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Mirror

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This article is about the object. For the ghost, see Mirror (ghost).

A mirror was an object that reflected an image, as long as a light source was present.[3]

“
Stare into the mirror, my friend. Does something besides you look back?
”
— An unnamed inhabitant of the planes.[4]

Description[]

Torleth Mindulspeer

A collection of objects, including a handheld mirror.

In general, the surfaces of mirrors were made of glass, which was sometimes silvered. This meant their surfaces were rather brittle, and could be easily smashed. The frames of mirrors were usually made of silver or steel, with the latter being far harder.[5] Some mirrors around the Realms were easily transportable, and such mirrors were known as hand mirrors.[6][7]

Though many mirrors were mundane, there were also several magical ones throughout the Realms. Some magical mirrors could sell for 1,000s of gold pieces.[8]

Powers[]

PlaneOfMirrors

A mirror mephit stares out from a mirror from the Plane of Mirrors.

Mirrors could be used to reflect powerful rays back at enemies. This was particularly the case for medusae, as mirrors could reflect their petrifying gaze back at them, turning them to stone.[9][10] Some mirrors could be used to scry on others.[11][12]

It was possible to access a mysterious plane, the Plane of Mirrors, via a mirror. In this plane were several sets of mirrors that led to many different places.[13]

A whole mirror or a small piece of one was used as a material component for a variety of spells in the Realms. These included dark mirror,[14] detect scrying, spell turning,[15] flesh mirage,[16] physical mirror,[17] and spell mirror.[18] Older versions of sanctuary and scrying required a small silver mirror to cast,[19] as did improved sanctuary.[20] Additionally, a piece of a broken mirror was needed to cast Bane of Beshaba[21] and crushed glass from one was needed to cast damage mirror.[22]

Spells unique to the land of Kara-Tur that required a mirror to cast included remember and fire enchantment.[23]

History[]

Mirrors had been used throughout the history of Faerûn. Glass mirrors dated as far back as the time of Netheril, where they first became available in 1985 NY (−1874 DR).[24]

Some regions, such as the Land of the Lions, even produced mirrors and exported them to others towns and cities across the land.[25]

Reputation[]

Many faiths across Toril used mirrors to represent their deities. An aspect of Shekinester, the Empowerer, was represented by a mirror.[26] The Spirit of the Sun of Kara-Tur was said to grant his followers, such as Matasuuri Shogoro, gifts, which included mirrors.[27]

Large mirrors were outlawed in Turmish due to the fear of fetch, predatory creatures of the Abyss who used mirrors as portals to the Prime Material plane. An unsettling Turmite folk song about fetch was a popular explanation of the strange mirror-banning law.[28]

Notable Mirrors[]

MirrorOfMentalProwess-TCG

A mirror of mental prowess.

Notable Owners of Mirrors[]

Individuals[]

  • Llewellyn, a proxy of the goddess Hanali Celanil, had the power to turn any smooth surface into one of the many varieties of enchanted mirrors that existed throughout the multiverse. Such as a mirror of life trapping, mirror of mental prowess, and mirror of opposition.[43]
  • In Wa Year 1663 (1245 DR), Matasuuri Shogoro was gifted by the Spirit of the Sun a shining mirror, pearl, and sword in recognition of his efforts to unify the land of Wa. When he later became shogun, Shogoro decided the objects were bad luck and had them all given away. A century later in 1357 DR, the Spirit of the Sun visited and was offended to learn the objects were gone, leading to a tairo to instruct some adventurers to retrieve the objects. They tracked down the shining mirror to the businessman Oshiro Yoto, but it had been stolen by Korai Anteki.[44]
  • Purfbin Doogrick was a gnome adventurer who had pockets full of useful junk at all times. A broken mirror was one of those items and it even saved his hide once.[45]
  • Torleth Mindulspeer owned a unique Calishite mirror with an enchanted image of a snake in grass.[46]

Religions[]

