Divination

[AndrewTall]

A side note:

If the elves of BR are immortal (while no other settings elves are) - wouldn't logic then dictate that the other setting elves should actually be derived from them? That doesn't seem to jive with the "young" typing of BR to me.

Similarly one might say that as the Cha'asii of Taladas are a post-civilisation elven race that they are eldest of the elven people, or that the BR elves are immortal due to the stronger connection of magic to Aebrynnis - meaning that other elves who traveled to Cerilia and lived in areas of high mebhaighl would be immortal, or that half elves who lived in high source areas would have an extended lifespan. (HMA anyone?)


As a note I would recommend the 'Time of the Dragon' accessory to any elf lover who can find it - it has fully 4 distinct elven cultures (the wild plains horsemen of the clans, the high elven Armach, the Cha'asii and the ancient Hulderfolk) of which both Cha'asii and Hulderfolk are very applicable to Birthright (or the clans if you want a Khinasi realm of elves).


On to the weave and mebhaighl - the Faerun weave is as specific to the FR setting as mebhaighl is to BR, but it is quite possibly to see one as the pre-cursor to the other - the more primal mebhaighl could well be stronger (if more dangerous to handle) than the weave, despite being younger with the weave being safer and more capable of precise application (L10 spells). Alternatively the weave might be seen as a pre-curser to mebhaighl as it grows it begins to permeate the entirety of Toril, pooling in areas free from civilisation while thinner in areas where it is constantly tapped and the free flowing ley lines are disrupted by roads and walls...

The Age of Netheril 'heavy' magic always sounded like a McGuffin to me to explain how the Netherese destroyed themselves and why no one else could do so thereafter (Mystra banned the stuff), I wouldn't have thought there was any intended connection to Mebhaighl, but if you can use cross-concepts, good for you.

[Thelandrin]

For the record, Karsus actually suceeded with his spell. The only 12th-level spell ever to have existed actually worked. It stole the essence of a god and transferred it to Karsus who gained instant divinity. Unfortunately, Karsus chose Mystra - the goddess of magic - and in killing her, killed magic throughout Faerûn, effectively also destroying his spell and ending the Netherese Empire.

[MatanThunder]

Yes the spell was successful, but I have read in other sources it was his human form that couldn't sustain the immense powers of a Goddess and this causes him to be basically vaporized for his insolence.

I will have to look into the sources, if you need to know.

Later