Shards of the Day
The Shards of the Day are parts of a powerful magical item consisting of three magical swords and a large, slitted, silver hemisphere. Each sword has an individual name and minor powers, but when all are inserted into the silver hemisphere, the full power of the item is realized. The swords are styled as standard lang swords with distinctive bladesk, and each is a +2 weapon with an adiditonal bonus vs. a aprticular type opponent. The swords' powers are usable once per day and, unless occupying its slot in the silver hemisphere, a sword must be unsheathed and held in hand for the ability to function. The swords and their abilities are:
- Shard of Twilight
- Shard of Noon
- Shard of Midnight
The silver hemisphere is inset with a small piece of amber in the shape of the elder rune Tergara ("The Earth"). It radiates a permanent protection form elementals (all) in a a10' radius. Its primary purpose is to act as a catalyst to combine the power of the swords. The swords and the silver hemisphere join in some mysterious synergistic fashion and the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. The powers are cumulative, with the item beomcing more and more powerful as each sword is added. Not only do the powers of the individula swords function normally, but if a single sword is placed in an opening in the hemisphere, the Shards of the Day can Remove Fear, Cure Light Wounds, Cure Blindness/Deafness (Cause Blindness/Deafness), Cure Disease, Remove Curse, and Remove Paralysis once per day. It two swords are inserted in the hemisphere, than once per week the magical item can Cure Serious Wounds, Cure Critical Wounds, and Regenerate. When all three swords are placed in slits, once per month the item can be used to Restore, Resurrect, or Reincarnate. Also, when all three swords are placed in the hemisphere, it continually generates protection form elementals, evil, and undead ina 50' radius, and once per year the item can open a Gate to any plane desired. The swords need not be removed, and the item need only be touched before any of the powers function.
The sword or swords must remain in the silver hemisphere for the length of time required (i.e., one sword must be placed in the hemisphere for one day before Remove Fear is usable, two swords must be in place for one week before it can be used to Cure Serious Wounds and so on).The Shards were created by elves but given to the dwarves long ago for their assitance in one of the many goblin wars. The swords were kept in the royal treasury of Dylvwyllynn and for a time were loaned to powerful warriors as a sign of the king's favor.
It is not clear how they ended up in a treasure trove just gathering dust. It is likely that they were merely in the treasury for safekeeping when the earthquake struck suddenly. What happened after the earthquake is also a matter of conjecture. Sages assume that the vault bearing the Shards was probably sealed by the earthquake and was only discovered years later by some burrowing or tunneling creature. (Otherwise they would have been taken by the dwarveswhen they left the city or looted in the days following the city's fall.)
After their rediscovery, the swords passed from those of lesser strength to those of greater and greater strength, from mold men to beholder to Morwen, and so on.
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