Post by GRWelsh on Dec 20, 2021 19:15:18 GMT -5
Here is something I wrote around twenty years ago. Too bad I forgot about it, since it could have been the basis of a School of Magic adventure I recently ran. I must have written this soon after reading the LYONESSE trilogy and RHIALTO THE MARVELLOUS by Jack Vance, as parts of it seem like obvious pastiche!
*
SOCIETY OF THE MAGIVESTRE
In the Grand Duchy of Geoff there is a reclusive old society of wizards,
sorcerers, and magicians. The society's home is a stone manse located upon
a steep cliff in the mountains, surrounded by a thick growth of pine and
fir trees. The manse, Marlyvern, is like a stone keep or a monastery in
appearance, a rather nondescript brownstone edifice with walls thickly
matted with ivy and moss. Over the years, the magicians of the Society
have acquired the habit of calling themselves scholars, sages, and
academics. They have found it causes less of a sensation with the local
folk. Clerics and priests in Geoff have often spoken out against the
dangers of sorcery, and over time, these warnings have bred superstition
and fear in the hearts of simple folk. Therefore, magicians have learned
to be discrete.
In all truth, the magicians of the Society *are* scholars -- a great deal
of their work is academic, probably the majority of it. The library at
Marlyvern is vast. The apprentices and junior magicians spend most of
their time translating and transcribing old texts, studying history and
reading philosophical treatises. There is, as it were, not much in the way
of flashes and pops. The older members of the Society are not unlike
eccentric and preoccupied sages. Each has his own specialty, with a
problem or set of problems he is involved with. A single problem may
occupy one for years -- it may be practical, such as altering a verbal
spell to a somatic spell, or it may be theoretical, like discovering the
natural limits on spell durations, or something of the sort.
Marlyvern is not a place of grandeur or wealth or pompous show. It is
stolid, rambling and a bit musty. It subsists on what can be gleaned from
the forest, as well as sheep and goats kept outside in pens. A grist mill
is nearby, and this operates to Marlyvern's profit. Mostly, the place is
self-sufficient. It exists on land ceded to it long ago, in a ducal
charter, which is locked away in the deep vaults. Marlyvern is essentially
its own demesne, nominally ruled by the High Magivestre, a vassal of the
Grand Duke.
Magivestre is an archaic term, which means "to invest or clothe with
magic." This refers to the process of teaching apprentices the art of
casting spells. The term Magivestre is also associated with the Vestments
of the Magi, the traditional garb and robes worn by the old hierarchy of
magicians.
The Society of the Magivestre is one of the oldest wizardly associations
in the Flanaess. In old times, a scholarly collection of magicians began
to gather here in order to study and exchange lore, and in that way the
Society germinated. After all of the upheavals and wars of dominance that
had been going on in the Flanaess, Marlyvern was a quiet and out of the
way place where wizards could retire and converse.
One of the precepts of the Society is that it is not political. The
Society has a venerable tradition of placing knowledge and aesthetics
above the seeking of power or glory. This is made obvious on the Scale of
Teleocepts, a great metallic disk inscribed with Primal Sigils that hangs
from three black chains in the Chamber of Initiates. According to Legend,
the seven foot diameter metal scale came from the Oerth Serpent, a divine
ancestor of all dragons. Supposedly, Boccob himself inscribed his
Teleological Doctrine upon it, for his apprentices to study.
Regardless of the truth of this legend, the Society seems to have built
its rules around the philosophy engraved on the Scale. The Society has a
Code prohibiting its members to embroil themselves in temporal disputes.
Society members are to respect the King's authority and laws, but also
distance themselves from martial affairs, noble feuds and so on. They
Society is officially disdainful of organizations like the magical Circle
of Eight, which they see as manipulative and banal.
There is a large olven population in Geoff, many of whom are potent
enchanters and wizards. Some in the Society are fascinated with olven
magic and befriend the elves, but as a general rule the Society is wary of
the fey folk. The olvenfolk, being so long-lived and strange, are usually
avoided at a respectful distance.
