The Triad Sorcerers of the Rosenburg Court

And while I waited for the examination results to be released, dear sister, I had flashes of the memory from the last round of eliminations. The sinking terror when I saw my name on that list in the slot for 51st place. How my hands shook as I thought of packing up my little home there in the University dormitory. The manic relief when they found a student ahead of me to be cheating and he was dismissed from the program in disgrace, his existing Warlock permits stripped in addition to his expulsion. When I beheld the notice board and saw my name, all those feelings came back. The disgrace, the fear, the desperation that I may yet sustain another last-minute reprieve. But it was all for naught. My name was 36th on the list, and only the top thirty scholars may remain in the program past this point. I have let our family down once again.

— Excerpt from a letter home by Zephrys of House Lanisphere

The Magic Users of Rosenburg

Only the most skilled and highly educated magic users of the Rosenburg Empire have the honor of applying to the Empire's Sorcerer Program. This program is open to both Warlocks and Mages of any elemental field, although certain elements and elemental combinations are more desirable than others.

All of the separate Kingdoms of the Rosenburg Empire believe in the same prescribed methodology of magic, which is unique among the Kingdoms of the Coral Sea. They have split magic up into the 5 pure elements of fire, stone, air, water, wood. Anyone who wishes to sell magical services must first gain an official license to do so (someone can still practice magic without a license, but only on their own behalf. Any commercial use of magic is regulated to ensure the standards of magical services). Accredited Imperial Academies are the only places allowed to issue these licenses.

Basic magic user licenses come in two forms: Warlock Licenses and Mage Licenses. Mages are individuals who are born with an innate connection to a single pure element, while Warlocks have no innate ability and must forge their own connection with their chosen element. One must be proficient in ALL specializations of an element's magic to be considered a fully fledged Mage or Warlock; only after demonstrating a mastery of all the requisite areas can one get a license from an Imperial Magic Academy. Although some noble houses with many mages claim that Mages are superior to Warlocks, there is no difference in skill or function between the two once fully certified.

Sorcerers are elevated magical scholars who have cultivated a magical ability for two or more elements. Some are Mages who studied a second element as a Warlock, and some are Warlocks who specialized in two elements. Each set of dual elements has its own name, spells, and natural affinity. Most Imperial Magic Academies also offer Sorcerer tracks, but they are highly competitive even in comparison to the competitive Warlock and Mage tracks, and not every school will offer all elemental combinations. Because of this, many prospective Sorcerers will travel far from home to access their chosen track, even to another Kingdom within the Rosenburg Empire. Becoming a Sorcerer almost guarantees the individual a spot in the Court of their home Kingdom, or an officer position in the Empire's military if their element lends itself to military action.

In order to become licensed as a Sorcerer, the individual must be licensed in both their pure elemental tracks as well as their dual element track. For example, a Fire Mage who wishes to specialize in the Dual Element of Metallurgy (the combination of fire magic and stone magic) must gain a Mage's license in Fire Magic, a Warlock's license in Stone Magic, and a Sorcerer's license in Metallurgy Magic.

Triad Elements and the Triad Sorcerers

The highest educated and most respected Sorcerers are given the opportunity to become Triad Sorcerers, or Sorcerers who practice three pure elements. Like dual element Sorcerers, these individuals must become licensed in all three pure elements, as well as all three dual elements, to gain this title. So, for example, a Sorcerer who wishes to study Enchantment Magic, the most common form of Triad magic, must become licensed in Fire, Water, Wood, Healing (fire and water), Retting (water and wood), and Ashen (fire and wood) elements. 

The power of Triad Sorcerers are so great that people aren't allowed to apply to join the academic programs; the process is invite only. Every licensed Triad Sorcerer is given a non-optional position and title within the Imperial Court after their appointment, historically to prevent power imbalances between individual Kingdoms but more realistically to consolidate power for the Imperial Crown. 

While every dual element has been studied and extensively written about at this point in history, only four triad elements have been named. Enchantment magic is made from the combination of fire, water, and Stone magics, and there has always been a Court Enchanter in residence since the magic’s conception. Necromancy magic is made from the combination of fire, water, and wood elements, and there have been 3 Court Necromancers of the Rosenburg Kingdom in the past four centuries. Erosion magic is made from the combination of water, air, and stone magic, and Biological warfare magic is made from the combination of fire, air, and wood magic. Both of these triad elements are used for military purposes only, and Triad Sorcerers are only appointed for these elements during times of war. 

While almost all triple element combinations have been studied, none others have been named. The first Triad Sorcerer to study a triad element to its completion is allowed to name it. Some Triad Sorcerers spend their entire lives trying to find the connecting thread between their chosen three elements, only to die before making that breakthrough.