"Know this, mageling, and know it well: there is no greater fool than a wizard. The greater the mage, the greater the fool, because we who work magic live in a world of dreams, and chase dreams… and in the end, dreams undo us."
- Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun
Wizards of High Rock:
Ah the Bretons! The race of humans with innate magical talents that call the province of High Rock their home - a province that is fractured and factionalised into a myriad of entities, just how we love it! And yet, for a world as large as Daggerfall, there is a severe lack of alternate options for guilds who fill specific niches, such as we would later see in Morrowind with the Imperial factions contra the native Dark Elf institutions. Well, if you are like me, you have always felt that one of the more interesting aspects of the Bretons would be how be the magical institutions outside of the broader Mages Guild would be in place, but alas there are none! The fractured and factionalised Bretons have Knightly Orders to well compliment their regional allegiances as warriors of renown, but no such options are available to the poor wizards, sorcerers, and battlemages out there.
Well, thanks to modding, this no longer has to be the case! Representing 'Wizards of High Rock: A Faction Mod', which aims to bring to life not 1, but 4 new, regional, and mutually exclusive magical institutions for practitioners of the arcane arts! Do you want to be a respected sorcerer who swears his life to King Gothryd of Daggerfall in exchange for the gratitude of the general populace and nobility? Or perhaps a selfish battlemage wanting to learn the magical secrets of the elite of Wayrest, and so feign fealty (for now)? Well now you can live that dream, along with much more!
The Orders:
The Brotherhood of Galen
Location: Castle Durnwych (HQ), guild hall in Daggerfall City.
- Description: A cadre of battle-hardened wizards and battlemages sworn to the King of Daggerfall since time immemorial, these worthies are dedicated to expertise in magical warfare and learning. In addition to field duty during war, the Brotherhood pursues studious avenues of magic, and its members strive to serve as exemplars of disciplined defenders, scholars, and even spies of the crown. In exchange for their long and meritorious service, the order is highly respected, but also feared by the citizenry. Led by the Royal Magician, they operate out of Castle Durnwych on the southern bluffs of Daggerfall, which stories hold was the meeting place of the mythical Druids of Galen. Whether or not that claim is true, ancient magic is seeped into the stones of the Castle. They also maintain an enclave in the capital, where their service is often called upon, and their reputation is a source of pride for the Kingdom.
The Conclave of Arcane Ascendancy
Location: The Citadel of Lenac (HQ), guild hall in Wayrest City.
- Description: Wayrest has been described as having an inferiority complex in regards to the older Kingdom of Daggerfall; made manifest in ostentatious displays. The Conclave of Arcane Ascendancy can attest to that claim. A much younger organisation than other institutions around the Iliac Bay, the Conclave commands a citadel in northern Wayrest. It’s name, Lenac, is somewhat of an enigma; some credit the name to a long-ago monarch of Wayrest who commissioned its building, while others claim it is the original name of the lake on which shores it sits. The order itself is currently mired in bureaucracy, as King Eadwyre - weary of the influence of battlemages since the recent perfidy of Jagar Tharn - has appointed Lord Trystan of the court to oversee the day to day operations of the Citadel. The nominal leader of the Conclave, Agrydal ‘Sunderspells’ - nicknamed ‘Blunderspells’ by his associates - is thought of as an ineffectual leader with little real talent for magic. Moreover, detractors claim that the institution is nothing more than a dumping ground for second sons of noble families with a modicum of magical skill. Still, many valiant men and women with an earnest desire to make a difference serve the Conclave with distinction.
The Circle of Wightmoor
Location: Castle Wightmoor (HQ), guild hall in Dwynnen City.
- Description: According to the tales, the legendary Othrok became the first Baron of Dwynnen by defeating the Nightmare Host at the Battle of Wightmoor, in which he led an army of men and animals to victory. A lesser-known tale tells that Othrok was supposedly aided by a circle of wizards loyal to his cause, and that the modern Circle resides in the very same castle that was gifted to their forebears in recognition of their service. Whether fact or fiction, the current occupants of the castle lend their skills to the Barony of Dwynnen through magical consultation, righteous defence of the realm, and being ever watchful. Eschewing the notion of a singular leader, the Circle is instead led by a council of their most senior wizards.
The Order of Morcreigh
Location: The Tower of Morcreigh (HQ), guild hall in Anticlere City.
- Description: Morcreigh of Dunlain was a wizard of talent during the Second Era who settled on an island in the Iliac Bay. He had a talent for creative inventions in casting techniques, as well as a talent for making enemies. A thoroughly unpleasant tyrant, such was his deprivations that the residents of local hamlets pulled together enough gold to hire a cabal of sorcerers from Daenia to deal with him. When all was said and done, his tower was blasted apart stone by stone, and Morcreigh was slain, but this new band of sorcerers swiftly set themselves up on the island, and have gradually expanded the site since then. The name of its previous occupant proved too resilient in the end, and time has now forgotten why the successors of the cabal named themselves after the tyrant. Officially, the order serves the Lord and Lady Flyte, but since the Massacre of Anticlere in 402, the wizards have practically been autonomous in all but name. While their numbers have expanded since the order’s original founding, the descendants of the original cabal yet form the governing body, and when these cowled figures meet, decisions are made.
In short, the mod will seek to feature the following:
- Four new unique magical institutions for the regions of Anticlere, Daggerfall, Dwynnen, and Wayrest, each mutually exclusive in membership to one another, and with services and benefits that befit magical institutions doubling as regional entities.
- A guild hall for each in their respective capital cities, along with larger, proper headquarters at brand new locations, all of them with planned, interior decoration. Exclusive locations means that you should get ready to travel!
- Flavourful, uniquely written quests in theme with these orders of magical might; so far with 24 planned, and probably more to come down the road! Expect skill-checks and branching options!
- Unique characters to key members in each new faction, along with new sprites/portraits to go along with them.
- A brand new (for Daggerfall), yet familiar artefact out of Elder Scrolls lore, appearing in a very specific quest!
- Love, care, and special attention to a writing style and concepts related to the earlier days of Dungeons & Dragons, and the Daggerfall era of TES games.
Status:
A new project, this mod has completed its conceptual phase and has entered actual development. Quests are being written, interiors being crafted, and the guild systems put in place and tested!
Expect this section to be updated along the way!
If there are any questions, comments, ideas, or feedback all of these will be very welcome!
Collaborators & Special Thanks:
To BadLuckBurt, Cliffworms, Hazelnut, Jehuty, and Ninelan for contributions, technical support, advise, feedback, ideas, guidance, and extreme patience. Mod would not have gotten off the drawing board without them!
