Chapter I – The Order Mage

While it is true that magicians dedicated to the natural or divine order are found in literature dating back to Arthurian legends (Merlin is truly the archetypal order mage), and indeed perhaps to the ancient prophets themselves, I will refer mostly to the game since it was my primary source of exposure. In this game, the order mage is one of the characters that really "speaks to me." This may seem odd, considering that the order mage is arguably the most boring class of mage in the game. [Of course, since I have spent most of my career as an accountant, you may freely conclude that I am drawn to boring. Hopefully this book will not have the same effect upon you.] He cannot create dazzling pyrotechnics like the fire mage, nor shoot lightning from his staff like the air mage, nor turn his opponents into goats like the chaos mage. His magic, for the most part, enhances the efficiency and skill of the armies and workers in his kingdom. This does create a very real strategic advantage in the game, so don’t think that the Order Kingdom is getting ripped off in the process.

The thing that makes the Order Mage so appealing to me is that he has character. He is not merely in the business of learning spells; his career is dedicated to serving something greater than himself. He supports the balance of the Universe and the Natural Order with monk-like devotion. We can see something akin to this distinction in the Star Wars series. The goodly Jedi Knights are dedicated to the transcendent "Force" of life itself, and seek to gain skill, knowledge and insight as a means to that devotion. In practical terms, they are usually about the business of protecting and serving the needs of society. Their counterparts the Sith, who have been seduced by the dark side of the Force, have no such idealism. They appear to be motivated by the pure desire to achieve power, or in some cases, revenge. In the bestselling inspirational book King, Warrior, Magician, Lover, Robert Moore & Douglas Gilette speak of the Magician archetype in a similar vein. "Many human magicians, in whatever profession or in whatever walk of life (occult practitioners as well), are consciously using their knowledge and technical proficiency for the benefit of others as well as themselves."[1] In that book, as in this one, the human magician is one who uses whatever tools available, be they traditional magic, intelligence, special knowledge, or technical proficiency to serve others and the world at large.

I believe that this characteristic alone may address a fundamental human desire. One might be tempted to wonder why the major religions of the world continue to gain and keep followers when science appears to be capable of arriving, sooner or later, at the answers to our questions of how the Universe came to achieve its current state. My theory is that most adherents of religion are more deeply motivated by a need for purpose in life than by factual curiosity. Even people who profess no faith in a higher reality often consider it one of their priorities to ensure that their lives "count" for something greater than themselves. In addition, I believe that spirit, grace, afterlife and even magic are words that spring from a fundamental human longing. It is quite possible to go through life as a materialist, believing that nothing exists beyond observable matter and energy, but in my experience, such an austere philosophy runs counter to our nature. By chance evolution or divine purpose, we seem to long for more. Thus, I contend that identifying with fantasy characters is not immature, rather, it is a potentially very mature acknowledgment of a genuine part of ourselves. Fighters, monks, rogues, wizards and all the rest of the role-playing game classes embody features which, actually or symbolically, correlate to authentic human attributes. This is why I see these games as not simply entertainment but also microcosms of our lives.

So who are the order mages of our world today? Obviously many who are in law enforcement professions fit the bill, but the net is cast more widely than that. Anyone whose careers are dedicated to upholding healthy society and the natural order can claim membership. Many social workers, therapists and ministers work to help others live productive and orderly lives. Scientists and teachers often have a deeply intuitive understanding of the natural order and convey this to others. Tax professionals, vilified as they might be, support the orderly process in which the populace supports the government, law enforcement, national defense, infrastructure, public education and social programs. Accountants and engineers use knowledge of scientific or man-made laws to maintain and foster order in the business sector. Managers and administrators must immerse their work life in order if they hope to succeed and serve their companies. Finally, it is up to parents to maintain orderly homes in which their kids can thrive. Perhaps it is fair to say that there is an order mage in each of us!

Getting back to the gaming model, another attractive feature of the order mages is alluded to in the fact that one of their sayings in the game is "There is a disruption in the Balance afoot." Here, presumably they are referring to the rise of the Dark Lord in the game and the impending war. But implicit in this statement is the notion that order mages are somehow sensitive to the state of balance in the Universe. This awareness also is echoed in the Jedis’ ability to "sense" disturbances in the Force. Highly underrated in our society is the ability to relate intuitively to the world around us. Most of what is valued today is the ability to earn financial rewards. These days, since a majority of adults of both genders spend most of our days in a work environment, our emotive/intuitive faculties are being starved for nourishment and use. Later in this book I shall make an argument for the necessity of valuing our intuitive sides both as complete humans and as a healthy society, but for now it’s sufficient to establish that our order mage has both well-developed logical and intuitive faculties.

Thirdly, as the instruction manual for the game itself noted, "The Mages of Order have banded into their own sect, referring to themselves as the Accord." The word "accord" indicates agreement and harmony. Hence the order mage is not a hermit but works together with his peers in an orderly fashion to serve a common purpose. This trait is echoed by Tolkien’s Gandalf when he refers to Saruman as "the greatest of my order."⁴ I think that his choice of words here is significant. Note that he did not say: "Saruman is my boss," or even "Saruman is the greatest of all the good wizards." When the word "order" is used to describe an association, it is most frequently used for religious purposes. This connotes men and/or women serving some higher calling together.

The one thing that I would not describe as an order mage attribute is the Arthurian image of an enrobed, decrepit, testosterone-challenged old man whose dedication to his studies eclipses anything else he might do in life. This may not be evident in the game but I would submit that any society so dedicated to order and balance would encourage its adherents to pursue well-balanced lives. Hence their warriors would be educated, their mages would be in good physical shape, and their thieves would be . . . well . . . honest, or something like that. Also, of course, mature age may be the high point of accumulated knowledge in life, but it is certainly not a requirement for educated orderly devotion and service.

Therefore I encourage you to see that we too are order mages whenever our lifestyles live up to their ideals. This happens when we acquire the habits of orderly, peaceful and productive living, conform, in broad and general terms, to the orderly society we live in, and connect, on a metaphysical level, with the Great Order which imbues the Universe. This may be achieved through prayer or meditation, depending upon one’s preferences. I will seek to demonstrate that not only is living like an order mage honorable and productive, it also produces a wide array of benefits to the practitioner. However, let me point out right here that I am not suggesting that we go around wearing robes and such. Attention-getting behavior is generally contrary to the nature of a true follower of order. This, then, is a basic picture of the order mage. If the picture painted so far of this resonates with you as it does with me, then let us enter into the "Mages’ Tower" and pursue our studies in the next chapters!