Trefoil takes the books one at a time to examine atop his cart. He flips the first couple pages of A Unified Theory of Magic, Volume III and frowns at it. He sketches something in his notebook with the astronomy book open, quill dripping curiously redly, and nods thoughtfully.

"I'm afraid this Petronian text is descended from the Charlenius copies." He points out a list of names just after the cover. "Their reputation for transcription errors lowers the value somewhat, though it's not bad enough to be useless and there are a handful of collectors who might want it for other reasons. The texts on astronomy and geometry both look well cared for; either one would be a fair trade for a course in namelore during our journey."

"Let's say Astronomy then. I expect it to be less useful at the academy and I have most of what it says memorized already."

"Oh, charting the stars is more useful to a magus than you might think, but the Academy library is among the best in the world. You have yourself a deal, young man." He sets the book aside. "Shall we begin?"

"Certainly, I haven't been able to learn much about the Named but I can share a bit of what I know if that would be useful."

"Yes, why don't we start with what you know or have heard." 

"The core of what I've heard is that there is a force or perhaps a fabric that pervades the world called the narrative which has influences on everyone from the lowest of low to the gods above and below. For most the narrative doesn't take an interest in the details of their lives but for the Named it does. The Named live lives much more like characters in stories than ordinary people because the narrative ensures that their lives are, interesting in the way of stories. Beyond that, I haven't heard much, just that the Named have special abilities called aspects that they can accumulate as they grow."

There's a little from his special knowledge there but most of this is confirmed by books he's read before.

"Hmm, not a terrible start, but the demon is in the details, as they say. For one thing, it's unclear to what extent stories affect the Gods themselves. But they do exert an influence on Named — not just their lives or circumstances, but also on the kind of people who become Named in the first place, and how they think and act. Aspects are the main abilities of Named, but not their only abilities; Names can also grant more subtle enhanced traits such as senses or strength, or boost anything that a Named can already accomplish on their own. As with many kinds of power, the extent varies with practice and specialization. Also like many forms of power, it cuts both ways; a Name also amplifies flaws, especially when their manifestation would be most dramatic. One might perhaps summarize it thus: To be Named is to be more the kind of person who would appear in a story."

Alex grimaces at the mention of amplifying flaws. How exactly does that apply to him. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Does it now? I've described a pattern that's been widely observed about Named. Now suppose I asked you to speculate as to why we observe this pattern?" 

"My very first thought is that a story implies an audience. That would invite the question of who the audience is but I think because of the circumstances that it's plausible for us to be the audience as well as the actors. I guess that makes it not really an answer though. The other guess for who the audience is, would be the gods above and below.

"Alternatively, going off the idea of the Named being chosen by the gods they could be champions of a sort. The Named being champions of the gods doesn't really explain them having magnified flaws though, or why their lives are more like stories. Unless those are somehow part of the rules of some great game."

He pauses for a moment worried he's getting too close to things he shouldn't know.

"I think I'm tending back towards the idea of an audience though, someone or something wants a good story. Perhaps for the same reasons we enjoy stories and has put a system in place to ensure many such good stories."

"What sort of system? What are its rules, its mechanisms, how does it operate? 

"Suppose I told you a few observations: first, that new Names and patterns sometimes appear of which there's no prior record; second, that many patterns such as numerology seem to grow more prominent over time; third, that ordinary people who are exposed to Named grow themselves more powerful and notable; fourth, that those with older Names, such as the Four Symbols of the Yan Tei, often command apparently greater powers than their predecessors. What might you infer from this? What questions does it provoke?"

He's a little surprised by the flurry of questions but he's quick enough to respond. He feels like he's starting to get a handle on this style of instruction.

"That implies a sort of momentum, like a ball picking up speed as it rolls down a hill. And also that whatever system creates new names is still working. Do these new Names tend to appear as people in relation with existing names or apart and in isolation? Those two suggest different mechanisms.

"If they tend to appear in relation whether as support or opposition it suggests the new Names are in a sense an outgrowth of the old. If they're in isolation that more strongly suggests some sort of outside intervention.

"I'm less sure what to make of the numerology and other patterns. Perhaps they are yet another example of building momentum, such patterns could happen initially by chance, or at least not because of the pattern, but as they're noticed, whether by the Named themselves or the system or the hypothetical audience, the narrative accepts those patterns as a part of itself and sustains them with the same kind of momentum that it sustains the Names themselves."

