Aliases are alternative forms of a reference. They can include actual aliases for characters, nicknames, plural variations, gendered versions of some [Classes], and even typos.
“I’ll get back to work. There’s a few of our [Mages] and [Hedge Mages] willing to try and put on a show—that is, the first stage of entertainments. I’ll see to them.”
“A pleasure, Miss Solstice! I am indeed the uh, special effects of the plays. [Hedge Mage]. Self-taught. I do all the illusions for the Players of Celum—this group, at least. I know our main troupe was seeking out a real [Illusionist]. I’m afraid though that my abilities aren’t enough to handle your idea of this haunted house.”
There were four [Mages] in The Wandering Inn. Well, four real [Mages]. That was an important distinction. Anyone could call themselves a [Mage] or teach themselves magic like the [Hedge Mage] casting poor illusion spells around the [Actors] on stage, but only a few knew how to use magic.
It was meant to be thunder and lightning, but the [Hedge Mage] holding the spell produced something more like thunder combined with a honk and a paltry flash of light. Emme swore.
Well, she might not have applied to be the [Director] of the acting troupe. Because this was polished. Again, not perfect; the [Witches] lacked magical effects since their [Hedge Mage] was well and truly useless at grand illusions. They had a cauldron and color liquid that gave off noxious odors, but nothing more.
Novethur, as a [Village Head], had access to a very weak pool of mana, but higher-level [Village Heads] were actually known to be on par with [Hedge Mages]. Ceria shrugged.
There were many magic classes. From [Witch] to [Wizard] to [Hedge Mage]—and those were only the base classes. The chain of evolving class titles and combinations rose beyond [Archmage]—and [Archmage] was what most people aspired to be.
However, if the ceiling rose past the sky…the ground floor had a basement. Below [Hedge Mage], below [Spellslinger] or [Apprentice Mage], existed a class that sucked scum off the underbellies of slugs.
She scoffed. The [Performer] had known [Fortune Tellers] and [Charlatans] and sometimes never identified one from the other. She had been in the company of [Hedge Mages] and [Mystics], even a [Warlock], all of whom had a rare bit of magic or Skill that the towns and smaller places would pay a few coins for.
The adventurers crammed over, and Ceria met with Spoken Vow, a team of five, who looked slightly intimidated, slightly competitive when they were introduced to the Horns. She shook hands with their leader, a decent [Warrior] with a tower shield named Mickey the Moored, much to Moore’s vague amusement. A self-trained [Hedge Mage] who had learned how to throw flaming sparks, a [Trick-Shot Archer], and a [Dual Slingshot Skirmisher].
[Apprentice] or [Hedge Mage] or [Spellcaster], the many classes of the self-taught, became a full [Mage], [Magus], or [Sorcerer] with training. They evolved to specialties, like [Wizard], [Druid], [Pyromancer], and so on. But [High Mage] was denoted as a further step towards power. From there, [Grand Magus] was the next step before [Archmage] became the symbol of true mastery recognized worldwide. There were higher classes, but Wistram still used the term ‘Archmage’ because of how it was perceived by all.
And they would get it. Even Todi, with some kind of preternatural instinct, had never picked upon Riz like the rest of Spoken Vow. Even if their synergy with their [Hedge Mage], [Trick-Shot Archer], [Dual Slingshot Skirmisher], and [Entrenchment Fighter-Captain] created quite a lot of fighting potential and versatility, you could easily say that over half the sheer killing potential was in one of their members.
