Royal mathematicians

Raw magic vs devices
Since magic is so hard to control for us humans, it is necessary that we use external means to do so, hence the essential role that magical devices play in our society.   Devices, however, are very complex to design: at their base, they are simply made of channels that attract, repulse, or direct magic. The scheme according to which those channels are traced and the combination of materials that make them are called a design. To do anything complex with magic requires an equally complex design.

Mathematics
This is were mathematicians come in: they are the individuals doing the involved series of calculations necessary to create the design of magical devices. The more skilled the mathematicians, the more they can increase the efficiency of the device and reduce magic leaks, increase the control the users of these device get, and increase the compatibility of the device with the different magical aura of the users.

Devices
The main work of mathematicians is, of course, to design magical devices. These are either single-use devices that are then crafted by a jeweller or instrument-maker (e.g., a precision instrument, a piece of protective jewellery) or a device that is going to be mass-produced in one of the royal manufactures (e.g., weapons, cubes that make up clippable devices).   Less common aspects of the work:

Titanic architecture;

Abstract art;

Music instruments.

Water access
Royal Mathematicians are currently working on a new set of canalization that will bing more water to the capital while desalinating it along the way! Read all about it in their last newsletter.   Secret projects
Unfortunately, we do not have other current examples to share, as His Majesty has most Royal Mathematicians working on a very secret project...

Collaborations
Contrary to what people think, a mathematician's job is not to spend all day bent over a desk scribbling numbers and running calculations. While it does indeed make up a big part of a mathematician work, almost all projects are collaborative, and so a lot of time needs to be spent in meetings with colleagues. The goals of this is to establish that all parts of a project will work well together and to check on each other's progress, but also for mathematicians to help each other and control the quality of each other's work.

Workshop
Occasionally, mathematicians also get into their workshop to test a piece of design themselves. While many mathematicians do not appreciate this more manual activity, for others it is a delightful creative break. It can also be extremely useful to investigate the real life results of a design and its physical limitations rather than spend months wasting time on a beautiful theoretical designs that will never be able to be transpose into reality.

Sponsor meetings
The final part of a mathematician's work is to meet with sponsors to discuss their needs and expectations before initiating a new project, then to keep them up to date on projects until the final delivery. Maintenance, repairs and adjustments can also be done on older projects. The leaders of all institutes of mathematics also spend time networking with the most influential members of society so as to keep them informed about advancements in the field and to incite them to sponsor new projects.

Important skills:

To excel at mathematics.

To be very logical-minded.

To have a collaborative spirits and know how to get own with colleagues.

To know the basics of other fields such as process engineering and metallurgy.

To understand philosophy and not hesitate to go into its territory, which is necessary to be able to think behind the established limits of the field and truly innovate.

To know how to behave around powerful and influential people such as His Majesty and the Royal Council.

Intelligence
The stereotype about mathematicians is that they have to be very clever. However, there are different types of intelligence among mathematicians:

Genius mathematicians: They can do all the calculations in their head in a few seconds. Those are the top Royal Mathematicians.

Mathematicians with a very good memory: Excellent at learning the rules and applying them but with no imagination. Those made up most of the mathematicians in the country.

Intuitive and creative mathematicians: They are often the ones coming up with solutions to design challenges and new ideas like the clippable devices.

National Schools of Mathematics
After completing the traditional school curriculum, students can attempt to pass the competitive entrance exam for the National Schools of Mathematics. These exams are a series of gruelling hours-long written and oral exams spread over several weeks. Admitted students are then taught the highest level of mathematics from the best schools in the world, spending 8 hours a day 5 days a week in lectures, workshops and exams.   Mastery
Students who validate 3 years of this get to work for two years on a thesis project that consist in the design of an entire and new device that they will then present during a viva during which they will also be quizzed and challenged on their knowledge of mathematics. Only graduate of this program have the rights to call themselves mathematicians in this country.

Respect and challenges
Mathematician is an extremely highly respected job near the top of the social ladder. It comes with a high salary and a high job security. But more than that, it involves a highly stimulating work with constant challenges and opportunity to prove yourself and expand the limits of the fields.   Networking
Excellent mathematicians also have unique opportunities to meet with politicians, duellers, military officers, and all higher members of society. Royal Mathematicians even stands regularly in the very presence of His Majesty.

Fancy projects
To progress in their career, mathematicians need to take on complex project, and the more public the project the better. This is why titanic architecture and abstract art projects are fiercely thought over, as all local population will get the opportunity to admire them.   Publications
For more unobtrusive project such as devices, mathematicians can write up an article describing the challenge they represented and the design they came up with and attempt to publish it in the Journal of the Institution of Royal Mathematicians or present it during one of the yearly congresses of the Institution. However, while the aim of the journal and congresses are to share any notable advancement in the fields of mathematics, they are limited by most of those being state secrets and so often have to focus on lesser projects.   Senior posts
As mathematicians gain more experience and successful complete project, they can get more senior posts, getting to work on more complex or public projects, getting more responsibilities such as mentoring junior colleagues and overseeing projects, before eventually leading teams of other mathematicians.

Institutions
Another possibility is for a mathematicians to join another institute, with the most prestigious post being of course the Institution of Royal Mathematicians. It is headquartered next to the Royal Palace and under His Majesty's direct command. Its symbol is the hexafoil, one of the most fundamental ward design. To join the institute, a mathematician has to enter a competition similar to what they had to do to graduate.

Royal links
His Majesty King Vendelin is a previous Royal Mathematician. He has stayed very close to the Institution, even enacting an Amendment to its Charter to put it under his direct command, and he often has them work on special commissions for him and his favourites.

Current Royal Mathematicians:

Senior Mathematicians Hyacinthe Poincarré, Charles Dupin, Olinde Rodrigues, and Éléantine Hypatie.

Mathematician Illénie Neurisse.

Junior Mathematicians Ioan Yvon and Louis Malvern.