ARCANIST

Arcanists are a collection of those individuals who are gifted with the ability to harness the inherent magic of themselves and the world around them. These individuals have the instinctive power of the sorcerers, but have been trained to channel this power and use it to weave spells. Because of the unique way they focus magic energy through themselves, they cast spells differently than other arcane spellcasters. Adventures: The typical arcanist adventures in order to improve his abilities. Only by testing his abilities through use, can he expand his knowledge of magic. eveloping and refining their control of magic is a quest in itself for many arcanists, regardless of how that power will eventually be used. Characteristics: The arcanist!s strength is his mastery over magic. "agic provides their offense, defense, and even a means of expression. Alignment: Arcanists show a definite tendency away from chaos. Only through control can one master the subtle waves and flows of magic. #owever, because of the very nature of magic, all alignments are possible. Religion: Arcanists commonly revere Boccob, god of magic. $ome, especially evil ones, prefer %ee &as, goddess of magic and death. Arcanists are generally more devoted to the study of magic than their spiritual sides. #owever in the Forgotten Realms, Arcanists are strongly tied to "ystra, goddess of magic. $he is the creator of the class and has granted their understanding of how to weave magic. Background: Arcanists, no matter their origin, race, or alignment, are all part of a distinct group. They are all part of an organi'ation that seeks to prevent the misunderstanding of magic, and to increase their mastery over magic. Arcanists tend to look down on both sorcerers and wi'ards, one as an untrained dabbler and the other as a crude manipulator. #owever, they cannot overlook their common share of magical ability. All arcanists are classified by power and house. (owers are the different ranks of arcanists, which are based on inherent spell casting ability. The houses are basically separations of personal experience and duties in the order. The three different houses are as follows) #ouse of the $tars**this house is dedicated to training and finding new arcanists, it is also the house in which all new arcanists start. #ouse of the $un**this house is dedicated to the preservation of knowledge, such as tracking adventuring arcanists, maintaining the libraries, study of magic in effects and items, and collecting lore from all the realms and planes. Only those of +th level of ,xperience or greater may actively -oin this house. #ouse of the "oon** this house is dedicated to the acquisition of new and

unique magic, effects, items, and ideas. "ost within this house have dedicated themselves to the creation of new spells and items, and are completely devoted to research. Only those of at least .th level, usually /th, are accepted into this house. Arcanists who have reached 01th level must choose a permanent house. 2pon acceptance, they then become a master of that house. "asters have more freedom to research their own interests and have greater access to the extensive resources of the Arcanic 3ollege. 4our "asters of each house are appointed to the 3ouncil as 5randmasters. The 3ouncil serves as the ruling body of the arcanic brotherhood. They are the ones, along with the 6mperial 5randmaster that authori'e the acceptance of new acolytes, observe the security of the Arcanic 3ollege, graduate and promote arcanists to new houses or powers, and make -udgment on all other ma-or concerns. Races: #umans, elves, and half*elves take to magic more readily than most other races, but because the innate ability to cast magic is unpredictable, it can show up in any of the common races. Any person found by the brotherhood to have the necessary skills and aptitude, regardless of race, can be trained to become an arcanist. Other Classes: Arcanists find they have most in common with the other spell*using classes, such as the wi'ard, sorcerer, and cleric. 4ew, however, are those that fail to see the necessity of individuals with useful skills.

GAME R !E IN"ORMATION
Arcanists have the following game information A#ilities: 6ntelligence determines how powerful a spell an arcanist can cast, how many spells he can cast, and how hard those spells are to resist. To cast a spell, an arcanist must have a minimum 6ntelligence score of 07 8 the spell!s level. 6n addition, the arcanist gets bonus spell points based upon 6ntelligence. The ifficulty 3lass of a saving throw against an arcanist!s spell is 07 8 the spell!s level 8 the arcanist!s 6ntelligence modifier. #igh exterity is helpful for an arcanist, who cannot wear armor because it disrupts their magical defenses. A good 3onstitution gives an arcanist extra hit points and helps the arcanist when he attempts to cast spells beyond his ability. Alignment: Any. $it %ie: d+.

Class Skills
The arcanist!s class skills 9and the key ability for each skill: are Alchemy 96nt:, 3oncentration 93on:, 3raft 96nt:, ;nowledge 9all skills, taken individually: 96nt:, (rofession 9%is:, $cry 96nt, exclusive skill:, and $pellcraft 96nt:. $ee 3hapter +) $kills in the Players Handbook for skill descriptions. $kill (oints at 0st <evel) 9= 8 6nt modifier: x +. $kill (oints at ,ach Additional <evel) =8 6nt modifier.

TAB!E A&': T$E ARCANIST

Caster S*ell Normal Ma- Base Attack "ort Re, )ill !evel +oints !evel !evel Bonus Save Save Save 0 1 0 87 87 87 8= = . @ 80 87 87 8@ @ 00 = + 80 80 80 8@ + 0@ 8= 80 80 8+ 1 =7 @ 1 8= 80 80 8+ E =+ 8@ 8= 8= 81 . @@ + E 8@ 8= 8= 81 A @/ 8+ 8= 8= 8E / +/ 1 . 8+ 8@ 8@ 8E 07 1. 81 8@ 8@ 8. 00 E/ E A 81 8@ 8@ 8. 0= .A 8EF80 8+ 8+ 8A 0@ /@ . / 8EF80 8+ 8+ 8A 0+ 07@ 8.F8= 8+ 8+ 8/ 01 0=7 A 8.F8= 81 81 8/ 0E 0@= 8AF8@ 81 81 807 0. 017 / 8AF8@ 81 81 807 0A 0E/ 8/F8+ 8E 8E 800 0/ 0A@ 8/F8+ 8E 8E 800 =7 0/@ 807F81 8E 8E 80= S*ecial "inor "astery, (rotection, Thematics, Bonus 4eat Overcastting, $ummon 4amiliar S*ell S*ell Over !evel Cost Cast 7 0 0 = = @ + @ + E + 1 . 1 E / E . 07 . A 0= A / 0@ / 07 01

