Petrification

Petrification, or petrifaction, was a transmutation effect that caused an object, material, substance, or even a being, to turn into stone  (or another hard substance).

Forms
There were several forms of petrification, though most were from spells or the supernatural abilities of creatures. However, some forms were also embodied in magical items, or cursed scrolls. The influence of the Quasi-Elemental Plane of Minerals could also turn visitors to stone in a process called fossilization.

Spells
Due to the deadly effects of petrification, many protected themselves in advance, especially if they knew they were going to face petrifying foes. Spells were a common way to protect oneself, such as with use of protection from petrification, which protected a single recipient from being turned into stone. Those around Faerûn, particularly the Red Wizards of Thay, were known to use the protection from petrification, 10' radius spell. When cast, a protective zone of radius spread out from the caster, moving with them from 5 to 20 minutes. The material component for this spell was a bunch of scales from a medusa's snake.

Scrolls
A common method to protect oneself or one's allies was to utilize a spell scroll, which worked similarly to the protection from petrification, 10' radius spell. In order to scribe a scroll of protection from petrification, one needed to form the special ink first. The spell scroll ink required giant squid sepia, an eye of a basilisk, three cockatrice feathers, of holy water,  of medusa snake venom, six pumpkin seeds, as well as powdered peridot and topaz. One must have harvested the pumpkin seeds at night, dried them over horse dung and sandalwood, and ground them finely. The cockatrice feathers and basilisk eye had to be boiled in a saline solution and then drained. The snake venom and ground gems had to be added next, and then the base ingredients were stirred together. After this, the solution had to stand for a day, and then the holy water and squid sepia were added. Finally, the solution had to be mixed in an anti-clockwise fashion with a silver rod.

Enchanted Armor
Armor could be made to resist any transmutation effects, including petrification. In order to do this, a skilled crafter and mage had to apply the proof against transmutation armor quality to the gear.

Usage
Apart from the obvious uses, such as disabling foes, petrification was used for other purposes. Beholders of the Underdark were known to keep petrified statues of ambassadors of other races, either for artistic value or for later consumption.

Reversal
It was possible to reverse petrification, such as via the stone to flesh spell, the magical ointment stone salve, or the complicated mandrake root extract brewed by fensir. If parts of the statue had broken off, they could be joined together before the spell was cast. Otherwise, an adventurer may have come back with a missing limb, or find something else missing.

Notable Petrification Spells
There were several spells that could petrify beings, such as faerie sword, or prismatic spray. The most notable ones were:
 * Flesh to stone, which turned a being of flesh into a mindless statue. Its reverse could turn a petrified creature back to their normal selves.      It was invented by the Netherese arcanist, Mavin, in.


 * Statue,     which turned someone into a statue, though they could still hear, think, and see. It was invented by the great archwizard, Quantoul, in.


 * Cast in stone, a rare and powerful spell that gave a druid a petrifying gaze. If the druid so chose, their gaze could reverse the effects of petrification.


 * Meld into stone, which if used incorrectly, could cause petrification, i.e., if the spell expired before the caster exited the stone, their gear had a chance of turning into stone.

Notable Petrifying Creatures
Several creatures were notable for their ability to petrify others, such as stone spiders, gravecrawlers, and dust wights. Some more notable ones were: "Just as a basilisk's eye can turn men to stone, their bones can petrify a man's fate."

- Elusina the Grey


 * Basilisks, which could petrify via a deadly gaze. Dracolisks, powerful dragon-basilisk hybrids, could also petrify other creatures. Due to their nictating optical membranes, they had a very high chance of being unaffected by their own gaze being reflected back at them.


 * Beholders, which had several powerful eye-rays, such as the petrification ray.
 * Cockatrices, which were magical flying beasts that could turn others into stone via a single touch. If their enemy was airborne, they would quickly transform mid-air, and often shatter on contact with the ground.

"Safe for home or workplace. Guaranteed not to transform flesh to stone, or double your money back!""
 * Gorgons, which were known by their petrifying breath. Gorgimerae were chimera-like hybrid beings, with one of their heads being that of a gorgon, which also had a chance to petrify foes.

- An advertisement for a medusa's head for sale in the catacombs of Waterdeep


 * Medusae, which had a petrifying gaze. Adventurers were often made into statues when the eyes of the medusa stared them into their grave.

Notable Petrification-immune Creatures

 * Devas and solars, goodly outsiders that were immune from being turned into stone.


 * The crystalline warriors of Kara-Tur, as per their nature, were immune to petrification.


 * Pechs, beings of the earth, were completely immune to petrification.

History
In, Quantoul developed the first petrification spell, statue. A millennium and a half later, Mavin developed the common and more-easily accessible spell, flesh to stone.

During the Fall of Netheril, Mystryl sacrificed herself and broke Karsus' link to the Weave. Karsus became petrified and fell from his floating enclave, and plummeted to the ground. His stony corpse was seen as a dying god by some travellers, who erected the city of Karse around it.

In the 14 century DR, Ko Ho San of Kara-Tur learned about the terrorizing effects of a gorgon. Since then, he sought to turn petrified beings back to flesh, including those who had shattered whilst in the state of statues. Around this time, a petrified myconid king was situated in the Oasis of the Stone King, after he had faced a basilisk. Drizzt Do'Urden slew the basilisk, whilst his father Zaknafein, under zin-carla, slew the myconids. Ch'Chitl's emissary, Ilserv of the Illithids, was petrified by the infamous beholder, Xanathar.

In the Anauroch desert in 1367 DR, Ibn Al'Arif was quickly elevated to the sheikh of his people after his predecessor was petrified.

"At a tender 16 years, Ibn Al'Arif became sheikh of this powerful people when his father was turned to stone by the fearsome gaze of a basilisk. No one with knowledge of what happened next will speak of it."

- Elminster

In the early 15 century DR, the legendary Minsc and Boo were petrified into a statue that became known as the Beloved Ranger. In the 1480s DR, a wild magic surge caused the ranger and his hamster to spring back to life.