And now, in its entirety, Blackwolf's Dark Chambers is proud to present our fearless Dragonmaster's unique, profound insights on.....

Why Mages Matter

ecently, I received some dire news from my dear friend and fellow Mage, Merdwin the Mediocre. Having just obtained my new costume and regalia, I had intended to travel to one of the two Renaissance Faires in mine native Shire --- if only to show myself off in my new threads, just for dear Merdwin. Alas! as the Mediocre One explained to me (and thank goodness I learned this from him!), it seemed that the powers that be were toying with the idea of completely abandoning the presence of a Court Wizard altogether!

Since then, I've learned that several Faires across the country have expressed similar desires. The very idea of having a Faire without the presence of a Mage so distresses me that I am compelled to type in a few well thought out words on the subject of Why Mages Matter.

One of my primary duties as Dragonmaster of the Grand High Istari --- those are the seven senior Wizards of the Masters of Good Magic, by the way --- is to defend the continued existence of all Magehood throughout the Multiverse; clearly, I would be less than a Mage if I failed to speak up immediately. The final days of the 20th Century represent a period of unprecedented abandonment of the Imagination by scores of Mortals worldwide. Theirs is an age when information technology and the power to gain "the whole story" are rapidly becoming more and more dominant than the simple ability to observe the Universe from a child's perspective.

Strangely enough, the American cartoonist Burne Hogarth foresaw a world that would, within the space of a million years or so, be inhabited by Mortals of a New Species ...... Mortals of, perhaps, a greater wisdom than our own species. In his last achievement for the comic-book genre, the never-completed graphic novel Morphos, the Shapechanger (published posthumously in 1996 by Dark Horse Comics), Hogarth tells the tale of a young man born from the unlikely union of a virgin female and the genetic codes of no less a Mage than our own Exalted Brother Merlin, the legendary Father of all Mages. Indeed, 'tis Merlin who charges Morphos with becoming "the fulfillment of Merlin's destiny," his mission being "to prevent the present destruction of the world so that there will be a future in which [the evolution of that New Mortal Species] could take place."

I believe that, whenever a Court Wizard is in attendance at any of this nation's Renaissance Faires, he/she is representing the very embodiment of the mission given to Morphos by Merlin. To me, the Mages at Faire are the last true dispensers (and, at that, defenders!) of wisdom in our Multiverse. Keep in mind that their main objective is to exhibit, and sometimes demonstrate, proper respect for the Laws of Nature. I have read a good many books by the leading authors of so-called "science fiction" during my travels; many of these writers have stumbled upon that very theory first espoused by Merlin concerning how we Mages maintain our grip upon the constant balance between Good and Evil.

For those of you just studying Magecraft proper, Merlin's Theory dictates that any potential Sorcerer's Apprentice must be able to distinguish between Sorcery (a/k/a the Discipline of Thaumaturgy) and Black Magic, or Necromancy. Merlin, after all, was the first to remind us Magic-users that the practicing of Sorcery involves the energy of the would-be Wizard combined with Mother Nature's forces, and proper respect therefor; whereas in Necromancy, the user is combining his/her own energy with that of any sentient life form [living being] --- with the results often proving fatal.

The Grand High Istari make it their business, then, to make certain that Mages and Mortals alike can respect and understand the ability of all Magicians to make such distinguishments, regardless of personal cost. Should there be any kind of failure to so distinguish on this level, the resulting situation would be one of pure and utter chaos!

Similarly, it is the job of a Mage to demonstrate his/her willingness to make decisions that will not affect his/her own powers, let alone their ability to predict (in some cases, to see into) the events of the future. For countless aeons now, we Mages have been forbidden to even interfere with Mortal history; yet we have chronicled many tales over these periods of those among our ranks who have, for various reasons (some of them understandably personal), failed to abide by that rule. Mind you, these particular Magic-users need not necessarily be Necromancers; but, to repeat what I have explained, if any such failures manifest themselves, the results would be little more than chaos!

Nearly two years ago, when the High Istari elevated yours truly to the rank and title of Dragonmaster, I was made to take a Sacred Oath, wherein I promised, among other things, to protect all Sorcery against those that would dare misuse its power. To this very day, I have come to take that Oath extremely seriously, for Magic has been known, lo these many aeons, to possess a most seductive lure --- especially for those that would seek to use its resources for personal gain. That is why, even today, I continue to watch out for those potential Sorcerers, along with their would-be Apprentices, who would attempt to wield the Mages' powers for their own dark, sinister, nefarious purposes.

If I have said far too much for most of you to comprehend, much less figure out, then I must humbly ask for your forgiveness; for my one and only purpose in sharing these thoughts with you has been to drive home the point that YES, MAGES DO MATTER!

And, of course, we mustn't forget the most important reason as to why Mages matter: the children.

To abandon the presence of a Mage is to abandon all that is pure and noble within a child's own secret heart. Without the power to observe the wonders of the Universe from the viewpoint of a child, then, the ability to wield Magic, I say, is not worth possessing. So, if you are among my Brother and/or Sister Mages, let me entreat ye thus: visit a Renaissance Faire in costume, and then take a good, long, hard look at that boy or girl staring up at you in wonder..... trying to understand why you're looking so wise and dignified. The minute you do, I believe, you shall know that you have succeeded in accomplishing your mission. Besides, as I see it, it's up to us Masters of Good Magic to team up with the Faire Industry to guarantee that we who dabble in this unusual business remain a crucial part of the Faire landscape --- at least, for the children's sake.

By that, I mean that the true measure of sharing Magic with others at Faire has its most basic roots in observing and sharing the miracle of this Life, no matter what form it takes, from a child's eyes.

I should know, after all. I have had over 4800 good years' worth of expertise on this topic. (Heh-heh!)

Having said all this, I should like to close by making a wish: namely, that all my Brother and Sister Mages may yet benefit from the wisdom that I have here attempted to dispense for you. And yet, oddly enough, the mere making of said wish doesn't really make it enough to appease the situation. That, Brother and Sister Mages, is where YOU come in. "And what can we do, Master Blackwolf?" I hear you asking. And I, Master Blackwolf, shall tell you what you can do:

Share your feelings, whether they be of doubt, or of trust, or whatever, with your fellow Faire performers, co-workers, or administrators. Let them know whether or not you approve or disapprove of what they are and/or aren't doing to make the Faire-going experience better for everyone. If both Wizard and Faire-worker can settle whatever differences might befall them fairly and reasonably, then, I think, a Mage's continued presence at Faire may provide a rich, remarkable array of possibilities that can secure a truly lasting future for the overall Faire Industry.

In conclusion, then, let's remember that ours isn't exactly your typical 9-to-5 job: it's a job that requires us to be bold adventurers, imaginative dreamers, and noble-hearted philosophers all rolled into one! Bring the whole lot together, and what you have is a truly wise Wizard. And that, my dear friends, is Why Mages Matter.

(By the way, if you share any of the notions and/or concerns that I have here voiced, please express your thoughts by contacting me at either of my e-mail addresses: blackbeardian@yahoo.com or electric_pirates@hotmail.com.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Blackwolf the Dragonmaster, Duke of Talisker, makes his dwelling in New York City, where he serves as the Big Apple's "Unofficial Wizard."