The story of Ildurath: Part two

Ildurath is an academy of magic dedicated to the preservation and evolution of arcane knowledge in all forms. The academy was created in an effort to both establish a general assembly of practitioners to act as a representation of the use of magic in the Realms, and to create a working body of knowledge through which its practitioners might benefit. The academy is both a medium through which a general discourse on the use of magic in the land can be had as well as a forum wherein those who practice the Art can come together to exchange knowledge and learn from their peers. An emphasis is continually placed on the responsible use of arcane knowledge and ethics in the manipulation of the Weave.

Sha’andr Nae C’lshrian, Archmage of Ildurath, created the academy with the support of both the city of Baldur’s Gate and the Elven nation. It was created in response to the war of the Bhaalspawn, and related events, that ripped through the Sword Coast during the Year of the Tankard and the Year of the Unstrung Harp (1370-71).

Over the years, Sha’andr had come to understand the intricate workings of the magic in the land of Toril and had played a rather large role in the war. During this time he encountered many instances of abuse to both the land and the Weave, brought about by magic users that were unskilled and uncaring; this almost more than anything else left its mark on Sha’andr. Eventually, he came believe there to be a lack of discipline among the wielders of magic in general and surmised that this was in no small part due to the lack of training the average mage received in a given lifetime. There was no formal system of magic in Faerun and there had not been since before the time of Netheril; most were trained as an apprentice to a single master and knew nothing more than what was imparted to them during the few short years spent in the presence of their teacher. Most knowledge, it was assumed, would be gained afterwards through experience, or guild membership, and once a certain level of power was achieved there was little more guidance given as to how to use such power.

Often, the more powerful magi would seek apprentices for the wrong reasons and take advantage of the additional resources while they had them. Organizations, such as the Zhentarim, bred magi like cattle in an effort to advance their own plans and cared nothing for the types of magic users they were creating. Many were viscous, destructive, and uncaring showing no respect for the Weave, its creator, or the land in which they cast their spells. Others believed that magic was their birthright and shared their knowledge with no one other than their own kind. They hoarded their knowledge and shunned the outside world.

Sha’andr believed that for the magic to flourish it must be respected and allowed room to grow, that it could not be assembled haphazardly or be secreted away in some dark recess. He believed that the strength of the magic lie in those who dedicate their lives to understanding it, and to wielding it, but that this must be a shared experience by all those who touch the Weave. Only in this way would the magic grow, and only in this way would those who have the gift of wielding the magic grow.

In the end, after the war of the Bhaalspawn had finally come to an end, Sha’andr pooled the many resources he had collected as a result of the war and built an academy of magic where all of the tenets he believed in could flourish. He would provide the means for magical guidance to those who wished it.