The Antiquity Scholars is a well-established college of arcana based in the city of Silverus, in a magnificent structure known as the Jade Tower. Students and masters alike engage in deep arcane studies, sharing with each other many of their own special insights into rare bits of arcana, spellcraft, and history.
Most of the Scholars' members are itinerant mages, sometimes known as 'associates.' They do not reside at the Jade Tower, instead spending most of their time engaged in their own researches and interests. Associates usually visit the organization's headquarters twice a year to pay their dues, consult with colleagues who remain at the Tower year-round, or make use of the Scholars' excellent libraries.
Members who choose to stay at the Jade Tower are generally known as collegians or scholars. The collegians are those mages whose primary responsibilities involve the instruction of the novices. Collegians often take long sabbaticals to pursue their own researches, but in general, they are expected to remain at the Jade Tower for several months at a time to provide a reasonable course of instruction. In exchange for their time and trouble in teaching less capable mages, collegians are paid a stipend of 30 gp per caster level per month.
Scholars are the Tower's resident researchers and lorekeepers. Unlike the collegians, they have no formal duties, but they receive no stipend either. The chief benefit they enjoy for their membership is a safe and secure home in the company of other brilliant mages who can often assist with their work.
Japheth Stewart
The leaders of the Antiquity Scholars are known as councilmen. A councilman is always a Jade Tower Scholar of at least 10th level. Currently, the councilmen include the Master Collegian (head of the college and overseer of students), the Master Librarian, the Master of the Spellpool, the Master Diviner, and the Master Warder (responsible for the Jade Tower's security and the conditions of the grounds). The head of the Antiquity Scholars is the Chancellor, a mage named Japheth Stewart whose own researches concern a mythical universal magical grammar known as Laramic.
Joining[]
Any mage is welcome to join the Antiquity Scholars. A prospective member must usually agree to cast several spells under the observation of two or more of the Scholars' councilmen so that they can evaluate his talents. Novices are invited to take up residence in the Jade Tower to begin a formal education. More experienced spellcasters (generally 5th level or higher) must be offered the opportunity to serve as instructors to the novices or as arcane researchers or lorekeepers at the Tower. Spellcasters who are not yet qualified to be instructors, and qualified mages who choose not to take on these duties, can join the order anyway. They have few obligations to the Scholars, but receive little benefit from membership other than the right to make use of the Jade Tower's guest quarters and peruse the Scholars' libraries at their convenience.
Dues are a modest 30 gp per month. In addition, students at the Jade Tower pay 200 gp per month in tuition for the instruction they receive.
Character Benefits[]
The Jade Tower Scholar prestige class is available only to spellcasters who join the Antiquity Scholars. The class offers a number of benefits, as described in the class features. The majority of members eventually take levels in the Jade Tower Scholar prestige class, if for no other reason than to gain access to the Tower's potent Spellpool. In addition, many members pursue the class for its reflection of the scholarly inclination of the organization. Members who are powerful enough often aspire to become High Mages of Sendrellar.
Roleplaying Suggestions[]
Members of the Antiquity Scholars are scholars first and foremost. Indulge your curiosities and, when confronted by a difficult problem, consider whether an answer might be found with a bit of diligent research or experimentation, rather than open combat and brute force. Even more so than your spells, your brain is your more powerful weapon - don't be reluctact to use it.