Bonus 4eat

Bonus 4eat

Bonus 4eat

S*ell "ailure #( Caster !evel %i,,erence 0 3901: = 39=7: @ 39=1: + 39@7:

Class "eatures
All of the following are class features of the arcanist. 6n all ways not listed, arcanists are treated as wi'ards. $ierarch(: >ew arcanists start with a given status by rolling on the following chart, and receive items according to their position. (ower ?ank) 9?oll 0d=7: 0*0=) @rd (ower* 3opper veined crystal mythar and 3opper trimmed robes. 0@*0A) =nd (ower* $ilver veined crystal mythar and $ilver trimmed robes. 0/*=7) 0st (ower* 5olden veined crystal mythar and 5old trimmed robes. )ea*on and Armor +ro,icienc(: Arcanists are skilled with the club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff. Arcanists are not proficient with any type of armor or with shields. Armor of any type interferes with the way in which arcanists focus magical energy. Arcanists wearing armor have a /7B chance of spell failure regardless of the type of armor worn. S*ells: An arcanist casts arcane spells and with limited ability, a number of healing spells. #is casting is limited by the amount of spellpoints that he can focus per day, according to his class level. An arcanist regains his ability to cast spells by means of meditation that allows him to focus magical energy for the day. 6nstead of sleeping, the arcanist enters a meditative state and uses a mythar, a palm si'ed magical orb, to refocus his connection to the weave of magic that surrounds every world. This meditation takes + hours 9uninterrupted:, but similar to elves reverie, as it is equivalent to A hours of sleep. To learn or cast a spell, an arcanist must have an 6ntelligence score of at least 07 8 the spell!s level. An arcanist gains bonus spellpoints based on his 6ntelligence. 9see Table 0*0) Ability "odifiers and Bonus $pells in the

Players Handbook:. ,ach bonus spell is equivalent to its $pell <evel 80 in bonus spellpoints. $pells cost a number of spellpoints to cast equal to the $pell <evel 80. The ifficulty 3lass for saving throws against an arcanist!s spells is 07 8 the spell!s level 8 the arcanist!s 6ntelligence modifier. An arcanist may cast spells of any level that he knows, until he exhausts his reservoir of spellpoints for the day. An arcanist has a limit to the maximum amount of spells for each level that he may cast per day. This limit is equal to one*half of his 6ntelligence 9rounded down: 8 the arcanist!s 6ntelligence modifier C the spell!s level 4or example, &eris is a 1th level arcanist with an 6ntelligence of 01. #e would have a spell limit of /*Dero level spells, A*0st level spells, and .*@rd level spells. Arcanists learn spells -ust like a %i'ard 9see Adding $pells to a %i'ard!s $pellbook, page 011 of Players Handbook: but the arcanist must only learn the spell, not write it into a spellbook. An arcanist may also learn these specific #ealing spells at the same level as a 3leric) all Cure Wounds spells, Healing Circle, Heal, Regenerate, and Mass Heal. These spells are cast as arcane spells and the arcanist must pay one hitpoint per level of the spell in subdual damage along with the spellpoint cost as he uses his lifeforce to power the spell 9>o concentration check is necessary because of this subdual damage:. A new arcanist begins play with knowledge of all 7* <evel spells 9also called cantrips: plus three 0 st <evel spells of the player!s choice. 4or each point of 6ntelligence bonus the arcanist has 9see Table 0*0 Ability modifiers and Bonus $pells in the Players Handbook:, the arcanist knows one additional 0st <evel spell. ,ach time the arcanist achieves a new level, he gains two new spells of any level that he can learn 9according to his new level:. 4or example, when &eris achieves = nd <evel, he can add two spells of 0st to @rd level in any combination

