The Imaskarcana were a collection of artifacts said to be the most powerful ever created by the artificers of Imaskar.[1] Though some considered the Imaskarcana to be tomes, they were in fact a number of different devices of different forms, each storing the lore of the empire in some form.[1][2]
Per some sources, despite being called the Seven Imaskarcana,[2] the Imaskarcana were not created at the same time, but centuries apart[1] and, in fact, their true names had been lost.[2] Per other sources, the Imaskarcana were created on the orders of Lord Artificer Omanond in −3891 DR.[3].
Description[]
The First Imaskarcana was a large, crudely wrought crown of lavender-tinted metal set with a single star sapphire.[1]
The Third Imaskarcana was a great tome bound in slate covers, lined in the hide of a blue dragon, with pages of ragged vellum, crystal magically given the flexibility of paper without its weaknesses, and even the skins of humans, elves, and tanar'ri.[2]
The Fifth Imaskarcana was a scepter, pitted and battered in appearance, about 2 feet (0.61 meters) in length set with a fist-sized amethyst.[1]
The Seventh Imaskarcana resembled a large, golden key.[4]
Powers[]
The First Imaskarcana held the collected knowledge of the empire's lord artificers, though it would never engage in conversation, responding only to direct questions with brief answers.[1]
The Third Imaskarcana could not be read, and instead would answer questions posed to it once per day.[2]
The Fifth Imaskarcana contained the entire military history of the Imaskar from −7500 DR onward.[1]
The Seventh Imaskarcana held the entire body of Imaskari knowledge about creating permanent extradimensional spaces.[4]
In addition to these powers, all of the Imaskarcana provided some measure of resistance against magic and allowed the user to employ several spells. All commands to the Imaskarcana had to be spoken in Roushoum, the language of the Imaskari Empire. If addressed in a different language, the Imaskarcana would retaliate with powerful magic.[1][2]
History[]
Per some sources, the First Imaskarcana was reported to have been created by an ancient Lord Artificer about 9000 years before 1372 DR. The Fifth Imaskarcana was created some five centuries later.[1] However, later sources dated the creation of all of the Imaskarcana to −3891 DR.[3]
Lord Dimarond, the last general of Imaskar, wielded the Fifth Imaskarcana when he was defeated outside the city by Mulan glorious servitors. Lord Artificer Yuvaraj wore the First Imaskarcana in battle against the manifested god Horus in −2488 DR at Inupras, where he perished.[1] He was also said to have been wielding a fabled tome of the Imaskarcana, probably the Third.[5] One year later, Imaskari refugees headed for the Underdark, bringing the Third Imaskarcana with them.[6]
As of 1372 DR, one of the Imaskarcana was preserved in Deep Imaskar.[7] It was probably not the Third Imaskarcana, which was in the possession of Gduar.[8] In the same year, the Seventh Imaskarcana was possibly recovered by Tyaral, a priest of Bhaal, from a ruin known as Maskana, which had been leveled by the Mulhorandi to build an outpost atop it.[4] Deep Imaskari records at the time suggested the Fourth Imaskarcana was within the city of Raudor at the time of its fall.[5] The artifact was said to lie hidden within the ruins of Raudor still in 1479 DR.[9]
Legends[]
The Imaskarcana were often portrayed as tomes, even amongst the Deep Imaskari, though they were several different devices.[10]
According to The Lore of Omanond, a book in the Purple Library of Deep Imaskar, it had only been possible to create the Imaskarcana because of a compact with an extraplanar race.[10]
Notable Owners[]
- Lord Yuvaraj
- Lord Dimarond
- Gduar
- Tyaral (possibly)
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 76–77. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Robert Wiese (2005-02-16). Secrets of Imaskar (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Lost Empires of Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. p. 8. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 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.
- ↑ Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 76–77. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 171. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bruce R. Cordell (2006). Darkvision. (Wizards of the Coast), p. Chapter Six. ISBN 0-7869-4017-4.