Council Mage of Cormyr - Faerun Prestige Class

This is a Forgotten Realms Exclusive Class

Cormyr's famous Council of Mages is a group of arcane spellcasters that advises the Crown on matters pertaining to magic and magical threats, crafts many of the Crown's magic defenses and magic items, and hunts down particularly powerful renegade spellcasters.

The Council of Mages had its start sometime around 70 DR, during the beginnings of Cormyr. Suzail and nearby communities were just beginning to establish themselves as a nation. However, constant attacks from all manner of creatures coming out of what is now known as the King's Forest hampered the efforts of Suzail's king, Rhiiman the Glorious. Men-at-arms were not sufficient protection. The nascent Cormyr needed the help of magic to combat these beasts. Rhiiman ordered Baerauble Etharr, Royal Magician of Cormyr, to assemble all known wizards. Together, the spellcasters devised a plan of attack using only magic and no soldiers at all. Their efforts, which included the destruction of several portals, were successful, and the group of mages became known as the War Wizards. For centuries, the War Wizards' responsibilities and esteem grew.

In 1284 DR, Salember, the Rebel Prince, refused to abdicate the throne of his regency to the rightful king, the young Rhigaerd II. The War Wizards were split. In the end, Salember was slain by Jorunhast, then Royal Magician of Cormyr. However, in slaying a royal, Jorunhast was exiled, and for two decades thereafter, the power of the War Wizards waned. In 1306 DR, Rhigaerd reinstated the post of Royal Magician, naming Vangerdahast. Recognizing the damaged stature of the War Wizards could become a threat to the Forest Kingdom, Vangerdahast reorganized and reinvigorated the War Wizards, splitting the collection of spellcasters into two formally organized groups, the Council of Mages and the War Wizards. The former was made up of elite War Wizards and crafters of magic items, all dedicated to Cormyr and her Crown, while the latter was made up mostly of wizards serving alongside the Purple Dragons.

Most council mages of Cormyr are wizards, although a few sorcerers also join the Council. Very few bards find the authoritarian structure of the Council to their liking.

Today, Caladnei, the current Royal Magician, and her aides are known as the Council of Mages because they rarely fight anything directly other than rogue mages or supremely powerful threats. They are looked up to and feared by the commoners of Cormyr and accorded the utmost respect by Cormyr's War Wizards and nobility.

Hit Die: d4

To qualify to become a Council Mage of Cormyr, a character must fulfill all the following criteria:

• Alignment: Any nonevil and nonchaotic
• Skills: Gather Information 2 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks
• Feats: Skill Focus (Spellcraft), any metamagic feat, any item creation feat.
• Spellcasting: Ability to cast 5th-level arcane spells, knowledge of spells from at least five schools.
• Special: Membership on Cormyr's Council of Mages through invitation and the willing submission to a blood vow to never do harm to Cormyr or her Crown (in that order).

Council Mage of Cormyr Details

From: Dragon #307

Older Prestige class adapted to 3.5

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