Anyone else tempted to make Elminster a bad guy? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Anyone else tempted to make Elminster a bad guy?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
AzureKhan
Jul 04, 2010 22:43:33 As someone so intricately woven into the Weave of magic, as well as one of the Chosen of Mystra, I have been debating turning Elminster into essentially the new Halaster of my FR campaign. While he sits in his Dale seemingly patient, internally and through PC and NPC agents, he is secretly and madly attempting to find a way to resurrect his dead goddess, his mind inching ever closer to insanity. I'm thinking of bringing it all to a head and finally pushing Elminster into the Underdark, searching for magics hidden by Halaster that might aid him.
#2
sfdragon
Jul 04, 2010 23:50:19 hate to tell you, he was already insane; just ask Ed
#3
sfdragon
Jul 05, 2010 1:40:11 that too
#4
Stigger
Jul 05, 2010 2:31:50 Never struck me as a pervert, just someone with a healthy libido untainted by the uptight mores and conventions of a sexually repressed society as we are on this world. ;)

Though I agree that he is already insane, I'd say go for it and making barking mad-man insane as he tries to resurrect his precious.
#5
The_Silversword
Jul 05, 2010 2:52:40 Sounds like an interesting idea, but I dont think that would really make Elminster a bad guy. I never really saw Halaster as a villain either, he was just misunderstood.
#6
AzureKhan
Jul 05, 2010 10:08:00
Sounds like an interesting idea, but I dont think that would really make Elminster a bad guy. I never really saw Halaster as a villain either, he was just misunderstood.

Well, yes. Halaster wasn't ever the "big bad". As long as you left him and his crazy mountain alone, he wasn't going to creep into your village or any village specifically to wipe out its citizens. However, he experimented with horrible magics, and cared very little for the ultimate outcome. On the other hand, Halaster had a strong sense of self-preservation, while Elminster has a strong sense of self-sacrifice. In my mind, it might make Elminster more likely to use things that would be highly destructive to the fabric of reality if he thought it would set things right ultimately. I imagine him fixated with "fixing what went wrong" and returning the universe to it's rightful state.

Perhaps focus on temporal and reality altering magics. I'll have to ponder that a bit.
#7
The_High_Blademage
Aug 09, 2011 8:56:33 Nice consept. Elminster-the Creepy pervert of shadowdale.

But why new villains? Dont the Realms have enought allready? Shadovar, Thay, Bane, Cyric, Shar, Primordials, ......

Just imagine that a peasant of the realms learns that all his suffering comes from "some people playing dice", and hears you say that it's your fault that a periodicaly crazy spellcaster of 1 milenia becomes a permanent threat of destruction....

#8
Mr_Miscellany
Aug 12, 2011 17:28:39 I think exploring all the different ways Elminster could fall off the deep end is a great idea for a Realms Campaign.

You'd have to keep the focus on the players, of course, but having Elminster be the guy at the center of the web is awesome.

Elminster is already a master at manipulating people and events. Since he's incredibly knowledgeable about magic (not just how it works, but where magic items can be found, as well who is capable of casting what spells, and so on), the idea of an Insane Elminster—someone blinded by passion for Mystra and perhaps willing to sacrifice all to see her reborn—is kind of terrifying.

Really, it makes me wonder just how many primal secrets of Magic Mystra has shared with him.

Note: I haven't read the latest Elminster novels, so I'm not up on what Ed Greenwood has written about the topic so far.

Anyway, it seems to me like the final choice as to whether Elminster succeeds or not ought to be up to your player characters.
#9
bronski113
Aug 16, 2011 1:17:27 I'm thinking about using the Hero Battle: Elminster (www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/d...) to close out the campaign my players are currently doing. Most of the story arcs are only a level or two long and stuff in them then shows back up in later adventures. So, I figured I'd expand this to cover between levels 18-20.

Basically Elminster wouldn't be the true BBEG but he would be something the players would have to face. I basically think he will be manipulated by the sharn and the Order of Blue Flame as its described in that article.

