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

Smoke Powder and Mirrors
By Jeff Grubb

The Magic Thief
By Mark Anthony

The Quiet Place
By Christie Golden

The Eye of the Dragon
By Ed Greenwood

Every Dog His Day
By Dave Gross

The Common Spell
By Kate Novak and Jeff Grubb

The First Moonwell
By Douglas Niles

The Luck of Llewellyn the Loquacious
By Allen C. Kupfer

Too Familiar
By David Cook

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 breath. 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

Six of Swords
By William W. Connors

The Wild Bunch
By Tom Dupree

A Worm Too Soft
By J. Robert King

Gunne Runner
By Roger E. Moore

The Direct Approach
By Elaine Cunningham