Courtstone

Courtstones were powerful artifacts, created by The Korruksi Empire long ago.

History

Even in the heyday of the Korruksi Empire, Muspel was a harsh place to live. With their knowledge in magic, the Korruksi crafted these artifacts, known as Courtstones, to make the land they dwelled in more livable. The magic of an active Courtstone creates life in the land around it. Grasses sprout and flowers bloom; insects buzz and birds chirp; small springs flow forth to burble through the land. These small things are generated by the Courtstone itself in the area for miles around, turning even a wasteland into a pleasant garden. As a side bonus, the ground grows more fertile, good for planting many sorts of crops.

The Korruksi used these Courtstones to make the lands they settled into fertile and comfortable garden land. The artifacts were spread across the entirety of Muspel by Korruksi settlers, and their great cities all dwelt in land infused by Courtstones' magics. When Earthfall came, however, many of the Courtstones were by necessity left behind; they were simply too cumbersome for a people fleeing cataclysm to carry with.

Current Courtstones

In the decades since their abandonment, the Courtstones themselves slowly fell into ruin, the same as the rest of the Korruksi's empire. Many were destroyed outright by Earthfall; the ones that survived, however, have long since been worn down by the elements, and by simple time. Now, none of the Courtstones left in Muspel function, though many are still at least visibly intact. A few have been removed from their places for study, or by collectors seeking ancient artifacts. Despite intense interest, none have yet figured out a way to restore the broken relics, so most Courtstones have simply been left where they are.

Known to very, very few, there is still one functioning Courtstone in the Twin Continents. It is, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the heart of The Dowuari Iruxi's capitol city, lending its power to creating stable, fertile land in the middle of The Ironvine Swamp. This artifact is one of the reasons why no outsiders are allowed within Dowuari borders.

Appearance

Courtstones are massive blocks of sandstone, twice the height of a man. They do not have a standard silhouette, as they are carved from natural stones, but they all have flat faces on the front and back. These flat faces are carved with intricate magic runes, central to which is a large tree-shaped runic figure. Many finer details are impossible to make out, due to the weathering and damage the stones have endured, but flecks of golden paint can sometimes be found in what remains of the runes.

Additional Notes

"Such a fascinating application of primal conjunctions! I would love to know how the Korruksi made these wonderful stones. To be certain, we have many primal gifted who could, arguably, do the same thing, better and faster, as many of my brother and sister Speakers have said on multiple occasions. But these courtstones would allow entire villages without access to magic a way to revitalise their land, and can be left unattended without need for re-enchantment or maintainance! We often ignore small, subtle applications of magic because we have things that are 'better,' without ever thinking about how those without access to mages would benefit."

-Speaker White Pelt Stained Pitch Black, during his visit to the Academy on 12 Sarenith 4722