Mythal

A mythal was a powerful magical effect, created by a group of spellcasters to protect and ward a large area with numerous powerful enchantments. The earliest mythals were created by a circle of elven High Mages. Mythals could permanently alter the Weave to create an area wherein the normal rules of magic no longer applied. A typical mythal prevented certain schools of magic from being employed while empowering others. It could restrict access to the warded area to certain classes of beings. For example, Silverymoon's mythal excluded evil dragons. Creation of a mythal sometimes required the willing sacrifice of the lead caster's life, a result that led to the first mythal being named after its creator. In addition, many mythal spells corroded over time, and if not maintained could become corrupted. This occurred in Myth Drannor and resulted in the state of that city until 1374 DR.
==History==
The god of mythals, Mythrien Sarath, was said to have invested much of his divine power in helping elven High Mages erect their mythals.
===Mythal Definitions ===
While any epic magic "field or ward" could be considered a mythal the differences were often in semantics or traditions, but scholars often used the following distinctions to describe various mythals:
* High Mythal or True Mythal: The first, great elven mythals.
* Wizard Mythal or Near-Mythal: Those mythals created later but with similar power and often by/including non-elves.
* House Mythal: A minor mythal that covered a building.
Part of the confusion came from the fact that, prior to Mystra's Ban, mythals could be created by both high-level spells and epic magic. After Mystra's Ban, only the epic magic option remained.
==Known Mythals & Locations==
* Dracorage mythal: Destroyed in 1373 DR.
* Elven Court: Considered a true mythal.
* Evereska: A powerful true mythal.
* Herald's Holdfast: This was not a true mythal.
* Myth Adofhaer: Considered a true mythal.
* Myth Drannor: Created in 261 DR, this was later considered a corrupted mythal, and a true mythal. Described as "one of four known wizard mythals".
* Myth Dyraalis: Considered a true mythal. Created .
* Myth Glaurach: Built near Hellgate Keep. Considered a true mythal. Described as "one of four known wizard mythals."
* Myth Iiscar: Built on the island of Lantan, the mythal's construction and destruction dates are unknown. Created by non-elves.
* Myth Lharast: Created by non-elves. Built somewhere in Amn, this mythal was a safe place for benign lycanthropes. It was moved into a demiplane after being removed from Faerûn by Selûne.
* Myth Nantar: Considered a true mythal. Created in , this mythal exists under the Sea of Fallen Stars.
* Myth Ondath: Considered a true mythal. This mythal was built on the ruins of Ondathel. Created in 555 DR; destroyed in 633 DR.
* Myth Rhynn: Created during the height of the Keltormir civilization. By the 14 century DR, Myth Rhynn had been corrupted. Considered a true mythal.
* Myth Unnohyr: Created sometime before/during the rise of Shanatar, Myth Unnohyr was in ruins by the time of the First Kingdom of Mir and by the 14th century DR it was corrupted. Considered a true mythal.
* Shoonach's Imperial Mount: Located in the center of Shoonach, a ruined city by the 14 century DR, believed built by the Strohm Dynasty and their elven allies. Created by non-elves. Described as "one of four known wizard mythals".
* Silverymoon: The Wards of Silverymoon were considered to be a wizard mythal.
* Undermountain: Created by Halaster Blackcloak, the many layers of spells, wards and other magic created a near-mythal.
* Ahghairon's dragonward: A powerful mythal cast by the famous mage Ahghairon over the city of Waterdeep.
* Severed Hand: A mythal was created by the archmage and his fellow mages of the fortress, but it failed catastrophically. Instead of freeing the besieged elves from their predicament, it turned every living being, elf or orc alike, into an undead being.
* The Great Shield: Candlekeep was protected by a mythal, referred to as the Great Shield, a barrier of elven high magic that could be activated by the Keeper of Tomes if the need ever arose.
==Appendix==
===See Also===
* Fields of Mythal
* Mythallar
===References===
===Sources===
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Category:Arcane magic
Category:Elven High Magic