Elminster, the Sage of Shadowdale, is a powerful wizard in the Forgotten Realms, a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. He is featured in several Forgotten Realms books. Elminster is generally understood to be an alter ego of Ed Greenwood, the creator of the game world.

Aside from his many adventures in Faerûn, Elminster has traveled to other planes, most notably Hell, in Elminster in Hell . He has aided elves, courted women, and fought demons . He lives to help people, and helps people to live.

Elminster is perhaps the most famous person on Toril, and certainly the most eminent sage in Faerûn. Few people know how old he is but, he has been around for approximately eleven hundred years (he is a chosen servant of the goddess of magic, who granted him immortality). He currently resides in the village of Shadowdale .

Elminster interacts regularly with the other Chosen of Mystra. As well as once sharing a bed with the goddess herself, he is currently conducting a passionate relationship with the Simbul of the Seven Sisters. Elminster and Khelben have something of a rivalry, whilst Volo sorely taxes the old mage's patience.

Before Elminster was a mage, he was the son of a prince who was murdered by archmages. Elminster sought to avenge his family and denounced magic in the process. But it was in his quest for vengeance, turning from the skills of a warrior, to those of a rogue, to those of a cleric, which led Elminster to Mystra and to the path of a mage.

Elminster was one of the first characters Ed Greenwood created for the Forgotten Realms. Bits of information about him can be found in virtually all game products, but The Elminster Series novels by Ed Greenwood are perhaps the most intriguing sources of information (i.e. , Elminster in Myth Drannor , The Temptation of Elminster , the aforementioned Elminster in Hell, and Elminster's Daughter ).