The Elemental Scourge was a massive magical apparatus that could grant an individual the power to summon a dozen elder elementals.[1]
Description[]
A map of the House of Kossuth with the Elemental Scourge dominating the circular chamber to the north.
The Elemental Scourge was an enormous, 30 feet (9.1 meters) high device that dominated the northern half of a 50 feet (15 meters) wide cylindrical chamber within the underground Kossuth's House in Skelem.[2] This chamber was decorated with intimidating frescoes of giant elementals wrecking havoc, and contained four statues, each depicting a huge elemental—one each of air, earth, fire, and water—representing the creatures that the device would enable a user to conjure.[1][2]
The device itself had many spindly arms ending in blades, globes, or metal hands, all of which were constantly in motion, animated by the elemental energies that the device tapped into.[1][2] As they moved, the arms seemed to reach out or perform strange maneuvers. The whole apparatus emitted otherworldly dim lights and muffled noises.[1]
At the base of the apparatus were a pair of concentric circles carved into the stone floor with runes etched into the space between them. The device was activated when an individual knelt inside these circles.[1]
Powers[]
Once activated, the Elemental Scourge unloaded elemental power into the user kneeling in the circles. This power could overwhelm and injure a weaker individual, and thus the device would not activate if a user lacked power or experience. Once a user had received this power, they gained the one-time ability to summon a dozen 40‑foot (12‑meter) tall elementals—three from each of the four primary Elemental planes—to any location they had visited within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of the device. For one minute, this monstrous force would obey the user's every command. This ability did not have to be used immediately, and the user retained the power for one year, during which time they emitted a strong aura of conjuration magic.[1]
After bestowing this conjuration ability, the Elemental Scourge had to recharge for one year before it could be activated again.[1]
History[]
The apparatus was created as part of a nearly unprecedented collaboration between powerful Netherese wizards and the church of Kossuth.[1] It was built over the course of several years in the Kossuth's House, a secret location beneath Skelem.[3]
After Skelem was overwhelmed and fell into ruin sometime after the Fall of Netheril, details of the device were forgotten, however rumors and legends persisted of a weapon capable of summoning an army residing somewhere in the city's ruins.[1] In the Year of Rogue Dragons, 1373 DR, these rumors drew the attention of a pair of fire giant brothers, Soluf and Gharod, who sent a team of yuan-ti and giantkin to seek out the legendary weapon. The giants hoped to use the Elemental Scourge to raze Mulmaster and conquer the eastern Moonsea, however their minions struggled to find it in the ruins.[3]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Mysteries of the Moonsea: "Eastern Moonsea adventure arc"
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 120. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 121. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Darrin Drader, Thomas M. Reid, Sean K. Reynolds, Wil Upchurch (June 2006). Mysteries of the Moonsea. Edited by John Thompson, Gary Sarli. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 117. ISBN 978-0-7869-3915-2.