A Wise Old Man
In a previous entry, I discussed the character of Elminster, a well known wizard in the world of Forgotten Realms. I described the fact that the character of Elminster exists as a recurring motif in several other stories. I even demonstrated that this motif exists in such ancient sources as our Old Testament. Finally I raised the question of precisely why such a character is so important that he exists in so many stories. My theory is that the recurring motif of the wise old man of incredible power symbolises a godly hand in the turn of events.
Of Gods and Men
Gods are often prevented from directly interfering in a story line. Part of the reason for this is that the powers represented by gods are so awesome that any intervention on their part would make the whole story pointless. No human heroics could possibly have any significance if the gods then go and do whatever they want. Even so, humans are limited and cannot achieve everything themselves. They need a helping hand. For this purpose, gods can use agents who work for them without diminishing the role of the individual. Such is the case of the prophet Elijah who labours to spread the word of G-d and so it is with Elminster who is often portrayed as doing jobs for (or contesting with) the gods themselves. This idea is strongly backed by several stories where the wise old man actually crosses the line between humanity and godliness. A good example of this might be Fizban of the Dragonlance Chronicles who eventually turns out to be the god Paladine himself!
