Elminster

**Elminster Aumar**, also known as the **"Sage of Shadowdale"** and the **"Old Mage"**, was one of the most famous and powerful wizards in all of Faerûn, as well as a fair fighter and thief.

Elminster could count as allies his fellow Chosen of Mystra, and in particular his lover, the Simbul; the Harpers and many other good folk; Lhaeo, his scribe; and no less than the goddess Mystra herself.

Elminster interacted regularly with the other Chosen of Mystra through a telepathic link. As well as once sharing a bed with the goddess herself, he conducted a relationship with the Simbul of the Seven Sisters. Elminster and Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun had something of a rivalry, whilst Volo sorely taxed the old mage's patience.

Though known to think very little of humans, Morgwais, the Lady of High Forest, liked Elminster a lot and had occasional flirtatious relations with him.

The Old Mage was also friends with Mordenkainen of Oerth and was acquainted with Dalamar of Krynn. The three frequently met at Ed Greenwood's home on Earth to exchange spells and news of each other's worlds.

Elminster once (briefly) had a Calishite apprentice named Raerlin, who stole the key to Elminster's closet in order to obtain a powerful spellbook (or possibly a phylactery). When Elminster retrieved the key in 1336 DR at a magefair with the help of Storm Silverhand and subsequently opened the closet, Raerlin appeared as a lich. He was defeated when Storm burnt the pages of the tome Raerlin was after.

Elminster was born in 212 DR to Elthryn, who was the lord of the village of Heldon and a prince of Athalantar, and his wife Amrythale, in the kingdom of Athalantar. However, they were slain by Undarl, a malaugrym and a magelord of Athalantar. The only survivor, at the age of 12, Elminster took his father's broken sword, the Lion Sword, the symbol of the great king of the Stag Throne, Uthgrael Aumar, and became a brigand and thief.

But with no desire for killing, the young El soon abandoned that trade and instead operated as a burglar in Hastarl, capital of Athalantar. He met and formed a bond of friendship with a young thief, Farl, who knew Elminster as "Eladar the Dark". They committed many acts of thievery together and lived life fully, later forming the gang the Velvet Hands in opposition to a rival gang, the Moonclaws, who were servants of the magelords. Later, during a burglary, Elminster met the Magister of the time, Dorgon "Stonecloak" Heamilolothtar. The Magister asked him if he desired to learn magic, but Elminster refused, as he hated all mages because of the magelords.

Eventually, after a number of adventures when Elminster was a young adult, Mystra, the Goddess of All Magic, visited Elminster and spent time with him, persuading him to learn magic and revere her. Soon after, Mystra even turned him into a woman, to strengthen his bond with magic and to expand his understanding of the world, as well as to enable to pass unnoticed by his enemies. For a few years, "Elmara" was a priestess of Mystra. Later, an avatar of Mystra (who went by the name Myrjala Talithyn, or "Darkeyes") trained Elmara in the ways of a mage and brought her to an ancient Netherese archmage known as Ander who taught Elmara a spell that would transform her back into Elminster. Afterward, Myrjala taught Elminster a lot about magic, until he could at last get revenge against the magelords of Athalantar. The battle was terrible, but Elminster was victorious and finally claimed the kingdom's throne.

But Elminster had no desire for kingship, and quickly abdicated in 240 DR in favor of a friend, Helm Stoneblade, a knight of Athalantar. However, as Elminster and Myrjala departed the kingdom, the Mage Royal, Undarl, attacked them, and the sorceress shed her guise, showing she was none other than Mystra. Mystra proposed that Elminster should be one of her Chosen, and he quickly agreed

Around 241 DR, Elminster traveled to the city of Cormanthor, where he continued his magical studies as an apprentice to a cruel and powerful wizard and living among the ancient elven society. On morning of Nightal 9 in this year, the Srinshee attempted to steal some of the silver fire from Elminster but was burnt for her experiment.

Elminster remained in Cormanthyr for over two decades, and was present in 261 DR when the *mythal* was raised and the city was renamed Myth Drannor. On Tarsakh 4 of this year, Lady Laurlaethee Shaurlanglar attempted to poison Elminster by lacing his moonwine with srindym. When this failed due to Mystra's protections, Laurlaethee attempted to kill the Chosen with spells but was ultimately subdued by Elminster.

In 324 DR, the Harpers were formed by Dathlue Mistwinter. Elminster was one of the founding members and one of the few humans among its ranks.

On 331 DR, for the first time in 70 years, Elminster left Cormanthyr on Mystra's request.

On Midsummer evening of 666 DR, after claiming the Rulers' Blade, the Srinshee visited Elminster one last time while he studied to bid him farewell before she departed for Arvandor.

Elminster was in attendance for the refounding of the Harpers in 720 DR.

Somewhere around the mid–7th century DR, Elminster entered a tomb and became trapped there in stasis for roughly a century. He emerged from the dusty tomb in 759 DR.