Now I just need to gather together the lore i need to figure out a story.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 AzureKhan Jul 04, 2010 22:43:33	As someone so intricately woven into the Weave of magic, as well as one of the Chosen of Mystra, I have been debating turning Elminster into essentially the new Halaster of my FR campaign. While he sits in his Dale seemingly patient, internally and through PC and NPC agents, he is secretly and madly attempting to find a way to resurrect his dead goddess, his mind inching ever closer to insanity. I'm thinking of bringing it all to a head and finally pushing Elminster into the Underdark, searching for magics hidden by Halaster that might aid him.
#2 sfdragon Jul 04, 2010 23:50:19	hate to tell you, he was already insane; just ask Ed
#3 sfdragon Jul 05, 2010 1:40:11	that too
#4 Stigger Jul 05, 2010 2:31:50	Never struck me as a pervert, just someone with a healthy libido untainted by the uptight mores and conventions of a sexually repressed society as we are on this world. ;) Though I agree that he is already insane, I'd say go for it and making barking mad-man insane as he tries to resurrect his precious.
#5 The_Silversword Jul 05, 2010 2:52:40	Sounds like an interesting idea, but I dont think that would really make Elminster a bad guy. I never really saw Halaster as a villain either, he was just misunderstood.
#6 AzureKhan Jul 05, 2010 10:08:00	Sounds like an interesting idea, but I dont think that would really make Elminster a bad guy. I never really saw Halaster as a villain either, he was just misunderstood. Well, yes. Halaster wasn't ever the "big bad". As long as you left him and his crazy mountain alone, he wasn't going to creep into your village or any village specifically to wipe out its citizens. However, he experimented with horrible magics, and cared very little for the ultimate outcome. On the other hand, Halaster had a strong sense of self-preservation, while Elminster has a strong sense of self-sacrifice. In my mind, it might make Elminster more likely to use things that would be highly destructive to the fabric of reality if he thought it would set things right ultimately. I imagine him fixated with "fixing what went wrong" and returning the universe to it's rightful state. Perhaps focus on temporal and reality altering magics. I'll have to ponder that a bit.
#7 The_High_Blademage Aug 09, 2011 8:56:33	Nice consept. Elminster-the Creepy pervert of shadowdale. But why new villains? Dont the Realms have enought allready? Shadovar, Thay, Bane, Cyric, Shar, Primordials, ...... Just imagine that a peasant of the realms learns that all his suffering comes from "some people playing dice", and hears you say that it's your fault that a periodicaly crazy spellcaster of 1 milenia becomes a permanent threat of destruction....
#8 Mr_Miscellany Aug 12, 2011 17:28:39	I think exploring all the different ways Elminster could fall off the deep end is a great idea for a Realms Campaign. You'd have to keep the focus on the players, of course, but having Elminster be the guy at the center of the web is awesome. Elminster is already a master at manipulating people and events. Since he's incredibly knowledgeable about magic (not just how it works, but where magic items can be found, as well who is capable of casting what spells, and so on), the idea of an Insane Elminster—someone blinded by passion for Mystra and perhaps willing to sacrifice all to see her reborn—is kind of terrifying. Really, it makes me wonder just how many primal secrets of Magic Mystra has shared with him. Note: I haven't read the latest Elminster novels, so I'm not up on what Ed Greenwood has written about the topic so far. Anyway, it seems to me like the final choice as to whether Elminster succeeds or not ought to be up to your player characters.
#9 bronski113 Aug 16, 2011 1:17:27	I'm thinking about using the Hero Battle: Elminster (www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/d...) to close out the campaign my players are currently doing. Most of the story arcs are only a level or two long and stuff in them then shows back up in later adventures. So, I figured I'd expand this to cover between levels 18-20. Basically Elminster wouldn't be the true BBEG but he would be something the players would have to face. I basically think he will be manipulated by the sharn and the Order of Blue Flame as its described in that article. Now I just need to gather together the lore i need to figure out a story.