For aeons, folk have struggled to master the world of Toril through the use of magic. The human race has stolen what magical knowledge it can from the elves and other races, gained more through worship, and created the rest by building on the work of those who have gone before. For centuries, human wizards have experimented with new spells and variations on existing magic, striving to grow ever more powerful. They have succeeded to an astonishing degree, but through the death of secretive mages and the destruction of realms and entire peoples, much of the lore they built has been lost, hidden, or distorted. To pierce this heavy cloak of missing knowledge, cryptic sorcerous codes, and misinformation requires a writer of rare daring, persistence, and magical skill. Such a man is Volothamp Geddarm, famous traveler of the Realms -- and this is his most important, long-suppressed work, the book that archwizards could not keep from your hands!