Temple to Mystra
Mystra is the goddess of magic, and with that the goddess of possibilities. She is venerated by mages and by those who use magic or magical objects in their daily lives. She also receives the prayers of those who find magic wondrous or encounter magic they fear. Mystra is the goddess of the essential force that makes all spellcasting possible. She provides and tends the Weave, the conduit through which mortal spellcasters and magical crafters can safely access the raw force of magic.
Waterdeep has a strong tradition of magery. Waterdhavians inclined to worship one of the "arcane" faiths have traditionally favored the Lady of Mysteries dating back to the establishment of the House of Wonder. Waterdeep's Church of Mystra, however, has long played a secondary role to the Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors because the sale of spells and magic items is traditionally in the province of the guild, not the church.
The temple and church both suffered great damage during the Spellplague, with the Watchful Order eventually stepping in when the House of Wonders stood empty. The Order took over the compound, moving their school for wizardry into its ancient halls.
Then, with the Sundering, things changed. The worship of the Lady of Mysteries was rapidly restored in the intervening years, and the temple with it. Rather than taking the temple away from the Watchful Order, the church has elected to help sponsor the school and allow it to remain on the temple grounds. Indeed, the temple has started taking on students other than those with Watchful Order connections, sometimes even doing so for free when a particularly promising student cannot afford the fees of the school. Its students frequently become members of the Watchful Order, and some even remain as clergy.
Temple Compound
Grounds
The grounds of the House of Wonder are surrounded by a fine gate of wrought iron, each spoke in the gate topped with the Eightfold Star of Mystra at the crosspoint. The grounds themselves are wrought of fine white marble cobblestones, with blue-white cobbles forming the mosaic of the Eightfold Star from which rises the temple.
Three buildings are situated on the grounds: the Gatehouse, a defensive structure maintained by the Knights of Mystic Fire, Mystra's order of paladins; the Shrine to Azuth, tucked away at the rear of the compound; and the House of Wonder itself, a great circular tower.
Gatehouse
Headquarters for the local chapter of the Knights of Mystic Fire, the Gatehouse defends the sole entrance to the House of Wonder.
Shrine to Azuth
Like most temples to Mystra, the House of Wonder includes a small shrine to Azuth. The Waterdhavian shrine is home to a handful of Azuthan clergy, more than half of them mages, who tend to the needs of the faithful and stand out among the Mystran clergy by dint of their gray robes among the Mystran blue.
House of Wonder
The temple proper is a five-story building. The publicly accessible area of the temple rests at ground level, a vast and pillared circular chamber at the center of which is a circular altar from which rises a flickering blue-white flame. Those who approach the altar find the flames parting, and the image of a serene, slightly aloof goddess - a depiction of Mystra - gazing at them from out of the flame, no matter which direction they approach the altar from.
Small side alcoves either provide access to the stairs up or down (and are usually watched over by an acolyte), or harbor small sitting areas with priests ready and able to discuss the needs of the faithful. The southermost alcove also holds a holy water font, where the faithful may purchase Mystran holy water from.
Notable Clergy
| Role | Name | Description |
| Temple Magister | Sendra Arunsun | The head of the House of Wonder bears a notable surname, for she is a descendant of the original Blackstaff. Sendra is reclusive, and dedicated to Mystra's service. She is a powerful wizardess in her own right, though she doesn't live up to her familiar reputation of meddling. As Temple Magister, she leads the rites of the House of Wonder and does what she can to foster the worship of the Lady of Mysteries to those who seek it out. |
| Master of Acolytes | Candos Restlar | The priest responsible for the education of the temple's novices and acolytes, Candos is the highest ranking full cleric of Mystra in the temple. He takes his responsibility quite seriously, sometimes to the point of taking himself too seriously as well. He is very aware of his own dignities and pride, and a quick way to get on his bad side is to not respect either. That said, he is a very caring tutor and well-liked by his many students. |
| Academy Headmistress | Marwenna Wands | A noblewoman of the Wands line, Marwenna is intelligent to a degree that often intimidates those around her. Fortunately, she is also very skilled at creating harmony. Marwenna oversees the teaching of the wizard apprentices, and is dear friends with both Sendra and with Bowgentra Summertaen, the Lady Master of the Watchful Order. |
| Knight-Captain of the Mystic Fire | Thalai Ogolakanu | The head of the Knights of the Mystic Fire in the House of Wonder stands just shy of eight feet and wears gleaming plate, a trophy won from a champion of the Church of Cyric. Though quiet, he radiates a palpable sense of strength and protectiveness and is very serious about protecting the Temple of Wonder and its students and priests. |
Temple Services
Apprenticeship
The House of Wonder and Watchful Order cooperate to teach those with promise the arts of wizardry, fostering in them Mystran morality and the Order's operational ethics as a basic part of their training. Its mentors come primarily from the Watchful Order, and its headmaster is both a priestess of the temple and a master in the Order. Most of the apprentices do not live at the temple, although those who need such accommodations are permitted space with the acolytes.
Ritual
The House of Wonder offers a variety of rituals for the adherents of Mystran and Azuthan faiths. Many of the standard rites of faith–birth celebrations, weddings, funerals–are performed, but the House also offers rites for events unique to wizards and other magicians: celebrations of being accepted as an apprentice, offerings of thanks for mastering a new circle of magic, rites of passage from apprentice to journeyman to master levels of proficiency, rites of sacrifice for luck in creating a new spell or magic item, anointing of new familiars, and so on.
Social
The House of Wonder is always open to practitioners of the Art, with the express intention of building community among those who wield arcane power. Part of the temple's goal is to foster cooperative relationships among wizards and other magi in the hopes that it will reduce competitive and antagonistic relationships. A simple social is always held after every temple ritual, and the temple also frequently sponsors "wizards' balls," social events with music, dancing, and ample amounts of delightful magic to enhance the atmosphere.
Spells
The House of Wonder will cast the following spells:
| Spell | Cost | Spell | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cure wounds (1st level) | 10 gp | Cure wounds (2nd level) | 20 gp |
| Lesser Restoration | 40 gp | Prayer of healing | 40 gp |
| Cure wounds (3rd level) | 45 gp | Dispel magic | 90 gp |
| Remove curse | 90 gp | Speak with dead | 90 gp |
| Cure wounds (4th level) | 100 gp | Divination | 210 gp |
| Greater Restoration | 450 gp | Raise dead | 1,000 gp |