So, I was wondering what the Mages wore at the Royal University of Tortall? The Carthaki students have coloured robes signifying what level they're at... do Tortallans have that too?

And since I'm asking, what's the order of the Carthaki robes, does anybody know?

Perhaps it was mentioned in the books, but my mind's a bit fuzzy. Thanks Thanks!

EDIT: Ahh, K, well here's a quote I've pulled from "Wild Mage" p. 249.

"A scarlet robe from the university in Carthak means you have your mastery--the same level as the Mithran black-and-gold robe. University yellow robes are adepts."

Another quote: p. 164 in "Emperor Mage"

"White robes, explained Kaddar, plain or with colored trim, meant a novice in any program of study. Wide bands of color at cuffs and hem meant the wearer was a journeyman in his course of study. Sold-colored robes indicated mastery; trim on a solid-colored robe meant advanced mastery."

So... in conclusion (so far)...

Carthaki System:
White -> Novice
Yellow -> Expert
Red/Scarlet -> Mastery
Black -> Uber Advanced Mastery

Tortall System:
Mithran black-and-gold -> Mastery

Another question: Mithran and University aren't the same, are they? Horse Lords, I'm confused. :(

you know... I don't really have an answer right now... but following your line of questions...

In the old days mages went to the convent and then the Mithran Cloisters... before becoming full mages. Now, Tortall has a University that rivals Carthaks... so do the mages in training go straight there? or to the convent then there? or same as old and when you 'graduate' you go to the university... if you want??

any clues??

*waves to Rika*

No idea. I am guessing, though, that a black robe means the same in any nation - Onua mentions somewhere in WM that there are only 7 in the world, and she makes it sound like there are only 7 that powerful, not 7 who just happened to get their robe at the U. of Carthak.

Quote from Wild Magic, P.260 (Thayet speaking of the threat of Carthak and her king):

"-Also since His Majesty built his university outside of Corus, we've brought a lot of mages to Tortall - enough to make even Emperor Ozorne's trained sorcerers think twice about taking us on."

That's the first and only bit I've heard about it... but until now I've always thought the University was inside Corus near the palace... O.o; so when she says that, does she mean that it's just outside the valley that is the capital or is it far away? Like near the Mithran Cloisters or something? I wonder if it says more in Trickster's Choice.. I'll have to re-read it...

I always thought the Mithrans and the University-goers were two seperate groups... but maybe that's just me.

In trickster's choice, aly is at the university, so it must be near Corus. That always puzzled me, if they still trained in the City of the Gods. But if they don't... it makes sense.

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Gods all bless

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*heehee* Puzzling ain't it? This mage-system. *tappity tap tap*

So how old do you have to be to get into the University?

The university is on the north bank of the Olorun, at the edge of the city, so if anything blows up, it won't take too many people with it.

Robe colors are pretty much the same through the university system (there's one in Maren and Galla, but they don't have very good departments for magical studies like the Tortallan one and the Carthaki one), as an accurate measure of someone's ability. There are also smaller schools, colleges, scattered everywhere, but not everyone has the bucks to support a full-fledged university. The school at the City of the Gods is a theological university: whatever you do, once you enter advanced studies (there's a basic program for young noblemen and noblewomen, like high school) you come out of it a Mithran priest or priest/mage. And it was the closest convent school Alanna's father could send her to.

There are thousands of mages out there without degrees, but the parchment on the wall means you can charge higher prices and get magical workings that are uniform in quality. Most of those non-university mages learned from local mages, or even traveled from mage to mage to study. Some mages have their own schools, similar to Roger's at court, but if you want to make it as a top dollar professional, university is the path you have to take.

Most people get in by passing the entrance exams at 16 or older, by paying their fees, and by passing their classes. (Sound familiar?) There are a few exceptions. They admitted Numair at 12, for excellent reasons.

>They admitted Numair at 12, for excellent reasons.


Such as.....

Such as he has amazing talent and power.

>so if anything blows up, it won't take too many people with it.

How reassuring.

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Gods all bless

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Thanks! Oh yeah, that sounds familiar... fees and passing classes... *heh*

*cheers* More information on Numair! I love him to death! I can't wait till (if it ever gets written) the history on Numy... that's like, millions of books away, but oh well!

Ooh...*can't wait for Numair: The Early Years*

Have they added a department for wild magic, or do people still have to search for private training?

It said in Wild Magic that most people with... well.. Wild Magic didn't need much training because it wasn't that strong, there was like Stefan, two sisters at the Palace Kennels, a father and son in the mews... That's what Numair told Daine anyway...

"Most of those non-university mages learned from local mages, or even traveled from mage to mage to study. Some mages have their own schools, similar to Roger's at court, but if you want to make it as a top dollar professional, university is the path you have to take."

So what's happening with that mage-school that Alanna inadvertantly started among the Bazhir? You know, the one that "will live and grow to become the greatest such school in existence. Even priests from the City of the Gods will come, even the warrior-sorcerers of Carthak".

I guess that's still a way in the future? And it's sort of rolling along on its own out there in the desert? I'd guess that Alanna still visits from time to time, and perhaps she's taken Numair with her at some time....

Kinky.

Isn't that kind of hard? Alanna has been fighting since forever. First the Immortal Wars, and then the Scanran War... Numy's been doing that too. So yeah, I suppose it's rolling along slowly on its own.

Do they have something like a GPA or an alphabetical grading scale? And parent/teacher conferences? ANd report cards that get sent home to parents? Or is it more like college where the parents don't know about grades unless their kids told them? How do they give out marks to the pages and squires?

From what I gather, the University.. is well.. a University... so it's like a college not a highschool. As for pages and squires.... *thinks about it* I don't think... parents would know about it unless their child failed... it'd be too much hassle other wise, I mean what are your parents going to do? Ground you from the their fief wwaaaaay back somewhere? Besides, if you do badly in class of whatever, your teacher punishes you - extra work or labor, cleaning stalls and what not... you're pretty much in the care of the crown until you're a knight - when you serve the crown...

^^ woo..

Yeah, the University is like the real world. You have to *pay* to get in... But you know, in college/university, there are no hot people like Numair, or Neal (who once went to the university...). *sigh*

And pages and squires... well, didn't Alanna's training master write home to her father? But that's just for updates on how the child's doing... sort of like a report card without any follow up conferences. :P