Crown of Karsus

The Crown of Karsus was an ancient and powerful artifact crafted by the briefly divine Netherese arcanist Karsus. It allowed the wearer to wield magical power, yet remain independent from the Weave.
==Description==
In its most modern iteration, the Crown of Karsus remained massive in scale, similar to Karsus Butte, the once-god's petrified remains found in the Dire Wood.
==Powers==
The Crown of Karsus allowed the wearer to, as Karsus put in his own words, "attract and absorb magical knowledge" and have "dominion over oneself" separate from the Weave. Through use of the three Netherstones, the Crown can be used to issue commands to the wearer, but all three stones are required to relay the command. Once the wearer has finished executing their current orders, they may be free to do as they please.
==History==
Karsus wore the crown when he attempted to supplant Mystryl as the new god of magic in the , a desperate act he believed would save Netheril from the destruction wrought by the conflict between the phaerimm and the sharn. While Karsus briefly achieved apotheosis, his actions―which came to be known as Karsus's Folly―ended the empire of Netheril in mere moments. The Crown of Karsus granted the arcanist the power to even "succeed" to that extent, but was partially destroyed in the process.
Some time after the fall of Netheril, the Crown of Karsus was recovered by the archdevil Mephistopheles and kept within his infernal vault in Cania for over a millennium.
In the late 15 century DR, the mortal Chosen of Bane, Enver Gortash, and of Bhaal, the Dark Urge, orchestrated a daring raid on Mephistopheles' vault in the hells. With the strategic aid of Helsik, a diabolist capable of opening portals to the hells, they successfully stole the crown from the archdevil. They and their allies, fellow chosen of Bane and of Myrkul, used it to enslave the elder brain that dwelled beneath Moonrise Towers and start the Cult of the Absolute across the Sword Coast. Gortash and his allies placed the Crown of Karsus atop the elder brain, and used three jewels―known as netherstones―that were sundered from the crown during Karsus's Folly to control the aberrant monstrosity. The three separated netherstones allowed the chosen of the Dead Three to control the Netherbrain and use it to further the schemes of their respective gods.
==Reputation==
The Crown was one third of the powerful artifacts that composed the Regalia of Karsus. Their functions were detailed in The Annals of Karsus.
It was believed by some that the original Crown of Karsus could be reforged by rejoining the setting with the three netherstones.
==Notable Owners==
* Mephistopheles
* The Netherbrain
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
===Gallery===
Image:Crown of Karsus Wayne Chu.jpg|The Crown of Karsus sitting atop the Netherbrain.
Image:Crown of Karsus concept.png|Concept art of the Crown of Karsus.
===References===
Category:Netherese items
Category:Artifacts