Arcane Orders

True wizards, sorcerers, and artificers are rare and remarkable. They can perform feats of magic beyond the talents of the most gifted magewright or adept. Arcane orders have played an important role in the development of arcane science. and can foster both connections and rivals for spellcasting characters. These provide the magically gifted with sanctums to practice their arts and share mystical knowledge. As the different circles focus on different types of magic, this also allows for a certain degree of price fixing and control of the mystical market.

## Membership Dues and Benefits

Membership in a Wizard Circle carries many benefits, but it is quite expensive. The applicant must pay a base fee of 1,000 gp to join the order, along with annual dues equal to 250 gp per level (reflecting the level of access to the libraries and workshops of the order). An order member must further donate 10% of the money they make through commercial spellcasting at the Order's sanctum, as well as 25% of profits earned from items crafted using the Circle's resources.

In exchange, a member receives a number of benefits, as outlined below:

1. **Housing.** First, a member receives free room and board at any sanctum of their order. A sanctum provides luxurious accommodations and a high level of magical security. You can stay at any of the order's halls (often in major cities of the realm) and enjoy the amenities of a wealthy lifestyle free of charge.
2. **Buying a Magic Item.** With the connections of the order, you can more quickly be connected with potential sellers of magic items. The downtime required to purchase a magic item, as shown on the Gold Piece Limit table, is reduced by one step if you spend that time at the order's hall. Additionally, you can purchase an item worth up to 25,000 gp even if you are not in Sharn, though doing so requires 1 month of downtime.
3. **Crafting.** If you craft a magic item at the order's hall, it takes you 80% of the normal time, and costs you 90% of the usual gold.
4. **Spell Scrolls.** You can purchase Spell Scrolls from the order with a 25% discount. Each order specializes in a particular set of schools; spells from these schools are available, but there is only a 25% chance that you can find a spell of a different school. An order only has scrolls that are available to arcane casters.
5. **Research.** While in the hall, you have advantage on Intelligence (Arcana) checks, as well as any ability checks involving arcane research.
6. **Spell Scribing.** A wizard member of a circle can copy any spell from the sanctum library, but to do so, they are required to donate of a spell scroll of the same level. Similarly, a member of the circle can learn one of the Obscure Spells which the circle is a keeper of. Each order specializes in a particular set of schools; spells from these schools are available, but there is only a 25% chance that you can find a spell of a different school.
7. **Spellcasting Services.** You may use the order's sanctum as a storefront to sell your spellcasting services. For as long as you have access to the order's hall, you can roll 1d12 instead of 1d20 for the purposes of determining profit from the Spellcasting Services Downtime Activity.
8. **Prestige.** Membership in an arcane order grants prestige within the magical community. Though this status provides no tangible benefit, it proves that you are a gifted mage and stand above any mere magewright or mystic dabbler. You are a *Real Wizard*, and you have *peers* that respect your work. The first time a character joins a Wizard Circle, they gain 1 political point. They lose this point if they later leave the circle.

## Brelish Wizard Circles

The early days of Galifar gave birth to three wizard circles: The Esoteric Order of Aureon, the Guild of Starlight and Shadows, and the Closed Circle. The wizards of the Closed Circle studied the lore of the Dragon Below and the daelkyr, and in 641 YK the combined forces of the Church of the Silver Flame and the other two circles destroyed the order. The Esoteric Order and the Guild of Star light and Shadows have remained in operation to this day. Most large cities in Breland have a sanctum for one of the circles, and both orders can be found in the metropolises of Breland. A member of a wizards circle has access to the facilities of all of the sanctums of their order.

## Aundairian Arcane Orders

Aundair boasts dozens of prestigious Wizard's Circles (also known as Arcane Orders), and most have representatives in the Arcane Congress.

**Major Arcane Orders**

* The Arcane Order of Aureon
* The Guild of Moonlight and Whispers
* The Order of the Ethereal Blade
* The Unspoken Word

**Lesser Orders**

* Dolurrh’s Gate
* The Golden Seal
* The Guild of Endless Doors
* The Keepers of Aureon’s Veil
* The Lodge of the Eternal Flame
* The Children of Siberys

## Thranish Wizard's Circles

While small, the Gilded Labyrinth is the one truly respected arcane order in Thrane. Its members are more commonly known as *Silver Pyromancers*, and specialize in incorporating the divine energy of the Silver Flame into arcane spells. This requires a deep devotion to the Flame in addition to arcane knowledge. Mechanically, members of the Gilded Labyrinth might be Divine Soul sorcerers or Celestial warlocks, but their traditions are grounded in arcane science and members must be proficient in Arcana. The Labyrinth is an arm of the Church of the Silver Flame, operating under the broader umbrella of the Order of the Pure; more information can be found on page 152 of the *Five Nations* sourcebook.

## Karrnathi Wizard's Circles

Karrnath doesn’t support wizard’s circles; it focused on martial orders and chivalric societies. With that said, some of those martial orders include warmages and the like; the Order of the Blackened Sky is an example of this, but they are martial orders with a magical aspect, not wizard’s circles. The one exception to this are the faculty of Atur Academy, the legendary school of necromancy that serves a similar purpose. The school is not an official Wizard Circle, but it is where the greatest minds of Karrnath perform arcane research and train the next generation of wizards and warlocks.

Ironically, despite Karrnath's refusal to formally recognize any wizard circle, it is the birthplace of Khorvaire's first Arcane Order: The Twelve. Though it is still in operation to this day, The Twelve is not open to new members. It acts as an alliance between and a 'Special Interest Group' on behalf of the twelve Dragonmarked Houses, where it can accomplish things beyond the capabilities of any one house.

## Cyrian Wizard's Circles

Before Cyre's fall, the Purple Jewel of Galifar's Crown boasted only one wizard circle: The Erudite Order of Aureon in eastern Cyre, that split off from the Arcane Order some time before the Last War. Cyre was also home to a number of noteworthy institutes of learning, which served a similar purpose to their alumni. **The Vermishard Academy** trained promising nobles in the arts of enchantment, while the **Wynarn Institute of Art** (WIA) focused on the artistic potential of illusion and conjuration magic. Like other nations, Cyre embraced the martial aspects of magic during the Last War, but its war magic programs weren’t as developed as those of Karrnath or Aundair. Unfortunately, all of Cyre's wizard circles and bardic colleges were effectively wiped out on the Day of Mourning, though many of the surviving members have gone on to join other arcane orders.

## Secret Societies

Arcane orders are exclusive, but generally not secret; part of the point of joining an arcane order is the prestige associated with it. While the Unspoken Word walks a dangerous line, it celebrates this and takes pride in its work. However, there are other cabals of mages that aren’t so open.

* **The** **Court of Shadows** is a league of warlocks and wizards inspired by Sul Khatesh.
* **The Mosiac Committee** is an Aundairian society that works to obscure the Draconic Prophecy.
* **The College of Whispers** is devoted to the Shadow, and counts both bards and wizards among its members.
* These are just a few examples; there are many more hidden below the surface of society.