because of the arcanist!s overcastting ability. M(thar: An arcanist uses a special magical orb to refocus his connection to magic, known as a mythar. "ythars are three*inch diameter orbs made of almost any type of material. These orbs are semi*enchanted to work as a magical focus for its user. >o matter what substance the mythar is made of, all mythars have the same statistics after enchantment) 9#ardness G 07, #it points G @7:. 6n the event that an arcanist loses his mythar, the arcanist cannot regain his spellpoints until it is found or replaced. ?eplacement of a mythar is a lengthy process that involves the crafting of a suitable focus and then attuning it to the wielder. The crafting of a suitable mythar body costs approximately @77 gp 8 the cost of the construction material, as it must be a masterwork quality sculpture. Once the orb is constructed, the new mythar must be attuned to the owner and prepared for the focusing of magical energies. This process takes @7 days C the arcanist!s 6ntelligence score and cannot take less than one week. 4or at least four hours for each of these days, the arcanist must attempt to connect with the orb while coating it in various materials costing 17 gp per level of the arcanist per day. Once the required time is completed, the arcanist must make a 3raft check with a 3 equal to 07 8 the arcanist!s level. 6f this check succeeds, the new mythar is properly attuned and can be used. Otherwise the process must be continued for an additional day. At the end of each additional day, the arcanist can make a new 3raft check with a 3 equal to 078 the arcanist!s level C the number of additional days crafting the mythar. This process continues until the check succeeds and the mythar is attuned. Bonus !anguages: An arcanist may substitute raconic for one of the bonus languages available to the character because of his race 9see 3hapter =) ?aces in the Players Handbook:, since many ancient tomes of magic are written in raconic and apprentice arcanists often learn it as part of their studies. Minor Master(: The training of arcanists in the use of the Prestidigitation cantrip in their early studies is so extensive that arcanists gain an affinity for this cantrip unknown to other spell casters. At 0st level, Arcanists gain the ability to use prestidigitation as a supernatural ability at will. +rotection: Because of the way in which arcanists focus magic through themselves and the way in which armor affects it, arcanists have developed a way to maintain a constant personal magical field of protection. This magical protection is identical in all ways to a permanent "age Armor spell. This is a continuous supernatural ability. Thematics: An arcanist controls exactly how he casts spells. Because the arcanist learns exactly how a spell flows through the magical weave, he can easily manipulate the subtleties of how a spell appears. The arcanist gains the $pell Thematics feat for free. This allows the caster to add illusionary elements to his spells to make them seem more spectacular, without changing

the effect of the spell in any way. 2sing this ability, the arcanist can subtly change the appearance, sound, taste, or smell of spells he casts. The changes to the spell cannot make them invisible, nor can they cause the spell to deal more damage. 4or example, &eris could cast a magic missile as a bolt of fire, but the missiles are still a force effect and cause normal damage, not fire damage. Overcastting: An arcanist learns how to manipulate the way that magic flows through them. 2sing this knowledge and fortifying the magical energy with their own body, they can attempt to cast a spell normally beyond their ability in emergency situations. Any spell up to two levels higher than the maximum level the arcanist can cast, can be learned. This knowledge is incomplete, making these spells harder to cast. An arcanist may attempt to cast one of these spells by first paying the spellpoint cost, and then making a $pellcraft check against a 3 given by the $pell 4ailure Table above. The spellpoint cost for an overcastted spell is greater than normal and is shown in the $pell 3ost Table above. 4ailure of the $pellcraft check means the spell fails and the spellpoints are wasted. 6f the spell succeeds, the caster suffers immediate temporary constitution drain equal to the amount the minimum caster level exceeds his own level 90 to + points:. The 3 to resist the spell is equal to the normal 3 of the spell if cast by the caster C the caster level difference. Any variable effects such as range, damage, etc., are based off of the caster!s actual level, not the normal caster level required to cast the spell. "amiliar: An arcanist can summon a familiar in exactly the same manner as a sorcerer. $ee the sorcerer description and the accompanying 4amiliars sidebar in the Players Handbook for details. Bonus "eats: At 0st level and every five levels thereafter, an arcanist gains a bonus magical feat. This bonus feat must be a metamagic feat or a spellcasting related feat. >ote) these feats are in addition to those granted every character by level regardless of class 9see Table @*=) ,xperience and <evel* ependent Benefits in the Players Handbook:. Multiclass !imitation: Because of the amount of time required to train as an arcanist and the way in which they access spells, characters may only start as an arcanist at first level 9unless the character can spend years training:. Also, an arcanist may not multiclass with any other arcane spellcasting class 9including the $orcerer or %i'ard:. S(m#ol o, Station) All arcanists have a magical brand somewhere upon their body that denotes their rank and house. This magical brand is similar in appearance to a tattoo but serves to identify both the arcanist!s power and house. The symbols normally take the appearance is as shown in the following illustration, however some arcanist!s symbols vary based upon the wishes of their patron deity or their magical affiliation. This tattoo is normally palm*si'ed and alters itself when the arcanist is promoted or gains in mastery. Because of its unique

nature however, the symbol does not normally detect as magical, resists all other permanent tampering to its form, and cannot be dispelled. The symbol can be located almost anywhere upon the body that it will fit, but is usually in a normally non*seen area such as the right chest or back. $ome arcanists, because of the nature of their locale, have symbols that are only apparent under a detect invisibility or similar spell. This feature is very rare unless the character is from a location where magic*wielders are hunted or persecuted because of their powers. $hown in descending order of status for each house* #ouse of the $tar 5randmaster, "aster, 0st (ower, =nd (ower, @rd (ower

$pot 9cc: = %is Gear: Backpack with waterskin, one day!s trail rations, bedroll, sack, and flint and steel. Ten candles, map case, three pages of parchment, ink, and pen. $pell component pouch, mythar. 3ase containing 07 bolts. Gold: @dE gp.

A++RENTICE !E.E! ARCANIST C$ARACTERS/

Base Attack 87 "ort Save 87 Re, Save 87 )ill Save 80 S*ecial "inor "astery (rotection S*ell +oints =J

K 4or games that use the optional rules for apprentice* level characters found in the !ungeon Masters "uide. J Apprentice*level arcanists know as many spells as a 0st* level arcanist. Bonus spellpoints apply at apprentice level.

