History Literature / TheElminsterSeries

** The series also doesn't shy away from the results of all that sex. ''Daughter'' is centered on one of Elminster's several illegitimate children, who meets some near the end. Technically, fertility of the Chosen is under Mystra's complete control, but she rarely has good reasons to veto a magically strong bloodline.

* GenderBender: * The middle part of ''Elminster: The Making of a Mage'' is basically "The Making of a Priestess". When Elminster agreed to serve the goddess of magic, he finds himself teleported without any warning to an unknown location and turned into a lass-"to see the world through the eyes of a woman" ([[spoiler:and to hide him from [[TheMagocracy Magelords]] out for his blood]]), having ''nothing'' on her save half of a broken ancestral sword, and no magic abilities save innate magic vision. Later he learned the spell himself. In the next book, Mystra pushes a silent sex-inverting spell into his mind, to give him a way to circumvent controls built into his body. Which he used while embraced... er... [[KindRestraints restrained]] by his current LoveInterest, no less. "Well met. Call me Elmara, please!"

* QuestionableConsent: In ''Elminster: The Making of a Mage'', while he's a thief Elminster and his partner Farl hide a prostitute ([[DudeShesLikeInAComa unconscious at the time]]) in the bedroom of a [[{{Crossdresser}} cross-dressing]] baker from the wrath of her clients (whom they just robbed), stroking both of them so they'll have sex after waking up-just for laughs, apparently. The pair end up {{happily married}}, yes, but {{what the hell hero}}?

** Elminster blunders into a stasis trap while dungeon-crawling for lost magic about a century prior to ''Temptation''. He's rescued at the start of the book by an adventuring party.

The Elminster Series is an ongoing series of novels set in the TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]] campaign setting, written by setting creator Ed Greenwood. Its starring character is the archwizard Elminster Aumar, one of the Chosen of the goddess of magic.

** The series also doesn't shy away from the results of all that sex. ''Daughter'' is centered on one of Elminster's several illegitimate children, and it mentions others. Technically, fertility of the Chosen is under Mystra's complete control, but she rarely has good reasons to veto a magically strong bloodline.

** The series also doesn't shy away from the results of all that sex. ''Daughter'' is centered on one of Elminster's several illegitimate children. And mentions others. Technically, fertility of the Chosen is under Mystra's complete control, but she rarely has good reasons to veto a magically strong bloodline.

* CantArgueWithElves: A mild example, but in ''[[Literature/TheElminsterSeries Elminster: The Making of a Mage]]'', Braer's gently lectures Elminster (when he's become a [[GenderBender female version]] of himself named Elmara) on how elves live in tune with nature, while humans destroy everything which they can't control.

* GenderBender: Elminster spends a good portion of the first book as a female version of himself named Elmara.

* BoringInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels power levels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep power creep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat." WordOfGod is that this was partly due to ExecutiveMeddling. Due to fear of MoralGuardians, the writers weren't allowed to have villains achieve even minor victories.

** The series also doesn't shy away from the results of all that sex. ''Daughter'' is centered on one of Elminster's several illegitimate children. And mentions others. Technically, fertility of the Chosen is under Mystra's complete control, but she rarely have good reasons to veto a magically strong bloodline.

* DeusExMachina: The literal version: it's hard to face Mystra's top-rank servants with overwhelming power or control them, but doing this tend to attract her personal (and rather annoyed) attention. In ''Myth Drannor'' several elven High Mages were quite disconcerted to have a goddess manifest and wag her finger at them. During [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon The Very Definitely Final Battle]] of ''Elminster in Hell''. [[spoiler:The Red Wizards are invading Aglarond, blasting everything in sight, Elminster and the Simbul are exhausted, and then an avatar of Mystra rejuvenates them and [[CurbStompBattle the battle ends very quickly.]]]]

-->''"Life has no meaning but what we give it. I wish a few more of ye would give it a little."''
---> -- Elminster of Shadowdale

* TheCasanova: One of Elminster's defining traits is that he'll flirt and/or sleep with virtually anything that is female and not related to him. Even ghosts, liches [[spoiler:and dragons in human form]]. If we account for the disparity in series entries, the number of his conquests probably rivals JamesBond. Even outside of his saga it's pretty much a RunningGag.

* VaporWear: The cover art of ''Temptation'' makes it pretty clear that the Lady of Shadows doesn't wear underwear.

* BoringInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels power levels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep power creep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat."
** WordOfGod is that this was partly due to ExecutiveMeddling. Due to fear of MoralGuardians, the writers weren't allowed to have villains achieve even minor victories.

* DoomedHometown: Elminster's village is burned to the ground by a dragon-riding wizard at the beginning of ''Making of a Mage'' [[spoiler:with the intent of assassinating Elminster's father, a [[KingIncognito Prince Incognito]]]]. Elminster survives because he was herding sheep in the hills.

