The Mages Conclave

[Twiggy]

Chapter One - Summoned

The man walked briskly down the hallway, his robes swishing around him as the sound of his staff hitting the floor echoed down the seemingly deserted hallways. The man was agitated, called from his his experiments and spell work to have another frivolous meeting that took days, and solved nothing. What was it this time? oh yes, another problem that only the mages could solve. Some impending evil that could enslave everything. Or at least that's what the missive said. Who knows these days, the mages seem to call a meeting if they receive a nose bleed these days. As the man kept walking down the hallway another man quietly peeked his head out of his door. This man smiled, "people always in a hurry these days," he thought to himself. Looks to be another Wizard going to the meeting. He chuckled to himself, Only the important people where called to attend, or at least the most powerful. He adjusted his cap on his head and closed the door to again find peace in his work. This man was a cleric, a Healer as the common folk would say, and as he watered his plants and sat on his barren floor to meditate and pray he thought of The Magic and all those who resided in these walls.

All men and women who can touch The Magic are allowed in the walls of the conclave and are called Mages. That includes Wizards, Clerics, and Druids. Each has his own flare and thing that makes him his own man. Wizards seek to control the elements and the world around them, bending it to what they desire most. They are impatient and power hungry. But powerful and wise and intelligent. They use The Magic that permeates everything, to create and destroy, to control and to free, to protect and to attack, to bring forth monstrous creatures who are both beautiful and majestic, and Ugly and vicious. They look far into the future, and they see all that happens around us now. They create something where there was nothing before. Wizards live for Eons protecting their power and learning new things, they fear death. yet it takes dedication and commitment to be a Wizards for they are constantly hunted by their peers seeking their power and by misunderstanding peoples. That is the Wizards.

Then there are the Druids. They are more patient yet Very territorial and deadly. Through The Magic they are in tune with Nature everywhere. They do not create what is not there, but they call it forth from where it resides. All animals and nature call the druids their friend. They nurture nature and bring beauty to dark places. Druids control the Elements, the weather and even the animals and insects. Druids have the lifespans of Wizards yet they have a lower life expectancy. Druids who venture from their home are vulnerable, and many people who seek the treasures that lie therein or have no respect for the life of nature take advantage of this. That is the Druids. Yet even though Druids and Wizards are so similar, Druids power differ from Wizards.

Wizards and Druids are very similar yet are vastly different. Wizards can create a flame from the very air, even if their was no oxygen to fuel the flame a Wizard could create it from nothing. However a Druid can only control what is already in place. They cannot create a flame and control it, yet if a flame is lit the druid can tell it to flee or tell it to become a raging inferno. Even though wizards control the very elements, it is the elements they create, not the natural flowing elements. A wizard has no control over natural fire, just as Druids have no control over a Wizards flame. Each deadly in their own turn Wizards tend to have a slight advantage in power because of their ability to use their gifts anywhere, but even Wizards fear to face an angry druid on his him turf.

Then there are the Clerics, the man smiles as he remembers something pleasant. The clerics touch The Magic in ways neither the Druids nor the Wizards do or can do. Their power comes not in hurting others but in protecting and blessing others. Clerics believe in something greater than the world we live in. Something far more beautiful then the world we have been given. We believe in a higher power. Who has given us The Magic. and so we use The magic to heal, and protect and to spread the message that you must prove yourself to the higher beings in order to receive his blessings and receive his gifts. You must be a good man. No spells of either Druid nor Wizards can hurt a Cleric. But we have no spells that can hurt them either. Only our faith protects us.

Though we have so much power we all have one weakness. And that is in the nature of being a Mage. In order to cast spells one must take a hold of The Magic that exists and bend it to do what we want. In doing so it drains us. Through practice and knowledge it will take longer for it to tire us but in the end we must rest. and in resting we are in danger. But long ago we Mages came together and built our tower, and created a World to protect it. It floats through Space protected by our spells and power Hidden from those who would hunt us. It is our Castle. But every castle must have it's Knights. and each order has it's own special forces to protect us and do our will.


