Heavy magic

Heavy magic was a form of physical magic. The distilled form of heavy magic was known as super heavy magic. "What's the greatest living thing in all the empire? Me, of course! And what's the most potent magical source in the empire? My super heavy magic!"

- Karsus

Properties
Heavy magic seemingly had many alterable properties, though it was particularly viscous. This physical magic could take the shape of whatever it touched. For example, direct ingestion of heavy magic would cause it to line one's innards, causing them to choke and die. It would leave no residue after touching another material, and would gradually extract itself from objects. The magic could be any color, from clear to green to blue. Heavy magic would dissipate if flung through the air, whilst super heavy magic would remain intact. When entering a room filled with heavy magic, one would often become nauseous and experience hallucinations.

Discovery and Experimentation
In the Shadowed Age, the phaerimm wished to wipe out the Netherese. To start with, they drained magic from the land, as well as nourishment from both raw and produced food. Karsus, however, discovered this drain, and tried to find a way to somehow counter the effects of the phaerimm. After much experimentation, Karsus discovered heavy magic in the. The mad arcanist would experiment with the uses of heavy magic, and even created a mouse-delivery system where mice transported globs of heavy magic to fill cracks in old walls.

Heavy magic gained much experimental use throughout the enclave of Karsus. This experimentation would prove dangerous. After Karsus cast Volhm's drain on a huge volume of heavy magic, energy was sapped from the enclave's mythallar, and the whole enclave started to plummet. Karsus managed to expel the heavy magic after levitating it off the edge. However, this substance plummeted to the ground and transformed another arcanist, Wulgreth, into a lich. The Museum of Heavy Magic was constructed, which showed off the various effects of heavy magic experimentation.

Enhancement
"This new magic we've pulled from the sky will add more dweomer than ever before. Mountains of magic! For an orgy—a holocaust of magical energy! But it will take time. Many revolutions of the sun. Not so many. Not so..."

- The collective of phaerimm

The phaerimm attempted to speed up their plan to destroy the Netherese by giving them "enough magic to choke". To do this, they spawned a monstrously heavy magical star and pulled it from the sky. The magical star was first discovered by the arcanist Candlemas and his barbarian companion Sunbright Steelshanks. Karsus travelled back in time 358 years to the spot where the two companions had located the star, acquired the star (as well as the companions), and travelled back to the future year of. After experimentation with the star-metal, Karsus created super heavy magic.

Downfall
"I, we, Karsus the One and Only, intend to infuse ourselves with super heavy magic! ... With the power of the stars in me, I might become a god!"

- Karsus

In, Karsus infused himself with super heavy magic. He grew taller, and glowed in a white-silver radiance. Babbling incoherent arcane chants, the super heavy magic raged within him until he came into a state of being between a man and deity. This event lead to the collapse of the Netherese Empire, which was forever known as Karsus's Folly.

Lingering heavy magic from the Karsestone was used nearly two millennium later, in the, by Melegaunt Tanthul to return the Princes of Shade onto Toril.

Applications
"My invention! Heavy magic! It works for everything!"

- Karsus

As with magic, heavy magic was able to seemingly do anything. From creating rainbow-fountains, to turning others into liches, there seemed no limit to the applicability of heavy magic.

Applying (super) heavy magic to spells appeared to mimic or amplify their effects. For example, applying it to a flaming sphere would create a fire that could not be quenched.

Production
"Karsus had made magic a commodity. That the mad mage could manufacture globs of wiggly, clear magic seemed absurd, like a child catching a jar of wind, or a man donning a cloud as a robe. Yet it worked. Karsus could bottle magic and sell it in the marketplace like olive oil if he so chose."

- Excerpt from Dangerous Games

It was not known how Karsus made the original form of heavy magic. However, super heavy magic could be made by storing heavy magic in a star-metal crucible.

Rumors & Legends
In, magically mutated creatures infiltrated the enclave of Unity. It was rumored that these anomalies were created by the use heavy magic.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Dangerous Games • The Summoning