@TheEdVerse1) Right, here we go. Sages of the Realms, take note…
Hesperdan was 43 in 1106 DR, and though young, was rising in power among dragons. And faring badly against older and more powerful wyrms, several of whom had nearly slain him. I've recently turned 43, so I was wondering if you could shed light on what my favourite three mages, Manshoon, Maaril, and Hesperdan were doing in their 43rd years. As always, thanks GG— Gareth ! (@garethgarfoot) February 7, 2019
2) It was in this year that he first met Elminster, and Hesperdan’s desire to stay alive, revulsion at how paranoid, territorial, and grasping elder dragons he’d met had become, and fascination with humankind, their wizardry, …#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
3) …and their society led him to overcome his acquisitive dragon nature and work with Elminster to gain arcane knowledge, to pursue his aim of attaining human shape, living among humans, and participating in his greatest love… 4) …of all: intrigue and manipulation. Hesperdan first let Elminster into his mind in this year, and they shared thoughts and experiences. (This was the beginning of their long alliance, which led to Hesperdan later becoming an…#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
5) …embedded spy for Elminster among the ranks of the Zhentarim.
Manshoon was 43 in 1271 DR, when the Zhentarim were a decade old and his hold on power in Zhentil Keep had become absolute. He spent much of this year in seclusion, 6) …ostensibly studying magic. Though he did craft some new spells (largely by refining existing spells, and combining stolen elven enchantments in new and more powerful ways), much of this year he spent doing two things: …#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
7) …expanding and improving his private, personal spies both inside and outside the Zhentarim (his watchdogs on Fzoul and Fzoul’s priests, and his scouts to investigate future targets to conquer, such as Darkhold), and making…#Realmslore 8) …ever-more-solid pacts with various beholders, to make his aims theirs, and so lessen chances of their betraying or sacrificing him. He also set about a long sideline project of magically enslaving several black dragon… #Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
9) …personal steeds. Maaril was 43 in 1360 DR, a year he spent in seclusion in his Dragon Tower in Waterdeep. Or so Waterdhavians thought. In truth, he spent an eventful year traveling the Heartlands in disguise, getting over… 10) …heartbreak at the loss of Tarrathra Delthond, his lover and trusted apprentice, taking on a new lover and apprentice (the shapeshifting Woevefril Tannakar) he hoped wouldn’t betray him as Tarrathra had, and rebuffing…#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
10) …heartbreak at the loss of Tarrathra Delthond, his lover and trusted apprentice, taking on a new lover and apprentice (the shapeshifting Woevefril Tannakar) he hoped wouldn’t betray him as Tarrathra had, and rebuffing…#Realmslore 11) …overtures from Manshoon to join the Zhentarim (Maaril was irked at the ease and persistence of Manshoon’s spies in finding him wherever he went and whatever guise he assumed, to petition him repeatedly).
There you go. ;}#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) February 8, 2019
