Holy water

Holy water was water blessed by a good deity that could damage undead and evil outsiders. Evil clerics could create a similar substance called unholy water.

The priests of Helm called holy water the "Tears of Helm".

Properties
Holy water was infused with positive energy, which gave it its properties. Unholy water, in contrast, was imbued with negative energy.

Applications
Holy water acted much like acid against undead creatures and evil beings from other planes. If contained in a flask, it could be thrown as a grenade weapon against corporeal creatures, or it could be splashed or poured on incorporeal ones. Unholy water instead damaged good outsiders.

Holy water was used in the powerful resurrection spell, as part of the ceremony to restore life to the dead.

Some users employed an instrument known as an aspergillum to spray holy water. A larger version of an aspergillum, the heavy aspergillum, was also used as a weapon.

Production
To create a flask of holy water required the flask of water, five pounds (2.3 kilograms) of powdered silver, and the ability to bless water. The process took one minute per flask. The procedure was equivalent for unholy water, except that the water was cursed instead.

Temples dedicated to good deities usually sold holy water at cost to those who needed a defense against evil.

Variations
Elven holy water was blessed by the god Rillifane Rallathil and often used when fighting against vampires.

Notable Users

 * Lessa Amyselnar, a priestess of Tymora.
 * Brianna Burdun, a priestess of Hiatea.

Rumors & Legends
The plane of Celestia was said to contain an infinitely large sea of holy water from which Mount Celestia emerged.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * Cormyr: A Novel


 * Fiction:
 * "Into the Nest of Vipers", Dungeon #75


 * Video Games:
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal