Ritual

A ritual was a complex ceremony that created magical effects.

History
Rituals were as old as magic use itself.

Days of Thunder
The sarrukh used one of the first rituals to create large numbers of reptilian creatures during the Days of Thunder.

Age of Humanity
In the 12 century DR, some time before the Time of Troubles,  the adepts of the College of Rune Magics practiced a form of rune magic that heavily revolved around the use of runesticks in casting a wide variety of rituals.

Era of Upheaval
Following the Spellplague of 1385 DR, magic use changed the way rituals functioned. Rituals were now set forth in writing and followed specific guidelines.