Ecamane Truesilver was human wizard and a founding member of the city of Silverymoon, eventually becoming its first elected High Mage.[2][7][8] He was a major force in spreading the teachings of Myth Drannor[9] to the North of Faerûn, bringing enlightenment in the form of knowledge, magic, and the arts.[10]
Relationships[]
For a short period of time in his life, Ecamane Truesilver was the lover of Shalantha Omberdawn, a moon elf and fellow student at the Windsong Tower of Myth Drannor.[11] The wisdom Truesilver could impart also attracted many apprentices to him—including those nine who accompanied the man to Silverymoon—and by the end of his many years of teaching,[7] his great-nephew, Aglanthol the Red,[note 1] was chief among them. He was named worthy of Ecamane's title as the High Mage of Silverymoon, as was Truesilver's last apprentice, Ederan Nharimlur, who would go on to receive it from Aglanthol.[12]
History[]
Life and Studies in the City of Song[]
Ecamane Truesilver was born in the first months of the Year of Dances Perilous, 555 DR, and though he originally hailed from the Cormyrean capital of Suzail, his family moved to Myth Drannor by the end of the year.[3][4] In 569 DR, at the age of only fourteen, the young Truesilver began an apprenticeship in the ways of the Art under the moon elf Deynriir the Silver Sorcerer, unknowingly becoming a student of Windsong Tower.[3][13][14]
By the Year of Loose Coins, 580 DR, a little over a decade later, Ecamane's acolyteship at the Tower granted him the privileged knowledge of the Quess'Ar'Teranthvar, becoming one of the first humans given such an honor.[3][14] He spent ten months studying every chapter of those fifty, magically-reshaped Nether Scrolls, only kept from insanity by the direct assistance of Azuth, the Lord of Spellcraft.[15] Though the god's help allowed Ecamane to circumvent the need for secret keys which hid certain scrolls, the full extent of the tree's wisdom still eluded him. Reading the scrolls at a slower rate, as most others did, would have helped Truesilver retain the information contained within, but it would have also increased his chances of going mad.[16] By the time his ten-month period of contemplation ended and he left behind Windsong Tower, the toll of the scrolls had turned his hair white at only twenty-five,[3][14] and, after a year, his prodigious knowledge became limited to certain aspects that he remembered especially well, while the rest, though still useful and far beyond common understanding, he could only half-recall.[15]
Seven years later, in 588 DR, Ecamane left behind the City of Song,[3][14][17] accompanied by his own students and allies.[3][14]
Archmage of the North[]
Truesilver ventured northwards, intent both on making amends for the destruction wreaked by the mages of Netheril,[3][17] and on revitalizing magical studies.[3] Only two years later, he participated in the creation of the mythal that would give Myth Glaurach its name, working alongside many great archmages and ultimately contributing towards three of the spell's lesser abilities.[17]
It was nearly four decades after leaving Myth Drannor, in the Year of the Bloodcrystals, 627 DR, that Ecamane Truesilver first arrived at the village that would become Silverymoon.[7][8][19][20] There, he, as well as his nine apprentices, established an academy that would teach the Art as the elves once did.[7][8][20] Truesilver asserted they had been brought to the village by the divine will of five goddesses: Mystra, Mielikki, Lurue, Sehanine Moonbow, and Eldath.[7][8]
A year later, Ecamane and his apprentices defended the village from an attack by the Granitefang tribe of orcs, which marked the first time that the Silvaeren lost no casualties to the monsters' raid.[19][21] In 629 DR, the wizards founded the Silver Lady's Library to accompany the settlement's school, its shelves filled by Truesilver's donation of many rare Myth Drannan books. The Granitefang orcs returned once more in 631 DR and were, again, routed by Ecamane, his apprentices, and the Silvaeren militia, prompting the village to strike out at the tribe's own encampent three years later, which they would destroy in the Battle of Brokenfang.[12][21]
The First of Silverymoon's High Mages[]
A decade after his arrival, Silverymoon's first set of walls were established, making it a proper city.[10][12][21] It was this same year that Truesilver was elected as the first High Mage of the fledgling settlement,[7][8][10][19][22] ruling from atop the Silver Throne,[22] and, because of this, the Silvaeren considered it to be year 0 in Silverymoon's Calendar.[23] Although his people were mostly illiterate, rough-living trappers and lumberjacks, Truesilver began a tradition of fostering learning and sharing culture among the people.[10]
