When the characters first meet the Hamun Kost at Old Owl Well, the Red Wizard’s most interesting discovery so far is a ring of protection. Aside from Chardalyn stones, what other magical discoveries of Netherese origin might Hamun Kost unearth if given more time to scratch around in the dirt beneath the tumbledown tower? I have some thoughts:

• Netherpelter. Netherese arcanists carried netherpelters, which are magical blowguns that work with both magical and nonmagical ammunition. The magical ammunition listed in the linked article are a smidge overpowered, but the “firepit” ammunition might be reasonable option for a low-level adventure, so long as the ammunition is destroyed upon use. For the Dungeon Master hesitant to use any of the magical ammunition, a netherpelter is purported to “massively improve the speed, range, and power of the projectile.” My interpretation of that would be improved range (60/180), damage (3d4), and the ability to bypass resistance to nonmagical weapons.
• Circlet of Blasting. Stylish and deadly. Also, not overpowered. So, this is a solid choice for a low-level adventure. I never knew the circlet of blasting was of Netherese origin. There are days when this blog makes me feel like an archaeologist.
• Storm Star. A magic morning star that could release a version of chain lightning when it hit. Definitely overpowered for a low-level adventure, but you could nerf it by allowing whoever is attuned to the weapon to cast lightning lure as a bonus action up to 3 times a day when wielding the weapon instead.
• The Deck of Many Things. Yet another fun archaeological discovery while delving into lore for today’s musings. IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM! Normally, I try to stay away from Forgotten Realms lore derived from the video games when writing for Along the Triboar Trail. But the history provided by Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn is so cool, I’m willing to hand-wave it.
  • The original decks of many things were created by the ancient Empire of Netheril. Then, these decks were nothing but decks of game cards known as decks of hazards. This casual deck-building game was played with slightly enchanted cards competitively. After the fall of Netheril, the magic contained in surviving decks steeped and swelled into the potent cards known across the Realms for their dangers and possible beneficial effects.

The Deck of Many Things has the potential to upend any adventure, but some might say that’s the fun of it. Be sure to put a lot of thought into this item before unleashing it at your table.

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