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Artificer (Imaskari)

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Imaskari artificers were the mages of the Raurin Empire, or Imaskar. They were known to be haughty, arrogant, and overwhelmingly powerful.[1]

Lord Artificers and Artificers[]

In the year −7975 DR, Emperor Umyatin of Imaskar gave himself the title of Lord Artificer; all emperors would use the same title until the destruction of the Empire in −2488 DR.[2]

The Imaskari were known to have an Artificers' Guild. The guild was active in the facility underneath Maskana, where they studied the powers of unusual creatures. The symbol of the Guild consisted of a crescent and a fox.[3]

Portal Manipulation[]

The longest-lasting legacy of the Imaskari was their extensive use of extradimensional spaces and portals, which had transformed their cities' design almost from the beginning of their empire.[4] Throughout the Early Dynastic period, Imaskari Artificers created the Bukhara Spires, two-way portals which became the foundation of Imaskar's military might: by using them, they were capable of mobilizing entire armies in the blink of an eye.[2]

By −7403 DR, the razing of the kobold city of Zexthandrim was carried out by a combined force of portal golems, which were slow and carried a large portal in their chest, and shepherd golems, which were smaller, faster, and capable of forcing the kobolds through these portals to parts unknown.[5] Sonjar's Tower, which belonged to an artificer who lived through the end of the Empire, had permanent portals to the Inner Planes for things as minor as pond water,[6] ventilation, and even cooking fire.[7] The ancient Fortress of the Old Man in Sentinelspire also had portals to elemental planes for heat and cooling,[8] as well as an outer plane dominated by nature.[9]

Planar Contacts[]

The artificers were aware not just of planes from the Great Wheel, but also some otherwise unknown planes, such as a Dimension of Silence and a Dimension of Darkness, both accessible from portals in the City of Solon.[10] Under the orders of Lord Artificer Khotan, artificers of the Middle Kingdoms period kidnapped the ancestors of the Mulan not only from a different crystal sphere, but across different times, suggesting that the artificers were also capable of creating permanent portals across time.[2] Imaskari wizards were also asiduous users of pacts with extraplanar creatures: both Umyatin and Omanond were often represented as making compacts with demons or strange fey creatures;[11] devas reincarnated from the Mulhorandi as of 1497 DR sought vengeance on the leShay of Sarifal for having aided in the construction of the portals used to abduct their ancestors.[12]

Combining both aspects of their extraplanar crafts (portals across time, space, and extraplanar entities), the Elder Evil Pandorym was summoned to the Realms near the end of the Imaskar empire, probably under the orders of Lord Yuvaraj.[13] It was said to hail from an entirely different cosmology, and it was capable not only of seeing across thousands of years, but make minute changes across the timeline.[14]

Antidivine Wards[]

Shortly after the plague known as the Silent Death in the late Middle Kingdoms period, The Imaskari had developed an intense scorn for the divine.[2] Artificers created wards aimed at thwarting divine magic through experimentation and torture of druids, priests, shamans, and similar. Those wards were later employed to keep the Mulan slaves' prayers from reaching their gods.[15] The practice of torturing divine spellcasters, however, continued well up until the final collapse of the Empire, almost 2000 years later; Sonjar's Tower had rooms for that purpose.[16]

Binder Magic[]

An ancient arcane Imaskari text, "The Chants of Arcainasyr, as recorded by Macchius the Ebon Flame" held incantations that were worded as hateful littanies of foul destruction, prayers to nameless deities of malevolence. A copy available in the College of Mages of Cimbar circa 1365 DR was also enciphered with a simple substitution cypher.[17] Per Aeron Morieth's judgement after reading the text, the Imaskari sorcerers had probably bound dark spirits in their own bodies for power; that kind of sorcery was openly employed in the Empire.[18]

Longevity[]

Imaskari wizards were known to extend their lives through sorcery. Lord Artificer Omanond ruled for a minimum of 700 years between −3920 DR and −3234 DR.[2] Kujawa, another artificer and later Emperor of the successor state of Anok-Imaskar, ruled between −2488 DR[19] and −1943 DR.[20] Hilather, another wizard,[2] lived from Omanond's reign to the end of the Empire,[19] and then for more than a millenium as Halaster Blackcloak.[21] The artificer Yaravindar Ipurnos had accomplished the same feat.[22]

Monsters[]