  • One of the Church of Leira's most holy rituals, the Unmasking, required mirrors to be present.[47]
  • The Church of Lliira's opulent temples often had artfully gilt mirrors.[48]
  • The Church of Sune's clergy sometimes offered their personal prayers to their goddess while looking into a mirror lit only by natural or candle light. Sune in turn would use mirrors to send visions to those seeking guidance in life by altering her worshiper's reflection.[49]

Rumors & Legends[]

Breaking a mirror was seen as a bad omen around the entire universe.[50]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Novels
The Council of Blades • Tymora's Luck • The Sapphire Crescent • The Fallbacks: Bound for Ruin
Video Games
Pool of Radiance • Curse of the Azure Bonds • Baldur's Gate III

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza (Encounter Construction Booklet). (TSR, Inc), pp. 7–9. ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
  2. ↑ Aurelio Locsin (October 1982). “Thieves' Cant: A primer for the language of larceny”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #66 (TSR, Inc.), p. 44.
  3. ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 60. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  4. ↑ Monte Cook (1998). Tales from the Infinite Staircase. Edited by Skip Williams. (TSR, Inc), p. 98. ISBN 0786912049.
  5. ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 80. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  6. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 98. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  7. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 slade et al. (February 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 727.
  9. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). Monster Manual 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 214. ISBN 978-0786965614.
  10. ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 247. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
  11. ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 119. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  12. ↑ David Cook (April 1995). Dungeon Master Guide 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 221. ISBN 978-0786903283.
  13. ↑ Wolfgang Baur, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel (April 2007). Expedition to the Demonweb Pits. Edited by Michele Carter, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 208–209. ISBN 978-0-7869-4038-7.
  14. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Tim Beach (November 1995). Pages from the Mages. Edited by Jon Pickens. (TSR, Inc.), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-0183-7.
  15. ↑ Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 220, 282. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  16. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday (April 1992). Arabian Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 134. ISBN 978-1560763581.
  17. ↑ Mark Middleton et al. (1999). Priest's Spell Compendium Volume Two. (TSR, Inc), p. 448. ISBN 9780786914210.
  18. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
  19. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), pp. 159, 202. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  20. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1998). Demihuman Deities. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 172. ISBN 0-7869-1239-1.
  21. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 44. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  22. ↑ Scott Bennie (February 1990). Old Empires. Edited by Mike Breault. (TSR, Inc.), p. 72. ISBN 978-0880388214.
  23. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), pp. 68, 85. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  24. ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  25. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 151. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  26. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
  27. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 184. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  28. ↑ Kate Novak, Jeff Grubb (December 1997). Tymora's Luck. (TSR, Inc.), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-0726-6.
  29. ↑ Paul Fraser (February 2000). “Secrets of the Brotherhood of True Flame”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #268 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 50–54.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 135. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  31. ↑ slade et al. (February 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 729.
  32. ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 261. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
  33. ↑ Larian Studios (October 2020). Designed by Swen Vincke, et al. Baldur's Gate III. Larian Studios.
  34. ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 150. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 David Cook (April 1995). Dungeon Master Guide 2nd edition (revised). (TSR, Inc.), p. 232. ISBN 978-0786903283.
  36. ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (September 2000). Dungeon Master's Guide 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 222. ISBN 978-0786915514.
  37. ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 87. ISBN 0880380845.
  38. ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 123. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.
  39. ↑ slade et al. (February 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume II. (TSR, Inc.), p. 732.
  40. ↑ Dale Henson (February 1993). The Magic Encyclopedia, Volume Two. (TSR, Inc), p. 95. ISBN ISBN 978-156076563.
  41. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 122. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  42. ↑ Troy Denning (May 1991). Blood Charge. (TSR, Inc.), p. 54. ISBN 0880388897.
  43. ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), p. 98. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
  44. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 184. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
  45. ↑ Ossian Studios (June 2018). Neverwinter Nights: Darkness over Daggerford. Beamdog.
  46. ↑ Ed Greenwood (1994). Volo's Guide to the Sword Coast. (TSR, Inc), p. 42. ISBN 1-5607-6940-1.
  47. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 95. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  48. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 97. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  49. ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 150. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  50. ↑ Skip Williams, Rich Redman, James Wyatt (April 2002). Deities and Demigods. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-2654-6.
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