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Odessa333
Acolyte
USA
2 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Nov 2012 : 05:42:58
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Hi there!
Hopefully I'm posting this in the right place. If I'm way off, please excuse the noob. I tried.
Anywho, for those who didn't see my 'intro' post yet, I'm a long time game master who never played D&D and I'm trying to change that. I'm trying to put together a campaign that will rock my players world and still be consistent with the world at large. To that effect, I'm trying to learn as much as I can.
(below may contain spoilers. I doubt it for this crowd, but don't say I didn't warn you)
That said, I am trying to under stand a bit about magic, Mystra, the weave, etc, and how it all works with the spellplague.
As I understand it (and I could be way off, so feel to correct me here) Mystra (and later Mystra/Midnight) was the goddess of magic who controlled the weave. Cyric killed Mystra/Midnight her with help from Shar so that Shar could control the both the weave and the shadow weave. The plan fails, Mystra/Midnight dies, and we get the spellplague, changing the world over majorly.
In my research, I've heard that the latest Elminster books have Mystra returning, but I can't find much to confirm this as 'happening' or 'happened' or what. If anyone can shed on light on that, I'd appreciate it!
ANYWAY, I have a few questions to make sure I am understanding this right.
1. What IS the weave pre-spellplague, really? I've read it as being described as part of Mystra's body, 'a fabric in which magic is written' and other such vague ideas, but nothing concrete. It seems like raw magic that wizards tap into and shape, but I want to make sure I understand this.
2. What is the shadow weave pre spell plague? It sounds like it's Shar's version of magic, only more evil for kicks. Wouldn't evil magic also be magic? So how could Shar have a shadow weave of magic? What distinguishes these two weaves?
3. What are the two weaves post spell plague? I've read it "collapsed" and now "presents itself as scraps of burning crystal tumbling through an endless void." That's a wonderful image, but what does that mean? Are there crystal fragments of the weaves around, or 'threads' of them still in existence?
4. If there is nothing left of the weaves post spell plague, how does magic work? I've read that mages of all power levels had to relearn their magics, but if there is no magic, how does it work at all? Did Mystra have a back up or something, just in case? Do we have any theories/facts on this?
5. If Mystra is indeed back (or coming back) how does this relate to the weave and magic as it exists? Have there been any hints/rumors of a new weave or anything? If Mystra never truly 'died' could this mean the weave never fully collapsed, that part of it remained hidden somewhere?
6. Bonus round: Do we have any idea how many "Mystra's chosen" there were before the spell plague? Do we have any clue how many survived the fall of the weave like Elminster and such?
So yea, a lot of questions of magic and such. The reason I ask all of this is for my campaign. The idea I'm running with is this: one of Mystra's chosen foresaw Mystra's death, but believing fate could not be changed, did nothing to stop it. Instead, she made plans to preserve the weave and revive Mystra. She sought out other chosen, and together they withdrew from the world and prepared. When Mystra was killed, the order tried to preserve the weave, but like Shar couldn't maintain such power. All they could do was hold onto the tiniest sliver of the weave's magic, nearly powerless on its own. Still, it was something, and they deduced if they could hold onto this one part of the weave, others could do so too. If they gathered enough mages in enough locations, they could slowly rebuild the weave. It was their hope that if the weave could be restored, so could Mystra. The original order split up to recruit others and to search for fragments of the weave's magic.
What do you think? Could it work for a backdrop to a campaign? Am I over looking anything relevant? Any help or suggestions would be most welcome!
Thank you for your time.
V
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The Hidden Lord
Learned Scribe
148 Posts |
Posted - 15 Nov 2012 : 22:18:06
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quote:
Originally posted by Odessa333
1. What IS the weave pre-spellplague, really? I've read it as being described as part of Mystra's body, 'a fabric in which magic is written' and other such vague ideas, but nothing concrete. It seems like raw magic that wizards tap into and shape, but I want to make sure I understand this.
The Weave is mysterious, and no one can answer concretely 'what' it is; however, it is definitely *not* raw magic.
The Weave is probably best described as a divine construct which permeates all matter in Realmspace and the conduit through which MOST magic flows.
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2. What is the shadow weave pre spell plague? It sounds like it's Shar's version of magic, only more evil for kicks. Wouldn't evil magic also be magic? So how could Shar have a shadow weave of magic? What distinguishes these two weaves?
Pre-spellplague, the Shadow Weave is basically identical to the Weave. It is only 'evil' in that access to it is controlled by an evil Goddess. (So only folks who are working for Shar, whether they know it or not, can cast spells through the Shadow Weave.) The mechanics of the Shadow Weave, as they pertain to those spellcasters who uitlize it, can be found in the 3e 'Realms campaign books.
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3. What are the two weaves post spell plague? I've read it "collapsed" and now "presents itself as scraps of burning crystal tumbling through an endless void." That's a wonderful image, but what does that mean? Are there crystal fragments of the weaves around, or 'threads' of them still in existence?
We will have to wait until the end of "The Sundering" cycle of novels to know more; and even then, we will probably have many questions. However, it is safe to say that after the Spellplague, both Weaves are functionally defunct. There was definitely at least one 'scrap' of Mystra's Weave still around post-Spellplague: in the form of the vestige/remnant of Mystra, that hibernated at least for a time in a bear. (I'm not sure if it was a grizzly, black, brown or some Realms specific species.)
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4. If there is nothing left of the weaves post spell plague, how does magic work? I've read that mages of all power levels had to relearn their magics, but if there is no magic, how does it work at all? Did Mystra have a back up or something, just in case? Do we have any theories/facts on this?
Magic did not originate with the Weaves; the Weaves made magic less dangerous and more accessible. Non-divine, weave dependent spellcasters were able to re-learn spellcasting; however, it was more dangerous and less accessible. Remember, there was no 'Weave' on many other DnD worlds, but still spellcasters. However, spellcasting was no where near as commonplace as it was on Faerun.
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5. If Mystra is indeed back (or coming back) how does this relate to the weave and magic as it exists? Have there been any hints/rumors of a new weave or anything? If Mystra never truly 'died' could this mean the weave never fully collapsed, that part of it remained hidden somewhere?
Part of the Weave remained; and resided in the Ursid as I noted above. We may know more after "The Sundering" cycle of novels.
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6. Bonus round: Do we have any idea how many "Mystra's chosen" there were before the spell plague? Do we have any clue how many survived the fall of the weave like Elminster and such?
It's hard to say. Elminster and some of the Seven survived. However, there has never been a definitive list of Mystras Chosen as of 1385 DR.
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sfdragon
Great Reader
2285 Posts |
Posted - 16 Nov 2012 : 08:10:13
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, the known chosen of mystra that survived:
Elminster's elven lover that was hidden, but she later died
Elminster himself
The symbol survived but later took her eternal sleep
the lovely bard survived
the elder wizardess is rumored to ahve passed on in her sleep, but she could have survived by other means
the cleric died
the wizard wife of khelben is unknown but she might have survived in the city of hope.
and this is just the known ones.... rumored chosen such as Ioluam..... is unknown.
and Mystra's all powerful and all knowing and all killing chosen NDA has also survived......
no really there is no chosen of mystra by that name its just the answer to all questions we want to ask but Ed cant tell us. |
why is being a wizard like being a drow? both are likely to find a dagger in the back from a rival or one looking to further his own goals, fame and power
My FR fan fiction
Magister's GAmbit
http://steelfiredragon.deviantart.com/gallery/33539234 |
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Questions on magic , pre and post spellplague
