Warhammer College of Light Lore: Illuminating Truth and Banishing Darkness
Magic in the Warhammer universe is a raw, untamed force, not generated by individual spellcasters but drawn from the very fabric of reality. It surges from the Chaos Rifts like a chaotic wind, known as Dhar. This primal energy, rife with the influence of daemons and dark gods, is inherently dangerous. However, it splinters into eight distinct streams, each less potent and aligned with specific aspects of magic. The most powerful wizards, such as High Elves and the Slann of the Lizardmen, can weave these winds back together into a single, potent force known as High Magic or Saphery.
The Winds of Magic: A Foundation
Understanding the College of Light requires a grasp of the Winds of Magic. Dhar is the raw, chaotic source. The other winds include:
- Ghyran (Lore of Life): This wind is the domain of druids, focused on healing, strengthening allies, and even reviving the fallen, turning ordinary warriors into unstoppable juggernauts.
- Shyish (Lore of Death): A dark and potent wind, Shyish is wielded by wizards who resemble necromancers. Its magic revolves around eliminating single targets, terrifying enemies with visions of death, and weakening their resolve.
- Ghur (Lore of Beasts): Similar to the Lore of Life, Ghur enhances allies, but with a focus on bestial traits. Shamans draw power from animals and can even transform themselves into monsters.
- High Magic (Qhaysh): The most powerful wizards can merge all the winds into High Magic, unleashing devastating spells capable of incinerating entire units, healing allies, dispelling magic, and creating massive explosions.
- Necromancy: A corrupted form of the Wind of Death, Necromancy allows practitioners to raise legions of undead, ghouls, and swarms of vermin. Necromancers, driven by power, use this magic to conquer and expand their influence.
- Chaos Magic: The Chaos Gods, Slaneesh, Tzeentch, Khorne, and Nurgle, each command their own unique lores, manipulating mortals to spread their influence and amusement.
- Orcish Magic: Orcs, too primitive to master the regular winds, rely on their gods Gork and Mork for magic known as Da Big Waaagh and Da Little Waaagh.
- Ogre Magic: Simplistic and brutal, Ogre magic focuses on gut magic, providing basic buffs and damage.
The Lore of Light: Hysh and the College
The Lore of Light resides under the province of the Wind of Hysh, the White Wind of Magic, and it is also known as the First Lore. The symbol of the Light Order is the Serpent of Light, though it bears little resemblance to the creature it represents. The Wizards of the Light College, also known as Light Wizards, are rarely seen without treasured tomes and arcane scrolls in hand. Light Magic is renowned for its powers of protection, yet a Light Wizard can also conjure blazing lights to bind and burn the enemy. This lore is the hardest to master, for the Wind of Hysh is particularly diffuse. To compensate, the Order employs many acolytes to aid its more senior wizards. This is unusual amongst the Colleges, for wizards of other Orders rarely take on more than a single apprentice at once.
The Nature of Hysh
Hysh is frequently called the Elemental Wind of Light in Grand Cathay. It is the magic of illumination and holy radiance. Hysh is associated with patience and intelligence, but its domains are not so much that of knowledge and facts as those of wisdom and truths. It is comparable to a constant, steady luminance completely opposite to the random destructiveness of Chaos. Just as hierophants seek Truth, they seek the destruction of all that is dark and evil.
Hysh is the subtlest of all the Winds of Magic, justly considered the hardest to perceive. It is almost invisible, even for those with witchsight, for while it shows itself as a lightly glowing haze, it tends to accumulate in bright, sunlit places, and so is difficult to spot. Hysh also gathers about other light sources, such as candles, lanterns, as well as those individuals of true hearts and natures. Wizards have observed the calming effect Hysh has on people who gather to listen to music, and hierophants are careful to make much use of good vibrations in their rituals and spells. They are known to conduct their major rituals with a choir of acolytes whose harmonic chorales channel the wind. Even when noticed, the fleeting nature of Hysh makes it difficult to manipulate. Because it is the subtlest of all the Winds of Magic, channeling and binding it into a spell requires the total focus of will and an absolute determination of mind. More so than any other of the Winds of Magic, Hysh is intangible, diffused, and all-permeating, making its pursuit one of the most complicated paths within the Imperial Orders of Magic. It is an energy that quickly permeates and is easily absorbed into solid objects, but which retains all its magical potential.
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Wielders of Hysh bear an unfair burden, but while their magic may be effusive, elusive, and evasive, it has its advantages. Not only does Hysh permeate underground, the Wind of Light is also the lightest of the Winds of Magic, and so floats high in the air. It drifts from the Warp Gate in the northern Chaos Wastes all over the Old World, as far as Araby and Nehekhara, where it settles in the scorching desert. No other wind reaches so far in useful quantity, and so whilst it is always hard to control, Hysh may reach places other winds cannot.
