Everyone knows the warlocks are the nobles of the Empire, and that they are extrememly talented in magic, but how does one identify a warlock right off the bat (other than checking how richly he or she may be dressed or how rudely he or she treats the commoners)?
Well, perhaps the most common way is simply looking at whether or not the person in question is wearing a set of robes and carrying several pouches full of spell components. Or one can see if the person happens to be wearing a large suit of armor focusing on protecting the upper body (a favorite among the higher ranked warlocks).
But perhaps the most certain way of identifying a warlock is the following. And indeed, it is the way warlocks identify each other and make certain the person they are dealing with is not a commoner in disguise.
Warlocks always carry the symbol of the Empire (a snake wrapped around a dagger) somewhere on their person. The symbol is always embedded into a magic artifact that only the warlocks of House Nissa can make (thus they can regulate its distribution). These artifacts can be anything from a sword, to an armband, to a set of robes. The symbol of the snake and dagger glow in the color of the house the warlock belongs to whenever light shines on them. Each artifact is also magically attuned to its owner. This prevents the stealing and using of the artifact by another (aka a commoner). If a warlock loses his symbol (they only can have one at a time), they must report the loss to House Nissa, where it is dutifully marked and recorded, before they are issued a new one.
Warlocks usually display their symbols openly, but it's not unheard of for a warlock going undercover to hide his symbol somewhere on his person. However, warlocks ALWAYS have their symbols with them lest another of their kind mistaken them for a commoner, or should a commoner using illusion magic try to pass themselves off as the warlock they are impersonating (because the commoner won't have the symbol and then his/her disguise can easily be seen through).
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