Shond Tharovin was a human wizard of the mid-to-late 14th century DR who used the Living Gem to briefly rule Schamedar in 1367 DR. He founded the Cult of the Living Gem and fought the Living Gem War before he was turned into an immortal[6] gibbering mouther and exiled from Calimshan.[7]
Possessions[]
For a time, Shond possessed the Tome of the Unicorn,[7] from which he was able to summon the demilich form of Shoon VII.[1][8] During the Time of Troubles, he relinquished the Tome to Shoon.[8]
Shond's most significant and powerful possession, however, was the Living Gem. With it, he became powerful enough to take the city of Schamedar. He used a magical mirror to scry on enemies and attack them remotely with spells stored in the Gem. He claimed that he could reach all of Faerûn through the power of the Gem.[9] But Shond was driven mad by the Gem, which he believed to be alive. He called it his advisor, and claimed that he was following its desires. When he was turned into a gibbering mouther, he lost ownership of the Gem to the Cult of the Living Gem.[1]
History[]
In the Year of the Prince, 1357 DR, Shond visited the island of Ruathym, and stole the Tome of the Unicorn from the Green Room library. The last page of the book had the demilich Shoon VII trapped within. Shond was able to summon Shoon from the book, and struck a bargain with him.[7] Shond agreed to free Shoon by bringing him seven souls, in exchange for information relating to the location of the Living Gem.[1][8]
In the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, on the day that the Time of Troubles began, Shond had taken the Tome to the Cloud Peaks. He ambushed a caravan transporting the elf wizard Zallanora Argentresses and summoned forth Shoon. Shoon devoured the souls of the members of the caravan, but as the chaotic magic of the Time of Troubles took effect, instead of devouring Zallanora's soul, Shoon's soul switched places with it. This left Shoon free of the Tome, in Zallanora's body—and Zallanora in the demilich body trapped in the Tome. Shond and Shoon destroyed any evidence of the caravan to cover their tracks.[2] Now that Shoon was free, he upheld his bargain with Shond and told him the location of the Living Gem.[8] Shond spent the next decade following Shoon's cryptic directions: excavating a ruined temple to Ghaunadaur beneath the Forest of Mir, southwest of the Vorpal Tower.[7][1][8]
In Mirtul of the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, Shond finally claimed the Living Gem from the ruins.[3] In Kythorn, he used the power of the Living Gem to oust all members of the ruling council of Schamedar and took the title of syl-vizar, caleph of Schamedar.[7] He used a magic mirror together with the Gem to remotely view and attack Artouk Fanzir, one of the ousted members of the council who had escaped Schamedar. By Flamerule, he had established the cult of the Living Gem, and began construction on a temple named the House of the Gem.[7][9]
In Eleasis, Shond used the power of the gem to fight against a rebellion started by the nascent Seven Satraps, along the River of Ice. Thus began the Living Gem War.[9] In Eleint, an archmage named Yoond Shalshymmyr defeated Shond by sacrificing his own life and cursing the tyrant into the form of a huge and immortal[6] gibbering mouther.[4] By Marpenoth, Shond had been forced into the sewers of Schamedar by its citizens, and the Living Gem fell into the hands of the Cult of the Living Gem.[7] Shond eventually floated out of the city into the Shining Sea, crying for revenge as he went.[1]
Rumors & Legends[]
After he was forced out of Schamedar, Shond disappeared. In Nightal of 1357, a wizard named Nardulkyn claimed that Shond had gained the ability to retake the form of a human, and that he had drifted west of Calimport. Nardulkyn claimed to have invented a spell that could track Shond, but only when he took human form. His destination was much-rumored, and locations such as Tethyr, the Nelanther Isles, or Skullport were theorized.[10]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 38. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Three: Erlkazar & Folk of Intrigue”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 9. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 22. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 89. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 111. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 110. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Three: Erlkazar & Folk of Intrigue”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 10. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.