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Z 2E Heroes Lorebook
Elminster
Human male 29th-level mage; one of
the Chosen of Mystra
ARMOR CLASS: 6 (3 w/ring)
MOVE: 12
HIT POINTS: 96
THAC0: 12
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good
STR 13, DEX 18, CON 14, INT 18, WIS 18, CHA 17
Spells (7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/6): As one of the Chosen of Mystra,
Elminster knows and can cast virtually any spell (he is exempt
from the rule that mages of 18 Intelligence can know only
18 spells per spell level). He generally disdains conjuration and
summoning spells, but aside from that personal preference has a
knack for carrying precisely the magic he needs to deal with
whatever situation he may encounter. A typical assortment of
spells might include: 1stó burning hands, charm person, color
spray, hypnotism, identify, magic missile, shield; 2ndó forget, hypnotic
pattern, levitate, magic mouth, mirror image, ray of enfeeblement,
web; 3rdó blink, fly, hold undead, protection from normal
missiles, secret page, slow, suggestion; 4thó charm monster, confusion,
massmorph, minor globe of invulnerability, polymorph self,
Raryís mnenomic enhancer, stoneskin; 5thó avoidance, Bigbyís interposing
hand, dismissal, hold monster, passwall, teleport; 6thó
disintegrate, inscribe*, legend lore, mass suggestion, Tenserís transformation;
7thó forcecage, limited wish, power word stun, prismatic
spray, spell turning, statue; 8thó Bigbyís clenched fist, maze,
mind blank, prismatic wall, Sertenís spell immunity, symbol; 9thó
Elminsterís evasion*, foresight, imprisonment, meteor swarm, shape
change, worldwalk*. (See also ìBonus Spellsî below.)
Weapons of Proficiency: dagger; dart; quarterstaff. (Although
he has used many other weapons in his life, his skills
with most of them have deteriorated through lack of practice.)
Nonweapon Proficiencies: In his hundreds of years of
life and possessing the photographic memory that he does,
Elminster can be considered to possess any proficiency common
in the campaign.
Equipment: In his tower in Shadowdale, Elminster has
such vast wealth that any mundane item he does not already
possess can simply be purchased.
Magical Items: Elminsterís store of magical items is extensive.
He is known to commonly don a necklace of missiles,
a ring of protection +3, and a ring of regeneration. And he almost
never goes anywhere without taking along his personal
Elminsterís eversmoking pipe*.
Combat/Tactics: Elminster has been a fighter, a thief, and
a priest (a priestess, actually) before he became a mage. However,
all the skills he picked up in those classes have been neglected
over the years and are no longer available to him.
As a mage, he fights with any magical items he has, then with
spells and his Chosen powers, and, if all else fails, heíll use his
psionic abilities. (If psionics is a part of the campaign, Elminster
has 266 PSPs and access to all attack and defense modes.)
Allies/Companions: The Harpers; the other Chosen of
Mystra (especially the SIMBUL, his paramour); Lhaeo (see the
end of this entry); and good people everywhere.
Foes/Enemies: Numerous evil organizations (such as the
Zhentarim, the Red Wizards of Thay, and the Shadowmasters),
and any who would use magic to subjugate others.
Appearance: Elminster appears as a gray-bearded man of
weathered visage, gruff tone, alert, dancing eyes, and nondescript
attire. He is almost always smoking a meerschaum pipe
that is spouting some vile blue or green smoke.
Personality: A natural storyteller, Elminster is normally a
witty, clever, and very charming man. He can be imperious,
grave, and terrible, however, and furthermore is a consummate
actor. He rarely reveals the full extent of his true nature
to anyone who is not an extremely close friend. He can portray
himself as a trickster, a rake, a stern father figure, or any
other stereotype he wants to assume, depending on what he
wants to accomplish or what reaction he wants to elicit from
those around him.
Locales Frequented: Shadowdale. Elminster rarely travels
the Realms anymore unless some dire need arises. If he
leaves the vicinity of his home, heís much more likely to be
found hopping between worlds and planes of existence than
he is to be encountered in another part of Faer°n.
History: Elminsterís hundreds of years of life are impossible
to summarize in a compendium such as this one, but a
brief review of the basics follows.
Archaic records attest to the fact that a son named Elminster
was born more than 1150 years ago to Elthryn, the lord
of the village of Heldon, and his wife Amrythale. His family
was killed by a Shadowmaster named Undarl, one of the
magelords of the ancient kingdom of Athalantar. Taking up
his fatherís broken sword, Elminster became a brigand and a
thief at the ripe age of 12.
He soon realized that he had no taste for killing, and gave
it up when he went to become a burglar in the city of Hastarl,
the capital of Athalantar. It was here that Elminster first met
that eraís Magister, the wizard who bore the mantle of Mystraís
power. When asked if he was interested in learning sorcery,
Elminster refused.
