Crown of Karsus

The Crown of Karsus was a powerful and ancient artifact crafted by the briefly-divine, Netherese arcanist Karsus. It allowed the wearer to wield magical power, yet remain independent from the Weave.

"Mystra wanted the brain obliterated because of this crown. She fears a world in which such power is beyond her control - ready to be claimed by Karsus' successor."

- Gale Dekarios.

Description
In its most modern iteration, the Crown of Karsus remained massive in scale, similar to that Karsus Butte, the once-god's petrified remains found in the Dire Wood.

Powers
The Crown of Karsus allowed the wearer to, as Karsus put in his own words, "attract and absorb magical knowledge" and "(have) dominion over oneself" separate from the Weave.

History
"...it was what he did with (the crown) that sealed his fate, and for a time, that of magic itself. The Crown was merely the means."

- Gale Dekarios, regarding Karsus.

Karus wore the crown when he attempted to supplant Mystryl as the new god of magic in the -4 century DR, a desperate act he believed would save Netheril from the destruction wrought by the conflict between the phaerimm and the sharn. While Karses briefly achieved apostheosis, his actions―which came to be known as Karsus's Folly―ended the empire of Netheril in mere moments. The Crown of Karsus granted the arcanist the power to even "succeed" to that extent, but was partially destroyed in the process.

Some time after the fall of Netheril, the Crown of Karsus was recovered by the archdevil Mephistopheles and kept within his infernal vault in Cania for over a millennium.

In the late 15 century DR, the mortal chosen of Bane, Enver Gortash managed to steal the crown from Mephistopheles. He and his allies, fellow chosen of Bhaal and Myrkul, used to to enslave the elder brain that dwelled beneath Moonrise Towers and start Absolute crisis across the Sword Coast. Gortash and his allies placed the Crown of Karsus setting atop the elder brain, and used three jewels―known as netherstones―that were sundered from the crown during Karsus' Folly to control the aberrant monstrosity. The three separated netherstones allowed the chosen of the Dead Three to control the elder brain and use it to further the schemes of their respective gods.

Reputation
The Crown was one third of the powerful artifacts that composed the Regalia of Karsus. Their functions were detailed in The Annals of Karsus.

It was believed by some that the original Crown of Karsus could be reforged by rejoining the setting with the three netherstones.

Notable Owners

 * Mephistopheles
 * The netherbrain