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Who do you think is the most powerful caster within the realms(Not including gods)? My vote goes to : The Simbul

Elminster, perhaps?

define powerful? there is alot of high level spell casters out there, but i sure as hell hope they dont challenge each other to a spell battle to see once and for all. in the heartlands, you haev elminster, any of the seven sisters, khelban balckstaff, Vandergast, Samm Thas (i think) as he is probably the most powerfull red wizard. clerically, we haev had cadderly, from the cleric quintet, as he was more or less a direct conduit for his god. and who knows whats happening in the underdark or zentil keep.

if you are wanting this info for a campaign, it'd be best to go with whatever caster is closest, as they would hold the most sway over the people of the land. ie shadowdale is elminster, cromyr is vandergast, waterdeep is blackstaff etc.

dont forget that a different type of magic is practiced in chult, adn that evermeet has some pretty powerful elven caster as well.

that any help?

excuse me while i extract my head from my ass. the most powerful caster, wizard wise, definatly is the magister. he cropts up in elminster, making of a mage, and in teh source book The Magister. he is mystras chosen representative on faerun. really, there is no-one more powerful at wizardly magic. not elminster, the sven sisters, no-one. preistly magic-wise, each church has a patricarh, and they are the most powerful preist of that church, generally.

[ 01-11-2002: Message edited by: kenny ]

I believe that logically that the most powerful wizard in the realms should be the king of the Shades. Especially considering the fact that he is the sole surviving archmage from Netheril. I don't know what exactly happened to "Shadow" (his former name during Netheril), but he should kick ass.

logiacaly? no offence ment, but i fail to follow your logic. okay, netheril was powerful, but how can he be more powerful than a person who call dismantle spells as they are being cast at him without batting an eyelid? the Magister is, officaly, the most powerful wizard in the realms.

What is the full story behind the Magister?

the full story, as far as I know, has yet to berevieled. but this is that it says in teh sourcebook "the magister"

“The Magister” is the title borne
always by a single worker of the magic
arts, chosen by the goddess Mystra as
Her personal champion. Elminster has
vividly told me the details of the choosing
of the latest Magister, one Noume’a,
in the year 1354; her present where-abouts
and powers remain mysterious.
The following quotation from Of The
Wonders of Magery by the sage
Albaerum of Neverwinter describes
both the role of the Magister, and of this
book that bears the same name:
Of old, the mouths of Mystra made
known to all who have Power, this: that
by the blessing of the goddess, one
mage shall be the Lady's champion, and
master of magery. This one, called the
Magister, does not rule, but rather wan-ders
the Realms doing as desired, for
good or ill; and in time is cast down by
other mages, and the mouths of Mystra
shall name a new Magister. Thus the
Art shall live and grow, in strife and
mystery, and never know the stifling
yoke of law nor of authority. And the
Art shall grow stronger, for magely
ambition grows with skill-in-art, and
those waxing stronger will seek out
incumbent weakness; from strife-of-art
shall come greater strength. In the
proper choosing of an enemy, each
Magister brings glory, and greater
strength, to the office. And in the seek-ing
of that office, each magic brings glo-ry,
and greater strength, to the Art.

so, there you go.

I've always thought Mystra was a "Good" goddess. From that description, it sounds like she's much more inclined to neutrality.

[url="http://boards.wizards.com/rpg/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=162&t=000465"]Same topic on the wizard board[/url]

Thanks craig. Very interesting...those people sure know their stuff.

mystra was originaly a netural goddess. but during the time of troubles, when the mortal known as midnight took up mystras amntal and portfolio, the alinment of the godess shifted to something closer to her mortal one. that amke sence. old mystra netural, after time of troubles, new mystra good.

anyone know if her alinment changed after the events described in Crucible?

You have to remember that there have 3 different Mystra's. The first "died" when the Netherese Archmage Karsus tried ascending to deity. The second Mystra died during the Time of Troubles.

It holds to reason that the goddess of magic should have some sort of neutral allignment. I believe that they (Wizards of the Coast) are balancing the game by letting the new Mystra be a "good" deity and at the same time introducing Shar's Shadow Weave.

Sounds reasonable enough. Thanks.

Who is this Telamont guy they're talking about?

Originally posted by josh
Who is this Telamont guy they're talking about?