#ouse of the $un 5randmaster, "aster, 0st (ower, =nd (ower, @rd (ower

Recommended "eats
Channel Casting 0General1 Net Book o, "eats Lou are able to cast additional spells at the cost of physical exhaustion. Bene,it: Lou can willingly take 0 point of temporary 3onstitution damage and in return gain an additional spell slot. 4or example, a spell caster could gain a @rd level spell with @ temporary points of 3onstitution damage. Lou do not gain bonus spells if you take 3onstitution damage by other means, such as a creature!s attack. Lou cannot use this feat to cast spells of levels higher than you normally could cast. $pell casters who must prepare their spells 9such as clerics and wi'ards: must use this feat when they prepare their spells. $pontaneous spell casters 9such as sorcerers: can use this feat as a move*equivalent action. 6f you are able to heal the 3onstitution damage before you cast the spells gained, then the spells are lost. Lou cannot use this feat to lower your 3onstitution below a score of @. Arcanists gain an amount of spellpoints equal to the amount of 3onstitution drain 80. Class created by "reg #orynta, latest $ersion% &'(')*

#ouse of the "oon 5randmaster, "aster, 0st (ower, =nd (ower, @rd (ower

$uman Arcanist Starting +ackage

Armor: >one, speed @7 ft. )ea*ons: Huarterstaff 90dE, crit x=, + lb., <arge, Bludgeoning:, <ight crossbow 90dA, crit 0/*=7Fx=, A7 ft., E lb, (iercing:. Skill Selection: (ick a number of skills equal to @ 8 6nt modifier. "eat: 3ombat 3asting Bonus "eats: 3hannel 3asting 9#uman Bonus:, $plit ?ay 9Arcanic Bonus: S*ells: All 7*level spells including cure minor woundsI plus charm person, identify, magic missileI plus one of these spells of your choice per point of 6ntelligence bonus 9if any:) color spray, cure light wounds, feather fall, sleep, or summon monster . Skill Ranks $pellcraft + 3oncentration + ;nowledge 9arcane: + #ide 9cc: = "ove $ilently 9cc: = $earch 9cc: = A#ilit( 6nt 3on 6nt ex ex 6nt Armor

7 7

Class Creation Breakdo2n

9Based on the Class Construction +ngine $*&*&a from $hadowcraft $tudios:

Armor Restriction: Always /7B 4ailure *1 3( 9A minor limitation, but makes them closer to =,: Total A#ilities: '54 C+ 647 C+ Total Class +oint Total:

Class Statistics
$it %ice: )ea*on +ro,: Armor +ro,: Skill +oints: Class Skills: Alignment: Attack Bonus: Saves: Total Initial: d+ As %i'ard >one = . Any (oor %illful 07 3( 1 3( 7 3( 01 3( 07 3( 7 3( 07 3( 01 3( 34 C+

The "inor "astery ability may be more equivalent to a 07 3( ability as it can be used at will and the Overcastting ability may be more equivalent to a =7 3( ability. ,ither way, this class is more powerful than either of the base arcane character classes. #owever, 6 believe that this class is still quite balanced and appropriate for a class mixing inner talent with intense study. 6f you feel that this class is too powerful, one suggestion 6 would make is to drop the overcastting ability and instead give the class the 3hannel 3asting feat for free at first or second level. 6f you want something closer in power to the standard wi'ard or sorcerer, remove the "inor "astery and Overcastting abilities along with the access to #ealing spells and you end up with a different and more versatile wi'ard. %hile playing with my regular group 9in firstFsecond edition:, 6 was continually being forced to play the mage of the party 9although now 6 en-oy it:. The style of gaming we used to play was more hack and slash than roleplaying, but it kept us entertained. 6n any encounter, the number of attacking creatures was evenly divided between the party members and melee ensued. This left the mage of the party 9me: at a significant disadvantage. To combat this disadvantage, 6 created this class using the generation system in the =, ungeon "aster!s guide. 6 developed the class as a group of secluded mages that learned how to tap magic more directly than mere wi'ards, giving them more versatility and better yet, a means of defense. ,ventually, 6 developed a background for the class based on the Forgotten Realms setting. This is the @, conversion of that class. 6 think it is a unique and fun class without being too powerful. 6 could be wrong. 6f you have any questions or comments on the class, please feel free to email me at mageMcraftNlycos.com.

Class A#ilities
S*ell Ca*a#ilit(: 07 3( Arcane S*ells: $ee below .7 3( "ast Casting: >o memori'ation 07 3( %omain o, S*ells: #ealing spells 1 3( 9Access to healing spells but no extra spells per day: nlimited Arcana: 2nlimited spells 01 3( "amiliar: As $orcerer 01 3( +rotection: ,nhanced One time 07 3( Thematics: Acquired 4eat 1 3( 96t!s not as powerful as a normal magical feat: Minor Master(: One*Time Ability 1 3( 9#ighly useful, but not very powerful: Overcastting: ,xcellent Ability 01 3( 9This could be powerful, but has its limits: Metamagic "eats: + "ystic 4eats +7 3( Multiclass Restrict: >o other arcane class *07 3( 9 ifferent ways of casting spells:

S*ells +er %a( B( !evel <evel 0 = @ + 1 E . A / 07 00 0= 0@ 0+ 01 0E 0. 0A 0/ =7 Dero @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 0st 0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 $pell <evel =nd @rd +th 1th Eth .th Ath /th <evel 0 = @ + 1 E . A / 07 00 0= 0@ 0+ 01 0E 0. 0A 0/ =7

