The Shadovar city of Shade attempts an attack on Shadowdale. Dove Falconhand blasts one of the shadow princes with silver fire. Since Shadovars are living shadow magic, and silver fire pure weave magic, the collision tears a rift to the Nine Hells. Elminster, realizing that the only way to close the portal before a legion of baatezu pore forth into Toril was to close it from the other side.
Once in the Nine Hells, he is abducted and enslaved by an outcast Arch-Devil known as Nergal, who wishes to discover the secret of Mystra's silver fire. While the arch-fiend continued to plunder Elminsters thoughts and memories, Mystra becomes aware of her favorite servant's plight and enters the Nine Hells herself to find him. Realizing that her presence was less than inconspicuous (due to the Pact Primeval that prohibits the presence of any god in the Nine Hells), Mystra retreats and dispatches more subtle agents to find him.
First Halaster Blackclock, who Mystra promises to cure his madness. He is defeated by the hordes of baatezu.
Mystra then sends the Symbul. After much searching, the Simbul finds Elminster (and Halaster), and together they defeat Nergal and return home.
Mystra keeps her promises and partially cures Halaster. The goddess then blasts Asmodeus with Halaster's insanity. »