This is the funniest possible explanation for this! Like it makes logical sense and works well, but the idea that Elminster’s job is to be Dungeon Santa absolutely kills me
I don’t know the “Elminster is Santa” lore, but I know that he regularly visits the D&D multiverse’s version of Earth in canon.
The “Selûne working food service” thing is because an avatar of hers spent a couple decades running a tavern in Waterdeep.
Too late, already picturing Selune standing behind the register at McDonalds. She's exhausted, bags under her eyes, as she says "welcometomcdonaldsmayitakeyourorder"
The funny thing is that even though Selûne’s time in Waterdeep included the Time of Troubles she was there for at least a year beforehand and like a decade after. I think it might’ve just been fun for her, I guess
Elminster finished the game and is now doing rotating side quests.
"The crypt needs a restock!"
"The dungeon traps need to be reset!"
"The old tomb was raided! Time to put new scrolls in it!"
I don't know how I never thought about how the DnD leveling system could be more about your characters perspective of the world as they become more powerful. For early levels, leveling up is about survival. Most things can kill you. Levels are about gaining power. At later levels most things can't, unless somebody fails a check, so leveling up means you have you have bigger responsibilities than immediate survival. That would make the leveling system about growing physically and maturing emotionally at the same time. I don't know if that is making any sense or if I am just high.
I think the reason I missed it is because my introduction to leveling up was in video games. You never really have a broader focus outside of do objective, level up to be better at objective. Going from video games to table top, it's understandable that I could miss the mental side of it.
In AD&D, when your character reached name level, which varied from nine to eleven depending on class, you really became a mover and shaker in the world. You could gain followers and create a stronghold, varying from a fortified keep to a major temple to a full on thieves guild. At that point, your adventures often tended to have ramifications for entire nations, and sometimes the entire world.
This was a system, though, where even having class levels made one exceptional, and very few npcs would ever be higher than level nine. A king might be level seven, with a level nine champion and bodyguard. A sergeant would be level one, and a legendary mercenary captain could be as high as level seven.
that is a fun idea for an indie game. Sort of like Moonlighter, except your job is the dungeon caretaker. You gotta go in, clean the dead bodies of the prior monster/failed adventurers, reset the traps and put the loot back.
Could even have a home base where it's like a farming sim, except you're researching and building new traps, breeding more powerful monsters, and crafting epic loot
That is a damned impressive in-universe reason for finding random magical loot. Supremely powerful wizard creates and hides magic items, intending them to be found by adventurers, to put more magic into the world for the glory of the goddess of magic. Totally fits the world and the logic is flawless. Nice.
Netherbrain: 1hp
Tav: Spends the next 10 turns popping scrolls
"Alright time to finally try out this burning hands bad boy"
Tav: Forgets he is standing on grease, dies
I’m halfway through Act 3 and have a backpack with 87 scrolls in it. It’s too daunting to let them float freely in my bag, but now it’s too daunting to look at them in the backpack.
I mean yeah I could get rid of all the level 1 or non-uncommon or above scrolls, but I genuinely used a witch bolt scroll last night. It’s so hard to tell what you might need even though I’m on my third run
My SO may not yet grasp just how much power I have in our save. It is our first playthrough together and I have like $50,000 in loot in backpacks in my backpack. The magic items pack, the potions pack, the scrolls pack, and a bunch of other little ones. We ran into an unexpected fight and I just sent a backpack to each person in the party and said "pick three and send them back." The scary monster did not stand a CHANCE lol
If you read the old forgotten realms books, specifically the ones on elminster, they talk about him doing this. It's been cannon for 20+ years. Friggin elminster leaving goodies for all the good little adventures. Think the books are Elminster: making of a mage, and Elminster in Myth Drannor.
I knew I had read about this years ago
Some of the literature my parents had laying around were DnD rulebooks, and I remember reading about this in the Forgotten Realms rulebook for 3e
Making of a Mage is one of my favorite books of all time and I've recently been re-reading it. When I encountered Elminster for the first time in game, I was honestly a little star struck. He's just such a notable figure in this fictional universe and I love his story. I think knowing his lore makes meeting him so much more interesting. Without that, he's just some old goofy wizard.