The largest religious faction in the Grand Duchy of Geoff is the
Fellowship of the Blinding Light, a priesthood dedicated to the Sun god,
Pholtus. Relations between the Society and the Fellowship are somewhat
strained, as the clerics often preach against the prideful excesses of
wizards, and the moral dangers involved in spell casting. But for a fact,
most Geoffites are neutral, good and freedom-loving, and the religion of
Pholtus is but a powerful minority in the whole. Most folk are happy to
ignore the discrete magicians' society, which they regard with benign
superstition.
The Grand Duke of Geoff, His High Radiance, Owen III, is clever and
tolerant, and enjoys the Society existing in his realm and considers it a
boon. Owen has often requested counsel and advice from the Society's
senior members, and he has always honored their ancient charter, which
grants their land and taxes them but mildly. The Society of the
Magivestre, in their turn, have given aid to the Grand Duke in recent
years, concerning troubles both in the Barrier Peaks and with some of the
more formidable giant raids.
Over the years, nobles and sovereigns from nearby lands have offered large
sums to Society wizards, to serve at their courts. The Society is
disdainful of all such offers, and ostracizes all magicians who accept
such commissions. Of course, some can't resist the the lures of wealth and
power, and they dismiss the Society's attitude with aplomb as elitist
snobbery.
In many courts, religious leaders often hold much influence, and resent
wizardly rivals. Some sovereigns and nobles ignore this pressure, and seek
out diviners, astrologers and alchemists anyway. In some realms, the
rivalry is almost friendly, as in Veluna, where most of populace venerate
Rao or St. Cuthbert, and where there is a large elven-blooded magic-using
minority living there. In other states, like the Pale, 'witchcraft' has a
decidedly negative stigma, and has at times even been outlawed and
persecuted. In the Great Kingdom, sorcerers have long been patronized at
the court of the Overkings, where control over wizards has always been a
goal. Greyhawk is the most enlightened and open-minded of cities
concerning both wizardry and religion, probably due to its size,
cosmopolitan nature, and the historical influence of Zagyg. But most folk
in the Flanaess, especially the rustic sorts, have mixed reactions to
magicians, whom they regard with superstitious awe, and not uncommonly,
fear as well.
For all of these reasons, wizardly associations like the Society of the
Magivestre are rare, often located in out of the way places, and
generally apolitical. The Society of the Magivestre, being both old and
respected, sets a standard for academician wizards across the Flanaess.
Membership
The Society is insular and elitist. Most new members are promoted from
within: apprentices to junior members, and juniors to senior members.
Occasionally outsiders are given trial memberships, of a sub-junior or
associate rank. An outsider must have a sponsoring member, and is
expected to give a gift of magic items and a work of substantial research
in his or her application. As of now there are no female members in the
senior rank - the old boys grumble secretly about admitting 'witches' into
the old fraternity. However, two competent sorceresses are high in the
junior rank.
The senior members are none as powerful as, say, any members of the Circle
of Eight. There are currently six of them, all of full wizard status
(11th+ level). There are approximately twenty junior members (of widely
varied levels) who gather and study here. Many members, but not all, have
apprentices that mainly serve as scribes, component gatherers and
students.
Several magicians of the Society maintain private residences elsewhere, in
Geoff, or other lands nearby. Many also travel often, visiting
scholarly friends and sages abroad. There is a full member meeting once a
year, during the week following Growfest 7. This is the Grand Colloquy, at
which the members discuss Society issues and exchange findings, as well as
evaluate new potential members or candidates for promotion.
The current senior members are:
Periander
Alvacast
Olfaloon the Obscure
Trintle the Vain
Dithermox
Samorrion
The junior members are:
Meralda the White
Huswiller
Ganter Gall
Linth
Bodwiles
Hober the Fat
Cantrapsus
Rufillard
Xiffrin the Weird
Brarlimble
Valdrine
Scarabus the Ascetic
Yamp Zeagle
Irgo Ironstave
Globulun
Fedwink
Naryboddin
Ompus Herd
Oswy Baddlefell
Pinestral the Silent
The current High Magivestre is Periander, a hale old man, portly, bald,
with a vast current of a beard. The previous chairman, Alvacast, is a
gaunt, venerable specimen who abdicated the post some years past; still,
he hovers over Periander's shoulder like an old vulture. Dithermox is
fretful and quiet, a nervous, slight old man immersed in scholarly
minutiae and abstractions. Olfaloon the Obscure is a white-haired, robust,
ever-smiling man who scarcely speaks. The apprentices liken him to a smug
old cherub who is amused by the others but keeps his own private jokes to
himself. Less flattering are their accusations of senility. Samorrion is
cranky, opinionated and sanguine, with a craggy brow of salt-and-pepper
tufts of hair. His vast, overhanging eyebrows are aptly nicknamed 'The
Eagle's Nest' by snickering students, as the brows seem to grow together
in a single unkempt frowst. Trintle the Vain is the youngest of the senior
members, a pompous man with a bulbous nose, a receding chin, and minatory
eyes. Trintle's habit of dressing with exuberant finery and his constant
attempts at romantic affairs with local widows has earned him his title of
Vain. The apprentices and house-staff, in their good-natured but covert
ridicule, are fond of describing Trintle as an awkward, middle-aged
peacock that likes to chase old hens and collect shiny baubles.
The junior members are just as various. Meralda the White is bony, austere
and generally humorless. She is considered to be frigid and aloof, except
towards her twelve white cats. Huswiller is a florid and bibulous man,
fond of telling dirty jokes and passing out under random tables, from too
much lager. Ganter Gall is thin, fastidious and well-mannered. Linth is a
spectacular beauty, a gorgeous young witch of blond tresses, milk-white
skin and bright green eyes -- all of the students, and not a few of the
members are enamoured of her; to their resentment, she seems to prefer the
company of young knights and handsome warriors. Bodwiles is a greasy
haired rat-faced man with a round pot-belly. He is often accused of
associating with thieves and scoundrels, whom he claims are fellow
antiquarians that share his appreciation for historical trinkets. Hober
the Fat is over three hundred pounds, and not very tall, either. He is
bald, beardless, usually out of breath, and is often found in his study
surrounded by a litter of chicken bones and cake crumbs. Cantrapsus is a
wizard who delights in flourishes, pyrotechnics, dancing lights and smoke
puffs, to enliven the tedium of daily life -- he is a favorite among
students. Rufillard considers himself a noble and puts on aristocratic
airs; he claims to appreciate the finer things of the upper classes.
Xiffrin the Weird is pale, with eyes that look in different directions. He
sniffles a lot, mumbles inscrutable things and is usually avoided by the
others. Brarlimble is fond of the outdoors, and unlike most wizards,
enjoys wandering about in the woods and across the wilderness, for no
reason except to enjoy the open air. Valdrine is a sorceress with
reddish-brown hair, demure and studious, and is currently the paramour of
Ganter Gall, although the two are trying to keep the affair a secret.
Scarabus is intense, brilliant, and driven by an inner fire, and keeps a
large correspondence with many folk from distant lands. Yamp Zeagle is
easy going, affable, and moderate in his opinions. Irgo Ironstave has an
aquiline nose, a sharp wit, and a keen eye for mysteries and puzzles.
Globulun is bulky, quiet and even-tempered, with a healthy common sense.
Fedwink is lanky, loves pranks, and is regarded as immature, except by the
apprentices, who consider his juvenile attitude refreshing. Naryboddin is
well-mannered but opinionated, and seems to resent noblemen and warriors,
for some reason related to his past. Ompus Herd is somewhat dense and
slow, and is the butt of Society jokes -- the other members often wonder
why they admitted him. Ompus is easily befuddled and extremely clumsy; he
always seems to be kicking over milk jugs and vases, or tripping over the
castle dogs. Ompus is fond of playing an odd musical bagpipe, which he
plays badly, much to everyone's dismay. Oswy Baddlefell is young, insecure
and argumentative -- he always seems to be trying to prove himself,
usually in heated debates. Pinestral is distant, odd, and antisocial. He
is seldom seen, except at the Grand Colloquy once a year, where he sits
quietly, raising a single finger to vote on Society affairs, otherwise
remaining silent.
