The jewels of ardor were a kind of low-value gemstone found in the mines of Tethyamar, a dwarven city beneath the Desertsmouth Mountains. During the Rage of Demons they were used by the demon lord Graz'zt in a petty scheme to drive dwarves and drow to mutual destruction.[1][note 1]
Everyone agrees the Jewels are valuable. But no two people seem to agree on why.
Description[]
The jewels used as an ornamental light source.
It may even be true. I've had little time alone to study a sample of the Jewels, but I can say the alteration aura of these things strikes me as something touched by a creature of the Abyss — though this raises more questions.
In their natural state, the jewels were semi-translucent white-blue crystals that emitted a soft pale light. While pretty, they were extremely brittle and easy to break, similar to chalk, and their glow dissipated once the crystal structure was disrupted. As did not have much in the way of uses and had little value once mined, they were often left untouched on cavern walls. The main use for them was in providing soft lightning, though it required a sizable intact crystal formation.[1]
During the time they were influenced by Graz'zt, they took on a strong red-orange glow, and the demonic magic subtly influenced those nearby into obsessing over their non-existent value and power. This faded with time and distance, and meant that only those in Tethyamar were directly affected by the delusions. While anyone could be affected with enough exposure, the effects of the jewels were especially strong on dwarves.[1]
History[]
The jewels of ardor, radiating with Graz'zt's corruption.
Remember, my friends. You are known by your works. And to make a masterpiece, you need the right materials. So go out there and find those Jewels!
Who will find the largest stone? Who will find the richest vein? Ask yourself these questions. And then answer them with, 'I will!'
Glory awaits us, my friends. Every sparkle from every Jewel brings you that much closer to greatness. So go forth and claim your dreams!
As recorded in the Tethyamar Master Manifest, the jewels were a well-known feature of the underground during Tethyamar's time, and were largely left alone due to their low value and natural aesthetic value. When the dwarven explorer Hal Stoutheart was maimed from a fall in the late 15th century DR, he came to rest in Blue Stone Cavern and enjoyed the sight of the jewels in his last moments. A few years later Graz'zt arrived and took on Hal's persona, luring dwarves into an expedition to Tethyamar with the promise of untold riches. The keystone of this scheme were the otherwise innocuous jewels of ardor, which Graz'zt enchanted to possess a powerful yet subtle lure that tricked the dwarves into a greedy, covetous frenzy. At the same time, a House Argith expedition from Sschindylryn arrived and fell to the same trap, with High Priestess Talice Argith becoming suicidally obsessed with the crystals and waging a war to enslave a dwarven workforce to obtain more. Her wizard Ildan Argith examined the gemstones and began to piece together the mystery himself, though he didn't have the chance to finish his studies.[1]
The dwarven elder Asta the Deep-Minded realized that something was terribly wrong and hired a group of surfacer adventurers to investigate the matter while keeping her addled kin alive. Her suspicions proved correct, and it was revealed that Hal was simply a guise of Graz'zt. With the end of the ruse, Graz'zt graciously departed the scene and ended the enchantment upon the jewels of ardor, leaving nothing but worthless gemstones and a trail of ruin behind him.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Mines of Tethyamar is dated to 1487 DR, as it seems to reflect Graz'zt's activities during the Rage of Demons event.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Standing Stone Games (July 2017). “The Mines of Tethyamar”. In Dungeons & Dragons Online. Daybreak Game Company.