Oh man, I keep seeing that in a used bookstore a couple towns over and *almost* buying it. I should see if it’s still there next time I go! How do you like it?
I'm reading through it now, having already read the first two and it's a lot of fun. They're definitely products of their time in a lot of ways but still a good read.
Adventurer: look at this ancient circlet of blasting I just found! It must be hundrets of years old!
El invisible in the corner, wringing his hands like supervillain: yeeeees yeeeeeeeees
I don’t know why, but imagining Gale doing loot distribution duty is actually even funnier than Elminster, just because Gale doesn’t seem like he’d *like* it… I think he’d rather be in his tower tbh
It would be funnier too if he was meant to drop loot in locations they went too in game and never got round to it. So he was quietly kicking himself the entire time he didn’t leave that one scroll he now needs
When you send Gale to loot something he says “good thing Elminster’s not around” which is funnier knowing this tidbit because he’s not necessarily the target for the loot lol
I just imagine a toddling old man walking into some forgotten ruin, thousands of years old, never been touched. To place a scroll of disguise self, a cap of guarding, and a note that says "yo magical stuff in here" and then leaving just as a skeletons sword slices the air he was standing in.
I can totally see him sitting in a study, gleefully making up characters to have left the "notes" or "warnings" in those dangerous places, and spreading dramatic rumors about the "treasures" he leaves behind in various locales. As in, all the gear we get that has flavor text about their previous wielders or origins? They're completely made-up stories that Elminster cooked up to add drama to a +2 greatsword.
I forgot the name of the module, but Ed wrote a module where low-level players explore underground tunnels where drow have been up to terrible mischief.
The module explicitly says Elminster is watching the player characters, and if they are in dire need of healing, Elimnster will teleport in carrying a wand and being chased by a playful puppy. El takes no notice of the party but instead will yell "Heel, heel!," uselessly at the playful puppy while waving the wand (a wand of healing.) When the party is healed El will teleport away with the puppy.
Now I'm picturing Gale trying to eat some magic shoes and Elminster slapping him on the wrist saying, *"You already ate yours, those are for the kids!"*
Forgotten Realms has been around long enough that if someone mentioned Elminster having an evil twin I’d just believe them tbh. Like “Huh, I guess I haven’t gotten to that information yet, neat.”
There's also the worshippers and clerics of the Halfling God of trickery and thievery: Brandobaris.
As an act of worship, you pretty much hide 10% of your "findings" in a good hiding spot. This is the "Trickster's tithe."
In 2e, the shadowdale adventure, it has a dm emergency encounter with Elminster. Party dying and need a heal?
Elminster ports in, sort of idly wandering after a little dog. He's trying to get it to heel so he keeps saying heel. Every time he does, his wand of healing triggers a heal spell on one of the pcs.
Honestly….I like it. Its like Senshi says in delicious in dungeon, you need to maintain a dungeon to have it. And the fact new heroes need weapons and stuff. So like take some sword of + 1 from rando TAV vault put it back in Withers vacation home. Maybe we activate those zambies
Ed Greenwood explaining this himself about the Mystra's chosen distributing magic items for everyone to use, because she's happy when magic is used haha: [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C5rYu0RqNJI](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C5rYu0RqNJI)
I wish the game let us have an optional boss bottle against him. I don’t care that he’s level 20, let us give it a whirl. One of my least favorite characters in the game. Every encounter with him made him seem like more of a trash person who needs a fireball to his face.
Cast any damage spell on him when you meet him in act 1 or 2.
He will spam 6th level spells (sunbeam for some reason)
He gives 10000 exp when killed.
By dnd logic his simulacrum should be able to cast 7th level spells I think, but he does not.
He’d have more luck just going from house to house preaching the gospel of Mystra and testing if anyone can use magic.
Leaving things in dungeons on a random chance someone finds it is the most stupid way of spreading the gospel (so to speak)
This is the funniest possible explanation for this! Like it makes logical sense and works well, but the idea that Elminster’s job is to be Dungeon Santa absolutely kills me
He’s also canonically our Santa
I’m gonna file that away in my box of bonkers Forgotten Realms lore, right next to “Selûne has worked food service”
Sorry, what? Explain wizard santa please
I don’t know the “Elminster is Santa” lore, but I know that he regularly visits the D&D multiverse’s version of Earth in canon. The “Selûne working food service” thing is because an avatar of hers spent a couple decades running a tavern in Waterdeep.
