The Spellplague is a malady that struck Realmspace on 29th Tarsakh, 1385 DR and was caused by Mystra's assassination at the hands of Cyric and Shar. With the goddess's death, the Weave, the universal structure of arcane forces, convulsed.[1] It continued for a decade, leading to the Wailing Years, during which time arcane magic ceased to function and the planet of Toril was transformed.[2]
In her vision, Yaphyll refered to Mystra as the white queen and to Shar, goddess of the night, as the black queen. Cyric, god of murder, is the assassin, Savras, the god of divination, is the soothsayer[citation needed], and the city, cavern and tree symbolize the ordered structures of magic crumbling into chaos.[4]
The break-down of the Weave could be felt by all wizards across Faerûn[1].
Storm
The storm began over the Mhair Jungle in Halruaa and quickly grew to a large size, blue flames visible in the sky. It laid waste to Halruaa due to the heavy wild magic activity in the area, and Sespech, the Golden Plains and the Nagalands are transformed into an unpredictable and surreal place, dubbed the Plaguewrought Lands. Virtually none of Faerûn was unaffected by the Spellplague and certain areas were eliminated entirely, while others were created anew. Thousands of mages were either destroyed or went insane due to the collapse of the Weave after Mystra's death. In Cormyr, a third of the War Wizards were either killed or driven mad. Those who survived were forced to learn martial combat as a result of the disappearance of arcane magic.[2]
Effects
Effects on arcane magic
- With the structure of magic out of balance, even with great effort many spells failed[5] or produced unreliable results.
- Most permanent magical items, such as artifacts, were left intact at the end of the Spellplague and charged magical items were either destroyed, warped, or simply ceased to function.[6] Items with dormant magical qualities, which were manually activated, were largely unaffected by the Spellplague.[7]
Other effects
- The Spellplague affected the landscape, making the ground rumble and heave up and down like the surface of the sea.[1] Curtains of blue flame swept the landscape reshaping the land by cutting crevasses or lifting and sculpting the plain into hills and ridges.[8]
- Waves of azure fires appeared everywhere, killing everything it touched.[9]
- A surge in the use of technology, divine magic, and worship of the Deities of Invention and Knowledge.
- Political upheaval across the lands that resulted in many attempted coups, invasions, and uprisings. Especially against governments, and nations that rely heavily on arcane magic for defense or controlling their population.
Aftermath
By 1395 DR, the majority of the effects of the Spellplague had come to an end and most arcane magic had returned to normal.[2]
By 1479 DR areas of Toril still affected by the Spellplague are referred to as Plaguelands.[10]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Brian R. James (2008-02-27). Spellplague: The Wailing Years. Dragon Features Archive. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2008-04-14. (Registration required to view.)
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 75. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 69. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ Richard Baker (September 8th, 2008). The one and only "Ask the Realms authors/designers thread" 4. Retrieved on January 8th, 2009.
- ↑ Richard Baker (January 11th, 2008). The one and only "Ask the Realms authors/designers thread" 4. Retrieved on January 12th, 2009.
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ Richard Lee Byers (March 2008). Undead. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65. ISBN 978-0-7869-4783-6.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 54. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
Web Material, General
- Brian R. James (2008-02-27). Spellplague: The Wailing Years. Dragon Features Archive. Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2008-04-14. (Registration required to view.)