YE | Dawn | Savik Summerstorm |
Recent Elections
This title is currently held by Ematius of the Great Library of Ankarien; it can be reelected at any summit by a declaration of candidacy. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.