The Enchanters' Guild is the major guild of Enchanters in the GUE
History[]
It can trace its roots to the reign of Entharion Dynasty, over 900 years ago when scholars penned the first writings on magic. The advancement of Thaumaturgy suffered many setbacks like King Duncanthrax's Unnatural Acts in 672 GUE. This ban on magic decreed was loosened towards the end of the seventh century, and the great thaumaturgist Vilboz formed a legitimate organization to aid the scientific approach to the study of magic, forming thus the first chapter of the Guild of Enchanters, on the tiny hamlet of Accardi-by-the-Sea; then additional chapters have opened in similar small villages (since urban life interferes with an Enchanter's work like for example to rezrov a neighbor's door who locked his keys inside).
Use of magic by lay people became now more prevalent not without mistakes or accidents such as the devastating Endless Fire of 773 GUE. To ensure that such mistakes would never happen again, Lord Dimwit Flathead issued a series of edicts that entrusted all use of magic only to the Guilds of Enchanters, preventing thus magic use by commoners. The Guilds' elders comprised the Circle of Enchanters and they were empowered to form schools for the training of new Enchanters and numerous other chapters were formed, with membership in various Guilds in excess of 2000 by the year 800 GUE. Dimithio founded all alone an Enchanters' Guild in the huge metropolis of Borphee and the Great Meeting Hall was designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Flathead.
The old chapters in Thriff and Accardi had become highly influential, and helped to bring stability to the land following the turbulence after the collapse of the Great Underground Empire in 883 GUE.
During the tenth century the Guild was underwriting many philanthropic foundations and running many accredited thaumaturgical universities but not everybody was pleased. For instance, the 115th Convention of Enchanters and Sorcerers in 957 GUE was plagued with pranks and magical oneupmanship between various chapters. Barbel of Gurth, a Guildmaster and elder member of the Circle of Enchanters, commented that he was "disgusted" with the state of affairs.
There was some lack of communication between the chapters, while junior enchanters grumbled about "leadership stagnation" directed at Barbel, who had been a Guildmaster since 933 GUE, and Belboz, who had led the Circle of Enchanters since 952 GUE (for 47 years); these people felt that the lifetime appointment of Guildmasters was far too long.
In 957 GUE events marked a rebirth for the Guild. One junior guildmaster, defeated Krill only a few years before, rescued Belboz from the clutches of the Jeearr, and became the new Head of the Circle. But this period was short-lived because in 966 GUE the new Head of the Circle set in motion a chain of events that brought about the end of the Age of Magic. A Final Conclave of Enchanters in Borphee acted to preserve the sum of all knowledge of the Guilds forever in the Coconut of Quendor.
Although the Enchanters' Guild has come to an end in this Age, another age after the fall of Science will be able to make use of their powers.
Rules[]
From the earliest days of the Guild, Enchanters have been bound by a series of governing tenets.
- Enchanters may never use their talents to aid evil.
- An Enchanter's duty is to the Guild and to the Kingdom, not to the individual.
- Rules for conducting votes at meetings
- Guidelines for passing dishes at Guild banquets
- Penalties for revealing the Guild's secret handshake.