Elminster

Elminster Aumar (born in 212 DR) is a fictional character in the Dungeons & Dragons-based Forgotten Realms setting. Also known as the Sage of Shadowdale, he is a powerful wizard featured in many novels by Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood. His appearance and demeanor in certain aspects seem to echo Gandalf.

Elminster was one of the first characters Greenwood created for the Forgotten Realms; information about him can be found in virtually all game products, but The Elminster Series of novels by Greenwood are perhaps the most definitive sources of information. The series includes Elminster: The Making of a Mage, Elminster in Myth Drannor, The Temptation of Elminster, Elminster in Hell, and Elminster's Daughter.

Appearance
Elminster appears as a gray-bearded man of weathered visage, gruff tone, alert, dancing eyes, and nondescript attire. He is almost always smoking a meerschaum pipe that is spouting some vile blue or green smoke.

In the later series after DND 3.0, Elminster was often portrayed with shorter hair and beard, and often with a sword at his sides.

Personality
A natural storyteller, Elminster is normally a witty, clever, and very charming man. He can be imperious, grave, and terrible, however, and furthermore is a consummate actor. He rarely reveals the full extent of his true nature to anyone who is not an extremely close friend. He can portray himself as a trickster, a rake, a stern father figure, or any other stereotype he wants to assume, depending on what he wants to accomplish or what reaction he wants to elicit from those around him.

Allies
The Harpers; the other Chosen of Mystra (especially the Simbul, his paramour); Lhaeo, his scribe; and good people everywhere.

Elminster interacts regularly with the other Chosen of Mystra through a telepathic link. As well as once sharing a bed with the goddess herself, he is currently conducting a relationship with the Simbul of the Seven Sisters. Elminster and Khelben have something of a rivalry, whilst Volo sorely taxes the old mage's patience.

The Making of A Mage
Main source : ,

Elminster was born around 200 DR to Elthryn, the lord of the village of Heldon, and his wife Amrythale, in the kingdom of Athalantar. His family was killed by a Shadowmaster named Undarl, one of the magelords of the ancient kingdom of Athalantar. Taking up his fathers broken sword, Elminster became a brigand and a thief at the ripe age of 12.

He soon realized that he had no taste for killing, and gave it up when he went to become a burglar in the city of Hastarl, the capital of Athalantar. It was here that Elminster first met that era's Magister, the wizard who bore the mantle of Mystra's power. When asked if he was interested in learning sorcery, Elminster refused.

After many adventures, Elminster was visited by Mystra, the Goddess of All Magic. She tarried with him and left the awestruck Elminster with the message that he should learn of magic and worship her. Soon thereafter, while he was still a young adult, perhaps to further widen his worldview, Elminster became Elmara, priestess of Mystra. This change also allowed him to move within his enemies' circles without their knowledge. After more adventures, Elmara was at last ready to become a mage, and Elminster reappeared. In the time that followed, he learned much about magic from the sorceress Myrjala Darkeye(who was actually Mystra), reaching the point where he could finish taking his revenge against the evil magelords who had usurped the kingdom. After a terrific battle, Elminster persevered and assumed the throne of Athalantar.

However, no sooner had he gained the kingship than he passed it one to one of his friends, Helm, a knight of Athalantar. Elminster stated that he had wanted to avenge his family's death, not become a monarch. As he and Myrjala left the kingdom, the sorceress revealed herself to be Mystra. She offered to make Elminster one of her Chosen, and he readily accepted.

Elminster in Myth Drannor
Many of Elminster's adventures following this time are undetailed, but it is known that he visited such places as Cormanthor, the Towers of Song, and Myth Drannor before its fall and stayed some 20 years.

He also served as a foster parent to three other of Mystra's Chosen : Syluné, Storm, and the woman who hundreds of years later would become his paramour, the Simbul.

It is also suspected that he had something to do with the founding of Waterdeep, or at least with the organizing of the city's Lords.

Time of Trouble
Elminster was instrumental in forming the Rangers Three, who aided him in recurring battles with the mysterious Shadowmasters during this time. Elminster also took time out to defend Shadowdale from an army of Zhentarim led by the avatar of Bane. Bane and Elminster battled, and both were caught up in the spell that Elminster had called upon to dispose of the avatar. Elminster was originally thought to have been destroyed, but when he later reappeared it became apparent that he had merely been transported to another plane of existence for a time.

Shadow of the Avatar Crisis
In his absence, the foes of good tried to rally, but the other Chosen, the Knights of Myth Drannor, and the Rangers Three held them at bay until he returned. With the present crisis averted, all seemed calm, but the Shadowmasters had other ideas. Elminster and the Rangers Three, along with their allies, managed to frustrate and foil the plans of this race of shapeshifters.

Elminster also confronted the overgod, Lord Ao, over his instigation of the Time of Troubles while innocents were being killed. As the critical moment of the Time of Troubles approached, Mystra knew of what was to come and she shed most of her power into Midnight the human wizard, so that all of her essence would not cease to exist. Since Elminster obtained his power from Mystra, this change left him personally powerless at a critical juncture.

He recruited one of the Rangers Three, Sharantyr, and they equipped themselves from Elminster's cache of magical items, which would still function. The two of them were later reunited with the other two members of the band, Itharr and Belkram, but even the Rangers Three could not prevent Elminster from being wounded in battle. Despite this setback, Elminster and the Rangers, along with their allies, not only freed High Dale and defeated Manshoon of the Zhentarim, but they also outlasted the Time of Troubles, and Elminster regained his magic.

Elminster in Hell
When the floating city of Shade Enclave was returned to Faerun after millenia of exile in the Plane of Shadow, the Shadovar- the immortal rulers of the city who were themselves Shades- enacted a sinister plot which involved the opening of a dimensional portal into The Nine Hells. Elminster thwarted their plot, however it was a Pyhrric victory. He realised that the only way to close the portal before countless Devils spilled forth into Toril was to close it from the other side. He entered the portal and narrowly managed to do so, but at the expense of diminishing his magical strength. Once in Hell he was abducted and enslaved by an outcast Arch-Devil known as Nergal, who wished to discover the secret of Mystra's Silver Fire. While the arch-fiend plundered Elminster's thoughts and memories, Mystra became aware of her favourite servant's plight and entered Hell herself to find him. Realising that her presence in Hell was less than conspicuous, Mystra retreated and dispatched more subtle agents to find him; first the Mad Mage of Undermountain (who was defeated) and then the Simbul. After much searching, the Simbul found him, and together they defeated Nergal and returned home.

Elminster Today
Now he is helping secretly a small group of adventures near Westgate at the Reddansyr Village, investigating the destiny of the clone of Manshoon, and unmask the real leader of Night Masters of Westgate, the Night King "The Faceless", the Manshoon clone, now know as Orbakh, three years after the Manshoon Wars - in the year of 1373 DR undefined.

Realmslore

 * Trusting in Lore, Part One
 * Ⅰ. The Legend of Tharnwood
 * ⅠⅠ. Revealing the Truth