Liberator Excelsior
Iconic Heroes
The mages of the Academy of Higher Clarity are renowned for their excellency, with many great wizards having claimed tutelage within its hallowed halls. A student cannot graduate from the Academy until they have proven adept in harnessing all eight schools of magic, and displayed mastery of at least one. Only the most intelligent and determined pupils can hope to complete the course. However, there are a select few who exceed even these lofty standards. Such individuals are known as Excelsiors, and are immediately inducted into the Hearthkeeper's fold.
Most mages who graduate from the Academy find employment as one of four roles: Illuminators, Inquisitors, Liberators, or Sentinels. Whilst there are Excelsiors in each of these vocations, none are more lauded than the Liberator Excelsiors. Unlike the other three roles which prefer to conduct their affairs in secrecy, Liberators are encouraged to regale the public with tales of their heroism. Long expeditions into the Blightlands, harrowing ordeals in Sarundel, and pioneering endeavours to unknown realms are common stories amongst this class. For those who have never known true peril, these tales are wondrous and inspiring. It is no surprise that they become heroic celebrities wherever they tread.
Shattered Dreams
Children's stories and bard's songs often feature a valiant Liberator Excelsior as their beloved protagonist. Hundreds of great artists have used such mages as their muse, and the history books of every library overflow with recollections of their incredible feats. Celebrations are held in honour of their successes and, when they eventually die, their funerals are national days of mourning. They are revered icons across the land. It is for this reason that many folk dream of becoming a Liberator Excelsior.
Each year, the Academy of Higher Clarity opens its doors for enrolment, and tens of thousands apply for tutelage. However, the vast majority will be rejected. Less than a hundred new students are accepted every year. The reasons for so many failed applications are abundant. Firstly, the Academy does not seek pupils of above average intelligence, it requires those with outstanding intellect. Secondly, those who have displayed any disloyalty to the Hearthkeepers are instantly discarded. Finally, the tuition fees for the Academy are exceedingly high; if there are any doubts a student could repay such debts, they will be denied entry.
A person is not guaranteed to become an Excelsior simply by being accepted into the school. In fact, most will not graduate. Over half of all students are expected to quit under the pressure of the workload and stress of laborious studying. Even those who do complete the course may never become an Excelsior; most alumni are never considered for nomination. Faculty and former students often joke that one should never trip in the Academy's halls, lest they be cut to pieces on the shattered dreams that litter the floor.
Excelsior's Superiority
The difference between a Liberator and a Liberator Excelsior is simply a matter of ability. To become a Liberator, a student must prove unwavering loyalty to the Myrengolese royals as well as expertise with destructive magic. The standards of a Liberator Excelsior are higher. They must be thoroughly devoted to the Hearthkeepers, and must be able to command potent magic to catastrophic effects. A Liberator could lay ruin to a village, a Liberator Excelsior could lay ruin to a city.
A student who graduated as a Liberator can be promoted to the higher rank. Most Liberator Excelsiors take this path, gaining recognition after further training and objective displays of might. Only a legendary few (approximately one mage every 500 years) are declared Excelsiors immediately upon leaving the Academy.
Spearstaffs
Liberator Excelsiors, as part of their celebrity hero aesthetic, often develop a unique sense of fashion. Grandiose garments and enchanted accessories all serve to enthral the imagination of their adoring fans. However, there is one item that, whilst all Liberators customise in their own way, is common amongst them all. Trained in both Arcane and martial combat, Liberators often incorporate their staff with a spear. In this way, they are able to effortlessly switch between assailing their foes with magical might and cold steel, massively increasing their versatility.
The Spearstaffs of the greatest Liberator Excelsiors are legendary artefacts kept in clandestine vaults far from prying eyes. Other Spearstaffs are popular in museums where curators will talk at great length about the former wielder's magnificent life.
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