Sorcere

Sorcere was one of the three schools at the Tier Breche academy in Menzoberranzan. It was within Sorcere that drow mages and wizards were trained. It was nicknamed "the Tower."

Exterior
Sorcere's complex was made from sculpted stalagmite towers. The tower itself had many spires and was located against the western wall of the Tier Breche cavern.

Interior
Sorcere had hallways filled with paintings, sculptures, and framed magical texts. All students lived alone in the apprentices' wing and were allocated austere quarters with a pallet and a zurkhwood desk and chair. The interior walls of the complex were lined with lead sheeting and stucco from gorgon's blood and spellstore dust.

Sorcere's scrying chambers were large and circular. The walls were lined with lead sheeting and stucco from gorgon's blood and spellstore dust, just as the rest of Sorcere. Runes of gold were inscribed on the walls to protect against magical intrusion. In the middle was a huge scrying crystal bound with the eye of an eagle that was living beneath the crystal in a cage. Mages could cast spells through the crystal. However, it was destroyed circa 1373 DR when spells cast on Nimor Imphraezl rebounded.

The summoning chamber in Sorcere was a room with great columns rising to flying buttresses some 80 feet up. There was a circle of mushroom-stem chairs secured to the floor. (Whether these chairs were temporarily or a permanent fixture was unclear.)

Gromph Baenre had his own quarters in Sorcere with no windows, a desk of polished bone with extradimensional drawers with fronts containing different skulls. Only Gromph could open them. There was an access shaft in its own pseudoplane that had no wards. Sigils to protect the quarters summoned a fire elemental and cast the spell imprisonment. The floor was made of marble and there were also many bookshelves with scrolls. The rooms were lit by perpetual red candles held in skeleton hand candleholders. Gromph's chair was plush, while the visitor's chair was made of hard wood. The door was made of black marble with silver runes.

Cavern of Masters
The Cavern of Masters was a cave situated on the east side of Menzoberranzan. Although not part of the Tier Breche complex, it was reserved for students of Sorcere to practice their spells in.

Schooling
All drow nobles at the academy had to spend a short time studying magic here, but only males who wished to dedicate their lives to the ancient skills stayed longer as students to master the talent. Drow wizards spent about 30 years at Sorcere studying, usually beginning their training at 25 years of age.

Many powerful drow mages spent time at Sorcere. Only the finest were selected to be permanent residents and teachers. It was said that only drow males resided at and attended Sorcere, but at least one female (Noori Baenre, in residence circa 1373 DR) was granted an exception to this rule and allowed to study arcane magic there. Interestingly, however, Liriel Baenre, who was very gifted and well-trained in arcane magic, was forbidden to attend and explicitly told that females were not allowed to attend the wizarding academy.

There was a test of endurance at Sorcere that required students to cast spells while masters held flames to their skin.

Organization
Sorcere was run by a council of mages, all of whom were counted among the masters of Sorcere. The leader of this council was Horroodissomoth Xorlarrin in 1370 DR, second only to the Archmage of Menzoberranzan, Gromph Baenre. However, at least in 1372 DR, Gromph was serving as the Head Master of Sorcere.

In addition, there was the post of Archmage Emeritus, who was responsible for all teaching at the academy. He was also in charge of and experimenting with the most powerful magical items held by Sorcere. He was secretly Sorcere's overseer of security, and hence the spymaster in charge of watching the noble houses. In 1370 DR this post was held by Courdh Mizzrym.

Instructors of Sorcere were known as masters and there appeared to be specific masters of certain Schools of Magic. Masters had their own signet rings bearing the mark of Sorecere which lent power to their spells. In 1361, seven wizards of House Xorlarrin were serving as masters. Masters of Sorcere wore rings indicating them as such; these rings were able to detect magic.

History
In 1372 DR, during the Silence of Lolth, the masters of Sorcere performed a ritual spell calling a storm with rain and lightning to save the city from hordes of revolting slaves and disillusioned drow males.

Masters

 * Gromph Baenre : He was considered one of the most powerful archmages in all of Faerûn. He was the head master of Sorcere in 1372 DR and still retained that position in 1479 DR.
 * Pharaun Mizzrym : This powerful mage was a master of Sorcere until his death in the Demonweb Pits in 1373 DR. He was sarcastic and extremely well kept, maintaining a fashionable and intimidating appearance at all times.
 * Jalynfein : Another mighty mage, Jalynfein (known as the Spider Mage) had his own room at Sorcere. The ancient drow was considered insane by many, but few know this was just an act. His disfigured face was covered by a grey cloth.
 * Courdh Mizzrym : One of the teachers at the Academy, Courdh was also charged with the care of the schools many magical and valuable items.
 * Horroodissomoth Xorlarrin : This sly mage was one of the senior members of the council that oversees Sorcere. He was outranked only by the Master of Sorcere. Horroodissomoth was one of the schools's stricter teachers and also the leader of a network of spies that operate in Menzoberranzan.
 * Gelroos Hun'ett / Alton DeVir : Gelroos Hun'ett was known as the Faceless One due to an accident that melted his face. He was slain by his own brother, Masoj, while attempting to kill Alton DeVir in 1297 DR. Alton subsequently assumed the identity of the Faceless One, which he retained until his own death in 1328 DR.
 * Guldor Melarn : A master of Sorcere in 1372 DR, as well as a master of elemental magic.
 * Gelroos Zaphresz : One of Pharaun's junior colleagues, whom he killed in 1372 DR.
 * Leandan : Master of Abjuration; killed by duergar stonefire pots during the Siege of Menzoberranzan in 1372-1373 DR.
 * Julani Baenre : Master of Evocation. He died circa 1373 DR when his own lightning cast through a scrying gem reflected back upon him.
 * Havel Duskryn: Master in 1373 DR.
 * Nauzhror Baenre: Master in 1372 DR.
 * Vorion Dyrr: A mage at Sorcere (most likely a master) in 1373 DR.

Students
Later masqueraded as the Faceless One (Gelroos Hun'ett).
 * Alton DeVir :
 * Masoj Hun'ett : Drizzt Do'Urden's wizard tutor.
 * Ooraen : Recent graduate of Sorcere from House Agrach Dyrr in 1373 DR.
 * Geremis : Former student of Sorcere from House Agrach Dyrr.
 * Viis : Former student of Sorcere from House Agrach Dyrr.
 * Araag : Former student of Sorcere from House Agrach Dyrr.
 * Grendan Baenre : Tenth-year apprentice circa 1373 DR with a flair for illusion. He was considered handsome.
 * Norulle : Fifth-year apprentice circa 1373 DR. He had a long beard probably created by a cantrip.
 * Noori Baenre : Female high-born cousin to Triel Baenre. She was one of the few exceptions to the rule of only males at Sorcere circa 1373 DR. She was permitted to study magic at Sorcere rather than become a cleric of Lolth at Arach-Tinilith.
 * Prath Baenre : First-year apprentice circa 1373 DR. He was very stocky and loyal to Gromph Baenre, slicing his own pinky when a piece of flesh was needed for a spell during the Siege of Menzoberranzan.
 * Zoran Baenre : A second-year apprentice circa 1373 DR whom Gromph Baenre considered annoying. He was tiny and wore a topknot. He also had a wand of wonder of which he was exceedingly fond.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * Daughter of the Drow
 * Dissolution
 * Resurrection