Arcane Tradition: School of Astrology

The astrologian is an arcane tradition strongly tied to the new renaissance of spelljamming taking root in the Realms. The discovery of the *farseer of Illusk* atop the ruins of Castle Naerytar, collections of ancient texts by an elven society known as the Stargazers, and the dwarven astrologians of Twilight Tor have led wizards in Faerun to take up the study of the cosmos once again and eagerly look to the stars.

For more information on wildspace and the stars, refer to the cosmology of Faerun.

## **Astrologians**

The School of Astrology teaches an ancient and revered tradition. Some of the oldest cultures in Faerun have looked to the stars for advice and insight. Legendary astrologians of Mulhorand, Chessenta, Zakhara, and Kara-Tur, along with elven stargazers nearly as old as Faerun itself, have mapped the welkin with every glittering mote that dances in the night sky. Wizards of this school know that there is eldritch power coursing through the cosmos, waiting to be harnessed. With the use of a mystical orrery and a tome of discoveries known as an ephemeris, the astrologian can channel this power into celestial energy. Reaching out to such ancient power can have its perils, however, and many an astrologian has gone mad from gazing too far into vistas of cosmic revelation that mortal minds are unable to comprehend.

## **Stargazer**

When you select this school at 2nd level, you learn one language of your choice. You become proficient in the History skill and with the use of an orrery, a spherical model of the cosmos similar to a gyroscope. You may use the orrery to apply your proficiency bonus to any ability check related to your knowledge of the stars, such as navigation or timekeeping, if your proficiency bonus does not already apply to the check.

Additionally, you may use your orrery as an arcane focus.

## **Cosmic** **Gnosis**

When you select this school at 2nd level, you are awakened to the revelations of the cosmos. Even before the elves, the astrologians of Zakhara, far to the south of Faerun, were the first to harness their Cosmic Gnosis to augment their powers. They were able to use the very stars to entrust their magic, and then later recall the celestial energy to weave spells. This practice was refined over the centuries into the process of inscription and extraction. Inscription is the act of infusing magic into a celestial body, extraction is the act of syphoning the stored cosmic energy out of a celestial body.

**Inscription and Extraction.** You are able to mystically fuse the cosmic power of celestial bodies with strands of the Weave, inscribing a spell's arcane formula onto the pattern of a constellation. After inscribing a spell in this fashion, you are able to harness the spell's power by extracting the spell from the constellation.

To inscribe a spell onto a constellation, you must first select a stellium. There are three prominent constellations in view at any one point: the ruling stellium, the ascending stellium, and the descending stellium. When you select this school at 2nd level, you may inscribe a spell on only the ruling stellium. When you reach the 5th level in the wizard class, you may inscribe a spell on both the ruling and ascending stellia. When you reach the 10th level in the wizard class, you may inscribe a spell on all three stellia. The details of different stellia will vary from campaign world to campaign world. In the Forgotten Realms, for example, the three stellia shift every month. In a different world, the stellia might change only every 6 months, every 5 years, or never change at all.

* **Ruling Stellium.** This constellation is the brightest and most prominent in the night sky. Its influence rules the welkin and its dominance is absolute, until the stellia shift and it begins to descend. Spells from any school or level can be inscribed on the ruling stellium.
* **Ascending Stellium.** The ascending stellium is rising in the sky, and will become the next ruling stellium when the stellia shift. It is youthful and new, only just coming into its power. Only spells of 3rd level or lower and from a particular school can be inscribed on the ascending stellium. Refer to your dungeon master (or below for the Forgotten Realms) for the details on which school or schools are accessible.
* **Descending Stellium.** The descending stellium is falling from the sky, and will either fall out of view when the stellia shift or renew the process by beginning to ascend. It is old and wise, but has lived past its prime. Only spells of 5th level or lower and from a particular school can be inscribed on the descending stellium. Refer to your dungeon master (or below for the Forgotten Realms) for the details on which school or schools are accessible.

You must have a clear view of the night sky and access to your orrery in order to inscribe a spell, which must be done during a long rest. For the inscription process, you cannot use your constellatrium. You may only inscribe one spell with a casting time of 1 minute or less per long rest. Once a spell is inscribed, you are unable to prepare the spell normally until the spell is extracted.

At any point after you finish the long rest spent inscribing the spell, you may use an action to extract and cast it. You must have a clear view of the night sky or your constellarium. You must use a spell slot as normal, and you must be holding your orrery in order to pull the threads of magic from the cosmos. Once the spell is extracted, its mystical formula is separated from the pattern of the constellation and it can no longer be cast.