Imaskari artificers were the original creators of shadesteel golems.[23] They were also rumored to have created many other creatures, such as locathah, morkoth, kuo-toa,[24] and even the Scalamagdrion.[25] Per some sources, the Imaskari had created the phaerimm,[26] though the aberrations were known to have battled the Sarrukh as early as −33,800 DR, tens of millenia before the Imaskari empire began.[27] Rumours abounded of an imaskari scepter capable of summoning star spawn[note 1] hidden somewhere in a ruin in Unther, which they created hoping to eventually summon aberrant forms of dragons; the Cult of the Dragon and the faithful of Tiamat both sought this scepter. Sages from Unthalass theorized that the realm to which this scepter connected had creatures similar to aboleths and mind flayers.[28]

Earth Magic[]

The Imaskari were aware of earth nodes. Sonjar's Tower was built inside an earth node to better take advantage of its powers;[29] Deep Imaskar was built in a cave sought specifically for the strength of its faerzress.[30]

The portals in the Fortress of the Old Man were also believed to be capable of altering the behaviour of the volcano, Sentinelspire, beneath;[8] it was possible to manipulate those enchantments into causing tremors.[31] In Solon, an ancient temple bore portals to the planes of Ash, Vacuum, and Ice,[32] where artifacts capable of triggering a volcanic eruption were hidden.[33]

Trivia[]

A small number of spells presumed to have been created by Netherese arcanists had actually been known by artificers for some time before. Excavations in Solon had chances to unearth scrolls of mass gaseous form, audible glamer[34] and even continual light.[35] Variant forms of mantle magic had been known since the time of the Imaskari.[36]

Known Artificers[]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ Note that at the time of publishing Dragons of Faerun, 2006, the Monster Manual with star spawn had not been published yet and would not be until 2009, in a different edition. A vestige featured in a web enhancement, Zceryll, was also referred to as the Star-Spawn. In the absence of later references to the same artifact, it remains somewhat ambiguous whether the scepter was meant to summon them.

References[]

  1. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 266. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  3. ↑ Robert Wiese (2005-02-16). Secrets of Imaskar (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Lost Empires of Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. p. 3. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  4. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  5. ↑ Edward Bonny, Brian Cortijo, Laszlo Koller (November 2006). “The Horde: Barbarians of the Endless Waste”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #349 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 61.
  6. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  7. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 76. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Mark Sehestedt (July 2008). Sentinelspire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 17. ISBN 978-0-7869-4937-3.
  9. ↑ Mark Sehestedt (July 2008). Sentinelspire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 40. ISBN 978-0-7869-4937-3.
  10. ↑ Troy Denning (August 1990). Black Courser. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 63–64. ISBN 0880388587.
  11. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (2006). Darkvision. (Wizards of the Coast), p. Chapter Six. ISBN 0-7869-4017-4.
  12. ↑ Brian R. James (June 2009). “Realmslore: Sarifal”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #376 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 62.
  13. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (2006). Darkvision. (Wizards of the Coast), p. Chapter Ten. ISBN 0-7869-4017-4.
  14. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell (2006). Darkvision. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. Chapter Twenty–nine. ISBN 0-7869-4017-4.
  15. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  16. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 80. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  17. ↑ Richard Baker (1998). The Shadow Stone. (TSR, Inc), p. Chapter Ten. ISBN 0-7869-1186-7.
  18. ↑ Eytan Bernstein (2007-07-18). Binders. Class Chronicles. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2014-11-03. Retrieved on 2021-06-21.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 31. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  20. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  21. ↑ Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 63. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  22. ↑ Edward Bonny, Brian Cortijo, Laszlo Koller (November 2006). “The Horde: Barbarians of the Endless Waste”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #349 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 56.
  23. ↑ Andrew Finch, Gwendolyn Kestrel, Chris Perkins (August 2004). Monster Manual III. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 73. ISBN 0-7869-3430-1.
  24. ↑ Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 64. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  25. ↑ Jim Pitrat (May 2005). “The Book Dragon”. In Philip Athans ed. Realms of the Dragons II (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 139–154. ISBN 978-0-7869-3808-7.
  26. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  27. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd, Darrin Drader (July 2004). Serpent Kingdoms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-3277-5.
  28. ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
  29. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 74. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  30. ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 139. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
  31. ↑ Mark Sehestedt (July 2008). Sentinelspire. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 21. ISBN 978-0-7869-4937-3.
  32. ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  33. ↑ Troy Denning (May 1991). Blood Charge. (TSR, Inc.), p. 63. ISBN 0880388897.
  34. ↑ Troy Denning (May 1991). Blood Charge. (TSR, Inc.), p. 62. ISBN 0880388897.
  35. ↑ Troy Denning (May 1991). Blood Charge. (TSR, Inc.), p. 61. ISBN 0880388897.
  36. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 2000). Secrets of the Magister. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 92. ISBN 978-0786914302.
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