S*ell*oints +er %a( B( !evel $pell <evel Dero 0st =nd @rd +th 1th @ = 7 7 7 7 @.1 @ 7 7 7 7 @.1 + @ 7 7 7 @.1 1 +.1 7 7 7 @.1 E E + 7 7 @.1 . ..1 E 7 7 @.1 . / A 1 7 @.1 . 07.1 07 ..1 7 @.1 . 07.1 0= 07 E @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0@ / @.1 . 07.1 0+ 01 0= @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A 01 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A 0A @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 @.1 . 07.1 0+ 0A =0 Eth .th Ath /th 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 . 7 7 7 00 7 7 7 0+ A 7 7 0A 0= 7 7 =0 0E / 7 =1 =7 0+ 7 =1 =+ 0A 07 =1 =A =@ =7 =1 =A =. @7 =1 =A @= @1

S*ell*oints <evel 0 = @ + 1 E . A / 07 00 0= 0@ 0+ 01 0E 0. 0A 0/ =7 (oints 1 . 00 0@ =7 =+ @@ @/ +/ 1. E/ .A /@ 07@ 0=7 0@= 017 0E/ 0A@ 0/@

0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1

0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1

0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1

0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1

0 0.1 = =.1 @ @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1 @.1

0 0.1 = 0 =.1 0.1 @ = @.1 =.1 @.1 @ @.1 @.1

0 = @ @.1

The Origin o, the Arcanist

+,cerpted from the book -.rcane .ge% /he Winds of 0etheril1 by Calin /ruebright, .rcanist ) nd Power, House of the 2un* May our lady Mystra guide my hand* >early 1,777 years ago 9approximately C@AE7 ale ?eckoning:, the land that is now the vast desert of Anauroch was a lush and fertile area. $even ma-or fishing villages of the area decided to band together for mutual protection against marauding orcs. This budding kingdom would come to be known as >etheril. $hortly after its founding, a nearby group of elves approached the new kingdom and established trade with the >etherese. One of the most significant things traded by the elves was magic. The >etherese were ama'ed by magic!s usefulness and sent one of their own to learn this trade. After one year of training, a >etherese cast his first cantrip to start a campfire. %ithin two more years, this first mage or arcanist as they were called, became one of the most*important people in >etherese society. 4or the next century, trade continued with the elves while magic use by the >etherese grew in leaps and bounds. The people of >etheril considered magic use essential, and everyone was taught the ways of magic as part of their move into adulthood. Those who showed aptitude were taught more than others, but everyone considered magic important. t should be noted that magic during the time of 0etheril was a powerful thing* 3ur lady Mystra, then the goddess Mystryl, had $ery few restrictions on the use of magic* 2pellcasters were able to tap directly into the $ery wea$e itself or their deitys influence of power and use it to cast spells* /his ability allowed spellcasters of the time to cast spells without the restrictions re4uired of modern spellcasting* !i$ine and arcane spellcasters alike were not re4uired to prepare spells in ad$ance* /hey only re4uired proper instruction and e,perience to be able call upon a spell* 2pells had no limit to their ma,imum le$el or ma,imum damage, while spellcasting was only limited by which spells you knew, how much e,perience you had, and how much power you could channel per day* Three centuries after its founding, one of the most significant discoveries of >etheril!s history was made C the discovery of the >ether $crolls. These two sets of 17 golden scrolls provided the >etherese with an incredible -ump in magical knowledge and understanding. These scrolls acted as a never*ending source of magical information, detailing to a reader increasingly complex magical theories based on their amount of magical understanding. %ith the discovery of the >ether $crolls, the >etherese concentrated even more on spellcasting than before. Their talents in the art began to surpass the elves that taught them and this quick rise in power produced a unique ideology. >etherese arcanists came to believe that the gods were nothing more than powerful archwi'ards who had found a form of Oultimate magic.P They believed that to put faith in the deities would prevent themselves from reaching this Oultimate magic.P This ideal forced arcanists to refuse any type of clerical magic, including healing, and instead rely heavily on potions,

believing that magical concoctions didn!t interfere with their possible divine ascension. 4ive centuries from the discovery of the >ether $crolls, an arcanist made another significant discovery, he learned to create a powerful magical device called a mythallar. The mythallar changed the history of >etheril as it allowed items to access raw, unfiltered magic directly from the magical weave. %ith one, arcanists could produce magical items quickly, cheaply, and without the drain normally required for permanent magical creations. The only limit of these new quasimagical items was that they would only function within one mile of an active mythallar. %ithin two decades of the creation of the first mythallar, the most important use for a mythallar was also found. Tired of fighting off orcs and other enemies, an arcanist crafted a powerful spell whose effect was to slice off the top of a mountain, flip it over, and make it float. By attaching a mythallar to the center of this floating mass and linking the levitation spell to the mythallar, a large, permanently floating plateau could be made, perfect for making a defensible home. Arcanists allowed cities to be built on their floating islands, granting themselves almost complete control over its governing and a steady source of income for their research. (eople flocked to these floating cities, or enclaves, and soon do'ens could be seen flying through the sky. The >etherese nation continued to grow in power and si'e for more than three thousand years. Arcanists continued to raise more and more enclaves, all the while gaining in magical power and an increasing number of adversaries that had to be fought off. /his time would be known as the golden years of 0etheril* /he 0etherese freely e,perimented with spells of tenth and e$en ele$enth le$el of power* .n arcanist was considered an apprentice or mere dabbler until he was powerful enough to cast a tenth le$el spell and create an encla$e, thereby granting himself archwi5ard status* /he archwi5ards held complete control o$er their encla$es, as they set up the rules, ta,es, and made all go$erning decisions for their encla$e* /he people li$ing on an encla$e could re4uest a change from the go$erning archwi5ard, but the archwi5ard had no re4uirement to grant it* With the creation of the spell oulaums 6ongeti$ity, archwi5ards could li$e a nearly indefinite time, barring physical in7ury* oulaum himself, who created both the first mythallar and the first encla$e, was recorded as being nearly 8,''' years old before he disappeared* uring this time, the arcanist 3hronomancer became concerned about the other less*developed civili'ations. #e believed that >etheril!s snobbery towards less magically developed nations was a mistake that would come to haunt >etheril!s future. Therefore, he used his power to help the people he could. %hen he learned of an orc horde ravaging a nearby nation, he and his apprentices entered the fray. 2nfortunately, even their incredible power wasn!t enough to save the nation and during the battles he fell victim to a degenerative wound. As an arcanist, his pride proved to be his undoing. The 3hronomancer!s wound could have easily been treated with clerical magic, but by refusing this treatment, his

