This may be far fetched ...
But what are odds that Gale's name is actually Karsus?
Seriously, and this would make Gale full on Evil. trying to usurp Mystra would have all kinds of catastrophic consequences for the realms even if he partially succeeded the Weave could collapse. If this was known every wizard would hunt him down and kill him.
I feel so much better about all the times I knocked him unconscious and stole all his clothes.
This 👆
This is so much more evil than I imagined. I suspected that Gale upset Mystra by experimenting with the shadow weave but repeating Karsus' folly? This is so much worse! Makes me think that we might have to deal with Paladin of Vengeance sent by the Church of Mystra in much the same way that we had to deal with the monster hunter for Astarian.
Two theories - one old, one new.
Tin foil hat theory - before reading please protect yourself from the 5g waves emitted by this theory.
Achem. Perhaps Gale is actually Larloch. Hear me out:
* We know that Larloch was a chosen of Mystryl
* We know that Larloch is or was the greatest archmage/arcanist in Faerun
* We know that Larloch almost succeed in his attempt steal Mystra's resurrection energies and become the new god of magic
* Larloch knows where Nethril's cities are located so he would know where to find the book Gale mentions
* Larloch was at Myth Drannor when the city of Shade crashed into it so he was in close proximity to a shadow mythallar
* Larloch knows how to corrupt and absorb the energies of a mythal and this would fit with Gale's mirror revelation
Obviously the weak point of this theory is that Larloch is/was a lich while gale appears to be flesh and blood. But a god could reverse lichdom so this isn't impossible. And the de-lichification would explain why the former archmage is now a level 1 wizard.
Modified version of my old theory -
Gale tried to use the shadow weave to become the new god of magicI've still not entirely retired the shadow weave theory. The website's description of the orb as punishment from Mystra makes very little sense.
* The orb is acting like a shadow-weave orb not a weave-linked artifact
* Destroying magic artifacts is antithetical to the doctrines of Mystra's church - why would Mystra impose a punishment that goes against her beliefs and her very nature?
* Mystra destroyed all of Karsus' notes on the spell he used to kill her and assume her portfolio - the spell itself is speeding towards the end of the universe
* Mystra blocked access to level 12 spells - like the one Karsus used BUT it's possible that the Karsus' folly spell still exists in shadow weave form.
Long story short, if Gale were to repeat Karsus' folly he would have either a) tried it when Mystra was dead (as Larloch did) or b) used the shadow weave
To underline the shadow weave nature of the orb - Mystra is a seducer, her chosen follow her out of love. Shar, on the other hand, is not above using fear to keep her underlings in line. Gale is terrified that the bomb will go off - the fear-based control seems Sharran and not Mystran
Long story short - the website is an unreliable narrator. It was Shar, not Mystra, that put the orb in Gale's chest
On the issue of Gale's earth shaking status - I'm okay with it. I like it. I like bombastic stories. Time to queue up Orff's O Fortuna and give into my power gaming fantasies. In my defense: I have bad taste.