Seeing such a diverse population living in harmony, flourishing even in artistic expression and enlightenment, was a beacon for like-minded people across Faerûn. The atmosphere that Ecamane and his colleagues had fostered drew in mages and loremasters from around the continent, who came to the city in 659 DR—aptly named the Year of Mages' Dawning by the Silvaeren—for peaceful study and magical research.[10][12][24] They had sought to make Silverymoon "the Myth Drannor of the North".[10][21] High Mage Truesilver granted an audience to one such mage-hopeful, Tallrunner Tigris of the Red Tiger tribe, and arranged for the young weretiger to be taught magic by the Seven Wizards of the City of Song,[24][25][26] at the hidden Incanistaeum.[24] Rumors said that Ecamane sent him away, rather than granting Tallrunner the education he desired, to avoid the wrath of his tribesmen, who still roamed the lands near Silverymoon.[26]
With a greater number of their populace trained in the Art by 694 DR, Ecamane and twenty-one fellow wizards weaved powerful defensive spells into Silverymoon's walls, which some believed later persisted as the wards of Silverymoon.[12]
At some point prior to Year of the Lost Lance, 712 DR, Ecamane was contacted by one of his city's patron dieties, the Unicorn Queen, Lurue, who encouraged him to write a storybook. This tome, known as Lore of Lurue, described the history of the Silvaeren region long before the city's establishment, on the 30th of Uktar in the Year of the Thoughtful Man, 374 DR. He enchanted a demiplane into the text soon before the Year of the Lost Lance which would physically place its readers into the middle of the recounted events.[27]
It was during that year that Ecamane Truesilver participated in the Woodsheart Wars of the Weeping War, bringing his wizardly allies to support the elves at the battle at Silversgate. There, on the 13th of Tarsakh, they fought against the Army of Darkness within Silverymoon Pass. Truesilver, weakened by age, exerted himself too much in destroying the gate with Elminster Aumar, ultimately costing the High Mage his life.[5][6] He was afterwards succeeded as High Mage by Aglanthol the Red,[6][10][12][28] and interred in the Crypt of the High Mages beneath a statue of himself wielding a staff of the magi.[29]
By the time that Ederan Nharimlur ruled as the third High Mage, in 766 DR, members of the Brotherhood of the Black Hand stole a variety of Ecamane's collected magical items,[12] including the glove of Taarnahm the Vigilant and Tasmia's necklace.[30]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ Though the Silver Marches sourcebook claimed that Aglanthol was Ecamane's nephew on page 57, p. 48 of the "Cities & Civilization" book of The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier and pp. 82 and 99 of The Grand History of the Realms confirm he was the man's great-nephew.
Appearances[]
Adventures
References[]
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 82. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 41. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 90. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 99. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 42. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 117. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 48. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 158. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 92. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2011-06-05). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2011). Candlekeep Forum. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved on 2024-04-01.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, The Hooded One (2011-06-07). Questions for Ed Greenwood (2011). Candlekeep Forum. Archived from the original on 2024-04-01. Retrieved on 2024-04-01.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Eric L. Boyd (2001-08-29). Part 5: Myth Glaurach. Mintiper's Chapbook. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 48. ISBN 978-0786966240.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 269. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 46. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Steven E. Schend & Ed Greenwood (1996). “Gem of the North”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon Annual #1 (TSR, Inc.) (1)., p. 55.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 47–48. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 94. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Eric L. Boyd (November 1996). “Wayward Wizards: Tulrun of the Tent”. In Jeff Quick ed. Polyhedron #125 (TSR, Inc.), p. 24.
- ↑ Kelly Lynne D'Angelo, Kim Mohan (March 2021). “Lore of Lurue”. In Kim Mohan ed. Candlekeep Mysteries (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 114–115. ISBN 978-0-7869-6722-3.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1998). The Fall of Myth Drannor. Edited by Cindi Rice, Dale Donovan. (TSR, Inc.), p. 28. ISBN 0-7869-1235-9.
- ↑ slade, et al. (April 1996). “Cities & Civilization”. In James Butler ed. The North: Guide to the Savage Frontier (TSR, Inc.), p. 52. ISBN 0-7869-0391-0.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (March 1998). Hellgate Keep. (TSR, Inc), p. 8. ISBN 978-0786907861.