> On the planet of Toril, each month has a different ruling stellium. Refer to the chart at the end of this article for which stellium rules which month. The constellations listed are not the only groupings of celestial bodies in the sky, but they are the most prominent and the most significant in lore, history, and culture. Planets in the Abeirspace crystal sphere other than Toril have different views of the cosmos and may have differing constellation patterns. When out in the wildspace of the crystal sphere, most stellia can be viewed at any time of day.
>
>

**Constellarium.** You learn to channel cosmic magic through your orrery to create an illusory meridien, a map of the welkin. You can use an action while holding your orrery to generate a sphere around you with a radius of 10 feet. The sphere is centered on the orrery, moves with the orrery, and lasts 1 minute or until you dismiss it as a bonus action. The area within the sphere is a replica of the night sky, composed of glimmering motes, runes, and lines which shed dim light for 20 feet and show you the placement of important constellations and celestial bodies.

While you are within and able to see the constellarium, you can access many of your features that require you to have a clear view of the night sky even if there is not one in view.

You can project the constellarium once. You regain the ability to do so after you finish a short or long rest.

## **Synastry**

Beginning at 6th level, you can identify the celestial connection between creatures and draw out the inner power of these cosmic bonds by anchoring them on an ancient and powerful celestial body. In the Forgotten Realms, for example, these bonds are anchored on the four royal stars. During a short or long rest, you can spend one hour referring to your charts, ephemeris, and orrery to align yourself with another willing creature in celestial harmony. You and the creature you are bonded with each choose a different option from the following list:

* You choose an ability. The creature to which you are bonded in synastry receives a +1 bonus to ability checks and saving throws with the chosen ability, while you receive a -1 penalty to ability checks and saving throws with the same ability. In the astrology of the Forgotten Realms, this option is associated with the royal star *Ochael*, which shares an affinity to the elemental god, Ishtishia of water, and the elven god, Rillifane Rallathil.
* The creature to which you are bonded in synastry receives a +1 bonus to AC, while you receive a -1 penalty to AC. In the astrology of the Forgotten Realms, this option is associated with the royal star *Iaras*, which shares an affinity to the elemental god, Grumbar of earth, and the elven god, Labelas Enoreth.
* The creature to which you are bonded in synastry receives a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made against a single target, while you receive a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls made against a single target. In the astrology of the Forgotten Realms, this option is associated with the royal star *Uluemyn*, which shares an affinity to the elemental god, Kossuth of fire, and the elven god, Solonor Thelandira.
* The speed of the creature to which you are bonded is increased by 5, while your speed is reduced by 5. In the astrology of the Forgotten Realms, this option is associated with the royal star *Luridel*, which shares an affinity to the elemental god, Akadi of air, and the elven god, Erevan Ilesere.

The bond lasts until the next short or long rest, or until you and the creature you are bonded with are separated by 500 feet or more.

## **Conjunction**

Beginning at the 10th level, you can harness the cosmic magic of celestial conjunctions to bolster your allies or hinder your foes. The stars align only rarely, and when all is harmonious this magic can be drawn from the welkin. When you cast a wizard spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, you may roll a d20. If you roll an 18, 19, or 20, the stars align in a Grand Trine. If you roll a 1, 2, or 3, the stars align in a Cosmic Cross. When a conjunction aligns, you may use your reaction to cause one of the following effects based on which conjunction occurred:

**Grand** **Trine.** Choose up to three creatures that are no more than 30 feet from each other. Each creature that was chosen gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your Intelligence modifier and advantage on its next saving throw.

**Cosmic** **Cross.** Choose up to four creatures that are no more than 30 feet from each other. Each creature that was chosen has disadvantage on its next saving throw. In addition, any spells you cast against a creature affected by Cosmic Cross ignore damage resistances until the end of your next turn.

Once you have drawn power from either a Grand Trine or a Cosmic Cross, you cannot benefit from another conjunction until you finish a short or long rest.

## **Tabula Rasa**

At the 14th level, you gain the ability to erase the cosmic patterns you have inscribed with your Cosmic Gnosis feature and rewrite their formulae. When you have a clear view of the night sky or your constellarium, you may use an action to replace any spell you currently have inscribed on a constellation with a spell from your spellbook that you do not have prepared. The spell must otherwise follow the rules of inscribing a spell as per your Cosmic Gnosis feature.

Once you use this feature, you cannot do so again until you finish a long rest.

## **Astrologians in the Forgotten Realms**

On the planet of Toril, astrologians use the constellations related to the Calendar of Harptos. They believe that four prominent schools of magic rule the welkin while four lesser schools lie between. Most cultures on Toril regard Abjuration, Divination, Evocation, and Illusion as prominent schools and Conjuration, Enchantment, Necromancy, and Transmutation as lesser schools. Prominence is traditionally established by the school's mystical presence in the welkin, determined by the types of magical strands found within each stellium.

Refer to the chart below for which school of magic is associated with each month and stellium.