| “ | Why do you disturb the Rod of Savrille? | „ |
| ~ Mage Savrille, the namesake creator of the cursed Rod of Savrille. |
The Rod of Savrille is an ancient artifact that featured in the 2000 action adventure fantasy film Dungeons & Dragons based on the popular fantasy tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. The Rod of Savrille is a red, mystical dragon-themed scepter with blood-red orb that was hidden due to its power of magically controlling Red Dragons, the most dangerous breed of Chromatic Dragons ever existed. It is also known as the "Red Dragon Scepter".
Overview
Mage Savrille, the original user and creator of the accursed Rod of Savrille.
The Rod of Savrille was created by a sorcerer named Savrille (also known as "Mage Savrille") who then managed to control a horde of Red Dragons, the most chaotic breed of dragons in existence. Through his success, he became seduced by its potential and used it to wreak havoc, believing mankind should be allowed to command Red Dragons. As a result, the Gods cursed both him and his rod and imprisoned them within Savrille's own treasure-filled tomb inside a forgotten cavernous dragon temple which was then protected by a mystical barrier. That same said barrier was arguably divine in nature, as only those who, as deemed worthy by the Gods, could bypass it to retrieve the Rod and have it destroyed.
The Empire of Izmir, the home nation of the evil mage Profion, the one who after the staff.
The staff soon became a legend that reaches the ear of the young Empress Savina during a political unrest in her medieval metropolitan kingdom known as the Empire of Izmer.
Lord Profion, the second known user of the Rod of Savrille.
The empress wished to establish a more peaceful coexistence between commoners and Mages (elite group of spellcasters) where both groups traded in equal terms, but is opposed by the Mage supremacist Lord Profion and his supporters who wanted to maintain their reign over commoners whom they treated nothing more than slaves.
Mage Damodar seeks out the Rod of Savrille for his master Profion.
When Savina requested Marina and her mentor, the librarian wizard, to find out everything they can about the rod, Profion's familiar relayed information from their conversation to its master, which prompted Profion to send his sorcerous lieutenant Damodar and his men to coerce them about information pertaining the Rod of Savrille before dispatching them. Unfortunately, despite having managed to kill the librarian wizard, he failed to stop Marina and her reluctant companions Snails and Ridley from escaping with the map to the Rod of Savrille.
Despite his friend Snails' death in the struggle over their pursuit for the staff, Ridley Freeborn's party pressed on, and managed to find the entrance for Savrille's tomb with the aid of a jewel-like artifact called "Eye of Dragon", with only Ridley being able to bypass the barrier set by the Gods long ago. Taking his time looting some treasures, Ridley finally found the Rod of Savrille on the hands of Savrille's corpse. Upon touching the Rod, Savrille suddenly returns to life and warned Ridley that anyone who wields the power of the Rod shall suffer a horrible fate and the staff's curse must be broken somehow. However, that very staff of legend later fell into the hands of Damodar after an uneasy exchange. Eventually it was handed to Profion, who then summoned red dragons to counteract Empress Savina's Golden Dragons, one of the most powerful and benevolent of Chromatic Dragons.
The Kingdom of Izmir saved from the averted next Great War between Gold Dragons and Red Dragons.
Empress Savina, Lord Profion's mortal enemy and the one who after the staff, but never use it while she wields the golden Scepter of Izmir.
As war broke out within Sumdall the capital city of the Empire of Izmir with the benevolent Empress Savina's Golden Dragon horde are slowly overwhelmed by the mad Profion's red dragons, Ridley retakes the Rod of Savrille from Profion's hands in his and his party's brief struggle. To the archmage's shock, Ridley discovered that he is able to harness the staff's power and briefly seduced by its magical power. Fortunately, Ridley, recalled upon Savrille's warnings, makes a noble decision to destroy it, breaking the curse of the late sorcerer Savrille and left the entire red dragon horde to flee, saving the Empire of Izmir while one of Empress Savina's golden dragons by her telepathic command via the magic of the golden Scepter of Izmir (also known as the "Golden Dragon Scepter") in her hand, came behind Profion and ate him as punishment for his crimes in the end.
Usage
The legend of the late Mage Savrille (seen in his human form) holding the Rod of Savrille in his hand as seen on one of the murals at his forgotten tomb.
The Rod of Savrille has the power to telepathically control red dragons, the most chaotic breed of dragons in existence. The staff is much more powerful than Empress Savina's Scepter of Izmir that both Profion and Savina sought to get their hands on it. Unknown to them however, the sceptre's creation was considered to be a great taboo by the Gods, for its great power would tempt its wielder to abuse it and cause catastrophe as shown from Savrille's use with it to cause the Great War in the past. For that reason, the Gods cursed anyone who dared use it for their own ends to suffer a horrible death, a curse which can only be broken by the staff's destruction.
The Scepter of Izmir, the mystical weapon that is the Rod of Savrille's solar opposite.
The only known artifact that barely matches the Rod of Savrille in terms of power is its polar opposite, the Scepter of Izmir, also known as Gold Dragon Scepter for its similar telepathic abilities. In the latter's case however, it is used instead to control gold dragons. Although, the extent of Scepter of Izmir's ability proved to be pale in comparison, as Rod of Savrille proved to be able to control more numerous dragons estimated almost in the hundreds.
By destroying the Rod of Savrille, its magical telepathic hold over Red Dragons would be lost, and the haunting curse of the late Mage within his namesake stave would be broken forever.
Because of its ability to control red dragons, it can be inferred that the staff can also perform dragon magic. Unfortunately, with Savrille's passing and its eventual destruction, the knowledge of other sorcerous applications in the artifact (if any) were eventually lost, which is for the best to prevent its dark history from repeating itself on other artifacts. In fact, Empress Savina herself wary with the power of her own staff that she only wanted to use the Scepter of Izmir if it deemed absolutely necessary.
Gallery
Trivia
- The breed of dragons Rod of Savrille designed to control, Red Dragons, were chromatic true dragons considered as archetypal villainous dragons of legend and fable with considerable malevolence and might to back up their infamous reputation. As such, it's no surprise Gods cursed Savrille and his namesake rod not just for the mage's hubris, but also the fact that a horde of Red Dragons could remove an entire civilization from the map.