Azuth Azuth ( pronounced " ah - ZOOTH " ) , also known as the Lord of Spells and the God of Wizards , was a lesser deity who concerned himself with the advancement and preservation of the magical arts . Worshiped by all manner of spellcasters ( and wizards in particular ) , the crafty deity acted as an adviser to the sitting deity of raw magic ; he and Mystra shared an amicable relationship akin to that of tutor and favorite student . Other deities found him crotchety , not understanding his dry wit or ceaseless dedication to collecting magical knowledge . Azuth most often appeared as a white - bearded man wearing elaborate , antique clothing and wielding the powerful , gem - topped " Old Staff " . Worshipers . Among the most blessed of Azuth ' s terrestrial servants are The Favored , thought to be a cadre of slain human wizards resurrected by the Lord of Spells himself but which are in fact magical constructs of his subconscious mind . The Favored further the development and channeling of the Weave through written formulas , a process Azuthans view as the apogee of human scientific achievement . Possessing uncanny abilities such as telekinesis and flight , these paragons of magical power deliver important messages to the flock and herald new developments in magical sciences . Azuth has struggled desperately since the Time of Troubles to reconcile the old Mystra with the new , and with the resulting difference in the Weave that blankets Toril . Though the deity does not know it , The Favored — mental manifestations of this struggle — are tearing his church apart and may cost the Lord of Spells , and his worship significantly . Criticisms . Despite the ecclesiastical turmoil within , many outsiders view Azuth ' s religion as tradition - bound . To them , it adapts to the times at a glacial pace , concerning itself overmuch with abstract arcane debates while remaining blind to the problems that beset the land . Since so many of Azuth ' s followers take a neutral stance on matters of morality , the church often comes under criticism by the more proactive cults of Mystra . Relationships . Azuth was subservient to both Mystra and later Midnight and had a complex relationship with Savras , who nominally served him , Azuth having kept Savras prisoner for many centuries . Azuth was also served by Velsharoon and was an ally of Deneir , Oghma and Leira . While his relationship with the first Mystra was one of deep mutual affection , he took a more paternal stance with her later incarnation - guiding her through a difficult time of acclimatization to her role . Mystra tasked Azuth with subtly manipulating the wizard Flamsterd . Azuth was in love with the Chosen of Mystra , Alvaerele Tasundrym , protecting her from danger , but was also one of Mystra ' s lovers . Azuth also had a close relationship with Syluné Silverhand . History . Records of Azuth ' s life as a mortal were virtually non - existent and Azuth himself did not deign to answer questions regarding the topic , therefore , most of what was known of Azuth ' s life was legend . As a mortal man , Azuth was hungry for power , and in his search for it he studied several lost empires in the hope of finding forgotten magical secrets . Eventually his dedication lead to him being granted the title of Magister , the first of his kind , recognized by Mystra as her most promising mortal pupil . At some point , Azuth believed himself no longer worthy of being called Magister , and so Mystra turned him instead to one of her Chosen . During or shortly after the Dawn Cataclysm , in his bid for divinity , Azuth sought to steal a portion of the demigod Savras ' power in a gambit that ultimately failed . This led to a protracted series of battles between Azuth and Savras , culminating in a duel that shattered a mountain and created a deep lake . Azuth was successful and managed to imprison the deity Savras within a staff he had created , the Scepter of Savras . And thus , with the help of Mystra who had now become his lover , Azuth finally ascended to divine status . Azuth lost the staff , but Syluné Silverhand found it and returned it to him , whereupon Azuth began to feel guilty for imprisoning Savras and , after the Time of Troubles , freed him from his imprisonment in exchange for a pledge of fealty . Spellplague . The destruction of Dweomerheart sent the dying Azuth into Asmodeus ' s domain of Nessus . Although many people believed the archdevil killed Azuth and consumed his divine essence to attain godhood , in fact Asmodeus fused with Azuth , and both gods coexisted since then in the same body . Most of the time Asmodeus overpowered Azuth , using his divine powers while the God of Wizards was in a dormant state . < ref name = " TDYK / Hardcover - p16 " > < / ref > But in a rare few occasions Azuth was able to gain dominion of their shared body , and many denizens of the Nine Hells believed Asmodeus had become mad due to his strange behavior . The Second Sundering . In 1486 DR , Azuth had regained most of his strength and was able to chose Ilstan Nyaril as his Chosen . Asmodeus and Azuth began to struggle for dominion over their shared body and the hierarchy of the Nine Hells was jeopardized because of that . Ilstan and Farideh , one of the Chosen of Asmodeus , devised a plan to separate both gods and avoid a potential devil invasion to all the multiverse . They contacted the god Enlil through his Chosen , Kepeshkmolik Dumuzi , and Asmodeus agreed to release Azuth from his body and to resurrect the Unther ite god Nanna - Sin as a non - god immortal and in exchange Enlil allowed Asmodeus to consume Nanna - Sin ' s divine spark to become a god unto himself . In a ritual performed in Djerad Thymar amid the First Tymanther - Unther War , on Hammer 10 of 1487 DR , Ilstan sacrificed his life to allow Azuth become an individual god once more . < ref name = " TDYK / Hardcover - p476 " > < / ref > After the Second Sundering ended , Azuth returned to the Faerûnian pantheon .