Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

The overall effects of the Mythal are kept vague for a reason. I can try and explain my interpretation a bit.

How do DMs view it?
First off, it's a DM plot device that also functions to create a setting for a city. Lore on it is pretty much explained as "Lots of layers that does all kinds of stuff with other stuff that doesn't work well with some of the stuff that sometimes makes weird stuff happen."

What that gives us is an overall "safe" city that still allows for random DM events and some pretty cool plots.

How does it work from a lore perspective?
The commonfolk of Sshamath would be kept largely in the dark about all the effects of the Mythal. The fabled protective bubble around the city enjoys its rumors that sometimes exaggerate its abilities and range but sometimes completely leaves out other functions the Mythal serves.

The sheer thought that you can be struck down for little to no reason acts as a deterrent in itself. This is one of the largest reasons the Mythal goes unexplained to the populace and is so feared. The Conclave remains cemented in power through the enigma of the Mythal.

So what does this mean for my character?
Your character doesn't get to know what all the limitations the Mythal has because only the Conclave knows. If DMs were to give a dotted list of the Mythal effects we'd be there typing all day and still miss stuff because essentially we'd be creating a list for a millennia old city that has as many wards added to the Mythal as they have laws on record. And have you seen your towns local charter? I bet it's pretty detailed. I don't really feel like writing one with magical effects added as well.

All told, the Mythal is an electric fence. If you prod it, you'll get zapped. DMs will be around to administer such activity from time to time but, like guards, it'll be largely up to the players to avoid spoiling the setting for everyone else.

Now that you have something to chew on, I'm going to unlock the thread and expect you all to keep it civil.

DM Narshe wrote:All told, the Mythal is an electric fence. If you prod it, you'll get zapped. DMs will be around to administer such activity from time to time but, like guards, it'll be largely up to the players to avoid spoiling the setting for everyone else.

As I understand this, you're able to do what you want, as your actions aren't inhibited by the Mythal, but if you take a hostile act against a drow citizen, you'll get zapped.

The important thing to remember is that there are other players around you, and all server rules apply, even in the Underdark. PvP isn't conducted in cities, an it is even in Sshamath city laws. Torture, murder and all such things still have the pg-13 rating, and a fade to black is always optional.

Respect the setting, but more importantly, respect the players.

The mythal is little but another npc guard that shouldn't be ignored.

But here is the thing. Just because the Mythal protects Drow, does not give anyone the right to kill duergar, svirfneblin or orcs in pvp. Start a fight in the bazaar, and the drow involved would b killed for hurting trade. Murder a duergar in the darkspire, and the drow would likely die for hurting production.

No one should be griefed, even with all the racism that exist. An inside the city, every one should be relatively safe.

There is also this bit: ( )

So far sceptics have asked for a public demonstration of the Ward spires, calling the reputed private demonstration a staged display to mask failure and a waste of precious resources. Some sceptics were in turn accussed by Citizen entheusiasts and involved suppliers of being spies from Ched Nasad, jealous rivals, or simply worthless troublemongers. In the aftermath one "deadly" spell duel was fought between a mage from the school of Transmutation against a rival from the school of Evocation. Evoker Nel'sel'or Del'uran, also known as the Frigid, has been struck from the dueling competition roster after losing. The mage was polymorphed into a sewage elemental by an empowered spell. The Mythal did not reverse his transmutation at the end of duel for he was in no mortal danger. The sewage elemental was last seen flooding through the Arena's drain system towards the City's sewers. His opponent commented that he would expect to see a humbled Nel'sel'or again in ten years, though he was prepared to undo the spell if offered sufficient incentive.

To clarify, the official stance as per the lore-topic is that S'shamath has a near-mythal. A web or spells and wards which is partly tied with the Earth-node beneath the City. In many ways it resembles or surpasses a mythal as a very complex piece of spellcraft. But in other ways it is unlike a mythal, for example because it has no centralized control spell through which the web of spells is run. Instead its entirely decentralized with layers of spells tacked onto each other, which occasionally results in unpredictable magical effects.

As Head DM Narshe writes the exact effects of the near mythal (wards) are kept vague on purpose. Most player characters wouldn't know about all the wards, and even the Conclave itself is unlikely to know. Because each school of magic keeps its own secrets.

It should be clear in any case that player vs player conflicts in S'shamath cannot happen. Even in the absence of guards. But the tombs, sewers, and Darkwoods district are another matter. Those areas are mostly exempt from the wards, although they can be extended there if the Conclave desires.