The Magus

Alternate Titles: Father, Master

The Magus is the wise man upon his mountain, contemplating the clear blue heavens as he tries to catch flies with chopsticks or unravel the mysterious symbols of last nights' dream. He has already achieved mastery in his chosen field, and who is now in a position to apply and pass on his teachings.
Usually he holds some secret or arcane knowledge: the hidden traditions of an ancient people, the key to enlightenment, or the secrets of the hundred-acre wood. His knowledge and counsel are reliable, and those who do not heed his advice do so at their own peril. His great wisdom leaves him with a grave responsibility to pass on what he knows, to preserve the teachings for generations to come. The ability to pass on his traditions often forms the back-bone of a Magus' plot, especially when that plot is centred in the life of the family.
Because he is a man possessed of special powers and authority, the Magus is generally ruled by a strict code of conduct. This may be a traditional way of life handed down to him by his own forefathers, the rule of the monastery where he teaches, or a professional code of ethics.
In plots where the Disciple does not figure prominently, the Magus will generally be engaged in the pursuit of some especially difficult mystery, a question which is beyond the pervue of ordinary mortals and which he alone is qualified to attempt to answer: the secret of eternal life, the nature of star-birth, or who killed Laura Palmer.

Archetypal Events: Dream, Teach, Retire, Father's Blessing

Common Magus Plots:

Passing On the Secrets: The Magus has found a Disciple, usually an unlikely specimen who must be shaped into a worthy successor. Using riddles, paradoxes, and harsh discipline he passes his knowledge onto the Disciple and is finally able to go gently and peacefully into that good night, content that his tradition will be preserved.

Breaking in the Novice: The Magus is attempting the frustrating task of handing on his wisdom to an ungrateful and lazy Disgrace. His wisdom and sagacity allow him to teach the Disgrace several harsh life-lessons that eventually turn the wretch into a reasonable Disciple.

Brought Together By the Child: A child or children in the Magus' care come to be loved by a Mother. Through their mutual care for these children, the Magus and the Mother are brought together in love. Often in such plots the Magus is a widower.

Clash of the Titans: The Magus and a Wiseman are competing for mastery in their discipline, be it magic, martial arts or chess. The Wiseman attempts to win through trickery and deciet. The Magus makes an unexpected and counter-intuitive move that paradoxically wins him the contest.

The Mountain-top School: The Magus's home is a place of teaching, often located on difficult or inaccessible terrain (high on a mountain-top, in the depths of a swamp on a planet where no one ever goes, etc.) If he lives in the family home (a variation on the Mother's nest) he tends to try to run it like a military academy.
The Sands of Time: Although Father Time is arguably a Magus, time is often not on the Magus' side. He has only a limited number of years in which to pass on his teachings to the next generation, and is often deeply aware of his own inevitable mortality.
The Staff of Power: The Magus' archetypal weapon may be cut from the wood of the world-ash tree, it may be a wizard's staff, or it may be simplified into a teacher's pointer or an old man's walking stick.
Mantle: A peripheral peice of clothing which may easily be taken off and passed on to another, the mantle is also a protective garment (this is passed to the Mother in the case of Mary's mantle spread over the world in Catholic piety), traditionally it keeps out rain and the elements but in modern works it often becomes a vest and may be bulletproof.
A Perfect Death: It is given to the Magus to choose the hour of his own death, to lay down when all of his earthly toils are done in order that he might rest content, knowing that his life's work has been fulfilled and will be carried on in the next generation. This is one reason why Magi tend to be very old, though a younger character may substitute retirement for physical death.
The Family Estate: The Magus wishes to leave the fruits of his labours to prosperity, to provide for generations to come; not merely to pass on the tradition that was given to him, but to enlarge it before handing it down.
Minor Symbols: White hair, Sand, Mountains

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