@TheEdVerse silly question—how is Volo so old despite being a regular human? is there an artifact involved? did Elminster extend his lifespan as a prank?

This has been explained many times so here's the really short version: Volo has spent long years as a stone statuette or other forms, or in stasis, or trapped in magic items (often as punishments from angry mages). He's (unwittingly) a Weave anchor, so Azuth and Mystra guard him.

oh right duh! I totally forgot the Weave anchor bit—thanks so much for taking the time to give me a quick overview and thanks for your rad work! hope you had a fantastic GenCon!

I did, thanks! And it's always a pleasure to serve up Realmslore. Elminster and other servitors of Mystra and of Azuth are Volo's guardian angels, or he'd have earned his own demise CENTURIES ago.

thanks for answering my friend’s obvious question, ed. i’m very sorry if he wasted your time - i could have told him all this about Volo but he had to go straight to the source

Hey, after fifty-six years the Realmslore is piled pretty deep in places. We all need refreshers from time to time when we get lost trudging the hills of lore. I get lost in my own house sometimes. By the time I get downstairs three floors to the basement, I forget why I came.

happy to return the favor. next time you’re at a loss in your basement, post about it on here and i’ll figure it out for you