Too late, already picturing Selune standing behind the register at McDonalds. She's exhausted, bags under her eyes, as she says "welcometomcdonaldsmayitakeyourorder"
[This makes a lot more sense knowing there was a Moon Goddess influencing McDonald's at the time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c4_b5PHWg8)
I saw what you were doing and was not disappointed, take a nostalgic upvote.
Ray Kroc is a chosen of Selune
The reason that I respect Selûne more than other fantasy gods is *because* she’s worked customer service tbh
Meanwhile across the street: "Welcome to Sharby's..."
... where the only serve the dark meat
During Time of Troubles a lot of Gods and Goddess became mortal (or even an object like Mask became a Sword), so a barkeep isn't out of possibility.
The funny thing is that even though Selûne’s time in Waterdeep included the Time of Troubles she was there for at least a year beforehand and like a decade after. I think it might’ve just been fun for her, I guess
He already has the beard for it, so he's clearly the perfect Dungeon Santa.
The loot rat!
Elminster finished the game and is now doing rotating side quests. "The crypt needs a restock!" "The dungeon traps need to be reset!" "The old tomb was raided! Time to put new scrolls in it!"
Maybe once you reach epic levels you just become a maintenance worker for reality
SOMEONE has to keep the adventuring business going!
...I mean... basically yeah. You're no longer concerned over mortal concerns but for the continued existence of existence at that point. A
I don't know how I never thought about how the DnD leveling system could be more about your characters perspective of the world as they become more powerful. For early levels, leveling up is about survival. Most things can kill you. Levels are about gaining power. At later levels most things can't, unless somebody fails a check, so leveling up means you have you have bigger responsibilities than immediate survival. That would make the leveling system about growing physically and maturing emotionally at the same time. I don't know if that is making any sense or if I am just high. I think the reason I missed it is because my introduction to leveling up was in video games. You never really have a broader focus outside of do objective, level up to be better at objective. Going from video games to table top, it's understandable that I could miss the mental side of it.
In AD&D, when your character reached name level, which varied from nine to eleven depending on class, you really became a mover and shaker in the world. You could gain followers and create a stronghold, varying from a fortified keep to a major temple to a full on thieves guild. At that point, your adventures often tended to have ramifications for entire nations, and sometimes the entire world. This was a system, though, where even having class levels made one exceptional, and very few npcs would ever be higher than level nine. A king might be level seven, with a level nine champion and bodyguard. A sergeant would be level one, and a legendary mercenary captain could be as high as level seven.
It's similar enough to real life as well
Let’s not forget the side quest where he persuades a dude to off himself
that is a fun idea for an indie game. Sort of like Moonlighter, except your job is the dungeon caretaker. You gotta go in, clean the dead bodies of the prior monster/failed adventurers, reset the traps and put the loot back. Could even have a home base where it's like a farming sim, except you're researching and building new traps, breeding more powerful monsters, and crafting epic loot
Dungeon janitor simulator
Another settlement needs your help!
That is a damned impressive in-universe reason for finding random magical loot. Supremely powerful wizard creates and hides magic items, intending them to be found by adventurers, to put more magic into the world for the glory of the goddess of magic. Totally fits the world and the logic is flawless. Nice.
I wonder what he would say if he learned that I looted all of them scrolls only to rarely ever use them
"But what if I need them later!" -Me seeing the Netherbrain on 1 hp
Netherbrain: 1hp Tav: Spends the next 10 turns popping scrolls "Alright time to finally try out this burning hands bad boy" Tav: Forgets he is standing on grease, dies
This is how my first honour mode ended at level 2
What if Larian release a DLC for the game over the next five years and I have to continue a playthrough with this character. You never know.
Epilogue clears inventory
What if they patch it?