*
SOCIETY OF THE MAGIVESTRE
In the Grand Duchy of Geoff there is a reclusive old society of wizards,
sorcerers, and magicians. The society's home is a stone manse located upon
a steep cliff in the mountains, surrounded by a thick growth of pine and
fir trees. The manse, Marlyvern, is like a stone keep or a monastery in
appearance, a rather nondescript brownstone edifice with walls thickly
matted with ivy and moss. Over the years, the magicians of the Society
have acquired the habit of calling themselves scholars, sages, and
academics. They have found it causes less of a sensation with the local
folk. Clerics and priests in Geoff have often spoken out against the
dangers of sorcery, and over time, these warnings have bred superstition
and fear in the hearts of simple folk. Therefore, magicians have learned
to be discrete.
In all truth, the magicians of the Society *are* scholars -- a great deal
of their work is academic, probably the majority of it. The library at
Marlyvern is vast. The apprentices and junior magicians spend most of
their time translating and transcribing old texts, studying history and
reading philosophical treatises. There is, as it were, not much in the way
of flashes and pops. The older members of the Society are not unlike
eccentric and preoccupied sages. Each has his own specialty, with a
problem or set of problems he is involved with. A single problem may
occupy one for years -- it may be practical, such as altering a verbal
spell to a somatic spell, or it may be theoretical, like discovering the
natural limits on spell durations, or something of the sort.
Marlyvern is not a place of grandeur or wealth or pompous show. It is
stolid, rambling and a bit musty. It subsists on what can be gleaned from
the forest, as well as sheep and goats kept outside in pens. A grist mill
is nearby, and this operates to Marlyvern's profit. Mostly, the place is
self-sufficient. It exists on land ceded to it long ago, in a ducal
charter, which is locked away in the deep vaults. Marlyvern is essentially
its own demesne, nominally ruled by the High Magivestre, a vassal of the
Grand Duke.
Magivestre is an archaic term, which means "to invest or clothe with
magic." This refers to the process of teaching apprentices the art of
casting spells. The term Magivestre is also associated with the Vestments
of the Magi, the traditional garb and robes worn by the old hierarchy of
magicians.
The Society of the Magivestre is one of the oldest wizardly associations
in the Flanaess. In old times, a scholarly collection of magicians began
to gather here in order to study and exchange lore, and in that way the
Society germinated. After all of the upheavals and wars of dominance that
had been going on in the Flanaess, Marlyvern was a quiet and out of the
way place where wizards could retire and converse.
One of the precepts of the Society is that it is not political. The
Society has a venerable tradition of placing knowledge and aesthetics
above the seeking of power or glory. This is made obvious on the Scale of
Teleocepts, a great metallic disk inscribed with Primal Sigils that hangs
from three black chains in the Chamber of Initiates. According to Legend,
the seven foot diameter metal scale came from the Oerth Serpent, a divine
ancestor of all dragons. Supposedly, Boccob himself inscribed his
Teleological Doctrine upon it, for his apprentices to study.
Regardless of the truth of this legend, the Society seems to have built
its rules around the philosophy engraved on the Scale. The Society has a
Code prohibiting its members to embroil themselves in temporal disputes.
Society members are to respect the King's authority and laws, but also
distance themselves from martial affairs, noble feuds and so on. They
Society is officially disdainful of organizations like the magical Circle
of Eight, which they see as manipulative and banal.
There is a large olven population in Geoff, many of whom are potent
enchanters and wizards. Some in the Society are fascinated with olven
magic and befriend the elves, but as a general rule the Society is wary of
the fey folk. The olvenfolk, being so long-lived and strange, are usually
avoided at a respectful distance.
