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The Karsestone was the petrified heart of the Momentary God Karsus, a powerful artifact that remained the only source of whole magic in the Realms following Karsus's Folly. For millennia it was embedded within the Karsus Butte,[1] the solidified manifestation of Karsus' divine form that came plummeting down to Toril during the fall of Netheril.[2]

It's touching. Karsus's heart bleeds for what he did.

Description[]

The Karsestone appeared as a man-sized, luminescent white boulder with a significant crack running along its top.[1] It continually pulsed like a still-beating heart,[2] pouring silver-colored liquid from the crack and forming a pool within the temple's floor.[1]

Powers[]

The liquid of the Karsestone turned red as blood as it flowed out of a narrow passageway within the butte,[1] forming the source of Heartblood River at the base of the mound.[3] This liquid was whole magic, a substance that held powerful arcane properties that could bolster the power of any spellcaster that tapped into it.[4]

History[]

The Karsestone was formed in the Year of Sundered Webs, −339 DR,[5] when Karsus achieved momentary apostheosis. This grave deed caused all magic in the realms to become inert and the flying cities of Netheril to come crashing down to the earth.[2]

On Nightal 30 in the Year of the Unstrung Harp, 1371 DR, a group of travelers led by Melegaunt Tanthul and Galaeron Nihmedu found the Karsestone within Karsus' temple, after nearly a tenday's travel from Evereska in search of the artifact.[1][6] At sunrise the following day they fought off both the lich Wulgreth and his undead servant Jhingleshod in order to gain its control. While Melegaunt was slain by the lich, Galaeron removed the Karsestone from the temple and elevated it to the sky initiating the Return of Thultanthar to the Prime Material plane.[7]

The Shadovar of Thultanthar lost the Karsestone on Eleasis 2 that year, when several chosen of Mystra raided the flying city and damaged it's mythallar.[8] While the whereabouts of the Karsestone were lost to most of those in the Realms,[9] it remained in the hands of the goddess Shar.[10]

Notable Owners[]

While not its owner per se, the Karsestone was made into a phylactery by Wulgreth of Ascalhorn sometime around his mortal death in the 9th century DR.[11]

It was considered a holy relic by the cult of Karsus, along with the rest of his petrified body.[2]

Appendix[]

Appearances[]

Novels
The Summoning

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Troy Denning (December 2009). “The Summoning”. Return of the Archwizards (Wizards of the Coast), p. 226. ISBN 978-0-7869-5365-3.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Eric L. Boyd (September 1997). Powers & Pantheons. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 36. ISBN 978-0786906574.
  3. Troy Denning (December 2009). “The Summoning”. Return of the Archwizards (Wizards of the Coast), p. 207. ISBN 978-0-7869-5365-3.
  4. Troy Denning (December 2009). “The Summoning”. Return of the Archwizards (Wizards of the Coast), p. 253. ISBN 978-0-7869-5365-3.
  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. 47. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  6. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 167. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  7. Troy Denning (December 2009). “The Summoning”. Return of the Archwizards (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 240–246. ISBN 978-0-7869-5365-3.
  8. Brian R. James, Ed Greenwood (September 2007). The Grand History of the Realms. Edited by Kim Mohan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 153. ISBN 978-0-7869-4731-7.
  9. Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 24. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  10. Richard Baker, Ed Bonny, Travis Stout (February 2005). Lost Empires of Faerûn. Edited by Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-3654-1.
  11. Troy Denning (December 2009). “The Summoning”. Return of the Archwizards (Wizards of the Coast), p. 252. ISBN 978-0-7869-5365-3.
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