The Wizards have the Spell Wards. Men and women who use spells granted by their masters in conjunction with weapons. Be it Sword, axe, or arrow. Deadly warriors whose ability with a weapon is only further intensified by the granted spells given to them by their wizard masters. Taken from family and friends, these gifted warriors where plucked from their lives, granted power in return for servitude. Only the best are chosen. and their weakness comes from not being able to touch The magic. So they rely on their masters to Give them scrolls and spells.

The Druids have their rangers. Men and women who can touch The Magic but in ways unexpected. They may change their shape to replicate any Animal or monster that has been created by nature. With their own intelligence and the ferocity and abilities of those they change into. Rangers are the Hunters and trappers, tricking men into forests just to be ambushed and Killed by the very animal they where chasing. But even without their shapes Rangers are formidable. Able to communicate and befriend any animal, or monster created by nature. They virtually have their own army.

Then there are the Paladins. We clerics do not wish to harm others. Yet there are some beings so evil and malicious they must be stopped. That is where the Paladins come in. Beings with such extraordinary skill with fighting they where chosen. They feel compelled to find our tower and seek out the Clerics. We Clerics believe that the higher powers have done this. Already blessed, and having and extraordinary aptitude for fighting Monsters and Evil, Paladins are our protectors and Evil's blight.

The man Smiles again thinking of all of his blessings when he notices his plants. The flowers use their petals to lift themselves out of their pots and onto the bare floor. The man still curious cocks his eye when the plant waves and on his roots runs to the door. The man get's up walking over to the door still curious yet unsure of what to think of his new plant friend. The plant uses it's leaves to point at the door and imitate opening it. Still curious the man opens the door and looks startled as a man in a brown robe stand at the door breathing on his nails and brushing them on his collar. The Cleric laughs and hugs the newcomer. holding Him at arms length he inspects the newcomer with a keen eye. Scraggly Brown hair with bits of leaves hanging off, a worn Brown robe with many patches and dirt clinging to the bottom and bare dirty feet.

"I should have Known!" The Cleric practically shouted. "who else but a Druid could do such a thing!" the man laughs heartily and beckons the man to come in. "sit down old friend, you are always welcome here!"

The Druid looks around at the practically bare apartment and shakes his head. "I'm used to sparse living, seeing as I live in the woods and all, but even I'm feeling the need for some more comfort, I don't think you have enough stone!"

"good ol' Green thumb always the jokester" The cleric says with a smile. "But you know the ways of the Cleric are bare. How can we live in luxury when the world is in turmoil!"

Green thumb raises his eyebrows "I thought the rule of sparse decorating was thrown out long ago from the Clerics repertoire"

The Cleric sighs "I believe what you meant to say was the Cleric Code 42. Whilst though live on God's green earth though shalt not Wear heavy the chains of pleasure. Whilst the people suffer you shall live in sparse homes and moderate living. For when you die your actions will afford you mansions in heaven! and yes the high clerics have deemed it no longer necessary, but I do. I think it's important to live in simplicity and have no complications"

Greenthumb leans against the wall "yeah whatever, even though I would love to have another theological conversation with you (*mumbles* about how there is no god) the big heads want you in on the meeting."

The cleric raises his eyebrows "but Only the senior members of each order are told to be there"

Greenthumb shrugs "perhaps your getting a promotion? maybe a more comfier room, you know i think from now on you should come back to my pad. Lots of good looking centaur ladies"

The cleric laughs "perhaps in the future my friend, let us go see what the "big heads" have to say to us"

The Cleric picks up his walking stick from against the wall, and adjusts his cap. Looking back into his room he sees the flower reinserting himself into the pot and smiles. So much beauty yet such an ugly world as he turns to leave he get's the feeling he won't be back for a very long time. Closing the door and following Greenthumb down the same hallway the Wizard went, he wonders what it is he has been summoned for.


Ok a little test chapter I am writing. Wondering what you all think. How was reading it? did it make you want to read more? what was wrong with it? what would you like to see more of? Was anything confusing?


More chapters to come involving more people and races. Also more on what the meeting is for in future chapters. Greenthumb, the mysterious Cleric and the unnamed Wizard perhaps have a bigger part to play in the coming story then even they think they do! stay tuned folks, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!