Circle magic

Circle magic was an especially potent form of collaborative spellcasting most often associated with the realms of the Unapproachable East, but was practiced all across Toril. It allowed for these casters to effective increase the potency of their arcane or divine spells, by channeling the power of multiple casters through one individual.

Effects
By utilizing the power of circle magic, casters could attain feats of magic they could not as a lone practitioner. Some of the most spectacular uses of arcane magic have historically come by means of circle magic.

Usage
When performing circle magic, a circle leader would stand within the center of the prepared spellcasting area. Anywhere from two to nine additional casters would encircle them, depending on the power of the circle leader.

To begin, the participants would spend one hour empowering the circle leader in preparation for the casting. They would then each cast a single spell that would contribute to a pool of power that could be used to bolster the circle spell with additional effects, such as increased spellcasting potency for the circle leader or metamagic effects for the spell to be cast. This additional power would remain with the circle leader for up to a single day, or until it was utilized in a casting.

War Spells
Following the Spellplague magic could also be used as a ritual to cast more-powerful offensive magic in minutes time rather than over the course of an hour. The benefits of circle magic used in this manner were less-potent than when it was used in other ways.

Regions
Practice of circle magic could be found in the nations of Rashemen and Thay in east Faerûn, Halruaa in the Shining South, and even some regions of the Underdark.

History
In the, it was believed that the archmage Mycontil utilized circle magic along with his namesake spell to turn away the Arkaiun barbarian forces led by chief Reinhar I of Dambrath.

In the, circle magic was used by an archmage purporting to be the Great Hlundadim to summon a horde of orcs, barghests, and demons to level the great dwarven kingdom of Tethyamar.

As of the late 14 century DR, circle magic had been used to set magical alarms across large swaths of the Urlingwood, a place sacred to the Wychlaran of Rashemen.

Practitioners

 * Council of Elders, the magocratic governing body that presided over the nation of Halruaa.
 * The grimlocks of Fingerhome.
 * Red Wizards of Thay, by means of their magical tattoos.
 * Wychlaran of Rashemen, with Ethrans acting as participants and Hathrans serving as the circle leaders.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * The Nether Scroll
 * The Nether Scroll