"Momentum, yes, that's a good way of putting it. Stories seem to have a kind of momentum. 

"One must be careful, however, not to take this insight too far. For example, the third observation I mentioned is widely believed, but the primary source cited by scholars to defend it is by a writer who made a list of every historical figure he could find, attempted to trace their connections to Named, and observed that quite a lot of them had at some point been in close contact with one. Do you notice any flaws in this method?"

He thinks for a moment. "There's two issues I can see. The first is that the Named may be guided by the narrative towards people who will one day be powerful, rather than the narrative making people near the Named more powerful. But that's a more subtle distinction."

"The second, and larger, issue is that there's a difference between studying powerful people and studying people in proximity to the named. Doubtlessly, the Named meet many people who don't go on to become especially powerful. Else a Named visiting a city would warp the world. So how much interaction is required? How close a connection? And the only way to judge that is by also documenting people who interact with the Named who don't go on to become powerful so as to find the boundary."

"Indeed! And if that experiment has ever been performed, I did not hear of it. So the rumor could be true, or it could be false. It could even be the sort of thing that becomes true if enough people believe it! Whether because of the influence of narrative, or because having rubbed shoulders with Named is something that attracts attention and prestige. This is one of the main problems with studying Named: It is dangerously easy to fool oneself about the causes of things. 

"I will now answer your earlier question about new Names appearing in connection with old. I answer thusly: I don't know! Many scholars may claim to, and some of them might even be correct, but I've not seen anything conclusive on the subject. Some of what 'everyone knows' about Named is probably true, but one can have a devil of a time figuring out which. The subtle possibility you mentioned makes this much worse; there is evidence that Named, especially those aligned with the Gods Above, often benefit from seeming coincidence. 

"I can say that Names sometimes appear in opposing pairs. One hero, one villain, to use the Iridesce terms. Veteran and Warrior, Anchorite and Sacerdos, Mender and Slaver. Also the Jade Wizard and the Tarnished Witch, although they appear to be a special case, and some whose relationship is more nuanced, like Rebel and Quaesitor.

"The Named who do not appear this way tend to have more...mutable allegiances than a clear dedication to Above or Below. And allegiances can change; the first Sinstained, including Miezia's own Imperator Khale, originally served Below, but three of the four had a change of heart. And the Tarnished Witch famously succumbed to demonic corruption." 

"I see what you mean about this being difficult to study. Did The Tarnished Witch's Name change when she did? And are there other things you are more convinced of despite these difficulties?"

"According to surviving lore from that period, yes, she was once the Silver Witch. And yes, there are other observations about Named that I've come to believe are generally true. These observations, and some possible inferences therefrom, will be the subject of our talks for the next few weeks, as well as some archetypal stories that have come to be associated with the teaching of namelore. 

"First, however, I shall briefly venture into theology. It is widely believed by many scholars that, as you hypothesized, Creation itself reflects some conflict between the Gods Above and Below. Interpretations on this basic theme vary, of course. The Yan Tei see it as a shifting balance like the tides or seasons; the Miezans see it as a proxy war, and mostly argue about who should win it; the Iridites are divided as always, but many use metaphors of art or music — many composers, different visions. Suppose we assume something like this is true: There is a competition between the Gods in which Creation plays an important role. A game, if you will. 

"Given what we've established already, what are some things you conjecture might constitute a move in this game?" 

"Granting a name to a new person seems like it probably is one. I could also see them having less dramatic ways of arranging events by sending people visions or just directly controlling and animal or a natural event like a storm."

"So goes the theory, yes. There are enough documented cases of Named receiving visions, miracles, or blessings to suggest some kind of favorable connection to the Gods. The unusual fortune experienced by heroes is another plausible candidate for divine intervention. And of course there are the various powers of the Divine and Infernal realms, with what appear to be their own rules and behaviors. To act on Creation, even they must typically be invoked by mortals, whether priest, magus, or Named, although the manner in which they subsequently affect the world can differ greatly from the caller's intent. The Fae similarly, although their ties to the Gods are less clear.

"Direct actions by Gods, such as control of animals or storms, has not to my knowledge been observed, unless invoked by a Named with a connection to these things. Even in those cases, it can be unclear whether the results come from Named powers or from the Gods they called upon. There is the possibility of more subtle nudges, which are difficult to distinguish from the workings of Fate through stories. 

