[5E] Non-Wizard Arcaners in Glantri
by WingofCootSome thoughts on how this might work...
Bards: The bardic tradition is an old one in Glantri, from two different sources: a human one from the Principality of Klantyre and an elven one among the Belcadiz. Legally, there is no distinction between bards and wizards: several bard colleges have space and staff at the Great School of Magic, and a bard graduate is legally equivalent to a wizard graduate. However, in practice, bards do not get votes at Awards Festivals; as of AC 1000, the nobility of Glantri remains wizards-only. In most of Glantri, bards are very much seen as second-class arcaners; only in Klantyre and Belcadiz do they have equal social status to wizards.
(After the Great Plague, I would suggest that bards become held in far higher regard due to their access to arcane healing - I'd add at least one bard Baron by the early 1010s.)
Sorcerers: Sorcerers are arcaners legally, but since they gain their magic in a very different way, they are not admitted to the Great School of Magic and thus cannot achieve nobility. The only exception possible would be a special honorary diploma, and this has never been granted: sorcerers are very much looked down upon in Glantri. While their legal status is equal to that of any other 'gent' arcane, their social status is much lower.
Warlocks: Warlocks in Glantri are very much a case of two radically different situations, though in both cases they are unable to gain nobility due to not studying at the Great School of Magic.
Erewan has a long and honored tradition of Archfey Pact Warlocks, and within the Erewan Clan, they are held in very high regard. Even outside the Principality of Erewan, elven warlocks of Erewan are recognized as practitioners of a legitimate elven magical tradition. They will be disliked in Belcadiz due to the Erewan-Belcadiz rivalry, but not more disliked than an Erewan wizard would be.
Human warlocks, on the other hand, are held in great suspicion (by everyone except the Erewan, but they will not speak up to defend human warlocks as they do not wish to link them to their own honored tradition). Without a powerful political protector, they will be repeatedly investigated for suspected clericism, and if they prove themselves to be true arcaners, they will be constantly hassled to prove all their licenses are current, etc. Most are eventually driven out of Glantri.
What do you think?