Chardalyn

A chardalyn is a rare black stone which can naturally absorb and release magic, with larger stones able to hold more potent spells. Found only in the northern Sword Coast, they require 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 frenzy of mining and exploration that lasted more than 500 years.

Appearance
Chardalyns appear to be black, ordinary rocks, but are more fragile than usual. They contain natural magic. They turn to useless powder when struck forcefully. Explorers in abandoned Netherese cities had best step carefully.

Uses
A single chardalyn can absorb one spell, which will be released when the rock is crushed or destroyed. Thus, a fireball spell can 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 has 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).