wound claimed his life within the next eight years. The reality of the situation was not lost on one of his apprentices, however. One of the 3hronomancer!s greatest apprentices was an arcanist named Annaster. Annaster was preparing to create a mythallar and become an archwi'ard himself when the 3hronomancer decided to help the people of 6llusk. #e traveled with the 3hronomancer and was with him when he was wounded. %atching his master and teacher suffer from the effects of a curable wound had profound effects on Annaster. 4or the last years of the 3hronomancer!s life, Annaster begged his master to give in to clerical healing but the 3hronomancer refused. 4inally when the wound took the 3hronomancer!s life, Annaster gave up the belief that he could eventually gain enough mastery over magic to become a god and instead decided to devote himself to one. Annaster -oined the clergy of "ystryl and devoted the next several decades to mastering the clerical arts. Although he was devoted, the calling of arcane magic was too strong in his blood. #e eventually left the priesthood and returned to his arcane studies. This time however, he was content with studying magic for its nature instead of with the necessity born of attempting to achieve absolute mastery over it. 6nstead of creating an enclave as was normal for an archwi'ard of >etheril, Annaster instead chose to create his home in a more earthly location. #e traveled into the savage frontier of >etheril and chose to create a well*defended, inaccessible plateau far up and into a range of mountains known as the O$pine of the %orld.P On this plateau, he placed his mythallar and used it to create an area of suitable environment for comfortable living. <inking his new home to several locations by means of permanent gates, he then proceeded to build a great tower from which he would not only live, but also research and teach a new philosophy on magic. 2sing his background of both divine and arcane nature, he taught his students that magic was a powerful tool but only with proper devotion to both it and the powers that controlled it, could you truly understand the full extent of its nature. Other >etherese arcanists generally distrusted annaster!s new philosophy. #owever, because of the location of his home and the small amount of students that it attracted, the archwi'ards merely ignored him instead of taking physical action against him. This re-ection caused Annaster to devote more and more time to his studies and he began to fall out of touch with the ma-ority of >etheril. ,ven with the negative regard, his ability still attracted students eager to learn magic regardless of the ideology of the master. Annaster!s first three apprentices, Alstrom, ,olus, and Tanith students harbored their own interests in magic but shared in Annaster!s new philosophy on the purpose of magic. ,ach of the three eventually created and attached their own towers to Annaster!s and remained with him to help teach more students. Alstrom $tarmaster was a born teacher, he quickly began training lesser students of magic. #is ability to bring out magical talent from even the weakest student made him both respected by other arcanists and sought out by many aspiring apprentices. #is only love beyond teaching was the astrological arts. #e spent many years studying the heavens and was

requested to -oin the spell-amming community from Leoman!s <oft, but his responsibilities and the rumor!s of >etheril!s poor reputation in space kept him from leaving. 9eomans 6oft was the center of 0etherils attempts at tra$eling the stars* 0etheril spell7amming only lasted a meager century as the e,plorers and arcanists had a habit of dissecting and e,amining e$ery new species with which they made contact* /his habit made the 0etherese ships feared in space and usually attacked on sight thus making trade impossible* 0etheril decided that the cost to e4uip and arm the ships was beyond the benefits and chose to ground the fleet ending 0etherils e,ploration of the stars* ,olus $olavaris was a scholar of history. 6n his spare time from teaching apprentices, he catalogued rare spells, history, and information on various sub-ects. #e delighted in examining magical items and spells to identify how they were made and their intended use. #is chambers were a virtual library, museum, and examination area all in one. #e prided himself on the fact that he could speak and read over thirty different languages of various sorts without the use of magic. ,olus traveled from the towers only when he needed outside information or to prove his theories in practical application. The last apprentice was Tanith "oonsilver, a half*elf of stunning beauty whose passion was magic. Tanith was known to spend days, weeks, and even years in the creation of new spells and magic items. #er teaching of apprentices was light as she rarely remembered any scheduled appointment unless one of her creations reminded her. 4it of both mind and body, she believed that magic was the ultimate tool that could only be properly controlled through a perfectly tuned body. Apprentice arcanists would see her doing strenuous exercises but yet would use magic to do any simple task like opening a door. Tanith was widely known as having a spell for any occasion or need, and her personal spell library alone filled several rooms. %ith his three apprentices helping him, all archwi'ards in their own right, the towers and grounds around it grew to become an extremely large keep. (rotected from the elements, attacks, and magical incursions, the facility became home to a small community. %ithin a few decades, Annaster!s OenclaveP was a thriving magical college able to relatively support itself without any outside influx except for new students. $eeking the wisdom of the >ether $crolls, Annaster returned to the >etherese community. %ith his college prospering even with its strange ideals, Annaster and his students were easily accepted back into >etherese society. #is philosophy became a minor topic for debate and his research during his sabbatical broached new and interesting theories on divine magic. Annaster spent several decades studying the >ether $crolls, during which time he learned much about the nature of magical creations and advanced spells. 2sing his knowledge, he created a powerful magical tome both to keep his advanced spells in and to keep track of the many apprentices. /he spellbook .nnaster created became much more than what it was first designed for* ts original magics allowed it to keep track of the name, rank, and brief description of e$ery apprentice taken into the college* .nnaster began using his creation as a spellbook, diary, notebook and much more* .fter

