Chardalyn

A chardalyn was a rare black stone which could naturally absorb and release magic, with larger stones able to hold more potent spells. Found only in the northern Sword Coast, they required no magical preparation to function.

History
First discovered in -1205 DR (2654 NY) by an arcanist named Elorian, who examined worthless rock brought up from the Fluvion mines. She was amazed at the degree of magic the stones seemed to possess. Before long, she realized that the fragile gems could hold a single spell that was cast into them, later releasing the magic when it was crushed. This discovery launched Netheril into a frenzy of mining and exploration that lasted more than 500 years.

Appearance
Chardalyns appeared to be black, ordinary rocks, but were more fragile than usual. They contained natural magic. They turned to useless powder when struck forcefully. Explorers in abandoned Netherese cities were advised to step carefully.

Uses
A single chardalyn could absorb one spell, which was released when the rock was crushed or destroyed. Thus, a fireball spell could be cast into the stone and be released by simply tossing the stone at an enemy.

If the chardalyn was empty, it could absorb an incoming spell and then be tossed back at the caster.

Value
A typical stone had a base value of 1,000gp (up to 3rd-level spell), 3,500gp (up to 6th-level spell), 8,000gp (up to 9th-level spell).