The Mad Mage of Undermountain: Halaster Blackcloak Lore

This episode of Forgotten Lore is a journey through the many editions of Dungeons & Dragons on the Mad Mage Halaster. One of the OG characters in DnD lore he is a perfect chaotic evil villain. A old classical wizard to sow discord and chaos.
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#dnd #dungeonsanddragons #dndlore

[@doctorteethomega]

I once started an Undermountain game with, "You have offended the Mad Mage Halaster. For forgiveness he requires you find a single hair from his beard." Best game ever.

[@TheAmbex]

Lol, that's perfect for a mad mage that loves experimentation and observation.

[@dannyleo5787]

It never ceases to amaze me at how many threats exists in dnd. I swear its but a matter of time before these beings crashes into each other

[@nicke9012]

Technically some of them already have.

[@pierrehurley]

Awesome to see running the campaign now

[@randalthor1327]

Undermountain was one of my favourite places to torment a group many many years ago and love to see a video on Manshoon.

[@Zagnutjones]

Loved this one! Loved this video! Still waiting to see one for my boy Elminster though.

[@The_NaturalOnes]

That one’s gonna take some time…

[@dermaniac5205]

The ending is a bit confusing. So, based on the lore we have up to now, Hallaster is assumed dead after the spellplague? But in 5e he is alive and well. Halaster just chills at the bottom of Undermountain. Neither the intro nor the character description in Dungeon of the Mad Mage says anything about a ritual where he may or may not have died, or his clones having become sentient, or anything of that sort.

[@KS-PNW]

It's kind of always been a little vague when it comes to his exact status.. is the original Hallaster still alive? Are any of his clones? Is there some undead or otherwise supernatural version of him? Who knows..

[@Jeromy1986]

I've been thinking a lot about him lately as Delicious In Dungeon speaks about a Mad Mage.

[@thenson1Halo]

I thought he should've been given a better showing in Elminster in Hell. He may have had a better time of it if he had continued casting instead of trying to free Elminster.

[@Jeremycook_]

Agreed, but just the fact Mystra sends him at all says something about his power.

[@tooslow4065]

when he leaves he becomes more coherent. what is it about undermountain that makes him insane? i stopped with D&D just before the spellplague started. i recall in the supplements
for undermountain/skullport that halaster was 'shouted' to death by the skulls of skullport.

[@dermaniac5205]

The dungeon is located where there was once an ancient elven underground city. When the elves left, they used magic to remove all of their traces, because they didn't want anyone to be able to learn about them, their civilization, their knowledge etc. This magic messed up the magical weave in the area, referred to as the "Knot in the Weave". This knot in the weave messed with how some spells work in Undermountain, and also slowly drives anyone within undermountain to madness. It also causes some of its denizens to grow obsessed with Undermountain and unable to leave. I guess Halaster becomes more coherent when he's away from the knot in the weave, but the accompanying obsession also makes it so he can never stay away too long.

[@tooslow4065]

@@dermaniac5205 gotcha. you'd think the chosen of mystra would fix it?

[@dermaniac5205]

​@@tooslow4065 Seeing how it has been around for millennia, and the chosen of Mystra haven't done anything about it yet, I guess there would need to be some trigger for Mystra to say "Enough, I'll send someone to fix it". And since Halaster is probably (nearly) as powerful as Elminster, and the Knot consumed Halaster, it's possible Elminster would be consumed by it too. Maybe if the Chosen of Mystra combined force they would find a way to fix it?

[@tooslow4065]

@@dermaniac5205 or send the magister? the chosen AND the magister? or just azuth? lots of ways to fix it if its a problem.

[@KS-PNW]

​@@tooslow4065isn't hallister a chosen?

[@JaitsuStudios]

Okay, i mean no insult but this is driving me nuts. Apprentices has one n in it, not too. You keep saying "apprentinces".

[@marcdavis4509]

This was a terrible module

[@KS-PNW]

But a really cool concept

[@thetyrantofsyracuse]

The 5e dungeon of the mad mage is awesome.
Can explore the halls for months, decent enemies, decent plot hooks and side quests.

[@sakizuyaayame7947]

Halaster Blackcloak will always be a bad copy of Zagyg, devoid of a sense of humor and magic power