being used as his personal 7ournal and spellbook for many years, the book began to take on more and more traits of its owner* Many now know it as .nnasters "reat :ook, or 7ust the :ook* t is one of the most important artifacts of the .rcanic College and acts as an intelligent repository of information* /he :ook knows the general status and achie$ements of all members of the arcanist class, can act as a sage for many different sub7ects, and also holds a large selection of spells and magical knowledge that it only re$eals to sub7ects that it finds worthy of such knowledge* >etheril and the college continued to grow. $tudents continued to enter the Arcanic 3ollege until Annaster, Alstrom, ,olus, and Tanith were no longer required to train beginning arcanists. Annaster came and went as he pleased, always working on some new and powerful experiment and gave up taking apprentices completely. Alstrom continued to teach new members of the Arcane 3ollege while always striving to find new students to teach. ,olus began compiling a library for the college while Tanith continued her never*ending research. The advanced students would eventually train with whichever of the three masters that most interested them and would reside in whichever of the three towers their master controlled while doing additional training in the center tower. ,ventually the students began referring to each other as part of their master!s house, which was shortened in time to -ust the #ouse of the $tar, $un, and "oon. %hen the Arcanic 3ollege continued to grow, the three masters were released from any teaching of apprentices, and were only required to oversee operations of the college. Because Annaster was usually so involved in his research, he usually delegated authority of the enclave to his three masters. %ishing to continue their own pro-ects, they devised a system in which a ruling council would be chosen from the most advanced students. 4our would be chosen from each of their houses, and to make sure that the best interests of Annaster were followed, one of the masters would attend the council. 2sually the attendee would be a silent observer, but they had the authority to change or overrule any decision of the council. The masters designed and created a hooded robe for the overseer to wear that would prevent anyone from identifying which of the masters was present. 6n this way, the three could easily exchange the duty with each other or even Annaster, without the council knowing how much power was present at the meeting. n time, the council changed the naming system for the college* .nyone of ad$anced student status became known as a Master* /he elected council members became known as "randmasters of their house and the ruling o$erseer became known as the mperial "randmaster* /o this day, no one e$er knows e,actly who wears the robes of the mperial "randmaster* Rumors always abound that it may still be one of the original masters or e$en .nnaster himself, as an archlich or some other powerful being, but no one has e$er had the power or need to truly find out* The last age of the nation of >etheril began nearly =,777 years ago 9approximately @0E7 in >ether Lears:, with the birth of a boy named ;arsus.

;arsus instinctively cast his first cantrip at the age of two. At ==, he became the youngest archwi'ard ever by creating his own enclave. 4or several months after its creation, however, ;arsus was unable to attract any citi'ens to his enclave due to his own youthfulness. #e decided that if magical might alone couldn!t attract people, maybe an image of success would. To this end, he hired some of the best architects to create buildings that defied the very laws of gravity and physics. Because of this, the city became successful and the structures eventually became known as some of the greatest arcanist colleges and universities in >etheril. ;arsus was known to welcome arcanists that researched OundergroundP or restricted topics such as the arcanist named $hadow, who became quite involved with the demiplane of shadow. >etheril suffered a tragic loss when the last of the >ether $crolls was stolen. By ;arsus!s fiftieth year, the entirety of the >ether $crolls was lost by theft, vandalism, or disappearance leaving the >etherese arcanists without their endless source of magical information. Two centuries after the birth of ;arsus heralded the coming of the phaerimm, monstrous cone shaped beings with four arms and powerful magical abilities. They learned that the massive amounts of magic that the >etherese constantly expended was slowly killing their race and began to take steps against the >etherese. They created permanent magic drain spells across the land of >etheril. These spells began slowly draining the magic from the floating cites and as a side effect, the spells drained the very life from the earth beneath the floating cities slowly turning the land into a sandy desert. At first the archwi'ards were unconcerned, simply moving their enclaves to a new location. As the Oland!s plagueP continued to follow them, they helped establish the borders of what would be known as the desert of Anauroch and they knew something was wrong. >ews of the cause of this destruction was slow to spread, but the effects began to take their toll. Huasimagical items on the enclaves and long*term spells like oulaums 6ongeti$ity began to fail. ;arsus began to experiment with ways to counteract the magic drain created by the phaerimm. #e and other arcanists searched for a weakness to exploit in the phaerimm and received mysterious aid from a strange race that called themselves the sharn. 2nfortunately, when sharn magic interacted with the phaerimm magic drain, it accelerated the spread of the desert and altered the very geography of the land. By the time that ;arsus was about @17 years old, many >etherese archwi'ards had left >etheril to escape the magic drain that affected their life*supporting magics. %ithin 01 years of this exodus of power, panic began to surge through >etheril and the archwi'ards that remained feared a revolt. ;arsus, feeling the responsibility for >etheril!s future on his shoulders, felt that it was his duty to weld the nation back together. #e finished the only 0=th level spell ever created and cast it upon himself. The spell!s name was #arsuss .$atar. %hen he cast the spell, it temporarily stole the powers of the goddess "ystryl. ;arsus!s body swelled with the sudden influx of godly power and his mind filled with unimaginable knowledge. 6n that instant, ;arsus reali'ed the horrible mistake he had made by stealing power from the one god he shouldn!t