The largest religious faction in the Grand Duchy of Geoff is the
Fellowship of the Blinding Light, a priesthood dedicated to the Sun god,
Pholtus. Relations between the Society and the Fellowship are somewhat
strained, as the clerics often preach against the prideful excesses of
wizards, and the moral dangers involved in spell casting. But for a fact,
most Geoffites are neutral, good and freedom-loving, and the religion of
Pholtus is but a powerful minority in the whole. Most folk are happy to
ignore the discrete magicians' society, which they regard with benign
superstition.
The Grand Duke of Geoff, His High Radiance, Owen III, is clever and
tolerant, and enjoys the Society existing in his realm and considers it a
boon. Owen has often requested counsel and advice from the Society's
senior members, and he has always honored their ancient charter, which
grants their land and taxes them but mildly. The Society of the
Magivestre, in their turn, have given aid to the Grand Duke in recent
years, concerning troubles both in the Barrier Peaks and with some of the
more formidable giant raids.
Over the years, nobles and sovereigns from nearby lands have offered large
sums to Society wizards, to serve at their courts. The Society is
disdainful of all such offers, and ostracizes all magicians who accept
such commissions. Of course, some can't resist the the lures of wealth and
power, and they dismiss the Society's attitude with aplomb as elitist
snobbery.
In many courts, religious leaders often hold much influence, and resent
wizardly rivals. Some sovereigns and nobles ignore this pressure, and seek
out diviners, astrologers and alchemists anyway. In some realms, the
rivalry is almost friendly, as in Veluna, where most of populace venerate
Rao or St. Cuthbert, and where there is a large elven-blooded magic-using
minority living there. In other states, like the Pale, 'witchcraft' has a
decidedly negative stigma, and has at times even been outlawed and
persecuted. In the Great Kingdom, sorcerers have long been patronized at
the court of the Overkings, where control over wizards has always been a
goal. Greyhawk is the most enlightened and open-minded of cities
concerning both wizardry and religion, probably due to its size,
cosmopolitan nature, and the historical influence of Zagyg. But most folk
in the Flanaess, especially the rustic sorts, have mixed reactions to
magicians, whom they regard with superstitious awe, and not uncommonly,
fear as well.
For all of these reasons, wizardly associations like the Society of the
Magivestre are rare, often located in out of the way places, and
generally apolitical. The Society of the Magivestre, being both old and
respected, sets a standard for academician wizards across the Flanaess.
Membership
The Society is insular and elitist. Most new members are promoted from
within: apprentices to junior members, and juniors to senior members.
Occasionally outsiders are given trial memberships, of a sub-junior or
associate rank. An outsider must have a sponsoring member, and is
expected to give a gift of magic items and a work of substantial research
in his or her application. As of now there are no female members in the
senior rank - the old boys grumble secretly about admitting 'witches' into
the old fraternity. However, two competent sorceresses are high in the
junior rank.
The senior members are none as powerful as, say, any members of the Circle
of Eight. There are currently six of them, all of full wizard status
(11th+ level). There are approximately twenty junior members (of widely
varied levels) who gather and study here. Many members, but not all, have
apprentices that mainly serve as scribes, component gatherers and
students.
Several magicians of the Society maintain private residences elsewhere, in
Geoff, or other lands nearby. Many also travel often, visiting
scholarly friends and sages abroad. There is a full member meeting once a
year, during the week following Growfest 7. This is the Grand Colloquy, at
which the members discuss Society issues and exchange findings, as well as
evaluate new potential members or candidates for promotion.
