Magicians existed long before the Circles carved magic into the Draga Orkid. Distant histories tell of many covenants and monasteries where magicians researched and experimented with the Chaos, away from the prying eyes of the Common. The earliest covens were groups of elementalists and spiritualists. These sorcerers practiced ancient spells and rituals inherited from shamanic traditions. Mærū, Noltrū, Phlōgòstrū, and Teréðrū were seen as the building blocks of creation whereas Spirit bound the elements together. In these early times, no one magician would study more than one field of magic for the mysteries were wide and life too short.
Eventually, the studies matured and divided. Hybrid studies were introduced, and it was soon realized that narrow-studies limited a magician’s understanding and potential. In 313 HK, a circle of magicians gathered and introduced a Draga Orkid at the first Council of Ildûn. The exact participants of the First Council are unknown, but the Kavàllūn are believed to have been represented. The First Council of Ildûn adopted harsh laws for magic use, and established penalties for the practice of Weaving outside the framework of the Draga Orkid. This created deep divisions among the magicians of Dekàlas, which would eventually lead to the Wizards’ War.
In 316 HK, Cazrùl Tīyr of Shar stormed into the White Hall and summoned lightning down upon the Æzàlar palace. The marble domes cracked and the walls trembled and fell. The inhabitants, an ancient coven who were desperately trying to adopt the new ways were killed to the last. Cazrùl Tīyr, an elder member perished with his colleagues. News of the action spread through all the Circles of the Old Empire within a season. Tensions rose and Circles were formed to protect themselves from rogue wizards, who embraced the old ways. Suspicions snaked across the continents. Circles suspected other Circles of clinging to ancient and dangerous practices. Blood Marches were launched again and again, in an attempt to rid the Old Empire of the old ways. In Panæð and Kændal, the High Lords offered armies in exchange for allegiance.
The Wizards’ War lasted into the 5th century of the High King. Toward its end, the magicians had reduced their own numbers to a handful of scattered Circles. A second Council of Ildûn was held in 440 HK. Ðorn Oldir, the eldest of those assembled, proposed the Eshádek (Law of Ten). The Eshádek provided for a confederation of ten Circles bound by a single law, and of one Draga Orkid. According to the covenant, each Circle would be bound to a central council which would govern over affairs of all houses. All unsolved disputes would be settled by a grandmaster, who would serve as advisor to the High King. Furthermore, the council would hear arguments regarding rogue covens, and have the power to call Blood Marches on those groups operating outside the Eshádek. This agreement was presented to and approved by the High King. The Eshádek was signed with true-names, and buried among the foundations of Ildûn.
The idea of unified Circles threw fear into the hearts of covens throughout the Old Empire. Many abandoned their ways; those not forgiven for their crimes in the War were killed, others were accepted into the Eshádek. Many other covens disappeared, leaving for remote lands across Tassèrus and Terèðor. A great number of covens fled to Lyrast, carrying word of the Eshádek to magicians there, uniting them into formidable covenants as well. Destruction of the Lyrasti covenants are believed to have been one goal of the Tasseri Campaigns.
Through all of this, very few Circles survived and none in their original form. No surviving Circles are believed to abide by the ancient lores as they are known to be restricting. Many of the elementalist philosophies however, survive within these groups. Mostly unknown until the Second Acèntyra-Dekàli War, the Circles have surfaced more regularly in recent centuries. Some speculate that a Blood March can no longer be called without the Towers of Ildûn.