A Weaveghost was the spirit of a person who became one with the Weave upon dying, while maintaining sentience and individuality.[1]
Description[]
Weaveghosts didn't have a standard appearance. They could create spectral manifestations of themselves, of various shapes and kinds, but were invisible and immaterial unless they wished to be seen.[1][2]
Creation[]
One of the ways a Weaveghost could be created was the physical death of a chosen of Mystra (the goddess of magic). The person's soul would "ride the Weave",[1] from where Mystra could gain access to its experiences and memories.[2] A chosen remained a Weaveghost until Mystra decided that she needed it to be active in the material world again, and formed a new body for it to inhabit.[1] A chosen who lived long enough for its body to be worn out by the amount of magical energies that coursed through it could temporarily become a Weaveghost while waiting for Mystra to create a new body.[1]
Becoming a Weaveghost could be atrociously painful at the start, but the pain gradually vanished. In the end, being part of a constant rushing of power like the Weave, and being able to shape it, was a pleasurable and enticing experience to some (like Laeral Silverhand).[1]
Powers[]
A Weaveghost was one with the perpetual flux of power of the Weave. They kept their own individuality, sentience, and memories, and could learn to shape the Weave itself.[1]
Manifestation and Mobility[]
Weaveghosts could manifest as spectral apparitions of varying appearance, and often did so by rising from altars or magic items dedicated to Mystra—either to speak as her messengers or for more trivial reasons, like impressing wizards and clerics alike.[1] Weaveghosts weren't necessarily bound to an item or an altar (as shown, for example, by Laeral Silverhand during the Waterdeep crisis of 1491 DR),[1] and when they were, they still retained a degree of mobility. For example, as Weaveghosts, Syluné and Dove of the Seven Sisters were tied to two magical pebbles that Storm gave to Laeral, but they could move away from the pebbles, and often did so to scout ahead and be Laeral's eyes when she needed it.[1] Likewise, as a Weaveghost, Qilué Veladorn could even travel to Eilistraee's divine realm, despite being a part of the Weave.[3]
A Weaveghost could also choose to inhabit the body of a dead person, effectively resurrecting themselves. For example, Elminster did that with the body of the adventurer Faerrel Dunblade in 1491 DR.[1]
Communication[]
Weaveghosts could communicate by voice or telepathically, through the Weave.[1] As Weaveghosts, Syluné and Dove could freely communicate from their pebbles, and on many occasions Laeral and her two sisters merrily chatted together.[1]
Magic Powers[]
While Weaveghosts couldn't use their powers to cause significant harm, they could learn to twist the Weave moved by the spells of others and absorb it into themselves, effectively dissipating the magic.[1] Surges of magical energies (which could also be imparted by wizards experienced in the manipulation of the Weave, like Elminster Aumar)[2] could bolster a Weaveghost's abilities, but not all were capable of withstanding such power, and doing so meant taking the risk of being shattered (like it happened to Alusair Obarskyr during Elminster's investigation for Azuth's Lost Spell).[2] A shattered Weaveghost still maintained their consciouness and memories, but in a broken and fragmented form, and could be woven back to wholeness by mages who could perform "Weave-work", at the cost of a spark of the mage's own life energy (Elminster did this to Alusair during the above-mentioned event).[2]
Weavework could also be used to grant a Weaveghost a variety of tools and power, like a shield made out of the Weave.[2]
Weaveghosts of Note[]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Ed Greenwood (2016-06-07). Death Masks. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 0-7869-6593-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Ed Greenwood (May 2016). Spellstorm. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0-7869-6576-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ed Greenwood (2020-03-04). Ed Greenwood on Twitter. Retrieved on 2020-03-04.