Qysari Rings was the title given to the various magical rings made especially for the rulers of the Shoon Imperium.[1] The name comes from "qysar", an ancient term for "emperor" that Amahl Shoon III, the first in a long line of imperial rulers, adopted for his title.[2] The rings were a subset of the shoonrings, a more general term for magic rings made in the Shoon Imperium[3] during the sixth age of Calimshan (27 – 450 DR),[4] which had unique and distinguishing elements in their construction and enchantment.[3][5] There were twelve known Qysari Rings, as documented by the scribe Rativ ym Shoon, a slave who described and cataloged the rings in the Year of the Errant Kings, 356 DR. This information was later presented in The Magics of the South by the Herald of Athkatla, Zatan Arrowswift,[1] but either some of the descriptions have been lost to the ravages of time, or they are being kept secret, because only ten rings are described below and two of those have a questionable pedigree.[note 1]
Description
Each ring had different color metals twisted together in a raised zigzag pattern that flowed around the circumference of the ring. What distinguished Qysari Rings from other shoonrings and magic rings in general was the way they adjusted to the wearer when they were donned. A wizard saw no change in the design of the ring, but clerics, druids, and other priests saw the zigzag pattern change direction, flowing at right angles to the previous pattern, disappearing under one edge of the ring and emerging from the other edge. When warrior or rogue put on one of these rings, the raised lines of the ring flattened out as if melting to make a smooth band, but the zigzag pattern was still visible in the surface of the ring.[1]
- Akkabar's battleblade ring
- The first ring was made for Akkabar Shoon the Elder and he used it in his bid to become the Pasha of Calimshan by eliminating his predecessor. When activated, the bands of the ring unwound in the direction the ring finger was pointing and became a blade barrier until it eventually returned to ring form.[6]
- Annulus Conflagros
- This ring was made for Shoon III and combined the protection of a ring of fire resistance with the offensive capabilities of an enhanced wand of fire.[7]
- Amahl's Mastering
- Truly a masterpiece of magical enchantment, Amahl the Mad had this ring made with the utmost secrecy about its abilities. It was ostensibly a ring of djinni summoning but it had many other enchantments, including the ability to wound or cast spells upon other shoonring wearers in the vicinity. In addition, he had the magic Silver Scimitar made along with this ring. The Masterring unlocked potent and deadly abilities in the otherwise ordinary sword of dancing.[3]
- Mastering of Amahl V
- This ring may be a myth created by rumor or a clerical error. It was supposedly a ring of efreeti calling, which is similar to the well-known function of Amahl the Mad's Mastering, but was attributed to his brother Amahl V. It was reportedly part of the vast treasure hoard of the great blue wyrm Iryklathagra who had extorted tribute from the syl-pashas of Calimshan and plundered the ruins of Shoonach after the fall of the Imperium.[8][note 2]
- Annulus Qysarus Major
- Shoon IV commissioned two rings that worked individually or in concert. The major ring was a ring of spell turning, but when combined with the minor ring they acted similar to a ring of vampiric regeneration, turning spells targeting the wearer into healing.[7]
- Annulus Qysarus Minor
- The other half of the Annulus Qysarus pair of rings was a ring of spell storing, but when worn with the major ring they acted similar to a ring of vampiric regeneration (as above) that also allowed the wearer to increase the potency of spells stored in the minor ring by sacrificing some of his or her health.[7]
- Dual Ring of Velsharoon's Bindings
- The empress Shoon V was dreadfully afraid of the undead and commissioned this piece of jewelry, which was two rings joined by a short chain, to be worn on the index and little fingers of one hand. It gave the wearer a small circle of protection from any undead creature as well as increased resistance to necromantic spells.[7]
- Qysarus Secretus
- The thoroughly evil Shoon VII commissioned this ring and he wore it the vast majority of the time. This ring negated all forms of scrying or detection directed at the wearer. It was effective against ESP and psionics as well as all other forms of magical detection.[7]
- Unicorn's Bane
- This ring was a ring of teleportation with custom modifications made for Shoon VII. The wearer could name a race, species, or individual and be instantly teleported to within a few yards (meters) of a representative of the chosen race or species, or the named individual. The potential target had to be within two miles (a little over three kilometers) of the wearer's location for the effect to work. This ring was the primary reason that Shoon VII was able to exterminate the unicorn population of Shilmista forest and murder their elven caretakers.[7]
- shoonring of swimming
- This ring was possessed by Tystarn Dauntinghorn of Cormyr as of the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR, given to him secretly and indirectly by Manshoon, ostensibly as a gift from the Men of the Basilisk. The ring was a ring of swimming but unknown to Tystarn it also prevented detection or dispelling of all charms in operation on the wearer at the time the ring was donned. It was this secret ability that indicated this ring might have been one of the Qysari Rings of old.[9]
Appendix
Notes
- ↑ Unless other sources are discovered, it is likely that the some of the rings have been left undefined to allow DMs to invent their own Qysari Rings.
- ↑ The sourcebook Dragons of Faerûn states on page 20 that the "mastering of Amahl V (ring of efreeti calling, analogous to a ring of djinni calling)" was part of her treasure hoard. It is unknown if the authors meant to say Amahl IV or if this is indeed another of the Qysari Rings.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 90. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 191–192. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), pp. 90–91. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 91. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd, Eytan Bernstein (August 2006). Dragons of Faerûn. Edited by Beth Griese, Cindi Rice, Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-3923-0.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 57. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.