This type of magic is the oldest in Néveri. The first ones to discover the use of magic was humans, and it happened shortly after the war of the gods, when everything was chaos after the many years of war. That is why it was only natural that the magic they discovered was used to protect one self and hurt others. Arcanists use the energy that surrounds them, though not from living creatures but from the earth, rocks, anything they are close to. As we now know, everything in the world still holds energy from the time when the gods split the world and this energy can be used by arcanists for their magic. The first arcanists quickly became powerful when they, in an attempt to protect themselves as good as possible, used all their time and efforts to explore their newly found gifts. They are still the most efficient magic users in battles, and it is also in the army one finds the largest number of arcanists.

They do not have an order, per se, but they see themselves as a united group. Whether you speak of elves, humans or dwarves, the arcanists are always loyal to their king and country. If an arcanist uses his powers against his own people or does not voluntarily submit to his king, he is killed by the other arcanists. This is necessary, since the magic of the arcanists is dangerous in the wrong hands. The name ’arcanists’ was first used by a high elf wanting to describe this type of magic and he chose this name because the word in itself means ’old’ or ’original’ and that is precisely, what their magic is.

As previously stated, the arcanists can only use their magic against others, almost exclusively in a harmful way. This includes hurting enemies by using balls of fire, tying others to the place where they stand by uttering a single spell, make enemies blind for shorter or longer periodes, forcing others to move in a certain direction, etc. No one knows the limits of what an arcanist can accomplish, some of the more powerful can effect several people at once, others know so many different spells that one cannot count them. The arcanists themselves will not tell how far their powers reach. They point out, though, that when the kings trust them, so should the rest of us. The arcanists always swear to protect the people and the weak, without this promise they may not use their magic.

If one should meassure the arcanists’ magic as opposed to injuring people in a regular way, they are not more harmful than a common sword – which is deadly in itself though. People have been known to survive a fight with the arcanists, though usually with severe burns and deep wounds. It is not advisable fighting an arcanists if one is not a wielder of magic. One should always try and surprise them and attack from the rear, if one is to stand a chance.

Some arcanists need special books to work their magic, in these books are magical spells written, created to use the energi from one’s surroundings effectively. Other, more experienced arcanists can work magic without books, some even without words. It is advisable to keep one’s hands away from these books, since it causes some sort of insanity to read a magic wielder’s book. If one wishes to be an arcanist it is required that one seeks out an arcanist and then become an apprentice of this arcanist. How long depends entirely upon how quick a learner one is and how good a master one has found. There are still both honour and glory to be had, if one becomes an arcanist, and the king (of both humans and high elves) pays well for arcanists who are in their service. It is a dangerous lifelihood, if one is sent out to fight, but arcanists do not think of danger when they are sent out, they think of the fact that they help their people and secure their families against enemies.

There are arcanists among the drows, and they are not loyal to anyone else but their mistress. They teach whomever they want, when they want, and they use their abilities against whomever they wish to harm. They do not get along well with arcanists from human and elven countries, and they are feared among most people, since they are powerful magic wielders whom no one can really trust.