Mages raising a mythal.
A mythal was a powerful magical effect, created by a group of spellcasters to protect and ward a large area with numerous powerful enchantments. The earliest mythals were created by a circle of elven[citation needed] High Mages. Mythals could permanently alter the Weave to create an area wherein the normal rules of magic no longer applied. A typical mythal prevented certain schools of magic from being employed while empowering others. It could restrict access to the warded area to certain classes of beings. For example, Silverymoon's mythal excluded evil dragons. Creation of a mythal sometimes required the willing sacrifice of the lead caster's life, a result that led to the first mythal being named after its creator. In addition, many mythal spells corroded over time, and if not maintained could become corrupted. This occurred in Myth Drannor and resulted in the state of that city until 1374 DR.[citation needed]
“
The Mythal was woven in the Year of Soaring Stars. The city's greatest wizards, most of them elves, came together to lay the Mythal. Working cooperatively, they wove a spell greater than the sum of its casters. Each chose a special power to infuse into the mantle, and each gave some of his or her life to engender it.
”
— Anorrweyn Evensong speaks of the creation of the mythal of Myth Drannor[1]
History[]
The god of mythals, Mythrien Sarath, was said to have invested much of his divine power in helping elven High Mages erect their mythals.[2]
Mythal Definitions[]
While any epic magic "field or ward" could be considered a mythal the differences were often in semantics or traditions, but scholars often used the following distinctions to describe various mythals:[3]
- High Mythal[4] or True Mythal[3]: The first, great elven mythals.[3]
- Wizard Mythal[5][3] or Near-Mythal[6]: Those mythals created later but with similar power and often by/including non-elves.[3]
- House Mythal: A minor mythal that covered a building.[7]
Part of the confusion came from the fact that, prior to Mystra's Ban, mythals could be created by both high-level spells[4] and epic magic. After Mystra's Ban, only the epic magic option remained.[8]
Known Mythals & Locations[]
- Dracorage mythal: Destroyed in 1373 DR.[9]
- Elven Court: Considered a true mythal.[3]
- Evereska: A powerful true mythal.[10]
- Herald's Holdfast: This was not a true mythal.[11]
- Myth Adofhaer: Considered a true mythal.[3]
- Myth Drannor: Created in 261 DR,[1] this was later considered a corrupted mythal,[11] and a true mythal.[3] Described as "one of four known wizard mythals".[12]
- Myth Dyraalis: Considered a true mythal.[3] Created −375 DR.[13]
- Myth Glaurach: Built near Hellgate Keep. Considered a true mythal.[3] Described as "one of four known wizard mythals."[12]
- Myth Iiscar: Built on the island of Lantan, the mythal's construction and destruction dates are unknown.[11] Created by non-elves.[3]
- Myth Lharast: Created by non-elves.[3] Built somewhere in Amn, this mythal was a safe place for benign lycanthropes. It was moved into a demiplane after being removed from Faerûn by Selûne.[11]
- Myth Nantar: Considered a true mythal.[3] Created in −3002 DR,[14] this mythal exists under the Sea of Fallen Stars.[11]
- Myth Ondath: Considered a true mythal.[3] This mythal was built on the ruins of Ondathel.[11] Created in 555 DR; destroyed in 633 DR.[citation needed]
- Myth Rhynn: Created during the height of the Keltormir civilization. By the 14th century DR, Myth Rhynn had been corrupted.[15] Considered a true mythal.[3]
- Myth Unnohyr: Created sometime before/during the rise of Shanatar, Myth Unnohyr was in ruins by the time of the First Kingdom of Mir and by the 14th century DR it was corrupted.[16] Considered a true mythal.[3]
- Shoonach's Imperial Mount: Located in the center of Shoonach, a ruined city by the 14th century DR, believed built by the Strohm Dynasty and their elven allies.[17] Created by non-elves.[3] Described as "one of four known wizard mythals".[12]
- Silverymoon: The Wards of Silverymoon were considered to be a wizard mythal.[18]
- Undermountain: Created by Halaster Blackcloak, the many layers of spells, wards and other magic created a near-mythal.[11]
- Ahghairon's dragonward: A powerful mythal cast by the famous mage Ahghairon over the city of Waterdeep.[citation needed]
- Severed Hand: A mythal was created by the archmage and his fellow mages of the fortress, but it failed catastrophically. Instead of freeing the besieged elves from their predicament, it turned every living being, elf or orc alike, into an undead being.[19]
- The Great Shield: Candlekeep was protected by a mythal, referred to as the Great Shield, a barrier of elven high magic that could be activated by the Keeper of Tomes if the need ever arose.[20]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Carrie Bebris (2001). Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 8, p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-1387-8.
- ↑ Chris Perry (September 1998). “Magic of the Seldarine”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #251 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 28–35.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 45. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), pp. 139–140. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 171. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (September 2000). “The New Adventures of Volo: The Crumbling Stair”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #275 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 228. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 148. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 91. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), pp. 164–181. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), pp. 65–66. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 54. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 50. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Black Isle Studios (June 2000). Designed by Matt Norton. Icewind Dale. Interplay.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, et al. (March 2021). Candlekeep Mysteries. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-6722-3.
Sources[]
- Steven E. Schend and Kevin Melka (1998). Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves. (TSR, Inc), pp. 139–148. ISBN 0-7069-0761-4.
- Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
- Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 45–50. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- Richard Baker (June 2006). Final Gate. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-4002-6.
- Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.