The once-immortal Elminster Aumar faces old age and old enemies in this epic first installment in the Sage of Shadowdale series

The great mage Elminster is now an old man, surrounded by enemies and dreaming of the noble adventures of his youth. Once the most powerful wizard in the world, immortal, and beloved of the goddess of magic, Elminster's world was torn asunder by the murder of Mystra and the mayhem of enchantments her death triggered throughout the realms.

Weary, weakened, and with little magical ability, Elminster and his lover, the Simbul, are in grave danger: he, from his many enemies and she, from her own insatiable need to consume magical items-or lose lucidity forever. Unfortunately, their ever-growing and increasingly risky collection has the power to lead Elminster's enemies right to his door.

Ed Greenwood is the creator of the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting, an award-winning game designer, and a best-selling author whose fantasy novels have sold millions of copies worldwide in more than thirty languages.

Once hailed as "the Canadian author of the great American novel," Ed is a large, bearded, jolly librarian who lives in an old farmhouse crammed with over 80,000 books in the Ontario countryside, and is often mistaken for Santa Claus in disguise. Many gamers think he resembles Elminster, but Ed insists he did not model the Old Mage on himself.

Ed was elected to the Academy of Adventure Gaming Art & Design Hall of Fame in 2003 and has been a judge for the World Fantasy Awards. His most popular series include the Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy and the Elminster Saga published by Wizards of the Coast, the Band of Four series from Tor Books, and the Falconfar books from Solaris.