Conclave of Mages
| Conclave of Mages | |
|---|---|
|
Magicians' Conclave[1] Mairsil's Citadel[1] Ith's Councilhouse[1] The Dark Castle[1] | |
 | |
| History | |
| Founded on | Terisiare, Dominaria |
| Active | Founded between 69 and 80 AR |
| Status | Fallen, members joined the City of Shadows |
| Membership | |
| Founded by | Nod and Duck |
| Leader | Lord Ith, Mairsil |
| Notable members | Barl, Dervish, Dorine, Drusilla, Ingles, Jarsyl, Jodah, Jonko, Lucan, Nedastophalites, Ophenia, Orm, Rasputin Dreamweaver, Remarin, Shan-Lo, Shannan, Wode |
| Races | Humans |
| Associated Colors | |
     | |
The Conclave of Mages was an impressive citadel, built on the site of the ruined Monastery of Gix on northern Terisiare on the plane of Dominaria during the Dark Age.
Description
The Conclave citadel lay across a low, flat plain on an out-thrust shoulder of a mountain in northern Terisiare. The citadel was larger than most towns, with a huge central keep and numerous towers. The towers were tipped by ornate iron frameworks that looked like a collection of holy symbols welded together at random. Equally ornate balconies with iron railings dotted the towers. Flying bridges and curved battlements spanned the spaces between the towers and the central keep. The complex sprawled out and downward over most of the mountain's shoulder. Portions of the great building hung over the cliffs beyond, suspended by buttresses, and it would seem, aided by spells and wishful thinking. The central keep was dominated by an ever-higher set of peeked roofs, some of the thatch and wood shingles, and some of the multicolored slate that caught the sunlight. There were lights in some windows, and the citadel carried the sound of people laughing from within.[1]
After Lord Ith started leading the Conclave, he had the idea of a labyrinth granting the school cover. He started building it, and soon the citadel was surrounded by a large maze. It looked like an abandoned garden maze with low walls everywhere, overgrown with dark ivy and glory plants, but it was huge. It was also half-finished, left abandoned when Ith was put into Barl's cage by Mairsil.[1]
History
After the Fall of Terisia City in 45 AR, and the Fall of the College of Lat-Nam afterward, the Third Path was left without a base of operations, its members scattered across Terisiare. Some of these mages sought refuge from the Church of Tal, which they eventually found in the dual schools of the City of Shadows in Lat-Nam, and the Conclave of Mages in northern Terisiare.
The Conclave was a school that was founded between 69 and 80 AR by "Nod" and "Duck" to study both artifice and magic. They used the abandoned ruins of the former Monastery of Gix as their base to build their citadel. The two artificers did not use their real names to conserve the secrecy of the school and keep the Church of Tal at bay. Urza's grandson Jarsyl joined them shortly after the founding.[2]
Eventually, many of the scattered members of the Third Path also made their way to the Conclave, swelling the school's numbers with experienced mages, scholars, artificers, and students. Years later, the school was surrounded by the half-finished Maze of Ith, and Lord Ith was its leader - the Magus Supreme. At some point, Ith also claimed that he was the founder of the place.[1]
After Ith was locked in Barl's Cage, Ith's jailer Mairsil took over the role as the leader of the Conclave while continuously draining Ith's magics with the watersilver bars of the cage.[1]
The Conclave eventually became a rival to the City of Shadows, as each school stood in distant opposition to the other's teaching system. The Conclave was much less structured and hierarchical - each mage at the Conclave was considered an equal, and Mairsil called himself "First Among Equals". Although every color of mana was studied at the school, blue mana was by far the least popular due to its association with the rival City of Shadows.[1]
In the end, the Conclave could not evade its persecutors forever. The Fall of the Conclave of Mages involved an army of the Church of Tal led by Primate Delphine attacking the citadel, and at the same time, Jodah and Sima freeing Lord Ith from his cage. Although the church army was defeated, the conclave mages had little defense left against the enraged Lord Ith. Mairsil was killed, Barl was turned into a Rag Man, and Ith cast a spell that caused the rest of the mages to flee the citadel grounds in fear, before razing the school to the ground. After this incident, most of its residents traveled to the City of Shadows, which became the only holdout for the study of magic on Terisiare in the Dark Age.[1]
Notable members
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Jeff Grubb (1999), "The Gathering Dark", Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ Miguel Lopez (October 20, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Episode 2: The Beginning". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.