Elminster at the Magefair

"Elminster at the Magefair" is a short story by Ed Greenwood included in the 1993 anthology Realms of Valor, and reprinted in the 2003 anthology The Best of the Realms.

Summary
This short story chronicles a visit by Elminster, accompanied by Storm Silverhand, to a magefair in 1336 DR.

At the magefair, Elminster searches for a key, which he receives surreptitiously through a kiss by a new Harper, Duara. A man searching for the key accosts Elminster and takes his staff, which he assumes is the key. Elminster in turn challenges him to a fireball-throwing contest and wins hands down with an incredibly impressive display. Elminster and Storm then return to the Twisted Tower in Shadowdale, where the Old Mage reveals that the key belonged to his closet and had been stolen by one of his brief apprentices named Raerlin. Upon opening the closet, the pair comes face to face with Raelin, who has become a lich. A spell battle ensues, with Storm defeating the lich by burning the pages of a tome (possibly its phylactery). When Lhaeo returns with tea, all is well again, even if the combatants are a little singed.

Index

 * Characters
 * Elminster Aumar • Dhaerivus • Duara • Lhaeo • Raerlin • Storm Silverhand
 * Simbul • Tlaerune
 * Simbul • Tlaerune


 * Creatures
 * half-elf • human (Calishite) • lich


 * Locations
 * Shadowdale • Twisted Tower
 * Aglarond
 * Aglarond


 * Magic
 * fireball


 * Miscellaneous
 * magefair • tea


 * Organizations
 * Harpers