The Mage Orders of Aerune

The continent of Aerune is home to several mage orders, each with its own ideologies, alliances and traditions. In Aerune alone lies hundreds of mage towers, placed on magical fault-lines where the magic of Yuvina is more present.

## The Orders

There are currently 5 grand orders of mages which hold dominance in the continent. Though most

* The Order of Cezius: The Dominant power in Aerune. This is the head order for most mage towers in the region, with the archmages in each tower answering to grand council. They reside in their own city of Cezius (former Ubixius), which is hidden in the Pale Mountains. Though they have no direct control over the other towers, they are the head, serving as protectors and peacekeepers in the continent. They are ruled by the Grand Arch Mage and the council of Cezius.
	+ The Eastern Dominion: An autonomous order inside the Order of Cezius. They hold dominion over the mages throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. Their head is the Arch Mage of Vascav.
	+ The Order of Renault: An autonomous order inside the Order of Cezius. They control the towers inside the Kingdom of Champirault, answering to the Champirault King. They reside in the capital of Chelysse, in the Grand Tower of Renault. Their Leader is the Hand of Renault
* The Viziers of Zakhar: The mage order of the Zakharian empire. These are dominant in all areas controlled by Zakharia and ruled by the Grand Vizier. Their base is in Amin, capital of Zakharia.
* The Jevuin council: The High Elven mage order in the Golden Isles. These were created in response to the order of Cezius, creating a elven counterpart. They reside in the Silver Tower. They are ruled by the council itself, comprising of the most powerful mages in the Golden Isles.

The Order of Sarani, though a major force, is a rogue order, outlawed in all of Aerune. They are currently hiding in the Dark Isles. They have no other towers answering to them, but instead many rogue, often powerful mages. The order is ruled by the Hand of Sarani.

## History

### The Chaotic Times and the forming of the Wizards

The years 1434 to 1492 was a time of great disorder in the continent. The Second Rift, starting in 1432, had given rise to magical anomalies and demons, which now plagued the countryside. Magicians, who were independent at that time, attacked towns and villages, making small kingdoms ruled by themselves. With their new powers gained through the rift, they were able to repel large armies, even killing the King Ionius XII of Mesania in 1489.

Year 1484, two brothers, Sarani and Cezius, both powerful magicians, created the Order of Mages. These two, realising that their brethrens actions would mean the end of magicians after the rift, decided that magicians had to be controlled through an order. Through hard research and practice they soon mastered their arts like never before using spell books and a more controlled magic source in the form of orbs. They would be known as the first Wizards.

The following years they would travel the world, converting sorcerers to their side, or defeating those who resisted. After 8 years, they were able to subdue most, if not all sorcerers in the continent, ending The Chaotic Times. The city states, thankful for ending the crisis, grants the two brothers the city of Ubixius, and construct the first mage tower. The mages as well were now given task to quell the demons and anomalies occuring throughout the continent.

### Sarani's Betrayal and the War of Brothers

Though the mages were quelled, the region soon went into chaos again. The City states, now independent following Ionius' death, warred each other for land and resources. Sarani, seeing the conflict, as well as the consequences such as massacres and famine, saw the mages as the only solution for peace. Soon enough the brothers quarreled over their ideologies, Cezius staying to their neutrality in politics, only to keep the magical powers under control, while Sarani believed that the mages were to take full control over the kingdoms. Things would reach a tipping point when the brothers fought the grand sorcerer Ouven. Sarani, seeing his brother in crisis, casted magic like no other, later called, shadow magic. Cezius was infuriated over his use of this magic that seemed dark and evil, and soon demanded his brother to leave, never to return. Sarani, along with his followers left, though not abandoning their new learned arts, becoming the first Warlocks. The Order of Cezius and Sarani were now formed.

Though the two brothers and their orders were at first in peace, it would not last. Sarani and his warlocks, residing in the city of Larmos, attacked the city of Pelles, and started a full scale invasion of the western Meniron. Tales of the warlocks atrocities soon spread to Cezius, and realising that his brother might become what they wanted to destroy, heads out with all his mages, with meniron support, agains Sarani.