So in the Royal Codex regarding magi we can read up upon the different titles a magi can earn. But what caught my interest was the last sentence:
“The current Crown’s Sorcerer is as of yet unranked, as he has not enjoyed education at the School of Marabad and refuses to partake in its exams.”
…has R simply not requested to take the exams because they had better things to do? Or, which I’d find so much funnier, has the school invited them (possibly multiple times) to take part and they have literally refused?
Like please tell me it’s the latter because it would fit so well and be so delightfully petty.
On a side note, in the LI introduction R’s abilities in the magic disciplines are listed. Judging by those If they were to take the exams, they’d get the rank of ‘Master’ right? Considering they have (only) mastered elemental magic (as of now). I say only, but that is extremely impressive, especially considering their young age.
Were the Crown’s sorcerer usually individuals considered prodigies or was it more common for them to be ‘wisened’ (older) individuals whose expertise stem more from yearlong (possibly decade long) dedication, research and studying than an innate talent? Idk if it makes sense but I hope you get what I mean.
Yep, after Lady Zerya chose R as her successor the School of Marabad invited R multiple times to take the exams and R shot them down each and every time out of pure pettiness. When pressed about it R once told a former court official that they're "above" needing the validation of a sham institution lol
Also correct on that second question! R would qualify for the title of Master at a very young age. Most magi don't get to that level until well into their 30s, it's the type of thing that magi aspire to and is very significant. R, however, mastered elemental magic in their late teens, 18-19, and is on their way to master alchemy next in another year or so. So it's definitely a huge marker of prodigious talent, and most people expect R to become an Enlightened Master (the highest rank) eventually.
As for previous Sorcerers, it really depends on the Crown in charge at the time, but most Crowns would actually prefer older and more experienced Sorcerers over magi with raw magical talent, even if they were a genius-level magus like R.
The Crown's Sorcerer isn't really meant to use their magic all that much in practice as their main role is to be an advisor, but Lady Zerya foresaw that the Crown after Ferzan would need someone capable of protecting them from magical threats. So, she chose R and their one-in-a-million potential over "safer" choices.
Usually the Crown's Sorcerer isn't expected to train their successor either, most Crowns in the past would pick established magi, and that's another point where Zerya veered away from tradition.
