D&D General When did we first hear of "The Weave" in FR, or elsewhere?

[jgsugden]

I am wracking my brain trying to remember when the Arcane Weave was first referenced in Forgotten Realms lore - which book/adventure/etc...

I did a quick Google search and review of my notes from my campaigns (which go back to the 90s) which confirms that it existed in the 'Time of Troubles' event (~1989), but I don't know if it was referenced before then. I have not found the old modules to confirm it was mentioned in them either - but I have notes about the weave as early as 1992 that make it sound like I'd been using it already for a few years.

I do not believe there was any reference in the Grey Box to the Arcane Weave (at least by name).

EDIT: Others have since asked where the concept of a magic weave might have first originated outside of D&D. Thoughts?

 

[Davies]

Possibly in Spellfire, Ed Greenwood's first novel, though this is just supposition.

 

[toucanbuzz]

It's not in the AD&D 1st or 2nd Edition (1990) campaign setting books. It definitely made the 2001 3rd Edition Campaign book, but I'd have to re-read my books and modules, plus Dragon magazine, to guess beyond tweeting Ed Greenwood himself.

I did find an online review of the 1996 Netheril magic where the reviewer noted their casters plucked magic out of the "weave," but uncertain if this was from the book (I don't own) or like you, common usage adopted from somewhere prior.

 

[R_J_K75]

I started playing FR with the 2E campaign setting box. As far as I recall it was always part of the setting so my guess is its gotta be in there somewhere.

EDIT: its not. Now I'm curious too.

 

[Plaguescarred]

IIRC, the Weave is mentioned in the Myth Drannor Boxed set.

 

[R_J_K75]

IIRC, the Weave is mentioned in the Myth Drannor Boxed set.

That could very well be as I believe the first boxed set we bought was the Ruins of Myth Drannor and the Moonsea book.

 

[Rabulias]

I did find an online review of the 1996 Netheril magic where the reviewer noted their casters plucked magic out of the "weave," but uncertain if this was from the book (I don't own) or like you, common usage adopted from somewhere prior.

I dug out my Netheril box set from 1996 and I can confirm that the weave is referenced there in the discussion of the mythallar.

Its function was a simple one -- it converted raw magic from the weave of Mystryl and sent that power throughout an enclave to provide the magical energies required for quasimagical items to continue operating.

Interesting to note here is that "weave" is not capitalized here, so it is not considered a proper noun in 1996.

 

[Maxperson]

I dug out my Netheril box set from 1996 and I can confirm that the weave is referenced there in the discussion of the mythallar.

Interesting to note here is that "weave" is not capitalized here, so it is not considered a proper noun in 1996.

1996 would make sense since that's about when the Time of Troubles happened.

 

[Rabulias]

1996 would make sense since that's about when the Time of Troubles happened.

I thought the Time of Troubles took place in 1989-1990, at the changeover to AD&D 2nd edition?

 

[bloodtide]

The 1996 2E Faiths and Avatars book under Mystra.

The Time of Troubles was 1989-1990, the switch from 1E to 2E D&D.