Sorcerer's Nexus
| Greyhawk Organization | |
|---|---|
| The Sorcerer's Nexus | |
| Type | Magicians Guild |
| Founded | prior to -216 CY |
| Members | any Magician is welcomed |
| Leader | Dweomermasters (a cabal) |
| Symbol | |
| Headquarters | Rel Astra |
| Allies | Lord Drax the Invulnerable (distrusted) |
| Enemies | |
The Sorcerer's Nexus is the name for the magician's guildhall located in Rel Astra. Although it is a real building, the term is also often used to refer to the actual association of magicians itself. However, the proper name for the actual association is The Aeridian Coadjutancy for the Independent Practitioners of Magecraft and the Mystical Arts.
The practitioners of the "Nexus method" taught at the Sorcerer's Nexus are known as some of the greatest summoners and binders on Oerth.
History
The guildhall, often simply called "the Nexus," is a labyrinthine series of interconnecting towers, angular buildings of unique and even strange architectural design, with eerily hanging structures of various sorts, located near Stannic Hill in the city of Rel Astra. It is rumored that the guildhall began as a single tower, the home of an exiled Suel mage. It remained a single tower for many years until expansion was required. It is now a growing anastomose of varying styles of architecture, much of it of seemingly impossible construction (no doubt magical in nature). The Guildhall is a wonder to behold and is located in the central quarter of the Old City district of Rel Astra.
The Art of Magecraft has always been a carefully controlled commodity in Aerdi society and, for this reason, the Guildhall especially prides itself on being the gathering place for all free and gifted mages. This includes magicians of ignoble birth, or those who have no secured place with their Celestial House, as well as magicians who are of noble birth, but are no longer welcome within their own house.
The Nexus has always prided itself on being rather unconventional, routinely offering it's services, lodging, training, supplies and even employment, to all magicians, regardless of nationality, race, or disposition.
Stewardship of the Nexus has traditionally fallen to tenured elder mages, or even the occasional benefactor, such as the House of Drax. However, recently there has been a shift in this position and control of the organization has fallen into the hands of a cabal of powerful and mysterious mages calling themselves the "Dweomermasters." No one seems to know who they are, or what their purposes may be.
Notes
It is suspected that the Dweomermasters may be scions of the noble houses of the Great Kingdom (perhaps even including a Prince among them) and that their purposes may somehow involve restoring "Aerdi glory." It is even rumored that the legendary mage, Daern, might be numbered among them. Neither of these rumors has been confirmed, however.
What is known is that, in a relatively short span of time, the Sorcerer's Nexus has become known as the greatest haven for independent magicians from the late Great Kingdom. Magicians from the entire Solnor coast, seeking to escape from Grand Prince Ivid's madness, are flocking to Rel Astra and the Sorcerer's Nexus.
Scores of exiled and hunted magicians chased from the fractured remains of the Great Kingdom, are swelling the Nexus' ranks. It is quickly approaching the size of the Guild of Wizardry in the Free City of Greyhawk, much to that guild's chagrin. The Nexus is proving itself a threat to the Guild of Wizardry's influence as the greatest and most preeminent center of magic in all the Flanaess.
It is thought that the combined power of so many magicians is one of the reasons that the Overking never laid seige to Rel Astra during the Greyhawk Wars. His Majesty's policies, since that time, have only served to increase the prestige, power and influence of the Nexus. For this the Nexus receives the support of the general population and the public deference of Lord Drax, Rel Astra's ruler.
But there are unseen tendrils weaving themselves all through Astran society of late. The situation is being closely watched.
Sitting in the shadow of the Sorcerer's Nexus is another magical guild, the "Scholars of the Arcane." They are thought to be little more than an association of wizened old men interested only in the free interchange of magic, information and their own research, as they interact very little outside of their own circle.
Bibliography
- Holian, Gary. "Sorcerous Societies of the Flanaess." Oerth Journal #3. Council of Greyhawk, 1996.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Mona, Erik. "Greyhawk Feats: More Regional Feats of Oerth." Dragon #319. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2004.