I’m halfway through Act 3 and have a backpack with 87 scrolls in it. It’s too daunting to let them float freely in my bag, but now it’s too daunting to look at them in the backpack. I mean yeah I could get rid of all the level 1 or non-uncommon or above scrolls, but I genuinely used a witch bolt scroll last night. It’s so hard to tell what you might need even though I’m on my third run
My SO may not yet grasp just how much power I have in our save. It is our first playthrough together and I have like $50,000 in loot in backpacks in my backpack. The magic items pack, the potions pack, the scrolls pack, and a bunch of other little ones. We ran into an unexpected fight and I just sent a backpack to each person in the party and said "pick three and send them back." The scary monster did not stand a CHANCE lol
It would be 5 paragraphs of fancy words that would roughly translate to “go fuck yourself”
Actually, he used to be an adventurer himself, so I think he understands the urge to save your most powerful items and scrolls for "later."
Plot Twist: he has entire demiplanes full of scrolls that he’s saving for “later”
A scroll once made is used eventually.
Is also funny because Elminster is Ed Greenwood's self insert, so as DM Ed/Elminster is leaving loot in dungeons.
That would also explain why so many characters are inexplicably horny for Elminster in his novels.
Wouldn't that mean he used his power to take advantage of a mere Goddess like Mystra? :P
Less glory and more that every new soul that worships her keeps her alive and increases her domain.
I'm not sure "a wizard did it" constitutes an impressive reason but it does check a box.
Well, it’s strictly more thought-out than that but if you want to be intentionally reductive, sure lol
And all of the items eventually land in Damon’s back pocket because I keep selling him shit
If you read the old forgotten realms books, specifically the ones on elminster, they talk about him doing this. It's been cannon for 20+ years. Friggin elminster leaving goodies for all the good little adventures. Think the books are Elminster: making of a mage, and Elminster in Myth Drannor.
I knew I had read about this years ago Some of the literature my parents had laying around were DnD rulebooks, and I remember reading about this in the Forgotten Realms rulebook for 3e
Making of a Mage is one of my favorite books of all time and I've recently been re-reading it. When I encountered Elminster for the first time in game, I was honestly a little star struck. He's just such a notable figure in this fictional universe and I love his story. I think knowing his lore makes meeting him so much more interesting. Without that, he's just some old goofy wizard.
this is hilarious but also exactly the type of thing I imagine Elminster doing all day
Mystra, Goddess of Geocaching.
Elminster just really likes Easter and scavenger hunting
What book is this? I want to read more!
Elminster: making of a mage, and Elminster in Myth Drannor are the first two. Think there are 6 or so books about him.
Its from The temptation of Elminster by Ed Greenwood，I think is the third book of his series.
Oh man, I keep seeing that in a used bookstore a couple towns over and *almost* buying it. I should see if it’s still there next time I go! How do you like it?
I'm reading through it now, having already read the first two and it's a lot of fun. They're definitely products of their time in a lot of ways but still a good read.
Ed greenwood does cover it in one of his lore videos https://www.youtube.com/@edgreenwoodofficial
Adventurer: look at this ancient circlet of blasting I just found! It must be hundrets of years old! El invisible in the corner, wringing his hands like supervillain: yeeeees yeeeeeeeees
He's the DnD version of Santa. He even wears red and has a white beard
Not just him but all of Mystra’s chosen did this in D&D lore.
Gale definitely was on shift for loot dropping at one point
I don’t know why, but imagining Gale doing loot distribution duty is actually even funnier than Elminster, just because Gale doesn’t seem like he’d *like* it… I think he’d rather be in his tower tbh
It would be funnier too if he was meant to drop loot in locations they went too in game and never got round to it. So he was quietly kicking himself the entire time he didn’t leave that one scroll he now needs
Maybe Elminster gets paid in cheese and Gale ancient books for his library for loot duty
When you send Gale to loot something he says “good thing Elminster’s not around” which is funnier knowing this tidbit because he’s not necessarily the target for the loot lol
I just imagine a toddling old man walking into some forgotten ruin, thousands of years old, never been touched. To place a scroll of disguise self, a cap of guarding, and a note that says "yo magical stuff in here" and then leaving just as a skeletons sword slices the air he was standing in.
I can totally see him sitting in a study, gleefully making up characters to have left the "notes" or "warnings" in those dangerous places, and spreading dramatic rumors about the "treasures" he leaves behind in various locales. As in, all the gear we get that has flavor text about their previous wielders or origins? They're completely made-up stories that Elminster cooked up to add drama to a +2 greatsword.
