Cowled Wizards
Encyclopedia
The Cowled Wizards are a fictional secret organization in the Forgotten Realms
universe of the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role-playing game
.
. Their main job is to find and destroy "deviant" wizards
and sorcerers
, and are completely separate from the ruling Council of Six in Athkatla. Nobody is aware of their numbers, or power, though they keep an asylum (called Spellhold) in the island of Brynnlaw, where they house their offenders. Although they are feared in Amn, they are tolerated because the general populace fears rogue wizards and sorcerers more.
The Cowled Wizards were created by Alisar of Esmeltaran in the 13th century. Alisar and the mages wanted to preserve magical lore, seeing themselves as saviors of magic and agents of Azuth
and Deneir. They moved underground and became librarians of lore and teachers to those with potential. The Cowled Wizards also kept an eye on foreign wizards passing through Amn, keeping rogue wizards in line to protect their secrecy.
Each Cowled Wizards cell is isolated in a town or city and ruled by the most powerful mage in that area. As long as politics do not pit one cell leader against the first and still largest Athkatlan cell and its leader, local Cowled Wizards can meet others in Athkatla
in secret rooms beneath Jann Lane. There they can organize and contact distant Cowled Wizard cells, and join or communicate with them. By day, members work as merchants, booksellers, herbalists, apothecaries, or the like. During their meetings they wear cowled hoods and robes, a style of wear based on graduates of the long-destroyed School of Wonder. Any Cowled Wizard can share his identity with family, local wizards, or correspondents, but the Cowls allow anonymity if desired. Most members know only two or three other members by their true names.
A few members chose to use the knowledge and power of the Cowled Wizards for their own ends. Their motives were usually political, and they used magic to erase rivals, fix deals and other actions not condonded by their fellows. In general the Cowled Wizards dislike rougish actions and usually censure or eliminate the guilty to prevent their own discovery. One of the more politically ambitioned wizards was Thayze Selemchant. He was one of the founders of the Council of Six and ended the Trade War in Amn in 1333 DR. He was killed in Marpenoth 1362 DR when other members of the Council discovered that he was a Cowled Wizard.
Around 1368 DR Lady Varytha Gheldieg of Eshpurta was one of a trio attempting to regain an agent among the Council of Six. The trio was unaware that the Council already watched them through Tyrda Q'Helvor, the Pommarch at that time. The most dangerous to the cabals of any of them joined their ranks as the apprentice of Varytha. The elf Zallanora Argentresses gains admirers and volunteer tutors among the Cowled Wizards but is also one of the most ambitious and dangerous necromants in Faerûn.
mage Jon Irenicus briefly took over Spellhold, killing a great many of the Cowled Wizards.
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
universe of the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
.
Organization
The Cowled Wizards are based in the city of AthkatlaAthkatla
Athkatla is a fictional city in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is the capital of the nation of Amn, which in turn is a country on the continent of Faerûn...
. Their main job is to find and destroy "deviant" wizards
Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
and sorcerers
Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)
The sorcerer is a playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A sorcerer is weak in melee combat, but a master of arcane magic, the most generally powerful form of D&D magic. Sorcerers' magical ability is innate rather than studied...
, and are completely separate from the ruling Council of Six in Athkatla. Nobody is aware of their numbers, or power, though they keep an asylum (called Spellhold) in the island of Brynnlaw, where they house their offenders. Although they are feared in Amn, they are tolerated because the general populace fears rogue wizards and sorcerers more.
The Cowled Wizards were created by Alisar of Esmeltaran in the 13th century. Alisar and the mages wanted to preserve magical lore, seeing themselves as saviors of magic and agents of Azuth
Azuth
Azuth is a fictional deity in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting of D&D. He is the god of mages. His alignment is lawful neutral. The appearance of Azuth seems to be somewhat indistinct, he often manifests simply as an elderly voice or shimmering blue luminescence.Azuth is known as the god of...
and Deneir. They moved underground and became librarians of lore and teachers to those with potential. The Cowled Wizards also kept an eye on foreign wizards passing through Amn, keeping rogue wizards in line to protect their secrecy.
Each Cowled Wizards cell is isolated in a town or city and ruled by the most powerful mage in that area. As long as politics do not pit one cell leader against the first and still largest Athkatlan cell and its leader, local Cowled Wizards can meet others in Athkatla
Athkatla
Athkatla is a fictional city in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It is the capital of the nation of Amn, which in turn is a country on the continent of Faerûn...
in secret rooms beneath Jann Lane. There they can organize and contact distant Cowled Wizard cells, and join or communicate with them. By day, members work as merchants, booksellers, herbalists, apothecaries, or the like. During their meetings they wear cowled hoods and robes, a style of wear based on graduates of the long-destroyed School of Wonder. Any Cowled Wizard can share his identity with family, local wizards, or correspondents, but the Cowls allow anonymity if desired. Most members know only two or three other members by their true names.
A few members chose to use the knowledge and power of the Cowled Wizards for their own ends. Their motives were usually political, and they used magic to erase rivals, fix deals and other actions not condonded by their fellows. In general the Cowled Wizards dislike rougish actions and usually censure or eliminate the guilty to prevent their own discovery. One of the more politically ambitioned wizards was Thayze Selemchant. He was one of the founders of the Council of Six and ended the Trade War in Amn in 1333 DR. He was killed in Marpenoth 1362 DR when other members of the Council discovered that he was a Cowled Wizard.
Around 1368 DR Lady Varytha Gheldieg of Eshpurta was one of a trio attempting to regain an agent among the Council of Six. The trio was unaware that the Council already watched them through Tyrda Q'Helvor, the Pommarch at that time. The most dangerous to the cabals of any of them joined their ranks as the apprentice of Varytha. The elf Zallanora Argentresses gains admirers and volunteer tutors among the Cowled Wizards but is also one of the most ambitious and dangerous necromants in Faerûn.
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
The Cowled Wizards and Spellhold feature prominently in the computer game Baldur's Gate II. In the game, the group has lost some of its power, as the evil elvenElf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
mage Jon Irenicus briefly took over Spellhold, killing a great many of the Cowled Wizards.