During the dark ages practicioners of the arcane arts fell in vast numbers to rampant persecution in witch hunt after witch hunt, all in the name of Christianity. Eventually, forced to retreat to mountainous scandinavia, they formed a secret order of magic users there - known simply as the Black Order. Centuries following this retreat the numerous different teachings of magic were melded within the Order into a singular school of magic. Those fortunate few accepted into this Order's schooling, and the fewer still who survived to graduate, became known collectively as Black Mages.

      Unlike "modern" spell casters, who's magic derives from advanced teachings of magic from alternate dimensions and other worlds, these spell casters come from an ancient schooling - where each spell requires components. It is up to the game master to determine what spells will require what components. The more common spells are likely to involve common components - but the more powerful the spell, the more rare and difficult to find the components will be.