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1. Halaster has been around for a LONG time, and for almost all of that time he’s been an enigma. Steven Schend and I pretty well agreed that he was only insane as long as he was in Undermountain, and it seems that ‘the new’ Mystra has freed him from the worst magical effects of its thrall, returning him to sanity. She did NOT make him a Chosen, but instead made a ‘separate peace’ with him, giving him the status of a free-willed agent (from time to time she’ll ask him to do something for her, with new spells or augmented powers as his reward or price, but she will do absolutely nothing to coerce him into service, nor look upon him unfavorably if he refuses).
Whether he’ll become a threat to the wider Realms, or a ‘good guy,’ depends on him. Right at the moment, I personally have no plans for a Halaster novel, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the good folks at WotC are pondering this topic for some scribe’s pen. He is a perfect main character for a pull-out-the-stops spellhurling novel, after all. :}

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Originally posted by Cardinal Deimos

A perfect heir to Karsus if ever there was one. 'Halaster's Divine Ascendancy spell' anyone?

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Originally posted by George Krashos

Ruins of Undeermountain seems to imply that he has ties with Netheril. The Stardock module obliquely makes connections with him and Imaskar/Raurin. Eric Boyd, Steven Schend (and I) have always operated on the premise that he's Imaskari (but likely was in stasis for a long period after that nation's fall IMHO) and Eric has done some hitherto unrevealed writing that adds further detail to Hilather/Halaster's back-story. When and where it will turn up is anyone's guess ...

-- George Krashos

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Originally posted by George Krashos


Ruins of Undeermountain seems to imply that he has ties with Netheril. The Stardock module obliquely makes connections with him and Imaskar/Raurin. Eric Boyd, Steven Schend (and I) have always operated on the premise that he's Imaskari (but likely was in stasis for a long period after that nation's fall IMHO) and Eric has done some hitherto unrevealed writing that adds further detail to Hilather/Halaster's back-story. When and where it will turn up is anyone's guess ...

-- George Krashos

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Originally posted by Hymn

Yeah poor Ed, WotC must give him hell. on a side not is that I also found this in Power and Phanteons:

"It is belived that the Theurgist Adept Thayd, last survivng apprentice of the Imaskari wizards opened a gate, prior to his execution in - 1081 DR."

Hmm, "two" last surviving apprentice(s). Ah, isn't realms lore just wonderfull

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Originally posted by Steven Schend
"It's not a bug--it's a feature!"

Quote of Halaster as he pounced on a 2-foot-wide fly and made it his dinner as reported by the Company of the Three-Clawed Griffon on Undermoutain's Level Four

Also the mantra Ed, Eric, George, and I use when untangling Realms history. :)

Steven

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

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Originally posted by Cardinal Deimos

A perfect heir to Karsus if ever there was one. 'Halaster's Divine Ascendancy spell' anyone?

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I don't see Halaster doing that... He's perfectly content to limit his activities to Undermountain -- he doesn't even go into Skullport, much less anywhere else in the world. So him deciding to become a god seems unlikely to me.

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Originally posted by Hymn

I have a question regarding his, clouded origin. As I was searching for info on the Imaskar Empire on Realms - L archive I run across this.

"I would suggest noting the birth of Hilather, last apprentice of the Imaskari wizards."

Now Hilather is, if I am correct, Halaster's true name. I also know that (from various sources) that at Gencons, Ed have hinted at Halaster coming from Imaskar. He have at least not denide the fact.

So is he from the ancient empire, or is it just a wild rumor?

(This isn't perhaps the right place for it since this is supposed to be the canon corner of the library. Sorry for any inconvinence, just thought I add this now that the topic was up, more or less )

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Anyone would be better than Cyric...

Even with madness involved, I don't see someone putting in literal centuries into developing their own playground, just to toss it all aside and do something very, very different. He's happy where he is and hasn't shown even the slightest indication that he wants to be a deity.

Plus, he's connected to Undermountain -- he actually had more issues when removed from Undermountain.

He's mad, yes -- but there's a method to his madness. And he's gotten a lot better since Mystra aided him. He's still not 100% sane, but he's saner than he was.

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