The Teeth of Dahlver-Nar (pronounced: /dɑːlvɜːrˈnɑːr/ dal-vur-NAR[4]) was a collection of magical teeth discovered by and named for Dahlver-Nar, a human cleric and binder.[5]
Description[]
The Teeth of Dahlver-Nar were all associated with different powerful individuals[6] or legendary stories.[3] The individual teeth were as wildly varied as their associated owners. Some teeth were human in origin, others resembled long snake fangs, gemstones, or tusks.[6] For those so inclined, it was possible to implant individual Teeth of Dahlver-Nar; the teeth would change their size (to a degree) to accommodate their new host's mouth.[6][7]
The teeth were kept inside a leather pouch decorated with stitched images of various heroes and lightly fanciful creatures.[3]
Destruction[]
It was possible to destroy the individual Teeth of Dahlver-Nar, though scholars disagreed on the exact procedure. Some claimed the only way was to soak the teeth in sweet water for a thousand years, letting them slowly rot away. Another version maintained the teeth must all be implanted into the mouth of a conscious ancient red dragon without explanation. A third version claimed the teeth must be bathed in the breaths of thirty-two different dragons over the course of thirty-two days.[8]
In yet another version, the individual teeth had to be planted in the areas where their associated tales originated.[7] Whatever the case truly was, seemingly destroyed Teeth of Dahlver-Nar had a tendency to re-appear at some later date.[6]
Powers[]
The primary way of gaining the powers of the Teeth of Dahlver-Nar was to implant them in place of one's own teeth. Although it was possible to have more than one tooth implanted at a time,[7] legends claimed that implanting too many of them could lead to madness.[6] Indeed, one story claimed that Dahlver-Nar himself was driven insane from inserting too many of the teeth.[9] Some accounts maintained that in order to implant a tooth of Dahlver-Nar, it was first necessary to extract one's natural tooth by force.[6] In other versions, placing a tooth of Dahlver-Nar in one's mouth would simply remove the user's original tooth and its place would be taken automatically.[7]
Alternately, some of the teeth could be planted in the ground to either produce the effects of a spell[8] or to summon certain creatures associated with the individual tooth.[7]
List of teeth[]
Each individual tooth of Dahlver-Nar was a unique item with its own associated magical effects.[2] At least three sets of teeth were documented by scholars, although this could simply be a reflection of the roster of teeth changing over time.
Incendax's Teeth[]
This set of thirty-two red dragon teeth was associated with the story of how Dahlver-Nar found the teeth in the lair of the red dragon Incendax. Rather than each individual tooth having a unique power, these teeth granted their wielder (indeed, no implantation was required) several powers associated with dragons: the ability to speak Draconic, immunity to harmful fire, and the ability to sense all gems and precious metals in their vicinity. Also, the tooth-bearer could invoke a cone of magical fire from his or her palm.[10]
Additionally, Incendax's teeth could be planted in the ground to produce yet more magical effects. Planting the non-molar teeth allowed for the summoning of powerful creatures such as fire giants, remorhazes, and wyverns. Planting the molars allowed their wielder to cast a semi-random spell, ranging from teleport without error to disintegrate to domination.[8]
However, the wielder of the teeth quickly fell victim to an insidious curse that turned them evil and prone to hoarding treasure (especially the teeth themselves), and to feel compelled to establish a lair in a cave somewhere.[8]
Pact Magic Teeth[]
All the teeth in this set were associated with powerful souls capable of granting powers to their servants.[note 1] Implanting one of these teeth linked the wielder's mind and body to that specific soul. These powerful souls would occasionally attempt to influence the tooth-bearer; this influence could be resisted but doing so generally led to adverse effects. Additionally, implanting a tooth associated with a powerful soul caused the tooth-ee to display physical signs associated with that soul,[11] such as teeth growing from one's scalp[9] or an extra set of eyes.[12]
| Tooth | Power | Value |
| Acererak | The ability to cast command undead thrice per day.[11] | 10,800 gp |
| Agares | The ability to cast earthquake once per day.[11] | 43,200 gp |