After many adventures, Elminster was visited by Mystra,
the Goddess of All Magic. She tarried with him and left the
awestruck Elminster with the message that he should learn of
magic and worship her.
Soon thereafter, while he was still a young adult, perhaps
to further widen his worldview, Elminster became Elmara,
priestess of Mystra. This change also allowed him to move within
his enemiesí circles without their knowledge.
After more adventures, Elmara was at last ready to become
a mage, and Elminster reappeared. In the time that fol-lowed, he learned much about magic from the sorceress Myrjalaóreaching
the point where he could finish taking his revenge
against the evil magelords who had usurped the kingdom.
After a terrific battle, Elminster persevered and assumed
the throne of Athalantar.
However, no sooner had he gained the kingship than he
passed it one to one of his friends, Helm, a knight of Athalantar.
Elminster stated that he had wanted to avenge his
familyís death, not become a monarch.
As he and Myrjala left the kingdom, the sorceress revealed
herself to be Mystra. She offered to make Elminster
one of her Chosen, and he readily accepted.
Many of Elminsterís adventures following this time are undetailed,
but it is known that he visited such places as Cormanthor,
the Towers of Song, and Myth Drannor before its
fall and stayed some 20 years. For years more he traveled, and
only he (and perhaps Lhaeo) knows what transpired.
He also served as a foster parent to three other of Mystraís
Chosen some 600 years ago: SylunÈ, Storm, and the woman
who hundreds of years later would become his paramour, the
Simbul.
It is also suspected that he had something to do with the
founding of Waterdeep, or at least with the organizing of the
cityís Lords.
The next major adventures Elminster took part in for
which records exist were the events of the chaotic Time of
Troubles.
He was instrumental in forming the Rangers Three, who
aided him in recurring battles with the mysterious Shadowmasters
during this time. Elminster also took time out to defend
Shadowdale from an army of Zhentarim led by the
avatar of Bane. The avatar and Elminster did battle in the
old mageís tower, and both were caught up in the spell that
Elminster had called upon to dispose of the avatar. Elminster
was originally thought to have been destroyed, but when he
later reappeared it became apparent that he had merely been
transported to another plane of existence for a time.
In his absence, the foes of good tried to rally, but the other
Chosen, the Knights of Myth Drannor, and the Rangers
Three held them at bay until he returned.
With the present crisis averted, all seemed calm, but the
Shadowmasters had other ideas. Elminster and the Rangers
Three, along with their allies, managed to frustrate and foil
the plans of this race of shapeshifters. Elminster also confronted
the overgod, Lord Ao, over his instigation of the
Time of Troubles while innocents were being killed.
As the critical moment of the Time of Troubles approached,
Mystra knew of what was to come and she shed most
of her power into another, a mortal, so that all of her essence
would not cease to exist. (This mortal was the mage Midnight,
who went on to become the new manifestation of Mystra.)
Since Elminster (among many other mages) obtained his
power from Mystra, this change left him personally powerless
at a critical juncture. He recruited one of the Rangers Three,
Sharantyr, and they equipped themselves from Elminsterís
cache of magical items, which would still function.
The two of them were later reunited with the other two
members of the band, Itharr and Belkram, but even the
Rangers Three could not prevent Elminster from being
wounded in battle. Despite this setback, Elminster and the
Rangers, along with their allies, not only freed High Dale and
defeated Manshoon of the Zhentarim, but they also outlasted
the Time of Troubles, and Elminster regained his magic.
What Elminster is currently up to is not known, though it
is rumored that he has been meeting in some far distant plane
to discuss matters of deep importance with wise and powerful
mages of other worlds. Perhaps, in that world, some record of
these conversations exists. . . .
In any case, the Realms and all its villains are sure to hear
from the Mage of Shadowdale again.
Motivations/Goals: Elminster tries to keep as low a profile
as his numerous foes will let him, preferring to work behind
the scenes, drawing upon his centuries of life experience.
He tries to maintain a sageís neutrality when he can.
Even so, he is firmly committed to the promotion of good
across the Realms. He has battled avatars before in order to
preserve the Realms, and would do so again if the need arose.
(He actually prefers to arrange some scheme so widespread
carnage doesnít erupt.)Campaign Uses: Elminster should be used very carefully,
if at all, as a nonplayer character in a campaign. Donít allow
players and their characters to use Elminster (or any of the
other vastly powerful characters described in this book) to
solve their problems for them. Elminster (and the others)
work better when kept on the fringes of a campaign, offering
occasional adviceóor in Elminsterís case, a snide remarkó
or giving vague but not misleading clues to get the PCs going
in a particular direction.
