Agaros Xamaroth - The Wisdom of the Art: Karsus’s Folly

This book is dedicated to Mystril and Midnight, the past and present goddesses of magic.

Mystra teaches, “True wisdom is knowing when not to use magic.” A simple lesson with enormous nuance. It begs the question, when should a mage not use magic? It seems antithetical to our craft. We each performed untold hours of improvement.

If anyone is entitled to the fruits of their labors, it is us!

Right?...

The answer is no.

Our curse is hubris. We hear the siren’s call to ever greater power. To re-shape the world around us on a whim is an intoxicating experience. Practitioners become so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they did not stop to think if they should.

Unfortunately, there are countless examples of those who ignore this wisdom. The greatest of all being the Netherese Archwizard, Karsus. He who sought to become THE god of magic. His arrogance slew the first goddess of magic, Mystryl.

Her death caused all magic within Faerûn to…stop…altogether. For the briefest moment every enchanted item, every spell, everything imbued with magic, simply ceased. Liches phylacteries failed. Floating cities came crashing to the earth. The devastation remains indescribable and unknowable.

What is known is the Dire Wood. A single red stone butte at the base of a high cliff was all that remained of the fallen body of Karsus, made gigantic by the divine energy he stole.

It is I who encourage all Arcane magisters, visit the Dire Wood. Look upon the hubris of just one man. Look upon it and know that this is one such fate should you reach beyond your grasp.

The signature of Agaros Xamaroth (Suspicious Activity) appears at the end of this book.