"Even though this might be true, I do not believe that we, the Magisters of the Imperial Colleges of Magic, should follow their example and choose for ourselves Gods to wholly dedicate ourselves to and beg favours from, to use in conjunction with our own arcane spellcraft. Nothing in this life or the next is free, and whilst I am willing to trust in my own abilities and limitations, and accept any errors I make while weaving my spells, I do not wish to trust the continued benevolence of a deity whose need for my faith and dedication might far outweigh my own need for His or Her aid."
- —from Magister Volans’ third letter to the Colleges of Magic.[1a]
Volans, first Supreme Patriarch of the Imperial Colleges of Magic.
Volans was the first Magister of the Light Order and the first Supreme Patriarch of all the Colleges of Magic.
History[]
When Teclis called together all renegade magic users in the Empire, Volans was by far the most educated, skilled, and powerful to answer that call. It is said he hailed originally from the lawless area known as the Border Princes, and when he presented himself to Teclis he was already in his fifties. To Teclis’s surprise there was not a shadow of taint in Volans despite his admitted decades of practice and experimentation with magic. In fact, his exposure to magic seemed to have kept him young and vibrant, as he looked only about thirty years old.[1b]
Teclis soon learned the secret of his new protégé's success: Volans was one of the few, (if not the only), Humans able to perceive all the Winds of Magic in their purest form, Qhaysh. His witchsight was so developed that all illusion and limitation had been stripped from his eyes, and he could see magic as clearly as Teclis himself. Remarkable as this was, Volans knew from his very earliest experimentation that although he could perceive all the Winds, he could not use them safely.[1b]
His first few attempts at doing so ended in horror and almost spelled the end of his magical career before it began. Impressively, Volans dedicated his life’s research to refining his ability to just see and touch the Winds of Magic, rather than manipulate them into spells—which is how he avoided corruption for so long. Due to his immense skill and ability, Teclis chose Volans to study the White Wind, Hysh, and when Magnus asked Teclis to form the Colleges of Magic, the Loremaster knew immediately whom he would leave in control of the White Order and all the Orders of Magic as their first Supreme Patriarch.[1b]