Sources: The novels Elminster: The Making of a Mage and
the ìShadowsî trilogy. Elminster also makes cameo appearances
in numberless magazines, game products, and other
novels. Listing them all is impossible, but Elminster does play
a part in the Avatar trilogy and the Finderís Stone trilogy.
(See the source list in the back of this book for specific information
on titles and authors of the works mentioned here.)
Unique Abilities
Spell Immunity: Elminster is immune to magic missile,
ESP, fireball, Evardís black tentacles, feeblemind, death spell, finger
of death, power word blind, and imprisonment.
Bonus Spells: In addition to his normal repertoire,
Elminster can cast spider climb, vocalize*, dispel magic, whisper
blade*, ironguard*, ghostgrail*, the Simbulís synostodweomer*,
the Simbulís skeletal deliquescence*, and Elminsterís effulgent
epuration* each once per day without having to memorize
them or use any of their components.
Elminsterís Tower
One of the oldest structures in Shadowdale, this nondescript
two-story tower was abandoned when Elminster moved in. He
renovated the building into its current status, detailed below.
The walls and mortar of the place are all heavily laced
with lead to prevent certain magicks and certain creatures
from entering.
On both the Astral and Ethereal planes, the tower is a
sealed cylinder with no entrances. These features prevent any
sort of planar shifting or teleporting from working within the
tower unless Elminster speaks the proper command word first.
The entire tower acts as an amulet of proof against detection
and location, and it also emits a protection from evil, 10í radius
effect at all times. A sign at the foot of the path leading to
the tower reads, ìNo trespassing. Violators should notify next
of kin. Have a pleasant day.î
The first floor of the tower is a general study and workroom.
It has a few tables and chairs, but the most evident feature is the
stacks and stacks of papers. Of every 100 papers, 99 are nonmagical.
The magical ones may be minor variants of assorted
spells, notes in some mystic script, or a tome or collections of
long-lost spells. Many of the latter are unsafe to read (very unsafe).
The remainder of the first floor is taken up by the kitchen.
The second floor contains a single bedroom. Because
Elminster and Lhaeo seldom keep the same hours, having only
one sleeping room is not a problem. The rest of the room has
trunks of clothes (one of which contains splendid finery from
Myth Drannor), wardrobes, shelves for personal effects, and
more papers. A wizard locked trap door leads to the rooftop.
Elminsterís Safehold
Little beyond the fact of its existence is known of this extradimensional
place. Itís likely that it is a well-fortified structure
in its own pocket dimension. It has ample space for
spellcasting and likely contains enormous wealth, an extensive
library, a multitude of magical items, and numerous magical
servants to protect all of the above. This is Elminsterís
ace in the hole; PCs should never find it on their own.
Lhaeo, NG hm M5/F2: AC 8; MV 12; hp 26; THAC0
19; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon; SZ M; Str 15, Dex 17, Con 14,
Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 11.
Spells: With his masterís entire repertoire to draw upon, it
is safe to assume that Elminsterís ìyoungî scribe has access to
any spell available to a mage of his level . . . and perhaps
some that would be beyond the capabilities of an ordinary
caster.
Magical Items: a short sword of quickness +2, emblazoned
with Lhaeoís real family crest. The sword is kept hidden and
is rarely drawn, much less used.
Personality: To all appearances, Lhaeo seems to be an effeminate
fop of a man. Never standing or sitting up straight,
he lisps in a high, lilting voice when he speaks. He avoids
making eye contact with strangers.
Unknown to all but a few, this collection of traits is a facade
Lhaeo has been keeping up for many years. In truth, he
is keenly intelligent and quietly confident, and possesses a
wry, quick sense of humor.
Appearance: With green eyes and pale brown hair, Lhaeo
looks to be in his mid-20ís. While the truth is that heís significantly
older than that, few know his exact age.
History: Born the second son of King Alemander IV of
Tethyr, Lhaeo was given into Elminsterís care when he was
six months old. His father sought to protect the boy from the
intrigues of court, and to obtain for him the best possible education.
Lhaeoís very existence was a secretóa secret that
later kept the young prince alive. (Elminster told Lhaeo of
his heritage when the boy 16 years old.)
Twenty years ago, when Lhaeoís family was deposed, all
others who knew of his existence perished. Civil strife consumed
Tethyr until just recently when a woman by the name of
ZARANDA Star unified the fractious country. While Lhaeoís reaction
to this news is unknown, he has made it clear in the past
that he has no interest in ruling, preferring instead to remain the
scribe to one of the foremost mages and sages in the history of
the Realms. Lhaeo is quite skilled in the scribeís art, especially in
cartography and calligraphy. He has been linked romantically
with Storm Silverhand, also a resident of Shadowdale.
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