The most important word to remember when it comes to magic is: Explain. Let us explain... As of July 2007, XPI had 804 spells (counting Areas of Effect), 495 of which where created by Adventurers using XPI's researchable magic system! We do not expect everyone to know each of the 800+ spells. If you are hit with a spell you do not know, say "Explain," and they will give you the gist, out-of-game (neither the Caster nor Target should be interacted with during an Explain, but abuse of 'Explain' deliberately to delay Casters or avoid attacks will not be tolerated).

To limit the number of times this is used, you should be familiar with the more common spells. Here is a list of five of these common spells:

Unless you plan on becoming a mage, do not worry that you can not remember specific effects... just remember "Explain"

For those of you who do plan on becoming a mage... The following is a list of known mage groups.  Beware: practicing (or worse, teaching) magic without belonging to a Order Recognized by the Collegium of Mages is known as Rogue Magery.  Most rogue mages are loners by necessity, though occasionally some have banded together in their own "rogue Orders".  But Rogue Magery is a crime in every country on the Face, and punished severely by the Order of the Stone (or in some cases, the Church of Damien - the Church of Damien and the Church of Tabarian are considered non-voting Recognized Orders).  Practicing rogues are punished by confiscating their materials and permanently removing their ability to use magic (known as Burning).  Teaching rogues (who have "created" other rogue mages) are punished by execution.

The Orders of Magic

In the list below, Orders denoted with are recognized by the Collegium, Orders denoted with have (or recently had) active Adventurer members.  Orders denoted with are (or were) entirely Adventurer-based. 

The Order of the Blood Moon

     This is a mercenary order that actually broke off from the Order of the Stone a few years back. They have a very unsavory reputation and will take just about any contract that they are offered. Make sure you pay them well, because if the people you're fighting make a better offer, they may well turn on you.

The Order of the Blue Flame

     A small Rogue Order, believed to be disbanded - no sightings of members within the past five years.

The Brotherhood of the Black

     An Order formed by the Belgar - a group of humans that (until recently) had been enslaved by the Elves since before recorded history. Developed in isolation from human society, it is broken up into different sects or specialties - one devoted to combat, another to research, another to Guardian pairing - though given the recent displacement of the Belgar, it's unclear how large their numbers remain. Despite their long history, they are the newest Recognized order.

The Order of the Brown Cloak

     Another mercenary Order, this one devoted to protection magic and bodyguarding, they are highly respected and take their work very seriously.

The Order of the Butterfly

     This is an order dedicated to spreading fun through magic. They're a blast in a bar, and have a reputation for casting "amusing" spells (the latter may depend on your sense of humor). Oddly, for such a "frivolous" Order, they are fairly widespread and well-connected.

The Cabal

     A small Rogue Order, believed to be disbanded after the execution of their leadership recently.

The Church of Damien / The Church of Tabarian

     The two most powerful religions on the Face explicitly teach their clergy spellcasting.  They are not Orders as such, but are Recognized by the Collegium and are not treated as rogue mages.

The Cult of the Dark One

     While some spellcasting Cultists are actually members of upstanding Orders, most are de-facto rogue mages.  Typically, most countries' laws against membership in the Cult of the Dark One are "energetically enforced" before rogue magery even comes up, however.

The Dragon Council

     Given their very recent emergence, little is currently known about the scope or gravity of this mysterious challenger to the Collegium of Mages.

The Order of the Five Points

     Compared to most Orders, they are both new and small (with no more than a dozen members across the Face), but they're quickly becoming well known. They are dedicated to practical spell research first and foremost.

The Order of the Heart

     A small Rogue Order, created by orphaned children of mages.  Believed to be dispersed.

The Order of the Horn

     A small Rogue Order, believed to have been disbanded with the capture and Burning of its founder a few years ago.

The Khomellin Shah

     An all-female Order, they shroud their activities in layers of secrecy.  They hold to the private "agreements" they're known for, but the true price of these is sometimes discovered too late for further negotiation.  After a recent internal "mishap", their organization is in serious disarray and their future uncertain, though they remain technically Recognized.

The Order of the Landwalkers

     Mages that are concerned with nature and nothing else. They have strong connections to the land and are run by tree spirits (called Leshiy).

The Order of the Oak

     This is a research order dedicated to understanding the human body and how it works. They have an misunderstood reputation for being healing mages, but this is not the case. They research combat spells just as much as healing, because a fireball affects the body just as drastically as a Heal Grievous Wound.

Oracles

     A true rarity, a Recognized non-Ordered mage.  A hermit by nature, his power is such that he was Recognized by the Collegium as his own "Order".  Many stories of his wondrous magical devices are told...some are even true.

Lirrin Spellweaver

     The other Recognized non-Ordered mage, he is known to produce magical scrolls which allow even a non-mage to use magic, as well as do custom spell research on commission.  But his prices are astronomical and contacting him - given he's even more paranoid than Oracles - can be...convoluted.

The Order of Seekers

     An Order of magical investigators, they are masters of location and have spells (and other techniques) that are designed to find the truth no matter where it hides.

The Order of Summonaris

     This is an Order devoted to summoning and binding creatures of Shadow to their will for various tasks.  They are respected by learned individuals, though most common folk still consider them and their works "creepy".  Though very expensive, the wraiths they summon to carry messages are still considered the "gold standard" in secure, rapid communication. Recently, their numbers were thinned dramatically, but they have stabilized and are attempting to rebuild.

The Order of the Star { all living members are Adventurers, but some "instructors" are cast}

     An order known for its esoteric divinations, it is the oldest recognized. Until recently, it was thought to have completely faded away through attrition, but is now known to be still hanging on due to the efforts of a few die-hard (and if rumors are to be believed, actually *dead*) members.

The Order of the Stone

     These are mercenary mages, though somewhat more principled than the Blood Moon.  In times of peace, they hunt down rogue mages, and hire themselves out. During the most recent war with Drichensmoor, they were under exclusive contract to the Treaty of Gaith, as a counter to Red Messengers.  They are the main enforcers of the rules of the Collegium of Mages, and value discipline above all else.

The Order of the Triumvirate Band

     A research order dedicated to finding out why magic works the way it does rather than how it works, and thus favoring thorough knowledge over practicality.

The Order of the Whole

     A small Rogue Order, believed to have been disbanded with the capture and execution of its founder a few years ago.

The Order Z'Shan

     Their motto (if they had one), might be 'Knowledge is Power'. They follow no particular moral code - despite widespread laws against it, they are the only recognized Order known to practice necromancy, and as such are generally seen as villains by most people. The Order itself is broken into sections called 'Cabals', each of which is forcefully lead with its own agenda (conveniently allowing the Order itself as a whole to disavow the Cabal if that agenda goes astray).