The year is 1374 DR. Sixteen years have passed since the Time of Troubles, when the gods were made humble, and forced to wander the Realms as mortals. With the ascension of the mad god Cyric, Prince of Lies, and the recent return of the tyrant god Bane, Lord of Darkness, the future of Faerûn seems increasingly uncertain. It falls to bold individuals who possess an abundance of cunning, might, and determination to shape the future... should they be up to the challenge.

Fitting the cart upon which the alchemist's womb rests through the portal leading into the High Sorcerer's tower proves a laborious task. Mustering the strength of every sinew of muscle in your body, you manage to force the blasted thing through the other end with a mighty heave. Exerting yourself to guarantee that your precious cargo gradually comes to rest in a stable position, you take in a lungful of the supernaturally clear spire air and shut your eyes, enjoying a brief respite before ascending the spiral staircase leading to the pentagonal main chamber.

Opposite to you is the overlarge bookshelf. Once packed from end-to-end with esoteric literature, a veritable army of what you reason to be invisible hands work tirelessly to pack away each work inside of a trunk. The sheer volume of books stored away inside leads you to conclude that the interior is larger than the exterior would suggest - a common feature of magical containers, although the mechanics of this function elude you.