"What does seem supported by the evidence is that Named are some manner of asset to the Gods. Throughout our lessons, it will be important to keep this in mind. Any study of Named would be incomplete without considering the hypothesis that their existence serves the deliberate purpose of some powerful entity. Many events and stories throughout history look somewhat different, when seen through this lens. I will occasionally ask you to consider this angle in our coming lessons; to ask, if we assume a particular outcome were the result of deliberate action by Above, Below, or both, what it was intended to accomplish, and what that might say about the motives of the Gods." 

"I'll do my best. The idea of opposition is also interesting that often an action by one will be met by counter-action by the other." And it gives him the suspicion that there's another person being looped in time as his opponent. He does his best to set aside that consideration for the moment.

"Some theories hold that this is one of the fundamental constraints on interventions by the Gods Above and Below. But that's enough of theology; we were talking about Named..."

Trefoil continues to be helpfully informative while the caravan makes the long, slow journey towards Arbis. As the Umbrican hills and forests give way to rolling farmland, the famous Avernian road enchantments granting swiftness and ease of travel, the old gnome tells Alex of Named and their stories. He talks of patterns of three, teams of four, and bands of five; of past Imperators and their often violent ends at the hands of Victorious Commanders; of dramatic irony and why even a normal person should never under any circumstances declare themselves invincible. 

Alex learns that Names in the fullness of their power grant three aspects, enhanced senses and powers, and a resistance to poison ("it would hardly be very dramatic for a Named to be killed by roast duck, now would it?"). He learns that Named who adhere close enough to villainy do not appear to age, but that their typical life expectancy is nonetheless rather short ("being stabbed by a weapon of legend is terribly unhealthful"). He learns that Names vary strongly by culture of origin, and that one can discern much about a people by studying the Names they hold in high esteem.

After about a week of tutelage: 

By studying with a learned scholar, you have gained 1 Name Lore XP!

Alex soaks in the knowledge. It could well save his life or the lives of people he cares about one day. It's also fun having discussions with someone knowledgeable. In his spare time, he'll study some more from the book of Petronian law and review Jen's medical text.

There is not a lot of downtime during the day, and at night it's often too dark to read, but he can squeeze in some study nonetheless. He receives a mostly comprehensive overview from the first few chapters, as the rest are dedicated to the layered, messy, and often contradictory centuries of Tribunal rulings.

The Code of Petronus begins with, and flows from, the Petronian Oath, first sworn by Petronus himself.

“I, [name], hereby swear my everlasting loyalty to the Miezan Empire, and through the Empire to the Petronian Orders and their members. 

“I will not deprive nor attempt to deprive any Order magus of his magical power. I will not slay nor attempt to slay any member of an Order, except in justly executed and formally declared Wizards’ War or by Imperial writ. I hereby understand that Wizards’ War is an open conflict between two magi who may slay each other without breaking this oath, and that should I be slain in a Wizards’ War, no retribution shall fall on he who slays me.

“I will abide by the decisions made by fair vote at Tribunal. I will have one vote at Tribunal, and I will use it prudently. I will respect as equal the votes of all others at Tribunal.

“I will not endanger any Order through my actions. Nor will I interfere with the affairs of Imperial court except by Imperial writ. 

"I will not deal with devils nor demons, lest they wreak everlasting havoc on myself and my fellows.* I will not molest the faeries, lest their vengeance catch my fellows also.

“I will not use magic to scry upon Order magi, nor shall I use it to peer into their affairs, except by Imperial writ. 

“I will train apprentices who will swear to this Code, and should any of them turn against the Orders and my fellows, I shall be the first to strike them down and bring them to justice. No apprentice of mine shall be called a magus
until he first swears to uphold this Code.** 

“I request that should I break this oath, I be cast out of the Order. If I am cast out of the Order, I ask my fellows to find me and slay me, that my life not continue in degradation and infamy.

“The enemies of the Order are my enemies. The friends of the Order are my friends. The allies of the Order are my allies. Let us work together as one and grow hale and strong.

“This oath I hereby swear on [date]. Woe to they who try to tempt me to break this oath, and woe to me if I succumb to the temptation.” 

*Added by order of Imperator Khale. 

**At this point, members of the Order of Cognizance recite: “I shall further the knowledge of the Orders and share with their members all that I find in my search for wisdom and power.” Others recite: “I concede to Cognizance the right to take my apprentice if he should find my apprentice valuable to him in his studies.” The Peripheral Code extends the right of Cognizance to claim apprentices from other Orders. 

