Realms of Magic

Realms of Magic, edited by Brian Thomsen and J. Robert King, is the third anthology of stories from the Forgotten Realms.

"From the research files of the legendary Volo come tales of all things magical in the Realms—artifacts and auguries, wizards and weapons, heroes and hokum—told by your favorite authors, including: R.A. Salvatore, Elaine Cunningham, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, David "Zeb" Cook, Roger Moore and others"

Guenhwyvar
By R. A. Salvatore

Explaining the creation of the unique Figurine of Wondrous Power known as Guenhwyvar.

Mentions: Anders Beltgarden, Josidiah Starym, Myth Drannor, House Starym

Date: 253 DR

Smoke Powder and Mirrors
By Jeff Grubb

A young apprentice gets involved in a shady affair concerning smoke powder - a new substance, which is said to be capable of surmounting the power of arcane magic.

Mentions: Waterdeep, Khelben Arunsun, Maskar Wands, smoke powder

The Magic Thief
By Mark Anthony

The Quiet Place
By Christie Golden

The vampire with a conscience, Jander Sunstar, is given a divine gift but in order to keep his peace of mind, he must risk losing it.

The Eye of the Dragon
By Ed Greenwood

Every Dog His Day
By Dave Gross

The Common Spell
By Kate Novak as Kate Novak-Grubb

The First Moonwell
By Douglas Niles

The Luck of Llewellyn the Loquacious
By Allen C. Kupfer

Too Familiar
By David Cook

A magic user who has made her own path up the wizardly ranks decides to attain respect from other wizards by attaining her own familiar. A brownie called Shank has other plans.

Red Ambition
By Jean Rabe

"Red Ambition" was also published in The Best of the Realms anthology.

Szass Tam, Zulkir of Necromancy, is betrayed by his apprentice, Frodyne. Frodyne is brilliant, ruthlessly ambitious, and enamored with the lich, who plans to grant her wish for immortality. However, when Tam flippantly takes information from her about a powerful artifact, she becomes furious and steals away to claim it for herself.

The Zulkir sends an army of undead to a hidden temple of Leira in ruined Delhumide to collect the artifact. That he will be defiling a god's temple does not bother him, as he long ago found most gods to be unworthy of respect. When he learns the army was completely destroyed, Tam goes himself to investigate. After subduing the temple's guardian ghost, he forces it to lead him to the inner sanctum. There he finds Frodyne fighting the nearly invincible golem that guards the treasure. Instead of helping her, he grants her immortality—thereby giving the golem a never-ending distraction.

The Zulkir of Necromancy takes the artifact, a ruby-studded crown, and places it on his head. He immediately falls to the ground writhing in pain. The temple guardian laughs at him; the crown bestows eternal life to its wearer, but Tam has no heart to beat or lungs to breathe. Leira, the Lady of Deception, has proven herself the greater power, as Tam has lost his army, his greatest apprentice, and a measure of his confidence to a simple ruse. Philosophical even in defeat, Szass Tam leaves the temple laughing at himself.

Thieves' Reward
By Mary H. Herbert

A story about Teza a horse thief that is given a job as a test for entry of a guild but realizes that the job would be morally wrong, even for a thief. Now she must past the ultimate test...stay alive.

Six of Swords
By William W. Connors

When Jaybel and Gwynn, two members of the long retired adventuring company Six of Swords, are murdered, their former comrades Orlando and Lelanda join forces again to investigate the mystery of their deaths.

The Wild Bunch
By Tom Dupree

A Worm Too Soft
By J. Robert King

Gunne Runner
By Roger E. Moore

A small scro spelljamming fleet arrives in Realmspace in 1368 DR and trades firearms to humanoid races in Faerûn through contacts in Waterdeep.

The Direct Approach
By Elaine Cunningham

Drow wizard Liriel Baenre is in Skullport, right before leaving for Ruathym. She meets a time traveling warrior of the Rus who helps her to track down a Rus runecaster.