Cowled Wizards The Cowled Wizards are a secret organization of wizard s in Amn . They were originally created by Alisar of Esmeltaran in the 13th century . Alisar and the mages wanted to preserve magical lore and they saw themselves as saviors of the Art and as agents of Azuth and Deneir . Moving underground , they became librarians of lore and teachers to those with potential . The Cowled Wizards also kept an eye on foreign wizards passing through Amn , keeping rogue wizards in line to protect Amnians and the Cowled Wizards ' secrecy . Organization . Each cell of Cowled Wizards is isolated in a town or city and ruled by the highest - level mage in that area . As long as politics do not pit one cell leader against the first and still largest Athkatlan cell and its leader , local Cowled Wizards can meet others in Athkatla in secret rooms beneath Jann Lane . There they can organize things and get into contact with distant Cowled Wizard cells , and join or communicate with them . By day , the members work as merchants , booksellers , herbalists , apothecaries , or the like . During their meetings they wear their cowled hoods and robes . This style of wear is based on those of graduates of the School of Wonder , which was destroyed a long time ago . Any Cowled Wizard can share his identity with family , local wizards , or correspondents , but the Cowls allow anonymity if desired . Most of them know only two or three members by their true names . Recent history . A few members chose to use the knowledge and power of the Cowled Wizards for their own ends . Their motives were in most cases political ones , and they used magic to erase rivals , fix deals and took other actions not condoned by their fellows . In general the Cowled Wizards dislike roguish actions and usually censure or eliminate the guilty to prevent their own discovery . One of the more political ambitioned wizards was Thayze Selemchant . He was one of the founders of the Council of Six and ended the Trade War in Amn in 1333 DR . He was killed in Marpenoth 1362 DR when other members of the Council found out that he was a Cowled Wizard . Around 1368 DR Lady Varytha Gheldieg of Eshpurta was one of a trio attempting to regain an agent among the Council of Six . But they were unaware that the Council already watched them through Tyrda Q ' Helvor , the Pommarch at that time . But the most dangerous to the cabals of any of them joined their ranks as the apprentice of Varytha . The lovely elf Zallanora Argentresses , who gains admirers and volunteer tutors among the Cowled Wizards but is also one of the most ambitious and dangerous necromancer in Faerûn . The Cowled Wizards in the game Baldur ' s Gate II : Shadows of Amn . The Cowled Wizards are a secret and powerful organization based in the capital city of Athkatla within Amn . Operating separately from the ruling Council of Six , their main job is to find and destroy " deviant " wizard s , sorcerer s and other arcane spellcasters within the city . Although they are feared in Amn , they are tolerated because the general populace fears rogue spellcasters more . Nobody is aware of their numbers , though they keep an asylum on the island of Brynnlaw , referred to as Spellhold , where they house their offenders . The group has lost power of late however , as the evil elven mage Jon Irenicus briefly took over Spellhold , killing a great many of the Cowled Wizards .