Lore Untangled

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 Before time, before the planes, before even magic itself… there were two.
 In this episode, we unravel the ancient and cosmic rivalry between Shar, goddess of darkness and loss, and Selûne, goddess of moonlight and change. From their creation by Ao to the birth of Mystryl, the Weave, and the rise of Mystra, their divine conflict has shaped the fate of Faerûn. 

Discover how this war of light and shadow gave birth to magic, what the Shadow Weave truly is, and how you can bring these mythic forces into your D&D campaign. 

Official Dungeons & Dragons Sourcebooks: 

• Faiths & Pantheons (3rd Edition)
  Deep lore on Shar, Selûne, Mystryl, and the divine origins of magic.
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3e and 4e)
  Worldbuilding, cosmology, and divine power structures.
• Lords of Darkness (3e)
  Shadow Weave mechanics, Shar's cults, and dark magic.
• Magic of Faerûn (3e)
  Explains the Weave, Shadow Weave feats, and spellcasting theory.
• The Elminster Series by Ed Greenwood
  (Especially Elminster in Hell and Elminster’s Daughter) — for Mystra’s lore in narrative form.
• The Lady Penitent Trilogy by Lisa Smedman
  Includes stories about Shar’s rising power and the fallout of the Spellplague.
• The Sundering Novels (5e Transition Era)
  Key events around the Second Sundering and Mystra’s rebirth.

  And a big shoutout to the Forgotten Realms Wiki!

Subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode, and stay tuned for our next deep dive into the Weave!

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 In the aftermath of the Dawn War, only a handful of gods remained — scarred, transformed, but unbroken. In this episode, we tell their stories. 

Discover how Moradin forged more than weapons in the heart of the storm, how Corellon’s tears birthed the elves, and how Lolth’s betrayal split the heavens. Walk with Pelor as he carries the light through endless night, stand beside Bahamut and Tiamat as they clash in divine sibling rivalry, and peer into the fractured mind of Ioun, the keeper of forbidden knowledge. Then meet Erathis, the Lawbearer, who builds not with stone, but with structure and purpose. 

Finally, we honor the fallen; gods who gave everything and gods who lost themselves. Welcome back to Lore Untangled.

  Sources & Further Reading 

• Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (5e)
• The Plane Below: Secrets of the Elemental Chaos (4e)
• Manual of the Planes (4e & 3e)
• Deities & Demigods (3e)
• Player’s Handbook (4e & 5e)
• Dungeon Master’s Guide (5e)
• Mythic Odysseys of Theros (5e)
• 
  

 Intro Music by ⁠LiteSaturation⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠
Outro Music by ⁠Christoph Scholl⁠ from ⁠Pixabay  

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In this episode, we explore the origins of the Elemental Chaos and the rise of the Primordials—ancient forces of raw elemental power that shaped the early multiverse. We follow the emergence of the gods from the Astral Sea, the inevitable clash that became the Dawn War, and the creation of the Abyss through Tharizdun's corruption. Key figures like Tiamat, Asmodeus, and the elemental princes are introduced, and we trace the cosmic consequences of their battles.

Listeners will learn how the First World was broken and rebuilt into the planes we know today, and how the scars of the Dawn War still linger beneath the world’s surface.

Whether you're a Dungeon Master looking to deepen your cosmology or a lore-lover seeking a mythic narrative, this episode lays the foundation for the divine and elemental powers that shape Dungeons & Dragons.

Sources & Further Reading

• The Plane Below: Secrets of the Elemental Chaos (4th Edition)
• Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (5th Edition)
• Manual of the Planes (4th Edition)
• Draconomicon (3.5e and 4e) – for lore on Tiamat and Bahamut
• The Book of Vile Darkness (3e) – for Tharizdun and the Abyss
• Demonomicon (4e) – for the origins and nature of demons
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3e) – for Ao and the Tablets of Fate
• Special shoutout to the Forgotten Realms Wiki – ⁠https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com⁠

Intro Music by ⁠LiteSaturation⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠
Outro Music by ⁠Christoph Scholl⁠ from ⁠Pixabay 

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In this debut episode of Lore Untangled, we begin at the very start of the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse with Ao, a mysterious figure who stands above gods, primordials, and magic itself.

Explore the origins of the cosmos, the creation of the Tablets of Fate, and how Ao’s silent hand shaped the Time of Troubles, the Second Sundering, and the divine balance that governs the Forgotten Realms.

When the gods break the rules… he rewrites them.

• Sources for this episode:
• The Avatar Trilogy (Richard Awlinson)
• Faiths & Avatars (2nd Edition)
• The Grand History of the Realms
• Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3e)
• Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide (5e)
• Forgotten Realms Wiki
• Ed Greenwood Q&A sessions and interviews

Lore Untangled is a lore-first podcast that unravels the official stories behind Dungeons & Dragons in true chronological order, one saga, one episode at a time. 

Intro Music by ⁠LiteSaturation⁠ from ⁠Pixabay⁠

Outro Music by ⁠Christoph Scholl⁠ from ⁠Pixabay