Dawnstone

The Dawnstone was a beautiful and powerful artifact of Lathander, gifted to aid in the defense and eventual rebirth of the city of Myth Drannor. It resided in the temple known as the Dawnspire in the city's ruins.

Description
The Dawnstone resembled an unmarred spherical jewel of rosy hues, eternally glowing from within. However, it was a magical construct, not a true gemstone, so any who attempted to touch or move it and were not a follower of Lathander would find it completely intangible.

Powers
Although it could only be moved from its resting place by the hand of Lathander himself, magic, or a high priest of his faith, the Dawnstone was nevertheless an extremely powerful artifact.

Any follower of Lathander who touched it in any fashion was completely healed of wounds, as well as diseases and afflictions (like lycanthropy), blindness and other sensory damage, poisons, any sort of mind control, and curses. Even non-worshipers who were otherwise good and in harmony with the Morninglord's dogma could receive these benefits. Deceased followers of Lathander touched by the Dawnstone returned to life as if by resurrection, while clerics of the faith would usually receive visions, emotions, or even direct words from their god while holding it.

Also, thanks to having its existence and magic tied directly into the mythal of Myth Drannor, the Dawnstone blocked all wild magic in its vicinity and caused all magic cast by the Morninglord's worshipers to work at maximum effect. All dweomers and magical items nearby would also reveal their nature via a bright white aura.

Once each day, but only between dawn and dusk, the Dawnstone could be used to fire rosy balls of light identical to a meteor swarm, and once every six seconds it could release two similarly-colored rays that acted as a flame strike.

If anyone evil attempted to touch the Dawnstone, particularly to try and steal or destroy it, they would be struck by energy drain and, if enough life was taken so as to slay them, they would become zombies in service to Lathander, bound to protect the Dawnstone, and if ever sent beyond its range, they would dissolve into nothing.

History
Although its people had been dedicated to either the Seldarine or the deities of nature, and those who gathered to swear oaths of defense and protection in its name were mostly followers of Mystra, Oghma, and Selûne, worshipers of Lathander also saw reason to join in such a cause as the preservation of Myth Drannor. To them the City of Beauty stood for more than the elves of Cormanthor, being an example of harmony and cooperation between races, a place where elves and non-elves alike could stand together for civilization and progress, and a home to high culture, aesthetics, artistic expression, and social and racial prosperity. They fully believed that though the city lay in ruins, with their help it could rise again like a phoenix from the ashes, exactly in the manner of the tenets of their faith of renewal. And so, centuries after the Weeping War and the fall of Myth Drannor, in the Year of the Shrieker, 1272 DR, a temple known as the Dawnspire was erected outside the ruins of the city.

The impetus for the clergy's mission and construction was an appearance to them by the Morninglord, charging them with the foundation of the temple as their quest and granting them the Dawnstone to be placed on the altar of the finished house of worship. Whether this was a form of penance on Lathander's part for his having caused the divine conflict known as the Dawn Cataclysm (which was said to have presaged Myth Drannor's fall), the god planting the seed for his future second attempt to reshape the pantheon and Toril, or a simple manifestation of his desire to find good and hope in any event, bringing positive from the negative, was unknown. But the clergy he appeared to did as commanded, and became a special order known as the Seekers of the Dawn, dedicated to rebuilding and cleansing the city, aiding adventuring companies with curative magic and other divine aid, and generally doing all in their power to make the dream of the City of Brotherhood's return a reality.

Whether the Dawnstone survived the attacks of Sarya Dlardrageth and her fey'ri army in 1374 DR, or the subsequent fall of Thultanthar upon Myth Drannor , was unknown; surely both the daemonfey and the Sharran archwizards of fallen Netheril would wish to see an artifact of Lathander destroyed. If those Seekers of the Dawn who escaped the destruction of the Dawnspire by fleeing through a portal took it with them, it might well still exist, for legend claimed it could only be destroyed when the rays of the first dawn after the mythal of Myth Drannor was destroyed fell upon it...and even with Myth Drannor's second destruction, its mythal might yet still exist.

Reputation
Both the powers of the Dawnstone and its location made it quite well-known to all fiends, demons, and other evil enemies of Myth Drannor. It was specifically known (and feared) by the baatezu and other creatures of the Lower Planes who would periodically assault the ruined city, as well as the drow and the phaerimm. While obviously the followers of Lathander were those most knowledgeable (and in awe) of the stone, the Harpers, the elves of Cormanthor, and their allies were also quite grateful for its beneficence. Its presence may also have been a reason the Shades of Anauroch targeted Myth Drannor for complete destruction.

Notable Owners
Abbess Alaecathra Shuinrond of the Dawnspire