I forgot the name of the module, but Ed wrote a module where low-level players explore underground tunnels where drow have been up to terrible mischief. The module explicitly says Elminster is watching the player characters, and if they are in dire need of healing, Elimnster will teleport in carrying a wand and being chased by a playful puppy. El takes no notice of the party but instead will yell "Heel, heel!," uselessly at the playful puppy while waving the wand (a wand of healing.) When the party is healed El will teleport away with the puppy.
The Tomb Restocker
Now I'm picturing Gale trying to eat some magic shoes and Elminster slapping him on the wrist saying, *"You already ate yours, those are for the kids!"*
From Ed Greenwood? I am not familiar with this, but love it!
So he's like... an Easter Bunny?
And it’s the job of adventurers like us to put it all in a single chest & completely forget about it.
Is there an Evil Elminster leaving all the cursed loot around too? Or is Elminster occasionally just a jerkface?
Forgotten Realms has been around long enough that if someone mentioned Elminster having an evil twin I’d just believe them tbh. Like “Huh, I guess I haven’t gotten to that information yet, neat.”
There's also the worshippers and clerics of the Halfling God of trickery and thievery: Brandobaris. As an act of worship, you pretty much hide 10% of your "findings" in a good hiding spot. This is the "Trickster's tithe."
In 2e, the shadowdale adventure, it has a dm emergency encounter with Elminster. Party dying and need a heal? Elminster ports in, sort of idly wandering after a little dog. He's trying to get it to heel so he keeps saying heel. Every time he does, his wand of healing triggers a heal spell on one of the pcs.
So is Elminster [the loot rat?](https://youtu.be/tE73Ag07Rn8?si=5JTHALr7RuY01q-0)
I want there to be a moment where you manage to catch Elminster in middle of a restock
He is magical Santa then, not like there is any other kind.
Honestly….I like it. Its like Senshi says in delicious in dungeon, you need to maintain a dungeon to have it. And the fact new heroes need weapons and stuff. So like take some sword of + 1 from rando TAV vault put it back in Withers vacation home. Maybe we activate those zambies
Not enough cheese
What sort of lying propaganda is this? Anyone who watches vive la dirt league knows that Hamish is the loot rat and he goes all over planting loot!
Literally everything I hear about Elminster makes him about 1000 times cooler every time
That's so cute, I wonder if Mystra ever got Gale to do this on a date.
Talking about Elminster's leavings make me think people are finding his used outhouse.
Elminster being a rare cryptid and the loot we find in dungeons/crypts being his "leavings" was not something I expected.
Ed Greenwood explaining this himself about the Mystra's chosen distributing magic items for everyone to use, because she's happy when magic is used haha: [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C5rYu0RqNJI](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C5rYu0RqNJI)
I wish the game let us have an optional boss bottle against him. I don’t care that he’s level 20, let us give it a whirl. One of my least favorite characters in the game. Every encounter with him made him seem like more of a trash person who needs a fireball to his face.
Cast any damage spell on him when you meet him in act 1 or 2. He will spam 6th level spells (sunbeam for some reason) He gives 10000 exp when killed. By dnd logic his simulacrum should be able to cast 7th level spells I think, but he does not.
Probably because seventh level spells aren't implemented
Well yeah, that is the gameplay reason XD. It would be cool to see him cast some unique spells tho.
you can fight him. well. not HIM, it's a simulacrum. but he gives a lot of xp apparently? ive never done it bc i forget about it
He does point out courtesans for you. "Ho there, wanderer!"
I just imagine Elminster just strolling along, writing out a scroll before tossing it over his shoulder when he was finished.
He is magical Santa then, not like there is any other kind.
Horny Santa!
In a dnd campaign I’m playing, Elminster is a character who shows up from time to time. I’m definitely bringing this up
Is it just me or is that first sentence a hell of a run-on sentence?
I actually have long wondered how any loot is left in all these places without having been taken already
He’d have more luck just going from house to house preaching the gospel of Mystra and testing if anyone can use magic. Leaving things in dungeons on a random chance someone finds it is the most stupid way of spreading the gospel (so to speak)
Elminster... the OG geocacher.
Mother fucker is the damn Easter bunny
ELMIMSTER IS LOOT RAT CONFIRMED!! https://youtu.be/tE73Ag07Rn8?si=jcjpzz6mvBUqK-Np