Necklace of fireballs

Necklaces of fireballs were magical items that provided the possessor with the ability to throw explosive beads.

Description
A necklace of fireballs was created with an illusory effect that made it appear like a series of beads on a string, sometimes tied into a necklace. Whenever handled by the owner, however, the illusion faded, revealing a series of golden spheres hanging from a golden chain. The spheres could be removed easily by the owner, but others found it impossible to do so.

A necklace of fireballs market value depended on how many beads it currently had and on how powerful those beads were. The cheapest kind of bead would usually be valued at 300 gold pieces, while the most expensive and powerful bead would sell for 1,500 gold pieces. These necklaces often were constructed with seven common configurations, known as "type I" to "type VII" to those who cataloged magic items.

These necklaces gave off a faint aura of evocation magic of moderate intensity.

Powers
When thrown, a bead from a necklace of fireballs would explode with the power of the fireball spell.

Because a necklace of fireballs did not provide any magical abilities to its wearer apart from the power within a thrown bead, it did not clash with any other magic item its owner might be wearing around his or her neck.

Possessing a necklace of fireballs had a dangerous risk to it, as all the beads on the necklace could explode together if the necklace was itself ever subjected to a magical fire attack.

Creation
Those trained in the art of crafting wondrous magical items who also knew the spell fireball could make necklaces of fireballs in any configurations they choose.

History
The most notable part of the history of these enchanted necklaces was back when the infamous Zulkir of Necromancy, Szass Tam, was still a simple human being. One of his bitter rivals was a fellow Red Wizard from the school of evocation whom Szass Tam faced in a spell-slinging duel. The Red Wizard was prepared to face Tam's necromancy spells and was caught off-guard when the future lich flung twelve fireballs into his face. This prompted Tam's opponent to waste most of his spells in deflecting and defending against the infernal onslaught, while Szass Tam had his entire repertoire of memorized spells at his disposal. Needless to say, the future lich emerged victorious.

Notable Wearers

 * Dabron Sashenstar: a famous explorer and merchant from Baldur's Gate
 * Mhezenter Mirilar: thief from Wheloon
 * Torleth Mindulspeer: the antique and curio dealer from Gillian's Hill kept one of the lanterns of revealing, along with a necklace of fireballs, and the original Greatshout as a Young Man, in his trapped vault under Torleth's Treasures circa 1372 DR.
 * Szass Tam: used one of these necklaces long before he achieved lichdom.

Notable Necklaces of Fireballs

 * One Gift Lost