The Weave lies across Faerun like a Gypsy's blanket. Magic flowing along the threads, providing life and power to all that know its secrets. Although the Guildmages of Waterdeep and the Red Wizards of Thay would have us believe that it takes years of study and training to master the secrets of the Weave, the truth is that many creatures have the ability to tap into the Weave just like a fish breathes water. To these creatures the Weave is like an open book, providing for their slightest desires.
Adepts, sorcerers, drow, gnomes, and uncounted others mold the web to their will; much like the bard molds words and notes to form a masterpiece of music. Yet for all the limitations of the Weave, no two of its children are exactly alike. Perhaps this diversity is due to the ever-changing nature of Mystra, the bright mistress of the Weave. Perhaps it is due to the varying nature of mankind and the creatures of Faerun. Whatever the reason for the difference between the magic using species of the lands, they all have one thing in common, a dependence on the Weave itself for their spells.
The clergy of Chauntea, Selune and Shar all tell the same tales of how Mystryl came into being. Born of the great energies expended by the two warring goddesses, Selune and Shar, Mystryl's birth changed the very nature of reality itself. Her birth literally formed the Weave, the source of all magic in Faerun. The tales go on to tell how Mystryl was slain by the ambitious arch mage Karsus, then reborn as the goddess Mystra, only to fall and rise again during the Year of Shadows. The Weave suffered greatly each time the goddess died, forming knots of wild magic or gaps of empty space, where no spell could be fueled. Even the greatest of the dragonkin cannot find the power necessary to cast spells within these magically dead zones.
Outside of the dead zones, there is almost no end to the variety and power of the Weave. Mystra seldom judges the users of the Weave, holding her wrath only for those who attempt to suppress portions of the Weave or entangle its threads to create areas of wild magic. As long as the users of magic respect Mystra and her domain, there is no end to the power that they can channel. Of all the users of magic, sorcerers are perhaps the strangest and most powerful. Seemingly able to draw on the power of magic at their slightest whim, sorcerers are limited only by their imagination and former experience.
Often coming into power at an early age, these magical wonders usually find themselves limited to a few uses of the Weave. Not having the benefit of the magical training, sorcerers lack the knowledge of the full range of power available within the Weave. Yet unlike traditional practitioners of magic, sorcerers do not need to prepare themselves to make use of the magic at their fingertips. Most sorcerers find that they can cast their spells repeatedly, with little effort.
As the years go by, sorcerers find the secrets of the Weave slowly opening up to them like the petals of a flower. Yet, while growing in power, each sorcerer remains limited by her imagination. Some find themselves able to easily manipulate the obvious destructive potential of the Weave, yet unable to detect the flow of the magic that powers their spells. Others can see not only the flow of magic, but also the threads of fate, seeing the future as clearly as others see a sunset; yet, they cannot conjure even the smallest of flames.
The Guildmasters of Waterdeep often describe magic as an animal that must be tamed to be controlled. Like an animal handler in a circus, the more a wizard specializes in her use of the Weave, the more that can be managed. If this is true, then the sorcerer is the ultimate animal handler. The Weave happily jumps through hoops for the sorcerer, performing her favorite tricks over and over. Just like a trained animal, the Weave must be constantly practiced with, if the sorcerer intends on displaying new tricks.
Unfortunately this necessary devotion to the Weave often leaves a sorcerer ill prepared for the real world. They seldom see the need to develop a craft or profession, and when they do, it is invariably tied the Weave itself. Similarly the sorcerer seldom bothers to learn much in the way of self-defense, usually relying on the Weave to protect its mistress from external harm. Although this singular devotion to the Weave is admirable, and mirrored by the more studious guild wizards, it is a severe disadvantage to an adventurer.
In the case of wizards, this disadvantage is not very important. Wizards often restrict themselves to the comfortable life of a librarian, alchemist, researcher or even in rare cases city guards. Sorcerers, though, lack the self-discipline and restraint necessary to such lethargic pursuits. The Weave is nature incarnate, and the sorcerer inevitably finds herself wandering along the threads, through the most remote areas of Faerun. Often these amazing creatures do not even know what it is they are looking for. Perhaps they pursue knowledge or understanding but they seldom seek fellowship. In the rare cases that the paths of two sorcerers cross, such a meeting usually ends poorly. Legends speak of the great earth shattering duels that often result.
Wizards, on the other hand, are as much social creatures as pack wolves. It is almost as if they need each other to survive. In reality, wizards just supply knowledge to one another. But the very necessity of magical research, and the intrinsic level of cooperation that is necessary in such pursuits, requires wizards to be cooperative with one another. Sorcerers seldom find the need to learn from other sorcerers or wizards, although in some cases sorcerers have been known to increase their abilities through study. Cooperation is simply not necessary for sorcerers to increase their power, yet neither is competition. So why their meetings so often end in combat is a mystery.
Perhaps this is due to something in their blood. Many barbarian tribes tell tales of gods, dragons and extra planar creatures breeding with humans, elves, dwarves and other demi-humans. If these tales are true, it is possible that sorcerers are merely answering the call of some ancient combative need within themselves. Other tales tell of sorcerers that actually consume the souls and powers of their fallen opponents. Few witnesses have survived the epic battles that result from a sorcerer's duel, so it is unlikely that anyone will know the truth of the need behind these duels. And without knowing the reason for these battles, we may never know what truly motivates a sorcerer. And without knowing the heart of the sorcerer, we might not ever learn the true nature of the Weave.
~ From the lectures of Master Thadius Kine, senior lecturer for the Guildmages of Waterdeep.
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