Grand lore master, if what I am understanding is right, then Mystra has that particular type of chosen to ensure that she has backups in case she is ever killed outright. It is intended to protect the Weave, right? What about the other gods of magic, such as Eilistraee or Azuth? They share the Weave with Mystra, don't they? What would happen if someone evil, say Lolth, who tried to claim the Weave once already, or Asmodeous were to kill one of these other gods of magic and claim their portfolios?
— Lysbeth Raven (@LysbethRaven) March 3, 2020
1)
That’s right, it’s intended to stabilize the Weave rather than having the whole thing crash in an instant (destroying all access to arcane magic, at the same moment that existing wards, mythals, and active spells all fail) 2)
It’s also intended to limit Mystra’s power, not provide personal backups for her. Which means it’s something that concerns Ao, and he watches over it.
Killing a deity doesn’t mean you automatically get their portfolio, or even…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
3)
…immediate access to it. And in the case of other gods of magic, the only being easily able to readily access their power and portfolios would be Mystra, not a god-slaying deity. Which should delay any seizure of power on 4)
…their part long enough for other rival deities to step in and oppose them, or perhaps even Ao taking a hand.
The tales priests tell make their deity sound like a superhero of infinite might and mastery, who can snatch…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
#Realmslore
5)
…something and instantly wield it like an expert long familiar with it, but that’s very rarely the case. For most deities trying to seize a new lever of power, it’s like trying to get a firm grip on fog. They have to study… 6)
…it, learn its ways in some depth, and so discern how best to try to get hold of it; not something easily done in the middle of a fight, or if opposed by someone else, or when handling other complex tasks. All of which…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020
7)
…means if a god of magic goes down, the other gods of magic are most likely to end up in control, in the short term if not the long, because they know how to grasp and wield the powers involved, the side-effects and… 8)
…consequences of everything they do, and what will likely happen if they try this, or that.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 4, 2020