Lazuline Whetstone of Refinement's Shine

The Lazuline Whetstone of Refinement's Shine is an enchanted whetstone formerly in the collection of the Hall of the Virtuous.

## Description

While trying to recover the Heartgerm from the Chromarind Heart Tree believed to belong the Fey city of Cal Belanor, now known as Vibur Nhum, at the behest of Vankeshtad and his patron, the Archfey Ilena, the group of adventurers found themselves passing through a number of storage rooms beneath the Hall of the Virtuous. In one such room, marked as *Weapons & Armour,* the warlock Ashewan Norvegicus would take one of the display pieces, a whetstone with a sapphire inlay.

## Research

### Completed by Anivia Reman

The inclusion of a precious gemstone immediately betrays the nature of the whetstone as either intended to be purely ceremonial and not intended for use, or possessing of an enchantment that allows for it be used in a means alternative to the typical method of drawing a blade across its surface to grind and hone it to an edge once more. There is no indication of any cutting fluid residue on the surface, further pointing towards the latter, albeit with it the caveat of as a museum piece, it is likely that any tarnish left by such usage would have been thoroughly cleaned off before displaying. Further still, there is no sign of any wear or warping on the stone as would naturally occur with its usage - necessitating usage of a levelling stone to prevent warping and curving of the blade being sharpened. As such, even before arcane methods are used to further examine it, it can safely be assumed that an enchantment likely exists upon the stone.

Delving deeper into historical tomes for reference to the whetstone, its provenance is established. Following the earthquakes of 193AG known as the Shattering Six, in which widespread damage was dealt across the Realms - but none more so than the subterranean kingdom of Mol Boramm. As the mountain shook above and below the peoples of the City of the Sprawling Reach, they lost much and more, many of their most productive mines collapsing in, a portion of their residential stretches crushed beneath debris, and their main entrance sealed to the world for several months. Aid came from many of the neighbours, acting out of altruistic intentions, or for sake of their need for continued trade and economic boon, depending on the tale, aiding to clear and rebuild what had been lost. To each those that came to their aid, King Akraham I Grithammer gifted a token of friendship and appreciation, and it was unto the King Gauthier I Goldlor that the Lazuline Whetstone of Refinement's Shine was given. Crafted from a piece of stone that fell and nearly crushed Akraham himself as he was athrone, the inlay of precious light blue gemstone makes direct reference to the royal colour of the Realm of Atralran. The whetstone remained a treasured item in the vault of the Gildhearth Throne for a number of generations, before being lost with the death of Gilbert V Goldlor during a campaign against the Empire of Codorne in 457AG known as the War of the Stormblighted Plains. Assumed to have been claimed as a spoil of war by the Codornians, none amongst the Provinces of the Empire of the West would make claim to now owning the object, henceforth falling into obscurity.

Casting *Identify* on the whetstone yields the following information:

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> #### **Lazuline Whetstone of Refinement's Shine**
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> *Wondrous Item, rare*
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> This sapphire-inlaid stone whetstone was gifted to Gauthier I Goldlor by the dwarves of Mol Boramm in thanks to his offering of aid after the Shattering Six, a number of devastating earthquakes that ravaged the continent of Ahlus.
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> The whetstone has 3 charges. As an action when you touch it against a nonmagical weapon, you can expend a charge, turning that weapon into a magic weapon with a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can instead choose to expend all 3 charges, turning that weapon into a magic weapon with a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 hour.
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> In addition, if placed next to a weapon for one minute, the whetstone magically cleanses all areas of nonmagical tarnish and grime, buffing scratches and dents, and sharpening its edge.
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> The whetstone regains 1d2+1 expended charges daily at dawn.
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