| Amon | The ability to cast burning hands at will.[11] | 9,000 gp |
| Andras | The ability to cast magic circle against good and against evil once per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Andromalius | The ability to cast discern location once per day.[11] | 43,000 gp |
| Aym | The ability to cast produce flame once per day.[11] | 9,000 gp |
| Balam | The ability to cast polar ray once per day.[11] | 43,200 gp |
| Buer | The ability to cast neutralize poison once per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Chupoclops | The ability to cast ethereal jaunt once per day.[11] | 32,760 gp |
| Dahlver-Nar | A blessing of defense.[11] | 8,000 gp |
| Dantalion | The ability to cast command thrice per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Eligor | Increased strength.[11] | 16,000 gp |
| Eurynome | The ability to cast water walk once per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Focalor | The ability to cast call lightning once per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Geryon | The ability to cast fly once per day.[11] | 5,400 gp |
| Haagenti | The ability to cast lesser confusion at will.[11] | 9,000 gp |
| Halphax | The ability to cast imprisonment once per day.[11] | 55,000 gp |
| Haures | The ability to cast phantasmal killer once per day.[11] | 30,240 gp |
| Ipos | Increased intelligence.[11] | 16,000 gp |
| Karsus | The ability to cast dispel magic thrice per day.[11] | 16,200 gp |
| Leraje | The ability to cast greater magic weapon once per day.[2] | 21,600 gp |
| Malphas | The ability to cast greater invisibility once per day.[2] | 10,080 gp |
| Marchosias | Increased charisma.[2] | 16,000 gp |
| Naberius | The ability to cast lesser restoration thrice per day.[2] | 10,800 gp |
| Orthos | The ability to cast displacement once per day.[2] | 5,400 gp |
| Otiax | The ability to cast fog cloud thrice per day.[2] | 10,800 gp |
| Paimon | Increased dexterity.[2] | 16,000 gp |
| Ronove | The ability to cast expeditious retreat at will.[2] | 9,000 gp |
| Savnok | The ability to move normally even while wearing heavy armor.[2] | 2,000 gp |
| Shax | The ability to cast freedom of movement once per day.[2] | 10,080 gp |
| Tenebrous | The ability to cast deeper darkness once per day.[2] | 5,400 gp |
| Zagan | The ability to cast poison once per day.[2] | 16,200 gp |
Tale Teeth[]
All the teeth in this set were associated with a particular story, and could both be implanted to gain magical effects or planted in the ground to summon various creatures, though planting the tooth caused it to disappear.[7]
| Tale | Tooth | Implantation effect | Planting summon |
| Ashes of the Ages and Eternal Fire | Jade humanoid bicuspid | The ability to cast counterspell once per day. Unless this power was used daily, the wielder's vitality was permanently sapped.[13] | One dao, one djinni, one efreeti, and one marid |
| Beyond the Rock of Bral | Silver mind flayer tooth | The wielder gained the power of telepathy and could cast detect thoughts at will, but was also haunted by constant whispers from other minds.[7] | Two mind flayers |
| The Claws of Dragotha | Broken translucent fang | The ability cast create undead once per day, but every time the spell was used a hostile undead creature was also created nearby.[13] | One adult red dracolich |
| Dahlver-Nar's Tooth | Dusty human molar | The ability to call on divine intervention once every seven days.[13] | One humanoid priest |
| Daughters of Bel | Green steel pit fiend fang | The ability to cast dominate monster once per day, and the wielder reeked of sulfur.[13] | One pit fiend |
| The Disappearances of Half Hollow | Vomerine tooth of a toad | The ability to jump long distances.[13] | Four giant toads |
| The Donkey's Dream | Rainbow-colored donkey molar | The ability to heal and cure ailments up to three times, and a compulsion to oppose evil.[7] | One unicorn |
| Dooms of the Malpheggi | Emerald lizardfolk fang | The wielder grew reptilian scales, making him or her hardier but also increasingly exhausted.[7] | Five lizardfolk, one of them a queen |
| Duggle's Surprising Day | Human molar | Upon resting, the tooth cast sanctuary on its wielder.[7] | One humanoid commoner |
| The Golden Age of Dhakaan | Golden goblin cuspid | The ability to redirect blows aimed at oneself towards others.[7] | Eleven goblins, one of them a boss |
| Incendax's Tooth | Ruby-veined red dragon fang | Immunity to fire damage, and the ability to exhale magical fire in a cone, though doing so quickly led to exhaustion.[13] | One ancient red dragon |
