D&D: An Adventurer’s Guide To The Conclave Of Silverymoon
The Conclave of Silverymoon is one of the oldest academies of arcane study in all of the Forgotten Realms.
From Oerth to Toril, Magical Academies are a fine tradition throughout the many realities of the multiverse. There’s just something about the study of magic that draws Wizards together. Even if they scheme and backstab, they all agree, better to do so to each other, than out there in the private sector, where they expect results.
Nothing like the safe bastion of Academia to shield oneself from the dangers of reality. Which is why, wherever you travel, you can find a magical school. But among the renowned universities, the Conclave of Silverymoon managed to carve a reputation for itself that stands out, even among outstanding organizations.
The Conclave of Silverymoon
Sometimes called the University of Silverymoon, the Conclave of Silverymoon is the legacy of Alustriel Silverhand. And if that name sounds familiar, you might recognize her as one of the Seven Sisters, an immortal ‘Chosen of Mystra’ who, for a time, was the High Mage and ruler of Silverymoon. One of her last acts, before her disappearance, was the foundation of Silverymoon University.
The Conclave was founded to teach all forms of magic, arcane and otherwise—and it could be likened to a series of Community Colleges in a way. Because, there was no central campus, but rather a series of campuses throughout Silverymoon, including a cluster of fourteen buildings that make up the prominent Southbank Campus which absorbed earlier institutions like the Lady’s College or Miresk’s School of Thaumaturgy.
Similarly, there was no central focus to the university either. The university’s first director, Eltro Miresk, helped keep the focus on the myriad magical arts in Faerun, ensuring that no one school was dominant–an important move considering that High Lady Silverhand’s main objective in founding the university was to gather the magical practitioners and schools of Silverymoon together in one common cause. Here’s just a sampling of the smaller institutions the Conclave absorbed in its founding:
- Arkhen’s Invocatorium – a school of sorcery
- Everdusk Hall – an elven temple
- House of the Harp/College of Fochlucan – a bard college
- The Lady’s College – A school of wizardry
- Miresk’s School of Thaumaturgy – A catchall generalist school
- Utrumm’s Music Convservatory – a magical music school
And that’s just a sampling of the many traditions you can find at Silverymoon University.
Happy Adventuring!
