Mystra

Mystra (pronounced MISS-trah ), the Mother of all Magic, was the greater deity who guided the magic that enveloped Toril prior to the Time of Troubles. Mystra tended to the Weave constantly, making possible all the miracles and mysteries wrought by magic and users of magic. She was believed, as was her predecessor Mystryl and successor Midnight, to be the embodiment of the Weave and of magic itself. Mystra's symbol was a ring of seven stars surrounding a rising red mist, spiraling to the heavens, though her older and more often seen symbol was a simple seven-pointed star. Her divine realm resided in Dweomerheart.

Dogma
Love magic for itself. Do not treat it just as a weapon to reshape the world to your will. True wisdom is knowing when not to use magic. Strive to use magic less as your powers develop, for often the threat or promise of its use outstrips its actual performance. Magic is Art, the Gift of the Lady, and those who wield it are privileged in the extreme. Conduct yourself humbly, not proudly, while being mindfull of this. Use the Art deftly and efficiently, not carelessly and recklessly. Seek always to learn and create new magic.

Worshipers
The church of Mystra preserved magical lore so that magic would continue and flourish in the future even if the dominant races of Faerûn were to fall. Its members also searched out those skilled in magic or who had the potential to use it, keeping a close eye on those who were likely to become skilled. Her clerics were encouraged to explore magical theory and create new spells and magic items. Sites dedicated to the goddess were enhanced by the Weave to allow any spell cast by her clerics while in them to be affected by metamagic.

Mystra's Chosen
Mystra also had powerful mortal servants among her ranks of followers, including Elminster, Khelben Arunsun, the Seven Sisters and the mad lich Sammaster.

Orders

 * Order of the Starry Quill
 * The Starry Quill was an order of Mystran bards who often worked as information gatherers and rumor-mongers for the church or spent part of their time in designated libraries unearthing magical knowledge and then preserving it for posterity.


 * Order of the Shooting Star:
 * The Church of Mystra sponsored an order of rangers, known as the Order of the Shooting Star. These rangers received spells from Mystra and served as long-range scouts and spies for the church, also dealing with magical threats that imposed upon the natural order of things, such as unloosed tanar'ri and baatezu as well as creatures born of irresponsible wizardly experimentation.


 * Knights of Mystic Fire
 * The Church of Mystra also sponsored a knightly order of paladins called the Knights of the Mystic Fire, who were granted their spells by Mystra. They often accompanied members of the clergy on quests to locate lost hoards of ancient magic and also formed the cadre from which the leadership for the small groups of armed forces who guarded Mystra's larger temples and workshops were drawn.

History
The goddess of magic has had three incarnations over the years. All shared the same role and responsibilities, but they were different in alignment and temperament.

Mystryl
Mystryl, as her predecessor and first incarnation was called, was the goddess of magic and a chaotic neutral greater deity born during the battle between Shar and Selûne at the dawn of time. Being the goddess of magic, spells, creativity, invention, and knowledge, she was said to have taught the first spellcaster of the Realms. All spells of all types were known to her when their creators constructed them, and her spirit was said to imbue all inventors, authors, songwriters, and artists. She was most venerated by wizards and those who used magic or magical items. She provided and tended the Weave, the conduit that enabled mortals to safely access the raw magic force.

Mystryl was killed when she broke her connection of the weave from the Archmage Karsus of Netheril. Karsus, most probably the greatest archmage of Faerûn, attempted to cast a twelfth circle spell from the Netherese scrolls.

Karsus created a direct link between the goddess of magic and himself, and upon this he learns of the danger of his actions. Mystryl subsequently severed Karsus from the weave entirely and in doing so killed herself, and was reborn almost instantly as Mystra.

It was during this brief lapse between resurrection that magic ceased to function. It was in this lapse that the great cities of Netheril fell from the sky, as the magic holding them up was nulled.

Mystra
Mystra came into being after the previous incarnation sacrificed herself in -339 DR to save Faerûn from the destruction Karsus of Netheril nearly brought upon them. She used as a basis a beautiful peasant girl who was still just learning cantrips but who had the potential of becoming an archmage. She was Lawful Neutral in alignment.

During the Time of Troubles, Mystra was killed by the deity Helm for defying the god and trying to climb the Celestial Stairway to the heavens. Her death caused great damage to the Weave, but the young mortal Midnight was chosen to succeed the goddess as the next Mystra — eventually restoring the magic of Toril. This Mystra was later murdered in the heart of her realm by the efforts of Cyric and Shar in 29 Tarsakh 1385 DR.

In the Year of the Ageless One, a voice Storm Silverhand recognized as Mystra's was heard through the telepathic link shared by all Chosen of Mystra, asking for Elminster. Elminster and Storm encountered what was left of Mystra in a cave in Cormyr. Mystra instructed Elminster to recruit new Chosen and to preserve and strengthen the Art. Later, after Elminster and Storm restored the Simbul's mind, she hinted that Mystra might be brought back through Blueflame items.

Appearances

 * "Lord of the Darkways" (Dragon #390)