Who needs fantasy when reality provides so much more….
I present, The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC
If you need to adapt this a bit more, replace Egypt with Aviontix or suitable ancient culture that has been mostly lost to your modern world. The basic concept of the order can easily be adapted, plus there is a plethora of information availablem, some of which from their own website. http://www.rosicrucian.org

This is a magical organization that will transcend any “guild” or school. The mages of this order will have access to different, almost clerical spells, in addition to the standard spells available to most.

Overview
The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, is known internationally by its traditional and authentic title, the Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis. Rosae Crucis from the Latin means “of the Rosy Cross”. There is no religious connotation associated with this symbol; the Rosy Cross symbol predates Christianity. The cross symbolically represents the human body and the rose represents the individual’s unfolding consciousness.

The Famous ‘Fama’
The lineage of the Rosicrucian movement can be traced from its beginnings in the mystery schools of ancient Egypt founded by Pharaoh Thutmose III (1500 to 1477 B.C.), and more particularly from his grandson Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (also known as Akhnaton) - through to the Greek philosophers such as Thales and Pythagoras, the Roman philosopher Plotinus, and others, who journeyed to Egypt and were initiated into the mystery schools - through to the symbolism hidden in the love songs of Troubadours, the formularies of Alchemists, the symbolical system known as the Qabala, and the rituals of Orders of Knighthood during the dark and dangerous times of medieval Europe.

Fraternitatis
In 17th century Germany, a mysterious publication called the ‘Fama Fraternitatis’ written by ‘Christian Rosenkreuz’ was printed. This heralded a renewed interest in Rosicrucianism throughout Europe. As part of this great renewal, the renowned Sir Francis Bacon (1561 to 1626) English philosopher, essayist, and statesman, directed the Rosicrucian Order activities both in England and Europe. Rosicrucian history states that Sir Francis Bacon was actually the author of the Fama Fraternitatis and other works that brought about the revival of the Order in Germany.

Throughout history a number of prominent persons in the fields of science and the arts have been associated with the Rosicrucian movement, such as Leonardo da Vinci (1452 to 1519), Cornelius Heinrich Agrippa (1486 to 1535), Paracelsus (1493 to 1541), Francoiz Rabelais (1494 to 1553), Theresa of Avila (1515 to 1582), John of the Cross (1542 to 1591), Francis Bacon (1561 to 1626), Jacob Boehme (1575 to 1624), Rene Descartes (1596 to 1650), Blaise Pascal (1623 to 1662), Baruch Spinoza (1632 to 1677), Isaac Newton (1642 to 1727), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz (1646 to 1716), Benjamin Franklin (1706 to 1790), Thomas Jefferson (1743 to 1826), Michael Faraday (1791 to 1867), Marie Corelli (1855 to 1924), Claude Debussy (1862 to 1918), Erik Satie (1866 to 1925) and Edith Piaf (1915 to 1963). Insert historical figures and mages of note of your own world

Crossing the Atlantic
The Order crossed the Atlantic in the late 17th century when a Rosicrucian colony was established in Philadelphia. Later such eminent Americans as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine were intimately connected with the Rosicrucian community.

Throughout history there have been periods of greater and lesser activity of Rosicrucianism around the world. While inactive in the Americas during the 19th century, the Order was very active in France, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Spain, and other lands during this time.

While Rosicrucianism is primarily a western phenomenon it is also eclectic and uniquely draws on the diverse mystical traditions of ancient Greece, China, India and Persia. Naturally enough, it also embraces the great explosion of human scientific and philosophical knowledge of the 19th and 20th centuries.

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