Chambers of Astinus

Sorcerers and the new magic

The Origins of Sorcery

When the gods seemed to have left Krynn during the Summer of Chaos, wizards and many other folks found themselves deprived of magic. In 20 SC, from out of the Desolation emerges a figure calling itself the Shadow Sorcerer. This powerful mage wields great sorcerous powers which it teaches to Palin Majere and in secret, to Dalamar the Dark. These new sorcerers discovered the inherent ability to channel arcane energy from the world around them, without the need of magic from the three moons. It was a return to the old ways of wild magic, which predated high sorcery. Over the next decade, the spread of sorcery reaches far and wide, and is at it's pinnacle in 29 SC, when Palin Majere constructs the Academy of Sorcery. Even with the destruction of the Academy in 37 SC, and the return of the gods at the end of the War of Souls in 38 SC, sorcery still runs strong and there are many active sorcerers who chose to stay faithful to primal sorcery.

Schools of Sorcery

Like the spheres of high sorcery, there are schools of primal sorcery. There are eleven schools of sorcerous magic, which the sorcerer can draw from. Many sorcerers, particular Academy sorcerers will focus on a single school and master it, rather than dabble in many.

Aeromancy: This school involves controlling and manipulating air and the weather, as well as controlling air elementals.

Cryomancy: The school of Cryomancy focusses on controlling ice, whether through freezing, creating ice storms or erecting great walls of ice.

Divination: The ability to allow a mind to wander through time and space, and to learn of the past, present or future, is to embrace the tenets of the school of Divination.

Electromancy: This school involves controlling lightning and electrical forces.

Enhancement: This school teaches it's students to empower weapons and other items in a number of different ways.

Geomancy: Geomancers control the earth, through being able to create walls of earth, summon earth elementals or cause earthquakes.

Hydromancy: This school involves controlling water. A true student of this school can summon water elementals, create whirlpools and walk on water.

Pyromancy: Pyromancers control the element of fire. They can create walls of flame, summon fire elementals or throw fiery balls at their foes.

Spectramancy: This schools allows it's students to control light and color, enabling them to turn invisible or to plunge an area into absolute darkness, as well as create powerful illusions.

Summoning: Summoners can bend space and travel great distances to bring back creatures or items from a faraway place. A summoner can literally travel from one end of Ansalon to the other in the blink of an eye.

Transmutation: Transmuters are able to manipulate non-living matter into other substances, therefore enabling them to turn a stone wall into mud, or a pebble into a diamond.

Roles of a Sorcerer

There are several different types of sorcerers in the Age of Mortals, who have different ideals they live by, and motivations for their use of sorcery.

Academy Sorcerer: Even with the destruction of the Academy, many of those who were instructors still teach in other more remote facilities. The sorcerer who truly wishes to learn and grow, and also to share their knowledge with those around them, should join. All Academy sorcerers consider themselves students of the world, and everyone learns from everyone else.

Battle/War Mage: There are some few sorcerers who greatly prefer the application of their sorcery in the battlefield, rather than keeping their head in a book. These sorcerers are often mercenaries or advisors to generals, keeping themselves involved in war for a high price.

Independant Sorcerer: Some sorcerers actively take part in the goings-on in the world, without joining any one organisation. These sorcerers pursue their own objectives, rather than those of a group. They have no ties to any conclaves or other magical groups, and sometimes even open up their own private schools, sharing their views with their students.

Itinerant Mage: Those sorcerers who cannot conform to the ideals of any one faction, nor even bother to work for their own financial gain, often become itinerant mages. These mages walk the land, often in search of a place that will accept them. Some itinerant mages simply believe that they can learn more about the world and their sorcery by wandering the earth, rather than sitting in a school somewhere.

Knight of the Thorn: Human or half-elf sorcerers who join the dark knights in the Lily ranks, may apply to become true sorcerers in the Thorn Knights after taking their Test of Takhisis. Those who pursue power and conquest over anything else, should choose to become Thorn Knight sorcerers.

Legionnaire Sorcerer: Sorcerers who join the Legion are treated with high respect and given prominent positions in the order. They serve in the role of teacher for the entire time they are in the order, teaching folk how to use primal sorcery and of the values of the Legion of Steel. For the sorcerer who likes being busy and being valued highly, this is the faction to join.

Solamnic Auxiliary Sorcerer: After the Summer of Chaos, the Solamnic Knights recognised the value of sorcerers amidst their ranks, and created the auxiliary, which sorcerers who share their ideals are welcome to join. These sorcerers are considered equals to Crown Knights and are treated the same as knights across the land.

Spell Broker: If rather than join any kind of faction, or any such thing, a sorcerer would rather make money off their powers, then they are known as a spell broker. These sorcerers hire themselves out to do services (guard caravans, remove curses, advise folk, etc) for financial gain. They are not all unscrupulous, however they are most certainly looking out for themselves over anyone else.

Becoming a sorcerer

Becoming a sorcerer would seem a relative simple process, however it is quite difficult. With the destruction of the Academy, sorcerers no longer have one large place where they can go to learn the tenets of primal sorcery. The options are for them to join the Solamnic army, the Legion of Steel or the Knights of Neraka and then specialise in the sorcerous arts. Otherwise they can try to learn from an existing independant sorcerer or one of the smaller private schools of sorcery.

Hierarchy of Sorcery

There is no real hierarchy or structure for sorcerers. Those who wish to learn sorcery are known as aspirants and the rest are just sorcerers. Albeit sorcerers can be linked to various factions and organisations throughout the land and earn their own titles, but there is no singular hierarchy amongst those who practice primal sorcery itself.

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