Church of Azuth

The Church of Azuth, also known as the Magistrati, was the collective clergy of numerous temples around Faerûn dedicated to the Lord of Spells, Azuth. It was comprised primarily of wizards, sorcerers and monks though clerics typically held the most power within the hierarchy of the Azuthan church.

Beliefs
Priests of Azuth valued reason above all else. They taught that magic-use should be broken down to its components and studied to garner a full understanding of its workings.

The Magistrati were staunch believers, and enforcers, of the concept known as the magebond. This informal pact, taught to all wizards since the days Azuth served as Magister, stated that magic was best left to those willful enough to devote their time to its study and mastery. It further declared disputes between spellcasters, especially their duels, should never affect the non-magic community at large. In fact the lore and ritual of this ancient tradition were closely guarded

Attitudes
Unlike the more proactive faithful of Mystra, Azuth's superior within the pantheon, the ministry of the God of Wizards were morally neutral, and typically ignored the daily problems of average folk of the Realms. They preferred to engage in abstract debates regarding esoteric arcana and strove to ascribe formulae to magical processes.

Azuthans stressed the preservation of a calm demeanor as well as creative, albeit judicious use of magic to their congregation. In their eyes magical power was accompanied with grave responsibility; within it were effects it could be made, but not necessarily unmade.

They were appreciators of magic, and could enjoy the nuanced complexities of dweomers and elegance of deft spellwork.

Activities
The followers of Azuth were taught learn every spell they came came across for posterity, however they were to never hoard magical knowledge. Rather, they were instructed to copy any newly-discovered magics for the temple library.

The clergy endeavored towards one primary goal, despite how distasteful it was to most wizards. They aspired to ensure that no spell or magical item was unique to a single spellcaster in all of Faerûn; under the reasoning their death would displace an aspect of arcane knowledge that would then be lost for all time.

Azuthan novices were tasked with traveling the lands to educate townsfolk about the nature of magic, purely with the aim of sharing knowledge and further propagating wise use of the arcane arts. To this end, the Magistrati sponsored Magefairs, and distributed spellbooks and minor magical items to those who demonstrated budding magical aptitude.

To this end the Magistrati employed magical spying and even endorsed the temporary theft of obscure magical items.

Organiztion
The Magistrati tended to attract magic-users that loved magic for its own sake, rather than those who sought it out as a means to gain power.

Titles

 * Blessed: These blessed servants of Azuth acted as both his heralds and scribes to his church's work in the magical sciences. While the source of their prodigious abilities were shrouded in mystery they were a grand sight to behold, including telekinesis and the power of flight.


 * First: These members within the Magistrati, referred to in public as revered one, would lead the community of a single temple. Many of these patriarchs lived well over a century, leading to the belied they had found some archaic source of immortality.

Within a temple, the most powerful practitioner of a specific school of magic was granted a specific title. For example a temple's master of abjuration magic would be referred to as the First Abjurer.

Orders

 * Loomwarden : This faction of the Magistrati distrusted sorcerers and the more chaotic aspects of Mystra and the Weave. They often called back to the fall of the archwizards of Netheril, using the catastrophic event to deter and admonish those who sought raw magical power.


 * Spellsavants: A sect that strived for the ever-expanding wealth of arcane knowledge by all of humanity, regardless of the source of their abilities.

Rituals
Clerics of Azuth prayed for their spells at dusk. Liturgical readings of Azuth's tenets accompanied shared meals in their temples.

Azuthans recognized few holidays but did celebrate when a wizard within the Church of Mystra ascended to the rank of Magister.

Bases
Temples to Azuth were common in the more civilized cities of the Realms, ideally those with large practicing arcane guilds. By 1372 DR they had established major temples in Halarahh, Bezantur

Equipment, spells and relics
The Magistrati dressed in elaborate garb of dull, muted colors, that featured absurd collars, garish hats and scarves with a sprawl of arcane symbols.

History
Since the Time of Troubles, Azuth has struggled to reconcile Mystra's older manifestation with her newer one. While it was unknown to the church's practitioners, Azuth's Favored were actually a byproduct of this conflict and, in turn, tore the church apart and turned away much of his worshipers.

This divide was furthered by the growing conflict between factions of the Magistrati such as the Loomwardens and the Spellsavants.