The Imager Portfolio

Imager

Overview

Early Learning as Imager

Rhennthyl is turned down by all the master portraiturists in Solidar. (He correctly surmises that word was put out not to accept him.) He realistically assesses his position, and decides to cross the Bridge of Hopes and try out as an imager. He was given some background about imagers by his now-deceased master, Caliostrius, about the work and life of imagers. Realistically, Rhennthyl knows little and is unable to compare himself with other imagers as they live sequestered from Soliar in a community called the Collegium, located on an island in the river which flows through the City of L'Excelcis.

Rhennthyl crosses the Bridge of Hopes and passes a simple entrance test: he can image an object. After being kitted out and issued with clothing, bedding, books and a room, he returns to his new "master", Master Dichartryn, and is told to learn the layout of the Collegium, and to do some reading and be ready for questioning the next morning.

Over the next few months, Rhennthyl undergoes a rapid education on History and Politics of Solidar, Practical Philosophy, Physics, Science, and the manual on Imaging. His education includes the roles and functions of the Council and the Collegium, the balance of power, acquisition of new imaging skills, and he never images alone. He is taught that imaging alone as a newcomer places himself at risk, for imaging takes energy from everything around. The personal rooms of the imagers are all lead-lined to prevent danger to other imagers.

The Collegium consists of three levels of regular imagers, called Prime, Secondus and Tertius. There are four master levels, Maitre D'Aspect, Maitre D'd Structure, Maitre D'Esprit and Maitre D'Image. There are approximately fifteen Maitres D'Aspect but Rhennthyl's induction guide, Gherhard, does not know the exact figures. Rhennthyl is somewhat surprised to hear this.

Imagers in Training

Dichartryn teaches him that imaging goes far beyond creating objects and is dangerous. He is only to image in the presence of masters. Up to one third of Imagers Prime die before completing their training, and up to 40% or more of the talented ones die. Dichartryn tells Rhennthyl that there old imagers, bold imagers and no old, bold imagers. He learns that young imagers attempt to image gold and precious objects in their cells, and due the nature of imaging taking energy from everything around them, including their own bodies, they end up killing themselves in their cells with their own imaging.

During the early stages of his training, Rhennthyl sees the oburates (servants with no imaging skills) carry out a dead youth. He is told the culture is not to ask. This both surprises and confuses him, as this betokens very little concern for people as people, and hints at a casual, fatalistic attitude towards failures within the Imaging community.

Imager training is very individual, with each imager assigned to a master for basic instruction, with rotation to other masters to learn more aspects and duties in imaging. The syllabus and progress is very much decided by individual skill and ability; due the risk to trainee imagers themselves, their novice training is a rigorously controlled process. Yet, indifference exists, as young imagers die in the streets of Solidar and in their cells.

Imager Code and Discipline

The Code of Conduct of the Imager community is strictly enforced, on account of the delicate balance of power between the Collegium and the Council. Feared and despised, Imagers individually and collectively pose danger, risk and threat to the community, the Council and to all of Solidar. Hence, the Collegium exists largely on the goodwill it manages to generate via self discipline and responsibility.

In the early stages of his training, Master Dichartyn explores the need for controls on imagers due their powers being able to be exhibited whilst they sleep. It is here that Dichartyn forces Rhennthyl to confront his role in the death of Ostrius and Master Caliostrius, a critical bridge of personal responsibility and suffering at possibly causing the death of others. It is at this point Master Dichartryn promotes him to Imager Secondus.

The young Imager Floryn and his actions in the city of L'Excelsis illustrate the Collegium's pitiless self-regulation of its members. Floryn is casual in his regard of the rules embodying trust and responsibility of Imagers. He lunches in a resturant with other young imagers and pays by imaging and attempts to escape detection of his misdeeds. He is intercepted, detained, and sent to the Collegium's Court of Justice, wherein he is sentenced to death for his disregard of the rules and flagrantly breaching the critical trust that the Collegium has to maintain in Solidar. He is executed by the Justice Master immediately following his sentencing.

Rhennthyl's training continues. He learns to conceal himself, to protect himself by using shields, and to defend himself if attacked. Upon promotion to Imager Secondus, he joins a new group of peers, who are curious about his background and skills, yet resentful of his progress with Master Dichartryn. Two young imagers attack him, and he is forced to defend himself. One attacker from the Taudis (the slums of L'Excelsis) dies, and another, son of a High Holder, is nearly blinded for life. At this point, Rhennthyl is promoted to Imager Tertius.

Rhennthyl meets and passes several basic challenges, learning to think for himself, to look for the reasons behind various codes and balances of power, to master new skills, discipline himself, show initiative and to integrate into a new community of peers. He is playing catch-up; although he is nearly a master portraiturist, he is an undertrained imager with large gaps in his education. During this novice training, he has managed to make powerful enemies.