Herald-Mage handout

Herald-Mage Handout

Criteria established by Mercedes Lackey

Based on the Heralds of Valdemar series

To become a Herald-Mage:

1. Earn the points necessary to become a Herald.
2. Write a story (minimum of 10 pages) about how your persona discovered that s/he had Mage Gift, and send it to one of the QO zines.

You are now at the Apprentice stage.

Herald-Mage, Hedge-Wizard

To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Hedge-Wizard, learn the following stage-magic tricks well enough to fool your friends:

• Linking Rings
• Restore Cut Rope
• Appearing Coins, and
• a simple Escape Trick.

Herald-Mage, Journeyman

To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Journeyman, first qualify for Hedge-Wizard. Then,

1. Write a 20-page paper on the following subject and
2. Submit it to an essay contest or to your History teacher for extra credit.

Topic: Analyze the Constitution, without the Amendments, and explain how the Amendments have made the original document work in the modern world.

And

1. Learn the following stage-magic tricks:

• Dancing Handkerchief
• Multiplying Coins
• Restoring Cut Newspaper, and
• Escape from Handcuffs.

Herald-Mage, Master

To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Master, first qualify for Hedge-Wizard and Journeyman. Then

1. Write a 20-page paper on one of the following subjects:

• Machiavelli's The Prince
• the Bill of Rights
• Elizabeth I as a ruler
• the Crusades from the Christian viewpoint or
• the Crusades from the Moslem viewpoint.

Submit it to an essay contest or your History teacher for extra credit.

And

1. Write a 20-page paper on "magic" as a form of particle energy and how it is similar to nuclear fusion and/or fission.

And

1. Learn the following stage-magic tricks:

• Hat and Egg
• Escape from Ropes
• Appearing/Multiplying Ping Pong Balls, and
• your choice of Card Tricks.

Herald-Mage, Adept

To earn the rank of Herald-Mage, Adept, first qualify for Hedge-Wizard, Journeyman, and Master. Then

1. Write a 20-page paper on one of the following subjects:

• King Arthur as a historical figure
• the importance and obligations of the liege-lord in feudal society
• Plato's Republic
• the moral and ethical questions of creation and possession of nuclear weapons

Submit your paper to an essay contest or your History Teacher for extra credit.

And

1. Write a 20-page paper on the moral and ethical questions of possessions and use of Adept-Level power.

And

1. Write a 20-page paper on the constraints that must be placed on the arbitrator.

And

1. Learn the following stage-magic tricks:

• Cutting a Person in Two Or More Pieces
• Appearing Dove
• your choice of Card Tricks you don't already know, and
• your choice of Close-Up Magic Tricks you don't already know.

Lest you think I am being too hard on those who would be Herald-Mages, I would like to point out that both Ellen Guon and myself qualify for Adept. Like aspiring to Kal'enedral, if you want something extraordinary, you will have to make an extraordinary effort.

Special Notes for Herald-Mages

• As proof of your qualifications, send a brief description of each magic trick and tell how you learned it (i.e., from a book, a magic shop, a friend … )
• Send a copy of each 20-page paper and tell where and when it was published. (Finding a publisher is part of the challenge. If the piece is too long for any local publisher to accept, let me know. Queen's Own has an online nonfiction journal, The Compass Rose to take such materials. Published books count in place of papers if the book is on the same topic as the paper.)
• See the submission instructions for persona handouts.
• See the general rules for persona submissions.
• See the helpful hints for persona submissions.

If you have additional questions, check out The Magic of Velgarth FAQ.