Magefair

A magefair, also referred to as the Magefair or Mage Fair, was a private gathering of wizards for the purposes of demonstrating magical powers and general enjoyment. Magefairs could be useful for learning new spells, as they attracted mages from all walks of life from all across the Realms.

The specifics of the Magefair's location and date were decided upon by a council of senior wizards who were appointed by Azuth himself and officially declared by the the Magister of Mystra. Information was then spread to parties of interest by the heralds of Faerûn.

Activities
Whether they were an elder wizard who had honed their skills for decades or a young, upstart apprentice looking to prove their worth, many spellcasters demonstrated their mastery of the Art by performing particularly complicated and difficult-to-master spells. Among the demonstrations at a magefair, the fireball-throwing contest was one of the more distinct ways to prove one's worth. During this event, various casters attempted to create the largest and strongest fireballs.

Duels were quite common and enjoyed by all. In order to ensure everyone's safety, specific rules were agreed upon beforehand.

Business
In addition to the celebrations and demonstrations of skill and ability, many mages used these events to conduct official magical business. They often signed contracts such as non-aggression treaties, territorial pacts and even formed research agreements with one another.

Many wizards sold their services such as magical training, spells they had formulated, enchanted items, potions, rare spell components and even esoteric knowledge and information.

Socializing
The Magefair was also a time for partying and feasting. Magical pranks were a common sight and time-honored tradition of the festival.

Some elder masters and prospective apprentices sought out their respective counterparts during magefairs, to impart their wisdom upon others or increase their own magical acumen. Magefairs proved a useful venue for teachers and pupils take measure of and connect with someone who proved a good match in this regard.

Organization
While small-scale magefairs were held regularly in or near specific towns or cities, the annual Magefair was often held away from civilization — in remote valleys or within the ruins of abandoned fortresses, so that no innocent bystanders were inadvertently harmed.

Rules
At the annual Magefair, once a hopeful attendee arrived at the site, they would be challenged to prove themselves by casting any arcane spell in their repertoire - should they fail to do this, they would be turned away by the challenger, a sentinel who was always armed with powerful magic items, and guarded by strong defensive magic.

There were also certain rules to prevent total chaos breaking out, also enforced by those same sentinels. Each magician was entitled to bring one guest who did not need to have magical abilities. Such rules forbade the use of teleportation along with the casting of offensive spells outside of formal demonstrations and duels.

Origins
The first Magefair was organised by Talana Brakuularn in Shoonach in 247 DR. It was attended by around sixty people: nearly thirty relatively minor mages and roughly twenty alchemists and apothecaries looking to hawk their wares to them. Spread within this crowd were agents of Shoon IV, looking to root out foreign spies, who went completely unnoticed by Talana.

The second Magefair was arranged in 249 DR, a month after Talana became the Magister, following an advertising campaign designed to attract much more powerful practitioners of the Art. Talana was even murdered at a Magefair in 256 DR, having by then firmly established the tradition.

Originally, the regularly-occurring Magefair was held once a decade, then it was made more frequent at every five years and for a brief time every three years, before becoming an annual event. When the wizards of the Vast stopped visiting the temple of Savras in Sendrin, following his defeat by the hands of Azuth, those who'd serviced the spellcasters — scribes, component sellers, tailors, healers and escorts — gradually left. The community they created went mobile, eventually turning into the primary annual Magefair.

The town of Sendrin had always been a mecca for wizards. Here, they could talk shop, share spells, and practice their magic far from inhabited areas. Some also took the opportunity to play up, party all night, mess around with magic for lewdness and vandalism, and generally get away with what they couldn't at home. These traditions were continued by those who joined the magefairs travelling all over Faerûn in the centuries that followed.

The last magefair that was held within a populated settlement occurred sometime in the early-14 century DR in the city of Derlusk.