Nodare Bloodline

The Nodare Bloodline is spoken of with as much reverance as fear. They are an elven line producing wizards often destined for greatness.

## History

### Before the Chism

The Nodares were already a prominent family of wizards and sorcereres during the height of the New Kathorran Empire. However they mostly dealt with more civilian schools of magic like transmutation, enchantment and divination. When the Kathorran Empire, preparing for an invasion of Feradom, called upon the mages of the realm to start summoning their legions of old many in the east refused. Along with them were the Nodare, who prefered to stay away from necromancy and the conjuring of otherworldy beings.

When tensions rose Velodran Nodare, a prominent mage and heir of the bloodline, became a key part of the resistance against Kathorran pressure. However, his continious displays of elemental, evocative power made the Kathorran mages of the west warry. Velodran Nodare asked his fellow mages to remain peaceful. Sadly the civil war broke out.

### Civil War and the Chism

A bloody civil war was fought within the Thuringia region of Orrithia. This was the first mage-war since the cataclysm. The western, orcish wizards depended greatly upon conjured and risen forces in an attempt to overwhelm the resistance. Their treatment of the eastern mages - who were more civilian orriented like the Nodare - became vile and torturous.

Velodran Nodare wished to end the war. Over the course of those years his magical prowess grew like none other before. Some say he wielded the power of a Snarl. Others say he made a pact with some otherworldy being. Whichever were the detalis, Velodran completed his ritual at the Shattered Hold. The very earth before him was sundered and the deepest chasm the world of Orrithia had ever seen appeared. The spell cost him his life.

### Rise of the Queendom

Velodran Nodare's involvement in the act was silenced by the newly formed court of the Queendom. Knowledge of such a dangerous spell was destroyed. The official story is that Velodran died defending the fort and that the western mages of the Kathorran Empire created the chasm through their own foolishness. A story the broken empire could not contest easily, for they were pre-occupied with the ecological disaster.

Nodare's act was only spoken of in the closest courts of the queen. Where his bloodline was thanked.

After the facts a great many mages of importance came from the Nodare bloodline. At least half a dozen were founders of Scrywatch.

## Modern day

### Attitude towards magic schools

The Nodare family is well aware of the infamy of their progenitor. They attitude the leaders of the family towards it is often one of secrecy and almost shame. An attitude the court of the Queen pays them very well for. Thus the Nodare would prefer their family name mean something good. Something civil. The schools of magic they study often steers away from the destructive arts.

* **Abjuration:** A greatly valued school of magic by the Nodare. The act of protection and shielding is valuable to the ward. Nodare-woven wards are not to be ridiculed. However very few of the mages truly dedicate their lives to this school.
* **Conjuration:** Within the higher eshelons of the Queendom conjuration stills bears an ill reputation. Thus the Nodare have strongly steered away from such a school.
* **Divination:** With the advent of the might of the Scrywatch Mages, the Nodare have also taken towards this school of magic. Many Nodare enter the vaunted ranks of the Scrywatch as well. Within the family there is even a title for those who are born with a talent: Farseers.
* **Enchantment:** Often called upon during delicate situations, some mage families find the school too populistic. As it is one that assures the most contact with the likes of adventurers and craftsmen. None the less the Nodare take this school favorably.
* **Evocation:** The bane and shame of the family, evocation's destructive core is abhorred by the family. Any and all who wield it are considered black sheep within the family.
* **Illusion:** While not openly frowned upon, the school of deception should not be wielded by any self respecting family. Save, perhaps, for its artistic purposes. That being said, even the most fledgling of mages have tinkered with illusion.
* **Necromancy:** Abhorred and reviled across the Queendom. The Nodare have no use for this school.
* **Transmutation:** Almost on equal footing with Divination, transmutation has long had great civil uses in the world.