Durstarni

> "Zalcaros may be gone, but her power remains. Her spirit lives on in Durstarni... It lives on in *you*."
>
> — A Fal-Hína speaking to one of the Durrédír.

**Durstarni**, also known as **Soul Glass**, was a black Onyx gemstone attuned with the soul of Zalkaros - an Ancient Silver Dragon who plagued the coasts of Siniathel. It was believed that a rare sect of Fal-Hína who collected them, known as the Durrédír, were able to attune to them, and bring forth the draconic power of the soul that was trapped inside.

Durstani were exceedingly rare across Terazan, and was often sold for exceedingly high prices by merchants or used to perform magical rituals by bad actors across the land.

## Lyceth's Anecdote

*Xethius* - "What do these stones mean to you?"

*Lyceth* - "Have you ever heard of the **Durstarni**? Few have. Their literal translation means Dark Stone. They are Onyx that harbour a deep and dark energy. This energy is foretold to have emanated from a Ancient Silver dragon by the name of **Zalcaros**.

As Zalcaros sat upon her hoard for eons, these Onyx absorbed her power and became fixated within her scales. Centuries past, and during the great war of dragons, Zalcaros was injured and crashed into The Spine, the mountain range that splits Siniathel in two. A portion of **The Spine** was obliterated, rock crumbled, glaciers shattered and the heat and pressure from the impact created a vast number of priceless gemstones. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, lapis, jade, opal. The rarest of all were the onyx.

Minds greater than mine agreed that there was not enough energy within the impact to create these, and therefore the only place they could have come from were her scales. These onyx were the gems, overflowing with energy, that had belonged to Zalcaros’ original hoard. They had fallen from her scales during the impact, and in her confusion and fury, upon awaking from her decade long slumber, she parted without them.

The elven families found the impact site and each was gifted a type of gemstone. **The Everglades**, being the most respected of all elven families, were given the first choice, and chose the Onyx as their tribute. Immediately they discovered there was a dark magic within these stones, and while usually they would loath such artifacts, Zalcaros’ impact upon The Spine had unleashed an evil of itself. Great caverns and ravines had opened up, and from these depths crept creatures not of this world. The Everglades decided to harness the energy with the stones to fight back against the otherworldly beings. However it was at this moment that the humans along the coast of Siniathel had heard of the riches to be found within The Spine and started **The Great War**.

I could speak for an age of the atrocities that occurred but I will keep it short for today. The war ended in somewhat of a stalemate, but that is irrelevant to answer your question. During the war however, the stones were named the Durstarni, and were hidden away or crafted into powerful weapons and artefacts. Artefacts such as my ring...

During this time a secret sect of Everglades were formed and tasked with combating the creatures from The Spine, few know how they fared or what became of them. Creatures still spill down the mountainside so it appears that they were unsuccessful. Generations passed, I was born, and when able I started exploring Emeralis and its surrounding cities. My mother told me these stories and I decided to collect as many Durstarni as I can, to learn how to harness their power, and to one day return to Emeralis to defeat the creatures that prowl the forests and reave havoc upon all who live there. I hope to one day venture into The Spine and end these monsters’ plague on humanity once and for all."