A history of Tamrielic Spellcasting

Author: Archon Elantri

Most of the modern form of Magic and spellcasting derives from the Altmer. In ancient times before The Second era Magica was reserved for the few, the priviliged. Spellcasters often lead reclusive lives far from other people. To learn about Magica and spellcasting one had to find one that was willing to teach what he knew. But In Alinor there was a collegration of Spellcasters that bounded together and becoming The Psyjic order, The first Institute dedicated magic. This institution was an exlusive for only a few Altmers. The Founder of The Mages Guild, Vanus Galerion was educated by the Psyjic Order. Galerion Split from the order in a difference of opinion, he meant that Spellcasting should be taught to all who wanted it. Because of this he formed the Mages guild.

With the founding of The Mages guild the course of Tamrielic Magic changed forever. The first members of the Guild was Altmer Spellcasters as the guild started in the Summerset Isles. It had Guild halls in every major settlement on the Isles. It did not take long before the Guild also appeared in the mainland. The first Guild teachers that taught magic on the mainland were Altmer's and they taught Aldmeri Magic. As they gained more and more Novices that knew nothing about Magic, Aldmeri magic grew fast and became the standarized way to cast magic. Even today Aldmeri casting techniques are what one are educated in magical institutes and those who learn to harness magic outside of these institutes are called hedge wizard, shaman or several other similar terms. Those who learn from a hedge wizard often learn a more primitive way of casting.

After The Mages Guild got disbanded after the Oblivion Crisis ,two new magical institutes The Synod and The College Of Whispers got created. These two have a more exclusive admission, compared to The Mages Guild. As a result magical learning have been slowing down as there are less and less new Spellcasters being taught. Because of this, it's now much more common with Spellcasters taking on private apprentices. As we have no way of making sure the education of these apprentices are as good as it need to be. We need to go back towards the way The Mages Guild got their members or we risk that a magical elite emerges and form a magocracy.