Ederstone
Also known as Edosta, Deverstol, and Eiter.
Over two thousand years ago, the The Chimera visited their wrath upon Stildane : eighteen massive meteors rained down upon the land, choking the skies in dust and shattering the ancient cities of that land. The crimes of those ancient Stildanians can only be speculated, as nothing but ruins remain of those lost cultures.
While the choking dust of those meteors was wiped away by the Gods before the planet was destroyed, the cursed rock they scattered throughout the land began an age of terror. Whatever touches the Ederstone is transformed violently and monstrously; even being nearby causes life to mutate wildly. Even nonliving material mutates (albeit slower)- the air grows strange, stone can warp or even grow as if alive.
Distant exposure can lead to relatively minor changes- strangely colored hair or eyes, unusual bone growths, or the like. Moderate exposure can lead to wild mutations and even fusion with nearby animal or plant life- a magical hybridization normally beyond biology. Intense exposure leads to radical physiological changes and sometimes outright merging with already existing life. Direct exposure creates instantaneous radical changes- only immediate amputation of the affected area can prevent the entire creature from being rewritten. Interestingly, the Ederstone seems to sustain the life it creates- even biologically nonfunctional creatures created by its effects continue to survive.
Kobold are completely unaffected by Ederstone for some reason. Items constructed from Kobold bone or hide are required for handling or containing Ederstone.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Shimmering colors dance on a soft metal, giving it the unsettling appearance of movement. It looks as if it is melting, or soft enough to scoop.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Despite appearing soft and pliable, Ederstone is tough as copper. Kobolds report a steady, pulsing heat coming from within.
History & Usage
Cultural Significance and Usage
Stildanian religion is centered in some way around Ederstone- in worship or revulsion. Numerous cults across Stildane worship the Ederstone meteors as Godseeds- the eggs of the gods, radiating horrible divinity. As such, Ederstone is kept enshrined and fed- to court the favor of the unborn Gods within.
Kobold religion typically classifies Ederstone as a manifestation of corruption, which the holy people are untouched by. The radical sects of Kivishta weaponize this corruption against the impure- actively mining and containing Ederstone for use as a weapon and punishment. Non-Kobold children seen as undesirable are sometimes forcibly exposed to Ederstone as punishment to both them and their Kobold parents. The resulting creatures are then used as weapons of war or beasts of labor.
Arcane traditions often revere and fear Ederstone as an agent of chaos and revealer of truth.
Environmental Impact
Ederstone has transformed Stildane into an alien landscape with its own ecosystem in constant flux. Animals of similar mutation have bred together into unique subspecies; plants, animals, and minerals alike have grown to constantly adapt to one another.
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