Mage's Circle

Lore & Background

The Mage's Circle in Cyoria is not a formal organization but an informal association of powerful mages who collaborate loosely. It lacks a headquarters, hierarchy, or apprenticeship system; instead, it functions as a network of equals, often centered around figures like Xvim. The Circle is not involved in maintaining the city's magical barriers during the Festival of the World Dragon—that duty falls to the city's defense mages and government. Likewise, they do not advise the Altazian government; such influence is wielded by royal court mages or the Academy's leadership. The term 'Mage's Circle' should not be conflated with Cyoria's broader magical establishment, which includes structured bodies like the Academy and the city's defense corps.

In Their Own Story

Coco, a bright dressmaker's daughter with blondish-green hair, dreams of becoming a witch but pays the horrid cost of her mother being turned to stone after Iguin of the Brimmed Caps gives her a spellbook. Instead of memory erasure, Qifrey takes her in as an apprentice due to her connection to the rogue coven, granting her a dubious reputation. The atelier also houses Agott Arklaum, black-haired and cast out by rumors of plagiarism; she initially treats Coco with passion-driven hatred, sending her on dangerous tests despite her lack of experience. Richeh, withdrawn after her brother Riliphin became distant from authority, learns the value of new magic when Brimmed Caps ambush them and turn their friend Euini into a wolf due to her inexperience. As Agott eventually befriends Coco thanks to her sincerity, the group faces threats like Sasaran, who uses transformation magic failure to appear as a feline 'Empty Cloak Witch,' and Custas, whose leg prosthetics are revealed to be parasitic Silverwood Tree sprouts before Dagda sacrifices himself.

Reader's Guide

Qifrey's atelier serves outcasts who did not fit old school structures, assisted by Olruggio, a Watchful Eye supervisor from the Great Hall. Qifrey specializes in water magic but hides his right eye and former memories after a childhood ritual made him a Silverwood Tree host. He is ruthless enough to erase memories of those suspecting his vendetta against the Brimmed Caps yet remains a caring mentor. Students include Tetia, who loves spreading happiness through useful spells, and Richeh, who draws very small rune circles. The group includes Brushbuddy, a white fluffy caterpillar-like creature attached to Coco due to its love for magical ink smells, hinting at complex intelligence. Magic here is creative; outsiders like Coco conceive highly original uses for runes that traditionalists miss.

Did You Know?

• The Mage's Circle has no fixed headquarters; the large tower in Cyoria's central district belongs to the Cyorian Academy of Magic or the Sovereign Gate, not the Circle.
• Circle members do not serve as official advisors to the Altazian government; that role is filled by royal court mages and Academy leaders.
• The magical barriers during the Festival of the World Dragon are maintained by the city's defense mages and government, not the Mage's Circle.
• The Circle is not a training institution with apprentices and masters; it is a loose association of already-powerful mages, like Xvim's group.
• The term 'Mage's Circle' is often misunderstood as a formal institution, but in the novel it refers to an informal network distinct from Cyoria's structured magical organizations.

The Origins of Qifrey's Atelier

Qifrey's atelier is located in a remote area where he teaches child witches considered outcasts because they did not or refused to fit into the rigid structures of old established schools. He is assisted by his childhood friend Olruggio, who serves as a Watchful Eye supervisor for the Great Hall. The group was later joined by the main character Coco after she learned the witches' secret and was taken in as an apprentice rather than having her memory erased. This unique arrangement exists because of her connection to the Brimmed Caps, which grants her a dubious reputation within the magic community.

Coco: The Outsider's Journey

Coco is a bright, optimistic young girl with blondish-green hair and a background as a dressmaker's daughter who dreams of becoming a witch. She sees this wish fulfilled at the horrid cost of her mother getting turned to stone by Iguin of the Brimmed Caps. Subsequently taken in by Qifrey, she learns rune magic despite her outsider status. Initially clumsy and naive, she is very enthusiastic about learning all she can. Her background allows her to conceive highly creative ways of using new-found knowledge that seasoned witches might overlook.

The Dynamics of Exclusion and Acceptance

Agott Arklaum, a black-haired girl from the renowned Arklaum family, was cast out during her test for apprenticeship due to malicious rumors that her magic was plagiarized. Upon becoming Qifrey's student, she became a bitter loner obsessed with perfecting skills under her own power. She initially hates Coco and spurns her harshly because Coco was not born a witch. However, as the story progresses, Agott eventually becomes Coco's precious friend and treats her as an equal thanks to the latter's sincerity and magical imagination.

The Shadow of the Brimmed Caps

The Brimmed Caps are a coven of rogue witches rejecting the Day of the Pact rules. They use forbidden magic like offensive spells, body-changing magic, and making spell tattoos on bodies. Members include Iguin, who gave Coco the spellbook that turned her mother to stone; Custas, whose prosthetics were parasitic Silverwood Tree sprouts; and Sasaran, who impersonates an 'Empty Cloak Witch' due to failed transformation magic. Qifrey holds a personal grudge against them since they used him in a ritual making him the host of a Silverwood Tree, taking his right eye and memories.