By now, magic had become unreliable, and Elminster had to again learn to survive by his wits and the skills he had picked up earlier in his life. The god Azuth soon came to him telling him that he must not rely on Mystra for aid like any other Chosen must with magic, this again being a test from Mystra. Soon he had to learn how to survive without constant divine aid. He later underwent further magical training under the tutelage of a wicked sorceress who sought to tempt him away from Mystra's path. Later, during a fake ritual for Bane, she revealed herself to be the goddess Mystra herself, once again testing him

In 767 DR, Elminster became a foster parent to three other of Mystra's Chosen: Laeral Silverhand, Storm Silverhand, and Dove Falconhand.

On Hammer 14 in 907 DR, Elminster confronted Halueve Starym for attempting to control devils. During the ensuing battle, the Srinshee advised Elminster through his silver fire on how to defeat the elven mage.

Some believed he had a hand in the founding of the city Waterdeep, or just with setting up its system of lords.

In 851 DR, Elminster mentored the newly-appointed Chosen of Mystra, Sammaster, in how to use his new powers.

When malaugrym attacked Arunsun Tower in Waterdeep on 1179 DR, Elminster is among those who help repel the attack.

During the Harpstar Wars in 1222 DR, Elminster defeated the Zulkir of Necromancy, Szass Tam, and earned himself (and the Harpers) the emnity of Thay.

Aumarra Kethtan was present during early-1246 DR in Twilight Hall, when **Elminster** and Storm Silverhand discussed Lantan's recent use of *bombard*s. On Eleint 21 in 1246 DR, Elminster consulted with the Srinshee and Thauntar before preparing to challenge the Simbul in Aglarond for her mage-slaying activites. The titanic battle that eventually erupted between Elminster and the Simbul caused much damage to the Witch-Queen's palace before they both agreed to move the battle to Crommor's Fang. Their battle continued at the new locale until Elminster realised the Simbul was also a Chosen of Mystra.

On Flamerule 6 in 1294 DR, Symgharyl Maruel requested that she become Elminster's apprentice.

In 1336 DR, Elminster visited the Moonshae Isles.

In 1350 DR, Elminster 'retired' to Shadowdale, though this was something of a ruse to provoke certain enemies.

Elminster played a key part in establishing the Rangers Three. They helped him in continuing conflicts with the Shadowmasters.

On Ches 16 in 1356 DR, Elminster agreed to pay-off Sir Sabrast Windriver's tax-debts in exchange for his support. This greatly displeased Royal Magician Vangerdahast who, along with his war wizards had been hunting Sabarast.

In 1357 DR, Elminster helped shield Shandril Shessair from her enemies, the Zhentarim and the Cult of the Dragon.

In 1358 DR, just before the Time of Troubles, Mystra gained some foreknowledge and backed up her power into Midnight, the human wizard, so it would not be lost. As Elminster, like most other wizards, received his power from Mystra, he was left powerless.

During the Time of Troubles, Elminster defended Shadowdale against a Zhentarim army commanded by Bane himself. When Bane and Elminster battled inside his tower, Elminster used a spell to get rid of the avatar, but both of them were struck, and others believed Elminster was slain. In fact, he was transported to another plane for a period of time, and later returned.

However, while Elminster was absent, the other Chosen, the Knights of Myth Drannor, and the Rangers Three held off the forces of evil until his return to the world. However, the subsequent calm was soon broken, as the Shadowmasters had not stopped their plans for power. Elminster, the Rangers Three, and their allies, managed to stop their plans.

In Mirtul of 1360 DR, Tarth Hornwood arrived at Elminster's tower seeking to be trained by the sage of shadowdale in exchange for the Lost Ring of Murbrand. Elminster refused the offer but instead asked that Tarth destroy his former master's (Nerndel of Amphail) staff. Tarth tried to trick Elminster by using a fake staff built by Sarlin the Serpent, however the Old Mage revealed the deception and presented the real staff to Tarth instead. After performing the ritual to destroy the staff, the item transfromed into Nimra Ninehands who had been trapped in the staff for over 700 years. Elminster explains that Nimra would help train Tarth as she was still bound to Nerndal's service - and now his.

In Mirtul of 1364 DR, took on Nouméa Fairbright as an apprentice after being introduced by the Great Lady Calabrista of Selgaunt. During their meeting two Thayan red wizards try to kill Elminster but fail both attempts.

In Alturiak of 1365 DR, Elminster assisted Royal Magician Vangerdahast in searching for the missing war wizard Bolifar Geldert. Together they uncovered a plot by Baerune Cordallar, Kaulgetharr Drell, and others to wed Alusair Obarskyr and kill Tanalasta Obarskyr.

In late Eleint of 1371 DR, the new Mystra stripped away many of Elminster's memories of her former incarnation's secrets