Spires of Knowledge

Five towers stand tall in a ring, incircling a dias, ready to pass judgement, their spires pierce the sky, casting their long shadows on the ground far far beneath them, as a figure, dwarfed by the massive towers, are dragged into the central dias.
 

A Seat of Power

The most powerful and influential mages of Elodia are neither affiliated with any King, Republic or any nation at all. Instead they recide in the Mage State of Veralin, a independent City State fully governed and under the control of the Council of Mages.
They have the responsibility of guiding the world in the nature of magic and to make sure that magical law and the Taboos of Magic are not broken, and in instances where there is reasonable suspicion, have authority to take action and bring the accused to court and pass judgement. In regards to magical law and interference no state, ruler or other organisation have authority to move against or even question the actions of the decree comming from the Spires.
 

A Seat of Knowledge

Beyond being a place of magical law and authority, the Spires function as an institution of teachings as well. They welcome mages from all allied countries, on one condition, while walking the halls of knowledge nationality and personal strifes with one and another are left behind. The simple politics and disputes over borders and trade are not for the mages of the Spire of Veralin to concern themselves with. Here, mages turn towards questions of the world and of magic, dedicating their time to safeguard people from danger and foul use of magic, ensuring a safer future of magic.
  Not all mages recieve teachings or education from the Spire, but all do they answer to the Spire if they ever step out of line and break one of the five taboos. Furthermore, all countries are required to report their education of mages, who is undertaking education, and who has been named a mage in full. This is done to ensure that the Spires have a list of all authoritised and certified mages in the world, and should any magic user not appear on the list, they might mark them as a witch.
 

Teachings and Education

A mage might come to the Spires to recieve education either with or without prior education in magic.
  A new student of magic would be enrolled into the Academy and recieve traditional teachings complete with independent school work and school assignments, and when the student has completed their studies and passed final exams, named a Mage of the Spires.
A complete education takes ten years to complete, and often a few more years to become skilled researchers.
Mages who take their entire education at the Towers usually stay there after graduation and work for the Spires, often by pursuing their own research (becoming teachers themselves), but some decide to become Mage Knights. Defenders of mages and magic, walking the lands, repporting to the Spires and hunting witches.
  Mages who arrive at the Spire to either finish up their studies or to further better themselves in the art of magic, are taken in as research assistants and apprentences. They are given courses to follow, but are expected to do much work on their own - and complete a research project during their time at the Spires. Often (but depending on the mages lenght of education prior to the Spires) a mage will complete their studies five-six years after arriving.