* IHaveManyNames: Elminster's titles include Chosen of Mystra and Sage of Shadowdale, among others.

* MuggingTheMonster: In ''Myth Drannor'':

* SealedGoodInACan: Elminster blunders into a stasis trap while dungeon-crawling for lost magic about a century prior to ''Temptation''. He's rescued at the start of the book by an adventuring party.

* StatusQuoIsGod: You probably should have seen this coming, but, by the ending of ''Elminster Enraged'', Eliminster's not only come back to life, he's regained his Chosen-level powers and wisdom, and it's strongly hinted he's going to bring Mystara back to life again next.

* TouchedByVorlons: Averted, oddly enough. Elminster and most of the other Chosen of Mystra were deadly spellslingers in their own right before officially being made Chosen. They did gain a great deal of power afterwards, however.

* ''Elminster Enraged'' (2012; unreleased)

* TheCasanova: One of Elminster's defining traits is that he'll flirt and/or sleep with virtually anything that is female and not related to him. Even ghosts [[spoiler:and dragons in human form]]. If we account for the disparity in series entries, the number of his conquests probably rivals JamesBond. Even outside of his saga it's pretty much a RunningGag.

* ShowyInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels power levels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep power creep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat."

** Vangerdahast's subplot in ''Daughter'' consists of his attempts to seal ''dragons'' in a can to replace Cormyr's previous Sealed Good, unsealed and destroyed in the Devil Dragon war.
* ShowyInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels power levels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep power creep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat." [[spoiler:He eventually shapeshifts into a dragon and seals himself and a volunteer song dragon in the can.]]

* ShowyInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels power levels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep power creep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat."
** Vangerdahast's subplot in ''Daughter'' consists of his attempts to seal ''dragons'' in a can to replace Cormyr's previous Sealed Good, unsealed and destroyed in the Devil Dragon war. [[spoiler:He eventually shapeshifts into a dragon and seals himself and a volunteer song dragon in the can.]]

* ShowyInvincibleHero: The main criticism of the series - coupled with the fact that Ed Greenwood seems to have difficulty keeping [[PowerLevels]] consistent across books due to [[PowerCreepPowerSeep]], Elminster (and to a slightly lesser degree, the Simbul), seem to suddenly come to the revelation of "The book is almost over, guess I'd better just destroy the supposed threat."

* TheCasanova: One of Elminster's defining traits is that he'll flirt and/or sleep with virtually anything that is female and not related to him. Even ghosts [[spoiler:and dragons in human form]]. If we account for the disparity in series entries, the number of his conquests probably rivals JamesBond.

* DeusExMachina: The literal version, during [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon The Very Definitely Final Battle]] of ''Elminster in Hell''. [[spoiler:The Red Wizards are invading Aglarond, blasting everything in sight, Elminster and the Simbul are exhausted, and then an avatar of Mystra rejuvenates them and [[CurbStompBattle the battle ends very quickly.]]]]
* DeusSexMachina: Elminster is made one of the Chosen at the end of ''Making of a Mage'' by having sex with an [[GodInHumanForm avatar of Mystra]]. In midair. And they get seen by a merchant on the road, which becomes [[CrowningMomentOfFunny one of the most hilarious moments in the book]].

* GodInHumanForm: In ''Making of a Mage'', [[spoiler:Myrjala Darkeyes is an avatar of Mystra, which Greenwood manages to keep unclear until the very end of ''Making of a Mage''. She teaches Elminster magic, takes his virginity, then is incinerated by a dragon during the final battle, only to have her body reform to admonish him after he screams that he'll never work magic again.]]

** The series also doesn't shy away from the inevitable results of all that sex. ''Daughter'' is centered on one of Elminster's several illegitimate children.

* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: [[spoiler:The Simbul rescues Elminster from the grip of an archdevil at the climax of ''Elminster in Hell''. And blows said archdevil to smithereens.]]

* {{Immortality}}: Elminster and the other Chosen have Type III.

The Elminster Series is an ongoing series of novels set in the ForgottenRealms [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]] campaign setting, written by setting creator Ed Greenwood. Its starring character is the archwizard Elminster Aumar, one of the Chosen of the goddess of magic.

* ''Bury Elminster Deep'' (2011)
* ''Elminster Enraged'' (2012)

* ForegoneConclusion: The first three books, since the initial version of the ForgottenRealms was set in the mid-14th century DR and Elminster was already an established character in the continuity.

* Immortality: Elminster and the other Chosen have Type III.

* ''The Temptation of Elminster'' (1998): Several hundred years later. After accidentally getting himself [[SealedGoodInACan sealed in a can]] for a century, Elminster emerges to find that Myth Drannor (formerly Cormanthor) fell to yugoloths while he was in stasis. He sets out to regain his life, then Mystra sends him to learn