Stormwind Circle of Magi

The Stormwind Circle of Magi is the Kingdom of Stormwind's order of mages. The circle is tasked with cataloging and researching every spell, artifact, and magic item known to mankind. It serves as the kingdom's first defense - and if need be, offense - against rogue or enemy mages, demons of the burning legion, or any other magically inclined threats.

History
Following the founding of the Kingdom of Azeroth, the most prominent archmagi of the young nation established the beginnings of what we now know as the Stormwind Circle of Magi – housing themselves in Stormwind Keep as court wizards.

The mages of Azeroth progressed slowly as magic was condemned by the Church of Northshire. At the emergence of the Wolfcult in Brightwood in 79 K.C., the kingdom's armsmen were helpless to stop the rogue wizards that ravaged the countryside. Adam Wrynn, in 84 K.C., officially founded the Circle of Magi to train mages to combat them. The circle, then empowered, hunted down the cultists and were praised for their loyalty to the kingdom. Through their sacrifice, the Stormwind Circle of Magi earned their niche in the realm - advising the House of Wrynn on matters of the arcane.

When the Kingdom of Azeroth was forced to retreat to Lordaeron at the climax of the orcish wars, the Circle of Magi was in shambles. Many of its order had fallen in their futile attempt to defend their homeland, and the refugees cast the blame of Medhiv’s fall on the mages that trained him. Nonetheless, the circle lent its remaining mages to the war against the orcs – helping in the effort to recapture the Kingdom of Stormwind.

As Azeroth was being rebuilt as the Kingdom of Stormwind, the archmagi of the land instituted the Wizard's Sanctum within Stormwind’s Wizard’s Sanctum tower. For a long time, the Academy was considered to be the second-best school of magic compared to Dalaran, but since Lordaeron’s destruction by the demons and undead, the northern mages fled to Stormwind and took up residence in the tower. The Sanctum houses Stormwind’s Circle of Magi, the Academy of the Arcane Sciences, and is currently one of the foremost centers of human arcane research and study today.

Indoctrination
To protect the subjects of the king's realm from the disastrous effects of unchecked magic, and unknowing mages themselves from demons lured by their arcane affinity, any and all within the kingdom who show an affinity for casting spells arcane in nature (who have not already been indoctrinated by the Kirin Tor) are involuntarily brought to the Wizard's Sanctum to be properly and safely trained in the art of spellcasting by the Spellbreakers of the circle.

While a number of mages consider the forced indoctrination to be cruel and stifling, most mages and subjects of the kingdom agree that the dangers posed by rogue wizards are dire enough to act preemptively to prevent disasters.

Those who go without the circle's teachings are known as apostates. Considered dangerous and criminalized in the Kingdom of Stormwind, most hedge wizards roam the countryside; avoiding capture by the spellbreakers of the circle.

Heirarchy of the Circle
It is no simple matter, safeguarding ordinary men from mages, and mages from themselves. The Circle has some measures of self-governance within the walls of the Wizard's Sanctum.

The High Mage is the heart of the Circle. His job is to lead the Circle and keep order and equality among it's members.

Assisting the High Mage are the Elder Magi, a small council of the most trusted and experienced magi in the Circle. From this group, the courses of action of significant weight are voted and decided upon.

Accompanying each circle are its appointed spellbreakers, the first defense against demonic outbreak and enforcers of mage law bearing means outside of arcane magic.

Checks and Balances
Should the High Mage of the circle be deemed unfit for service by either the King or the Council of Elder Magi by vote, he shall be stripped of his title and a new High Mage shall be elected by the council of Elder Magi.

In the circumstance that the High Mage and Elder Mage council be deemed unfit by the King, they shall be ejected from office and new Elder Magi shall be appointed.