@TheEdVerse Hello again. Thanks again for taking the time answer my question about EHM.
I had another question now, about Mythals. In 5e, is there still a way to make Mythals? I'm assuming yes through High Magic, but did Mystra remove Epic Spells and Mythal Seeds?
— RedNoBlue (@RedNoBlue) January 5, 2020
So far as is known, no one has recently created a Mythal. Some Weavemasters and Chosen of Mystra have tinkered with/repaired existing ones. In theory, crafting a Mythal is still possible, but the problem lies in assembling 2)
…enough sufficiently powerful AND SKILLED participants. Such mighty wielders of Art tend to be very busy, disinclined to work with others except on their own pet projects, and paranoid about being in a known place at a known…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 5, 2020
3)
…time side by side with others mighty in magic. Mystra, like all the gods post-Sundering, has “stepped back” from direct interactions with mortals, and is working more through her servitors (including the Chosen), clergy, 4)
…and manifestations. ALL of the incarnations of Mystra have preferred to work more on a personal basis than with a formal “no one can do this now” approach. So you might be granted the ability to understand, master, and…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 5, 2020
5)
…wield an Epic Spell, while at the same time Drang the Deathdealer in the red robes next door might not, because Mystra thinks Drang will use the spell more to destroy or oppress others than to spread the use of magic to all 6)
Crafting a mythal requires the deepest trust and cooperation—and too few wielders of the Art are capable of making themselves so vulnerable, and being so generous. (Sigh; like too many of us, in life.)#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 5, 2020
A follow-up, friend Ed. In some of the 3E Realms fiction, mythals were tied to keystones. As far as I know, this was new and had not been previously mentioned.
So was this a new thing, or something not previously discussed, or is it only some mythals that are like this? Only some mythals are like this. Mythals tied to keystones are rarer than those that are not. At the time, this wasn't new in Realmslore, but was new in published Realmslore. Some of the root lore literally takes decades to reach print.#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 7, 2020
Oh Mr Greenwood that leaves so many many ways in which you might exploit the system AO implemented. I mean based on what I’ve read you could theoretically craft many similar effect magic using a variety of means if your morality was flexible enough and AO didn’t put the smack down on you for your impertinent behavior which after the time of troubles is always a risk.
I mean members of a particular faith could theoretically make a mythal assuming they had enough high mages. A powerful enough necromancer could theoretically harvest enough souls to craft something similar though likely with some twisted side effects. Then of course the Ilithid are powerful enough that if they set their minds to it they’d quite likely accomplish it not to mention the aboleth.
Then of course you have the shadow weave and who knows what Shar is willing to do to get practitioners of her weave. And could you imagine what would happen if these shadow mages got a hold of the Netherese scrolls?
Then you’ve got Asmodeus who could potentially trick some wizards into making him a mythal for his own nefarious purposes.
Lastly you have beholders that warp reality to birth new beholders but based on what’s been described about them, this reality warping effect happens when they dream of themself in one form or another. What would happen if a beholder dream themself into a mythal?
Just some of things you could exploit if you really really wanted to and you were ok with a whole lot of risks. I mean you screw up with a beholder and that’s going to be a really bad day.
Personally I find the idea for a story fascinating but for game play boring. I mean a mythal by its design is meant to defend a city which is kind of counter productive in a game meant for adventure which is kind of hard to do if you’re stuck in a city making a mythal that is a right pain to move.
Finding loopholes to craft really awesome gadgets for game play is so much more fun. I mean who want a cursed bag of random thieving. Nothing like a sentient bad that manages a five finger discount without the fingers only to dump the item out in front of the nearest lawman.
Wizard’s failed creations make for much more interesting stories to play through and can add more than a bit of tension to keep it progressing. Would be a terrible reality but a funny story.