Gauntlets of Moander

The Gauntlets of Moander were a set of heavy enchanted gauntlets, that were created by the followers of Moander to be used against one of his deadly foes, Tyranthraxus.

Description
These bulky black metal artifacts were forged to resemble ordinary heavy armored gauntlets. The Gauntlets were decorated with white images of an open fanged maw on each of the palms, similarly to Moander's holy symbol.

Powers
These enchanted Gauntlets were empowered by the mere existence of any pools of radiance. The strange and dangerous magical phenomenon was appropriated and used by Tyranthraxus, allowing the creature to travel between worlds. When they were in the presence of a pool, the mouths on the Gauntlets' palms produced tentacles of light that reached towards their target. Within five minutes after connecting with the pure weave of a pool of radiance, the Gauntlets of Moander absorbed all of the magic and drained the arcane body of water. Some speculated that these Gloves could seal and destroy pools of radiance forever. Once all pools of radiance were devoured, the Gauntlets of Moander went dormant until the phenomenon resurfaces on Toril.

Apart from the Gauntlets' primary purpose, they were filled with powerful magics. The wearer of the Gauntlets of Moander received magical improvements to their armor and steeled their defenses against spells. The Gauntlets also possessed enchantment similar to that of gauntlets of ogre power, granting the wearer supernatural strength. Additionally, the wearer was able to speak with plants. The main adverse effect of wearing the Gauntlets of Moander was the user's susceptibility to magic and influence of the Rotting God.

History
The Gauntlets of Moander were forged by the followers of the god of rot, Moander, sometime before the elves of Cormanthyr razed Yûlash's temple of Moander and imprisoned the god's avatar underneath in 171 DR. At some point, the church of Moander was warring with the god's foe Tyranthraxus, the Possessing Spirit. The creature was dependent on the pool of radiance magic to move between realms and grow in power. The clerics created the Gauntlets that could devour the pools' magic. Just the mere threat of this artifact drove Tyranthraxus and the Possessing Spirit's minions away from Yûlash.

By 1357 DR, the Gauntlets of Moander were still in possession of followers of Moander, albeit in fading numbers. After the rotting god's avatar was unleashed by an adventuring hero Alias, Moander reached out to Mogion, the leader of his cultists. The god granted his devote followers divine gifts and commanded them to return to Yûlash and seize his temple. Even though Moander's avatar was slain by Mistinarperadnacles Hai Draco the same year, the rotting god's link with Mogion remained intact. The woman grew stronger with the guidance of her master. In Yûlash, Mogion recovered the Gauntlets of Moander from the previously sealed underground temple and wore them as the symbol of her status and power. With the Gauntlets and Moander's divine aid, Mogion assembled the New Alliance that included Tyranthraxus. The New Alliance recreated the ritual of bounding creatures to their will via the azure bonds, later capturing and branding a group of adventurers. The same group later allied with Alias, the original bearer of the bounds and her comrades in arms.

Subsequently, the heroes of azure bonds confronted Mogion and slain her, claiming the Gauntlets of Moander for themselves, later, using their powers to seal the pool of radiance in the ruins of Myth Drannor.

The Gauntlets of Moander were entrusted to be kept safe by Elminster Aumar, following the New Alliance's fall. The Sage of Shadowdale kept the artifact out of the wrong hands until 1369 DR. A sect of the Cult of the Dragon found a way to a new pool of radiance in Myth Drannor and started tapping into its magic, refilling long-dormant pools in Phlan and other cities of the Moonsea. Elminster assembled a group of adventurers, led by Athan, whom the old sage entrusted with the weapon against the pools corruption. The adventurers arrived at the City of Song's ruins but eventually were ambushed by the Cult's forces and their dracolich ally. Most members of the expedition were slaughtered, Athan taken prisoner, and the Gauntlets of Moander fell into the monstrous draconic claws of Kya Mordrayn.

Another accidental hero group assembled by Elminster in Phlan found themselves in Myth Drannor and decided to continue with the mission failed by Athan's band. Saving the perilous ruins and gaining a prophesied name, the Veiled Ones eventually reached the catacombs of the Castle Cormanthor. They defeated both Kya and her ally red dragon dracolich Pelendralaar. Upon her failure, the sorceress Mordrayn was dragged into the Abyss by her dark beneficiaries, leaving only the Gauntlets of Moander where she had stood. Athan, who the Veiled Ones rescued, used the Gauntlets to destroy the pool, leaving the artifact inert once again. The Gauntlets were returned to Elminster's safekeeping afterward.

Notable Owners

 * Athan: the hero entrusted by Elminster to drain the pool of radiance in Myth Drannor in 1369 DR.
 * Elminster: the Sage of Shadowdale.
 * Kya Mordrayn: the Wearers of Purple who claimed the Gauntlets from Elminster's heroes in 1369 DR.
 * Mogion: the leader of the Survivors of Moander cult in Yûlash in 1357 DR.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds
 * Novels
 * Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Video Games
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds &bull; Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor
 * Secret of the Silver Blades
 * Secret of the Silver Blades