| The Last Tarrasque | Jagged sliver of tarrasque tooth | The wielder's attacks were more damaging, but he or she was also prone to fits of murderous rage.[13] | One tarrasque |
| Legendry of Phantoms and Ghosts | Obsidian human molar | The ability to cast Evard's black tentacles once per day.[13] | One giant octopus, one humanoid wizard, and one specter |
| The Mill Road Murders | Halfling canine | The ability to cause grievous injury to an enemy with ghostly blades.[7] | A coven of three green hags |
| Nightmares of Kaggash | Twisted beholder tooth | The ability to cast eyebite once per day. Also, the wielder was continually hunted by aberrations.[13] | One beholder |
| The Stable Hand's Secret | Sweet-tasting human canine | Temporarily increased charisma, but anyone affected eventually turned hostile.[7] | Two incubi |
| The Staring Cats of Uldun-dar | Ivory cat molar | The ability to cast revivify eight times. If the wielder were to die, the tooth would automatically revivify him or her.[7] | Nine cats |
| The Thousand Deaths of Jander Sunstar | Yellowed vampire fang | The ability to bite others and steal some of their vitality, but also the inability to heal while in sunlight.[13] | One vampire |
| Three Bridges to the Sky | Lapis lazuli oni fang | The ability to fly, and to cast detect magic at will.[13] | Three oni |
| When the Sky Screams | Blue dragon fang | The wielder was immune to lightning damage, but vulnerable to thunder damage.[13] | One ancient blue dragon |
History[]
Who created the Teeth of Dahlver-Nar was completely unknown, as was the process for making them. While it was universally accepted that Dahlver-Nar discovered the teeth, several versions of the story existed.[6] In one version, Dahlver-Nar was a novice cleric who chanced upon the teeth while exploring the lair of the dead red dragon Incendax, who had been destroyed by (and in turn destroyed) thirteen archmages. In this rendition, all the Teeth of Dahlver-Nar belonged to the dead dragon.[1]
In another version, Dahlver-Nar was a supremely powerful cleric favored by the gods. When he died, his teeth were imbued with great magic and were treated as holy relics by his followers.[14]
A third version was told among binder scholars. Here, Dahlver-Nar was a cleric who forsook his divine calling to gain power through pact magic, and who grew obsessed with the teeth after discovering them. These scholars maintained that the teeth were not Dahlver-Nar's own, nor did they belong to a dragon, but were instead associated with souls that had grown powerful enough to grant powers through others via pacts.[5][note 1]
Reputation[]
Many people believed that the Teeth of Dahlver-Nar were used by malevolent forces to control the minds and actions of those who implanted them.[6] They were correct.[11]
Notable Owners[]
- Dahlver-Nar, who discovered the teeth and became so obsessed with them that his soul gained tooth-themed powers in the afterlife.[5]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tome of Magic uses the term "vestige" for these pact-granting soul entities. In the 5th edition Dungeon Master's Guide, "vestige" refers to a dead or forgotten deity, and so the term is avoided here.
Appearances[]
Card Games
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 David "Zeb" Cook (December 1993). Book of Artifacts. (TSR, Inc), p. 101. ISBN 978-1560766728.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 79. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 135. ISBN 978-0786967025.
- ↑ Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 26.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 77. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 136. ISBN 978-0786967025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 David "Zeb" Cook (December 1993). Book of Artifacts. (TSR, Inc), p. 102. ISBN 978-1560766728.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (December 1993). Book of Artifacts. (TSR, Inc), pp. 101–102. ISBN 978-1560766728.
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 78. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ Matthew Sernett, David Noonan, Ari Marmell and Robert J. Schwalb (March 2006). Tome of Magic 3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 32. ISBN 978-0786939091.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 138. ISBN 978-0786967025.
- ↑ Gary Gygax (1979). Dungeon Masters Guide 1st edition. (TSR, Inc.), p. 161. ISBN 0-9356-9602-4.