Schools of the Magical Arts

University of Greyhawk City

G.U. is separated into eight component Schools and five Colleges. The Schools were created, crafted, and guided by the patron whom the school is named after, i.e. Mordenkainen, Tenser, Bigby, Rary, Dramiji, Nystal, Ottiluke, and Otto. When a prospective student joins the university they petition to join one of these schools and one of the colleges of the five magics. Thus, any student has a variety of options as to what their spell focus (school) and five magic (college) will be. All combinations are possible but some are more rare than others.
See the Guided Tour.

President of the University, Archmage Kieran Jalucian
Master Magician Ren 'O the Star

Royal Aerdian Defense School

The official mage school of the now defunct Great Kingdom. It was originally founded by wizards but now its students may be of any of the five magics. Their school crafted the Monster Summoning spells 1-7.
These spells actually summon up troops and monsters trained and domesticated by the Great Kingdom. As 80% of the Aerdian military was comprised of orcs empressed into military service, orcs are a common result of the spells casting. To deal with loyalty issues the summoning spell also enacts a magical compulsion on the summoned creature so they serve loyaly. What is not generally known is that when an intelligent creature disappears after death or the summoning ends, the creature returns to the aerdian school base and is debriefed on their actions thus keeping the school informed on how their spells are used.  An Aerdian School mage is a walking army. With a few spells they can summon up a contingent of fire giants or a battalion of orcs. Piss them off and you may have several umber hulks knocking at your door. Now that the Great Kingdom has been toppled, the Aerdian School is in exile and believed to be opperating from the Sea Barrons or the Lordship Isles.

Aerdian mages have special abilities with their proprietary spells. They understand the workings of the Monster Summoning spells as to be able to specify which type of creature they prefer (the number however is still random - subject to availability at that moment). Additonally, these mages do have spells which will allow them to gain control of monsters summoned by non-Aerdian mages using Monster Summoning Spells. Aerdian Defense mages are also known for a variety of protective spells which affect large numbers of creatures (usually the ones they summon) as well as many mass combat type spells.

The School is run by three Archmages, each who serve at the pleasure of the Overprince. At least one of them is a Master of Wizardry. Each of the three leadership posts comes with it many titles and powers. Among them is Ambassador to the Nine Hells as well as Ambassadors to Orcus and Jubilex. The School has a long history of dealings with these fell forces and the eladers as well as their henchmen often have the ability to gate certain types of devils and demons at will. Other demonic powers are also granted to various posts within the school. Each of the Ambassadors is only a vassal of the Overking/Overprince and the final word in all dealings comes from the Overcrown. The Pit Fiend who is the Overkings/Overprinces personal body guard has devilish spies within the school to make sure this is so.  

Corrum-Likuth School of High Sorcery

Corrum and Likuth were two cities is a violent trade war over weaponsmithing. There were sorcerer and spell casting schools in both cities. Garrul was born of both cities - a father from one and a mother from the other. At the height of the war, Garrul betrayed both cities to the city of Trigol. Corrum and Likuth were both wiped out in less than a week. Garrul recruited the surviving sorceres (and purportedly killed the rest) and founded the Corrum-Likuth Sorcerers of Trigol. These sorcerers have developed a way to use sorcery to boost their spell casting ability - giving life to increase the damage on spells, etc. Corrum-Likuth sorceres are generally showy and grandious and love to flaunt the power of their magic. They are both revered and feared throughout Greyhawk and have considerable sway in the city of Trigol. Some of them use their sorcery to aid in the crafting of magical weapons in Trigol.

Grand Thaumaturgical Society of Nyrond

Founded by Endidu Kashur'anisal in C.Y. 327 as a competetor to the more powerful Thaumatuges Guild out of Rouxes, it quickly became popular in the northern teritories of the Aerdian Empire. Within 12 years the Wars of Seccession had begun and the Society became an integral component of the Nyrundian push for independence. In 352, Enmerkar, the new King of Nyrond endowed the Society with a permanent fund and national recognition. By C.Y. 400, nearly all practing Master Thaumaturges were members of the Society and the institution became a power house for magical endevours for the fledgling country overseeing all use of thaumaturgy for agricultural, maritime, alchemical, and magical endevours. Their stranglehold on thaumaturgy became so strong that in 478, the city of Urki declared trade war against the Society as a whole for its heavy fees on the agricultural employment of thaumaturges. When the city failed and was no longer able to pay its homage to the gods, many in Myrond realized the Societies power had grown too mightily - no society should be able to destroy a city as the Society did with Urki. King Lugalbandia, by threatening to revoke the Societies charter, was able to gain concessions that limited the Society's ability to wage trade wars but further increased its power to educate its members. Among these concessions were equal regional representation on the Society's Ruling Board. In reward for these concessions, the King granted permanent access to the royal libraries of Rel Mord for its members as it relates to thaumaturgy.  Nowadays, the Society fullfills its purpose by seeing that all of its members have access to thaumaturgical related spells and magics. The Society has meetings, usually in Rel Mord, where members discuss new advances in the field and explore new avenues of research. More notable members will usually give talks on new spells of their own creation as well as on the finer points and vagaries of 'the craft'. Currently, the head of the Grand Thaumaturgical Society is Endeepa Warrada su'Mord of Midmeadow- a consumate Master Thaumaturge as well as accomplished stonemason.

Membership Requirements: All members are required to have been born in the country of Nyrond, trained by a Nyrundian Master, and they themselves must now be master thaumaturges. After this is met, all that is required is a verified letter of candidacy written to the Society by the candidates master.  If the master is decessed then a list of proper credentials and the advocacy of anyone of Noble birth is then required.

Benefits: Access to the societies Master's SpellBook (or copies of the spells within). Access to the Royal Libraries in Rel Mord (as they pertain to thaumaturgy). Access to meetings of the Society. The protection of the Society against maltreatment by private employers as well as trade advice from the Church of Marduke. Letters to potential employers can be requested of the Society which will provide validated resumes as well as recomendations if requested.

Limitations: Any work provided by the member outside of Nyrond's borders or performed for non-citizens has a 20% surcharge which must be paid to the Society.

Royal School of Alchemy (Nyrond)