Mage

Mages are the members of the Clans who have learnt the art of Magecraft, the ability to commune with the spirits and channel their power into their world to heal sickness, see the future and perform various feats of varying power. According to Tenris, the Seal Clan Mage, the purpose of the Mages is to be able to commune with the other species of the world, such as animals, and discover their ways. They seek to rediscover the ancient ways of the spirit walkers, who could leave their own bodies and discover how other hunters, prey and even the trees thought and acted. The one the Wolf Clan considered the 'greatest Mage they ever had' alledgedly succeeded in becoming wolf for 'a few heartbeats'.

Mages are feared, admired and respected throughout the Forest for their power and their advice is listened by all. Each Clan has its own Mage who tends to the sick, advises the Leader and the other members of the Clan, and train future Mages to succeed them when they die. Mages are also the only ones who can communicate with the Clan guardian. Mages can be chosen from other Clans if the current one dies.

List of Mages

• Auroch Clan: unnamed Mage (killed by Thiazzi; considered by Fin-Kedinn to have been a good man).
• Bat Clan: Nef (exiled after joining the Soul-Eaters).
• Boar Clan: Boar Clan Mage.
• Eagle Owl Clan: Eostra (the last surviving member of her clan who died as a result of one of her necromantic spells).
• Forest Horse Clan: unamed Mage (killed by Thiazzi).
• Oak Clan: Thiazzi (exiled after joining the Soul-Eaters).
• Otter Clan: twins who can sense spirits, Narrander (Outcast; it is unknown if Narrander was the sole Mage of his Clan or whether he shared his power with the twins).
• Raven Clan: Saeunn, Renn (as Saeunn's apprentice), Dark (an exiled member of the Swan Clan who became the Raven Mage after Renn refused to suceed Saeunn).
• Red Deer Clan: Durrain.
• Seal Clan: Tenris (usurped the position after the scattering of the Soul-Eaters)
• Viper Clan: Seshru (exiled after joining the Soul-Eaters).
• Wolf Clan: Torak's father (exiled after joining the Soul-Eaters).

Trivia

• Mages are based on the shamans of the distant past, who acted as mediators in their culture and also between the physical world and that of spirits.