Peripheral Code

The Peripheral Code consists of all decisions made in Tribunal since the foundation of the Orders. Its formal authority derives from the clause in the Code requiring magi to abide by the decisions made at Tribunal, but as every case is different later Tribunals are not bound by the decisions of earlier Tribunals. Indeed, there are contradictory precedents throughout the Peripheral Code, and few magi outside the Quaesitores are familiar with all of its details. Some points are widely known, however. 

In theory, the only penalty for breaking the Code is death. In practice, Tribunals only rarely impose that, instead settling for vis fines, time spent in service, or other lesser punishments. These punishments are backed up by the ultimate sanction, however, and refusing to submit to the punishment imposed by a Tribunal is always taken as reason for the death penalty. This is enforced by declaring a Wizard’s March, which casts the offender from their Order and thus deprives him of the Code’s protection. This is called “Renouncing,” and magi subject to a Wizard’s March are known as “renounced magi.” Since the criminal’s possessions are, by tradition, granted to those who kill or capture him, powerful magi are often interested in helping to hunt down the offenders. 

Desertion (typically to avoid the duties required of an Order magus) is also a capital offense.

Imperial Writ

In principle, the Imperator's rule is absolute, and his orders supersede the Oath. Reading between the lines, there are legal and practical caveats to the application of this power.

Depriving Of Magical Power

This clause is often invoked to punish actions against a magus that fall short of physical harm, such as damaging his laboratory or killing mundanes. The justification is that, by depriving a magus of the resources he needs to study, the miscreant is depriving him of some of the magical power he would otherwise enjoy. The core meaning of the clause, though, is that magi must not try to damage each other’s Gift.

Wizard War

The Code allows for a conflict between two magi to escalate to open conflict in certain conditions. When those conditions are met, the two magi involved may step outside the bounds of the Code temporarily to settle their differences. One magus initiates a Wizard War by sending a declaration of war to the other. The message must arrive on the next night of the full moon. The war then begins on the rise of the following full moon, and lasts until the rise of the next full moon after that.

Unjust or constant use of Wizard War is discouraged by the majority of level-headed magi. Occasionally, those who declare war too often find themselves cast out from the Orders.

Tribunals

Tribunals are central to the political life of the Order, as was always Trianoma’s intent, and thus they are discussed in detail in their own section, below. This clause is vital, however, as it gives Tribunals some authority to make new rules and interpret the clauses of the Code to fit changing situations.

Dealing With Demons

The Order of Justice hunts down and kills any member found summoning demons or devils. Historically, this was not the case, and indeed devil-summoning once featured strongly in Miezan conquests. Certain elements of the Orders still periodically lobby the Imperator to revoke this controversial clause.

Molesting The Faeries

Interpretation of this clause rests heavily on what counts as molestation. Arcadia and isolated faerie regiones scattered across Creation are good sources of vis, so few magi have been willing to argue that charging into a faerie area spells blazing, stealing large amounts of faerie property, and retreating to your covenant counts as molestation. This has made it rather difficult to say what is, and prosecutions under this clause tend to come down to politics, and whether other magi have suffered. However, it does not prohibit friendly dealings with faeries.

Magical Creatures

Notably missing from the Code is a clause granting protection to magical creatures or non-member magi. This was deliberate, as Petronus wanted the Order to be able to use force to compel people to join. Excessive interference with powerful magical beings, however, can still fall under “endangering the Order by my actions.”

Scrying

This prohibition is enforced with surprising rigor. Tribunals have ruled that it is illegal to scry on a non-magus, if by so doing you learn about the magus’s activities, that simply walking around invisible is magical scrying, and that you can be punished for using Intellego magic on a magus even if you didn’t know that he was a magus. There are also contrary rulings on many of these points, but in general Tribunals have taken a very strict view of what constitutes magical scrying. Exceptions are made on Imperial business (rarely) and for investigations by the Order of Justice (more frequently).

Apprentices

By contrast, the clause on apprentices is hardly enforced at all. Magi do not have to train apprentices, and the obligation on the parens to join a Wizard’s March against his filius is treated more as a social expectation than a legal duty. The special right of Cognizance magi to take apprentices from other magi is upheld, however, as is the duty of Cognizance magi to share their work.