Law of Power

Ever since the fall of the Netherese Empire millennia before the current time, magic has been bound and restricted in numerous ways, chief among these is that Mystra made it almost impossible to cast spells beyond the Ninth Sphere. All so that another Karsus would never be allowed to rise again, and to prevent future tragedies like that from occurring, at least, that is how the stories go.   Most spellcasters know that there's more to it than that, for the sad truth is that the overwhelming majority of all spellcasters are physically incapable of ever transcending beyond the Fifth Sphere of Magic. For when she imposed the first restriction, she simultaneously created another, one that would restrict mortal magic to the Fifth Sphere for all but those few that she would select herself to protect the world from the terrors that lurked in other planes. The Goddess intended to elevate the greatest of humanity to this position and grant power only to those who were of noble spirit and sound morals. Unfortunately, Shar had other plans and secretly used her powers to alter the conditions of the Law such that this seed of greatness would blossom in a handful of people each generation instead.   In the vast span of time since then, people who possess this gift are called a great many things, Spellkissed, Gurus and more. Their power is much respected, but often feared and envied, and the mark of Mystra is often seen as a curse due to the great hardships that usually follow in its wake. Power has its price, true power, even more so.