Three Domains of Hysh
Illumination: Hysh illuminates in both the literal and metaphorical sense. Light Wizards can conjure dazzling lights and banish darkness, revealing hidden objects and unmasking illusions. They also illuminate the minds of others, clarifying thought and inspiring wisdom.
Healing, Protection, and Preservation: The Light Order values the sanctity of existence and possesses spells dedicated to healing and protection. This domain focuses on preserving the mind and spiritual being of intelligent life.
Abjuration: Hysh is a potent force for exorcism, banishing daemons and evil spirits. This exorcism does not involve summoning spirits of various Aethyric beings, nor is it the kind practised by the priests of Sigmar or Morr, which rely on invoking the god in question and the supreme faith of the exorcising priest. The healing nature of Hysh and teachings of the Light Order mean that hierophants are generally peaceful and non-violent, but they are not total pacifists like the sisters of the Cult of Shallya.
The College of Light: Structure and History
The pyramidal hall of the College of Light itself goes largely unseen; it exists within a magical aether realm, parallel to, but separate from, the mundane world. Deep in its labyrinthine dungeons lies the greatest sorcerous treasure vault in the Old World, which also serves as a prison for many evil artefacts.
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The buildings of the Light College are among the most distinctive in the Empire, evoking the feel of ancient Khemri with their sphinxes, obelisks, and two great alabaster pyramids dominating the campus. These pyramids, carved from magically reinforced alabaster, are so brilliantly white they appear to emit light. Their entrances are marked by large silver doors, one adorned with the Tree of Knowledge and the other with the Tower of Isolation. Inside, a maze of twisting corridors leads to spacious, well-lit halls and numerous private chambers for the resident hierophants. A third, colossal pyramid lies hidden within the college grounds, constructed entirely from Hysh and invisible to anyone lacking the Sight. This luminous structure houses underground vaults containing powerful magical artifacts and entities. To maintain the pyramid’s integrity, hierophants conduct ongoing rituals powered by the Light Wind and supported by acolyte chorales. The college’s unique architecture was conceived by the third patriarch, Immanuel Rauenscheid, who drew inspiration from his travels to Nehekhara and Araby.
The Light Order trains the largest number of apprentices, called acolytes, who begin their studies at a young age under strict routines supporting the college’s rituals and senior wizards. Most acolytes do not progress to full wizardry, but those who do undergo a wandering period to learn about the Empire and hone their skills. After their wandering period, wizards typically specialize in roles such as scholars advancing magical knowledge, exorcists combating dark forces, advisors guiding noble courts, or battle mages serving in the Empire’s armies.
Historical Events:
- 2415 IC, The Night of a Thousand Arcane Duels: High Luminary Horx attempted to seize power by trapping Patriarch Cornelius Quintscher within a crystal labyrinth and claiming the Book of Volans. However, he was unable to control the book's energies, leading to his mental breakdown.
- 2507 IC: Vespasian Kant exposed Patriarch Egrimm van Horstmann as a secret worshipper of Tzeentch, revealing widespread corruption within the Order.
The Light Order and the World
The powers of Chaos are the antithesis of the wizards of the College, who are sworn to oppose Chaos in all its forms. The military of The Empire respects the Light Wizards for their ability to turn the tide in battles against Chaos. For similar reasons, they are welcomed in the courts of nobles-particularly those of the northern provinces-to combat the spread of Chaos within their realms. This has earned them a strong reputation, with the Emperor and his advisors often heeding the counsel of their Patriarch.
Despite the Witch Hunters also opposing Chaos, there is little trust between the two. Witch Hunters have always been suspicious of wizards in general, sanctioned or not. The Light Order, in particular, has drawn their scrutiny due to producing several notorious heretics, including the High Luminary Horx and Egrimm van Horstmann.
The High Elves respect the Order of Light, or at least hold less contempt for its hierophants than for other humans. To them, most humans have a poor understanding of the Winds of Magic, but the Light Order’s hierophants can control the most ephemeral of the winds.
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Lore Attribute and Spells
The Lore of Light has the following attribute:
- Exorcism: The cleansing power of the Light is especially damaging against Daemons and Undead, causing damaging spells to deal 1d6 more damage to them.
Notable spells from the Lore of Light include:
- Shem’s Burning Gaze: A holy fireball which can pumped with more casting dice to have a very far range and deal more damage.
- Pha’s Protection: Summons the image of some kind of diving thing to protect the wizard and the people around it.
- The Speed of Light: MAX WS and I for one Unit or everything in 12 inches.
- Light of Battle: Makes one unit Unbreakable, and also makes the target instantly rally if it's fleeing.
- Net of Amyntok: Makes the enemy unit test for S when moving, shooting, casting, going to the toilet, everything except close combat.
- Banishment: A magic missile that deals 2d6 S4 hits with an additional 1S for each spellcaster with Lore of Light nearby.
- Birona’s Timewarp: Makes your Unit or for increased casting value everything in the 12 inch bubble move Matrix-style. The units double in speed, get ASF and one more attack.
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