Artist: Hellstern
Translating loosely as "The Enlightened," the scholars and wizards of al Mushtamir are among the purest of loremasters. Seeking knowledge solely for knowledge's own sake, each student begins by studying increasingly complex magical theorums and formulae, learning the fundamentals of magic inside and out until they develop a complete understanding of all its facets and potential applications. To truly advance in al Mushtamir, however, one must break free of what one has been taught and create something new. It is only through the challenge of old ideas, innovation, and novel creation that the study of magic can continue to advance.
Origins[]
Within a few centuries of the fall of Rome, Northern Africa rose as a dominant power in mathematics, philosophy, and science. Naturally, a great deal of magical development of tacticians followed. Out of such thinkers as Jābir ibn Hayyān, Bakr al-Rāzī, al-Farabi, and others, al Mushtamir gradually developed from the workings of individual geniuses into a formalized program of education.
Power Centers[]
Al Mushtamir remains one of the major powers of the Mediterannean from Morocco to Spain (the long way), although its influence never quite spread to Northern European states. The academic culture of the Atlantic Coalition is a natural home for al Mushtamir, and the school's ages-old conflict with The Collegium for space has spread to the Americas in this region. The school's focus on study and lore has appealed to many academics of India, and al Mushtamir is a popular choice for budding mages in the region with a less applied bent than the Sentinels demand. Recently, al Mushtamir has made inroads into the USSR to counter growing Collegium power in the region, although it is unclear if this relationship will be sustainable in the long run.
Relations with Other Traditions[]
Al Mushtamir clashes on a theoretical level with the Banister School, as the latter looks for knowledge in artifacts of the past, while the former believes that the best of magical knowledge is yet to be found in the future. That said, actual conflict is rare, as the groups largely operate in different geographical areas and with unrelated agendas. The organization's relationship with The Collegium has always been complex. On the one hand, both groups are extremely academic, with members tending towards the library or the laboratory over field operations and political action. While the Collegium's haughtiness prohibits any formal relationship between the two organizations, this general shared attitude has led to individual collaborations between members at various points throughout history, when interests happened to align. On the other hand, both al Mushtamir and The Collegium have long histories in the Mediterranean, giving them plenty of time to squabble over promising young mages and territory in the area. This has rarely devolved into outright war, but has led to an overall chilliness in formal contact between the two groups (though this is certainly more noticeable in the case of al Mushtamir, given The Collegium's default attitude towards outsiders).