Conclave of the Fifth

he Conclave of the Fifth is the magocracy that govern the north-eastern quadrant of the Empire. This area comprises of the Thousand Mile Steppe, from the Rosewall to Sage's Rest.
Founded in the wake of The Maw's opening and the unprecedented loss of life as monsters swarmed this world, the Conclave was formed by 5 wizards and sorcerers who defended the people of this area where the ruling nobles could not. Ensuring the people's safety, they subsequently seized power of the luxury valley estates within Dol Gadmen and made this place their own.
These days, the organization has grown to become a vast network of sages, scholars and practitioners of arcane magic who are intent on discovering the secrets of Daënfel and furthering this world's peoples connection and mastery of the arcane.
Members of the Conclave gain and trade power within the organization by using knowledge as a weapon. Those who have achieved arcane excellence find their way to the top, but playing the political and economic game are essential to the culture. Masters of the arcane who do not participate in the lavish parties, dramatic strategic talks and scandals are shunned, and find themselves settling as far away from this group as possible.
Family and marriage are a huge focus in the politics of Dol Gadmen, as only one member of each family may sit within the council chambers of the Conclave at a time.
The valley-city of Dol Gadmen reflects this environment as vividly as the reflecting pools that are scattered across the city. Secrets and information trading are rife in the Shimmering City, which hosts the base for this upper echilon of society. This community of lavish gated estates, magical marvels and opulence reflects the unashamed vanity and allure of the city's elite.
Within Dol Gadmen there is the Aviary - a large dome of glass which surrounds an old stone tower. Magical imagery is projected onto the glass, casting light shafts and rainbows in every direction. Birds flutter around the inside of the dome, in beautiful bright colours of every shade and combination you can imagine. It is here where members of the Conclave of the Fifth treat with oneanother.
Leadership of the Conclave is ceded to the High Steward - usually the most powerful and accomplished wizard of the time. This role changed hands many times during the early years of the Conclave, as wizards fell prey to the ferocious monsters that ravaged Dol Gadmen after Avlar's ascent. The current High Steward is Ser Archimedazaen III, who has served in this role for nearly a century and a half - far longer than any previous High Steward. He is regarded as a huge factor for the relative peace and harmony within the Conclave these many years, and has been instrumental in the Empire's defence against the many monsters of The Maw.
Sage's Rest, despite being an otherwise small and quaint town, hosts the Empire's wizarding schools. This town is also controlled by the Conclave, and is where the sons and daughters of the elite can learn magic for excessive tutoring fees.