For a long time, outsiders had remained skeptical of Aaron and Charlotte's "astral magic." Some believed it was actually a variation of psionics, while others thought it was merely another manifestation of wild magic at its core.
The full name for psionics was psionic ability. It referred to unlocking broader, more powerful mental forces by developing the brain and continually studying one's own consciousness.
Exactly how psionics manifested, and how one could demonstrate and discover one's own psionic powers, had long been major subjects of research among scholars of the Realms. But since the Realms lay on the Prime Material Plane, most of its inhabitants were physical beings rather than energy beings, so most mortals achieved poor results when practicing psionics.
The duergar alone were an exception. Having once been enslaved by mind flayers, they possessed an innate talent for psionics.
Besides the duergar, the well-known Githyanki and Githzerai also possessed psionic talents.
Wild magic, on the other hand, was simple enough. The Realms had never lacked Wild Mages.
Aaron's offer to "display the six completed volumes of Salian's Nine Books" had stirred profound interest throughout the Realms.
Every kind of faction was closely watching the exposition Aaron planned to hold. Naturally, that included Waterdeep's self-important nobles, who had made considerable fortunes through trade across crystal spheres via the spaceport.
Disguised as a beautiful Star Elf woman, Nastya Baenre pretended to accept Jery Ranstoff's invitation reluctantly.
In truth, even without an invitation from this human supremacist, a fabulously wealthy merchant famous across several crystal spheres, Nastya had intended to attend Aaron's exposition in Cormyr.
First, she had yet to fulfill Lolth's command to hunt down Drizzt Do'Urden. Although Lolth did not seem to care whether Nastya succeeded, and appeared more interested in entertaining herself, Nastya could only obey her orders.