have. As the goddess of magic, "ystryl constantly had to rework the weave of magic, the weave that >etheril!s glut of magic and the phaerimm!s magic drain constantly threatened to unravel. %hen she lost her powers, magic surged and fluctuated. To save the weave before the damage became irreparable, "ystryl sacrificed herself. This broke ;arsus!s link to her divinity and caused all magic to suddenly cease functioning. %ithout the infusion of magic, >etheril!s floating cities fell and ;arsus was instantly slain. #is bloated body petrified and toppled to the earth. %hen "ystryl was reincarnated, this time as the goddess "ystra, her first duty was to recreate the weave of magic. %hen she did so, she reworked the rules of magic, changing the way magic worked forever. By the time she was finished, she was only able to save three of the highest floating cities, the rest were destroyed. These three, Anauria, Asram, and #londath were able to safely land allowing the survivors to stumble away in shock. After the fall, "ystra told her priests the story of ;arsus in dreams as they prayed, but she decided that this wasn!t enough to prevent this type of destruction from happening again. $he appeared to Annaster as the effects of time began to catch up with him. Because of his devotion to her and because his enclave was relatively unaffected by the destruction, she chose him and his three apprentices for a special purpose, to prevent future magic users from ever making the same mistake as the >etherese. $he renewed their life and then began to teach them how her new weave functioned. $he explained that normal wi'ards from this time on would be forced to memori'e their spells every day, but she showed them how to continue to tap into the weave to cast spells. 6n this way, they would be able to retain a greater amount of control and be able to use their power to prevent future wi'ards from believing themselves to be equal to gods. The four archwi'ards took the story of ;arsus to heart and changed the instruction of their college to match their new purpose as the last arcanists. $ince their mythallar still worked, they were well protected in their location, but the gates that had served them so well were now useless, leaving them relatively cut off from the rest of the world. The survivors of >etheril!s last three enclaves traveled south to form the Osurvivor statesP of >etheril) Anauria, Asram, and #londath. Asram was destroyed three centuries after its founding by the worst plague in the history of Toril, which decimated the entire population in one month, killing even those that escaped the scourged area. Anauria fell to a large orc attack no more than 017 years after the death of Asram, but it took with it most of the orc population of the area. #londath began the 3rown Against $cepter %ars with 3ormanthyr 9which would later be called Myth !rannar; less than a century after the fall of Anauria, and the war lasted over a century. Although there were few actual casualties on either side, it was mainly -ust a large show of magical force, the war drained #londath!s resources. The desert continued to encroach on #londath!s fields until the starving people fled the state to

mix into other countries. %ithin two decades of the war!s end, #londath was no more. %ith the last of >etheril gone, the desert Anauroch strangely ceased its outward movement. All that was left of >etheril was scattered to the winds or buried beneath the deep desert, except the Arcanic 3ollege. The Arcanic 3ollege continued its mission after the last of >etheril vanished. "agic continued to function for them as it always had, but the most powerful magics were now inaccessible. 2niquely, arcanists found that their divine mission had other beneficial side effects. They found that they were able to create spells that did the one thing >etherese arcanists could never do, heal. By using part of their own lifeforce, they could use their connection to "ystra to heal themselves and others. Annaster became more and more reclusive after the fall, spending large amounts of time in the deep research sections of the tower. %ithin four decades of the fall, Annaster ceased to be seen at all. Alstrom $tarmaster set up his house as the main teaching body of the college. Those arcanists that didn!t teach sought out new students suitable for the college. Alstrom routinely went on searching expeditions, however eight decades after the fall he failed to return and his location could not be discerned. Tanith "oonsilver set up her house to continue magical research. One of her pro-ects however, produced an explosion that was heard through the towers. The underground lab in which she was researching and the corridor attached to it ceased to exist and replaced entirely by solid stone, one century after the fall. ,olus $olavaris set up his house as historians and researchers into present and past magic. $he strangely vanished 0=7 years after the fall. By the fall of the last vestiges of >etheril, the Arcanic 3ollege was without its original masters. #owever, the college was far from deserted. ,very time the council met to discuss the situation of the college, the 6mperial 5randmaster was present, whose identity was only guessed at and seemed not to matter. The council formali'ed the training of new arcanists, the process for their selection, the houses, and a ranking system to identify talent. They created magic items for the purpose of identifying potential of new students and new hidden gates to ease the finding of new recruits. ;eeping themselves hidden from normal society and only influencing when necessary to prevent another ;arsus, the Arcanic 3ollege and arcanists themselves have existed for centuries. $pellcasters whose purpose is the development of magic while also keeping devotion to those that make the magic possible. /his ends the origin of the .rcanic College* ha$e attempted to preser$e what is necessary in as little space as possible* With this, you should now know how our order came to be and why we can summon magic as we do* May magic be your guide<Calin /ruebright