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The Warlocks
The Warlocks' Guild, or the Ancient and Worthy Guild of the Arcane Blade (as they are known on their official charter, and approximately nowhere else) have existed for almost as long as the Colleges of Magic. The Warlocks are bound by a great oath, rumoured to be magically enforced, of secrecy and service.
The Warlocks' Oath dates to the founding of the Guild, and has been revised several times as the Guild has outlived political institutions. It is known that a Warlock's sworn allegiance to the Guild is greater than their allegiance to the Colleges they are oathbound to protect.
Until recently, the Warlocks would not train Dark or Light mages, though they still protected practitioners of all six colours of magic. However, in the autumn of 1290 (2007), relations between the Dark and Light colleges and the Warlocks improved significantly, with a movement spearheaded by the Drow warrior-mage Samar'karai'el, Master Frostbite of the College of Darkness and Warlock Lucie Rivers succeeding in its aim to allow practitioners of White and Black magic to be taught by the Warlocks.
It is no secret that the Warlocks have access to spells and materials that no other mage can duplicate; it is rumoured that the Masters of all the Colleges would very, very much like to get hold of them. Chief among the materials they have access to is the nonmetallic material known as 'warmetal', with a colour and hardness much like metal, which does not cause harm to elves or mages. They are known to lease warmetal items to important (or rich) personages, but keep a very close eye on them, to the extent of sending an apprentice round every week ostensibly to clean and maintain the weapon.
These days, your average person on the street sees the duties of the Warlocks as mostly ceremonial; there are elaborate ceremonies for the changing of the guard at the various prominent spots that grim-faced Warlocks stand watch from with their warmetal arms. The general atmosphere within the Guild is one of honour and fraternity - one should not lightly impugn or disparage a Warlock to his brothers and sisters in arms. Despite the fact that they are not technically a knightly order, they are seen as nearly equal in stature with those organisations in the eyes of the nobility; there are many nobles' younger sons and daughters in the Warlocks.