It is the time of the great elven city of Cormanthor, when the Heartlands are home to barbarians, wicked dragons rule the skies, and the elven people trust no one. Wizards and warriors alike threaten their civilization in vain, arrogant, and ignorant quests for glory.
Thus it was that Elminster was guided to Cormanthor, the Towers of Song, where Eltargrim was Coronal. There he dwelt for twelve summers and more, studying with many mighty mages, learning to feel magic and know how it could be bent and directed to his will... It is recorded that when the Mythal was laid, and Cormanthor became Myth Drannor, Elminster was among those who devised and spun that mighty magic.

– Antarn the Sage, The High History of Faerûnian Archmages Mighty
This is the eagerly awaited sequel to the best-selling Elminster: The Making of a Mage. The young Elminster journeys to the legendary elven capital of Cormanthyr to learn its ways and magics despite the xenophobic foibles of the elves within. Political intrigue and otherworldly spellcraft abound in the age before the mythal was laid that became the legendary city of Myth Drannor.