The current senior members are:
Periander
Alvacast
Olfaloon the Obscure
Trintle the Vain
Dithermox
Samorrion
The junior members are:
Meralda the White
Huswiller
Ganter Gall
Linth
Bodwiles
Hober the Fat
Cantrapsus
Rufillard
Xiffrin the Weird
Brarlimble
Valdrine
Scarabus the Ascetic
Yamp Zeagle
Irgo Ironstave
Globulun
Fedwink
Naryboddin
Ompus Herd
Oswy Baddlefell
Pinestral the Silent
The current High Magivestre is Periander, a hale old man, portly, bald,
with a vast current of a beard. The previous chairman, Alvacast, is a
gaunt, venerable specimen who abdicated the post some years past; still,
he hovers over Periander's shoulder like an old vulture. Dithermox is
fretful and quiet, a nervous, slight old man immersed in scholarly
minutiae and abstractions. Olfaloon the Obscure is a white-haired, robust,
ever-smiling man who scarcely speaks. The apprentices liken him to a smug
old cherub who is amused by the others but keeps his own private jokes to
himself. Less flattering are their accusations of senility. Samorrion is
cranky, opinionated and sanguine, with a craggy brow of salt-and-pepper
tufts of hair. His vast, overhanging eyebrows are aptly nicknamed 'The
Eagle's Nest' by snickering students, as the brows seem to grow together
in a single unkempt frowst. Trintle the Vain is the youngest of the senior
members, a pompous man with a bulbous nose, a receding chin, and minatory
eyes. Trintle's habit of dressing with exuberant finery and his constant
attempts at romantic affairs with local widows has earned him his title of
Vain. The apprentices and house-staff, in their good-natured but covert
ridicule, are fond of describing Trintle as an awkward, middle-aged
peacock that likes to chase old hens and collect shiny baubles.
The junior members are just as various. Meralda the White is bony, austere
and generally humorless. She is considered to be frigid and aloof, except
towards her twelve white cats. Huswiller is a florid and bibulous man,
fond of telling dirty jokes and passing out under random tables, from too
much lager. Ganter Gall is thin, fastidious and well-mannered. Linth is a
spectacular beauty, a gorgeous young witch of blond tresses, milk-white
skin and bright green eyes -- all of the students, and not a few of the
members are enamoured of her; to their resentment, she seems to prefer the
company of young knights and handsome warriors. Bodwiles is a greasy
haired rat-faced man with a round pot-belly. He is often accused of
associating with thieves and scoundrels, whom he claims are fellow
antiquarians that share his appreciation for historical trinkets. Hober
the Fat is over three hundred pounds, and not very tall, either. He is
bald, beardless, usually out of breath, and is often found in his study
surrounded by a litter of chicken bones and cake crumbs. Cantrapsus is a
wizard who delights in flourishes, pyrotechnics, dancing lights and smoke
puffs, to enliven the tedium of daily life -- he is a favorite among
students. Rufillard considers himself a noble and puts on aristocratic
airs; he claims to appreciate the finer things of the upper classes.
Xiffrin the Weird is pale, with eyes that look in different directions. He
sniffles a lot, mumbles inscrutable things and is usually avoided by the
others. Brarlimble is fond of the outdoors, and unlike most wizards,
enjoys wandering about in the woods and across the wilderness, for no
reason except to enjoy the open air. Valdrine is a sorceress with
reddish-brown hair, demure and studious, and is currently the paramour of
Ganter Gall, although the two are trying to keep the affair a secret.
Scarabus is intense, brilliant, and driven by an inner fire, and keeps a
large correspondence with many folk from distant lands. Yamp Zeagle is
easy going, affable, and moderate in his opinions. Irgo Ironstave has an
aquiline nose, a sharp wit, and a keen eye for mysteries and puzzles.
Globulun is bulky, quiet and even-tempered, with a healthy common sense.
Fedwink is lanky, loves pranks, and is regarded as immature, except by the
apprentices, who consider his juvenile attitude refreshing. Naryboddin is
well-mannered but opinionated, and seems to resent noblemen and warriors,
for some reason related to his past. Ompus Herd is somewhat dense and
slow, and is the butt of Society jokes -- the other members often wonder
why they admitted him. Ompus is easily befuddled and extremely clumsy; he
always seems to be kicking over milk jugs and vases, or tripping over the
castle dogs. Ompus is fond of playing an odd musical bagpipe, which he
plays badly, much to everyone's dismay. Oswy Baddlefell is young, insecure
and argumentative -- he always seems to be trying to prove himself,
usually in heated debates. Pinestral is distant, odd, and antisocial. He
is seldom seen, except at the Grand Colloquy once a year, where he sits
quietly, raising a single finger to vote on Society affairs, otherwise
remaining silent.
