The Kagoshima Progression

The Kagoshima Progression is a tightly knit group of mages affiliated with the Imperial government and the army of Oyashima. They are rigid, hierarchical, and rules-oriented, highly visible due to their red robes and green or white jade wands. Mages have one or two apprentices, limiting the group's numbers.

Players who join the Kagoshima Progression receive a Jade Wand that holds a spell of a level equivalent to the highest they can cast (LV 1 at levels 1 and 2, LV 2 at levels 3 and 4, etc.) This allows the effective use of an extra spell per day, although the spell must be "cast" into the want to charge it. The wand can be loaned to other PCs or friendly NPCs, but the loss of a Jade Wand causes the loss of honor until the wand is recovered.

Before obtaining a new, better Jade Wand, the mage must pass the Test appropriate to his level. Sometimes the tests are purely mental, sometimes they involve spellcasting, but they are always challenging. Mages who fail a Test can try again, but at a monetary cost.