Wow, that's a long story. Okay, we'll start at the begining. Here's Telemont's profile back when he was known as Shadow, prior to the fall of Netheril. This excerpt is taken from Netheril: Empire of Magic:

Shadow
Birth/Death: 3214-3469 Netheril Calendar (note: Shadow didn't die in 3469, just disapeared)
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Class: 28th-level arcanist (mentalist)
Hit Points: 47
Str 15; Dex 17; Con 15; Int 20; Wis 14; Cha 13
This ingenious arcanist was the first to theorize of demiplanes. His research was banned and assassins were sent to claim his life for his theories. With the backing of Karsus, however, he published conclusive proof of the existence of the demiplanes. The first plane discovered was named after the arcanist, and dozens of other arcanists entered the demiplane to discover its proper-ties. Many never returned, but those who did exclaimed that the plane was appropriately named: the Demiplane of Shadow.
In 3469, Shadow became involved with a beautiful bard from Ioulaum, Alashar Crywinds. As the two planned to get married, however, Alashar revealed that she was actually an assassin sent to slay the arcanist for his work on demiplanes—this despite the fact that the death mark had been lifted years earlier—by the arcanist Grenway. Since neither could stand the thought of killing the other, they came up with a different plan.
Shadow’s research had provided him with the knowledge he needed to transfer himself into the Demiplane of Shadow, leaving his physical form behind on the Prime Material Plane. Creating a simulacrum of Alashar, they sent her duplicate back to the arcanist Grenway to report her success (where she was promptly executed). Karsus oversaw the marriage of the two in a secret ceremony, and Shadow cast his spell that drew them both into the Demiplane of Shadow forever.

Now here's the up to date info of Telemont as he is today. This excerpt is taken from Lords of Darkness:

The Netherese arcanist known as High Prince Telemont Tanthul (NE male shade Wiz20/Acm5/Sha10) is one of the most powerful mages now in Faerun. He was known once, thousands of years ago, as Lord Shadow. One of the few remaining citizens of Netheril who survived the destruction of the empire, he rules the Shadovars with absolute authority. When he considers the time to be right, Telemont plans to reveal to the Shadovars the fact that he is the Lord Shadow of legend, inspiring them to victory.
Well over two millennia old, Telemont preserves his life by means of powerful magic, such as wish spells. This process has been made easier by virtue of the fact that he is no longer human, but rather an outsider. The natural lifespan of a shade is many times longer than that of an ordinary human. However, Telemont acknowledges reluctantly that as his outsider body begins to fail, stronger measures are required to keep him alive. He has not yet decided on the best means of continuing his existence, but the Shadovars return to Faerun offers a wealth of possibilities, including transformation into an undead creature.
Telemont has taken great pains to preserve what he believed were the best elements of Netherese society and merge them with the characteristics necessary for survival on the hostile Plane of Shadow. The result is a society bound by formality and regimentation, in which even the most mundane aspects of daily life have some level of ritual bound up in their execution. In this fashion order is maintained, but more important, so is continuity of culture from century to century. As the final arbiter of all that transpires in the City of Shade, in many ways Telemont is the city. His subjects view him as the living embodiment of all their customs, beliefs, and values. And that is exactly how Telemont sees himself as well.
Those who meet the High Prince encounter someone who has had millennia to practice keeping his true thoughts and feelings in check. Telemont is as difficult to read as he is to bluff. Even his sons rarely know what their father is thinking behind his impermeable mask of glacial calm. Despite his inexpressive exterior, Telemont’s mind is always in motion. At heart the High Prince is an autocrat. His determination to lead his city stems from a strong inner conviction that no other indivisual could possibly be as successful at it as he considers himself to be.
Still tall and robust despite his age, the High Prince cuts an imposing figure whether seated on his floating throne or presiding over ceremonies in the streets of the city. Whenever he appears in public, the High Prince prefers to wear the traditional dark armor of the Netherese Imperium, with its dragon-winged overmantle, stylized vambraces, and flowing, dark purple robes.

As you can see, Telemont's personality underwent a bit of a change over those two thousand years (being on the Plane of Shadow will do that to you). He's basically an ancient Netherese arcanist who is now a shade and wielder of the dark magics of the Shadow Weave.

(Whew! Copying all that stuff was a pain in the ass!)

So, here's a follow up... What was the deal with Netheril?

okay, i'm still plowing my way through all the source books and novels, but its and old empire of of powerful wizards that fell aprt of time. it was ment ot be the greatest human civilisation of all time.

think rome. thats what its like. more info as soon as i have it...

You can download Arcane Age: Netheril - Empire of Magic for free off the Wizards of the Coast page. How the Mighty are Fallen also covers Netheril. They'll answer most of your questions.

As for the most powerful spellcaster on Evermeet, probably among all the elves, is none other than Amlaruil, the queen, she was head of the tower of magic before she became the queen. Now the man in Iriaebor(sp.) is Morhion Gendahar(sp.) The problem with the magister being the most powerful mage is, correct me if i'm wrong, but didn't elminster once hold that title?