Originally, when the village of Sorret was founded in 271, the term "Sorreter" referred to anyone who lived in Sorret. However, there are many villagers living in Sorret who do not study or practice magic, having more traditional occupations which are necessary to keep any village going. And within a few years, the term Sorreter came to refer specifically to people who are magic-users. "Sorreter" is a unisex term, meant to replace the gender-specific terms sorcerer and sorceress, as used on Earth. (The term "Sorreter" also led to magic sometimes being referred to as "sorretry.") However, when Roderick and the First 50 Elves founded Woodstockade in 773, they chose to use the Terran terms for magic-users, rather than the Landian term. It should also be mentioned that since the Protestant Sorreters disappeared in 903, they have been referred to as "ex-Sorreters." (This term is sometimes also applied, incorrectly, to Sorreters who have simply moved to other villages.)
Ranks[]
Apprentices are the lowest level of Sorreters, who are still in training at the Sorret Magic Academy.
Adepts are Sorreters who have attained a certain skill level, and at that point they may choose to largely discontinue their training. It has become common, particularly since the Coming of the Order, for adept Sorreters to leave Sorret, and either become adventurers or take up jobs in other villages. There are a great many newly created positions which have come into existence since the Coming, and demand for this very specialized skill set is high. Sorreters may create any of various spell devices to sell to non-Sorreters as well as to use themselves, though there are some types of spells which cannot be transferred to devices, but can only be performed by actual Sorreters. (Of course, any of these jobs, whether performing spells or simply creating and selling magical items, may also be done by Sorreters who choose to remain in Sorret.) Aside from the various retail and service industries, there are also a fair number of Sorreters working for the government, as well as for gangs.
Master-adepts are adepts who have continued their training to an even higher level (which requires them to remain in Sorret). Most master-adepts go on to train apprentices (hence the term "master"), though some lower-level classes may be taught by adepts. And there are some master-adepts who do little or no teaching, whether because they have responsibilities that take up too much of their time, such as being on the Sorret Council, or having religious duties in the community, or simply because their attainment of this status level was a matter of a desire to push their own learning as far as they could take it, rather than a desire to eventually become teachers. Attaining this level is also a necessary step before being admitted to the Council of Magicks.
Grand Sorreter is generally the most highly-skilled magic-user in Sorret. He or she is the head of the Council of Magicks, as well as headmaster of the Sorret Magic Academy. They are also traditionally the political head of the village, though this is no longer a certainty, since the establishment of the Second Order and village councils in 904, and later, in 913, the establishment of the Cabinet. Also, the Grand Sorreter has almost always also been the bishop of Sorret, starting with the first Grand Sorreter, Sol, in 272. (He became bishop in 271, a year before the establishment of the position of Grand Sorreter; subsequently, the two positions would be assumed simultaneously.)