Sulfur, also known as brimstone, was an alchemical substance used in potion-making.[3] It had a potent rotten egg smell, often associated with fiends of the Abyss.[4]
“
Despite all this ridiculous incense, mistress, I suddenly detect the odor of sulfur. And a strange presence—similar to dragonfear, but not nearly as strong. Should we be concerned?
”
Description[]
Sulfur was a naturally occurring substance that could be found and, more often smelled, in the vicinity of volcanoes,[3] swamps, and hot springs.[6]
Locations[]
Naturally Occurring[]
- Akarav's Bay was a place of always warm mineral springs and sulfur-infused hot springs.[7]
- Ambilya Shan, the Sacred Mountain of Amber, was known for its exposed deposits of sulfur-tainted obsidian.[8]
- Carceri's atmosphere was filled with sulfurous vapors and brimstone smoke.[9]
- Chultan volcanoes were known to produce brimstone.[3]
- Imnescar was a small Amnian town that had sulfur springs inside the caves to its east. Locals believed that the sulfuric smells came from an old wizard's potion brewery hidden inside the caves.[10]
- Lake Esmel's western shallow waters had a high concentration of sulfur, coloring its waters sea-green, as opposed to the rest of the lake's deep midnight-blue color.[7]
- The Mount in the Border Kingdoms was an active sulfur- and smoke-spewing volcano of many vents.[11]
- Mount Zatal in Maztica held caverns of sulfurous geysers and melted rock.[12]
- The Underdark[13] had multiple areas rife with volcanic activity and hot springs. Fyvrek'Zek, the area under Thaymount, was one of them.[14]
- The Vast Swamp's hot springs were warmed by the volcanic activity deep underground.[6]
Merchants[]
- Seven Suns Trading Coster in Neverwinter: A drow merchant M'tari Prin'tal was selling various alchemical supplies including sulfur circa 1479 DR.[3]
Usage[]
- Fabric dye of vermilion color was made using sulfur, alkali, and mercury.[3]
- Fabric dye of yellow color and yellow paint were made using sulfur and were sold by Aurora's Emporium.[15]
- Firenewts were known to make a paste out of sulfur, mineral salts, and oil. They enjoyed chewing on the mix and often carried a container of it with them.[16]
- Ghul-kin's weaker cousins, lesser ghuls, could be created from living beings via a cruel magical ritual that involved placing the victims into a stupor, dusting them with sulfur, wrapping them in bandages, placing them inside copper containers, and dusting them with metal powders. The victims were left inside the containers for a number of months slowly being transformed into the ghoulish ghuls.[17]
- Lures made out of sulfur were used in Port Nyanzaru, Chult, as a way to attract Hedetet, a scorpion-like elemental creature that was birthed from a volcano in years past.[3]
- Oil of sulphur was a magic oil often used to trick intelligent creatures into setting themselves on fire as well as a delightful massage oil used by efreeti.[18]
- Smoke spheres were small sulfurous black orbs that exploded in a flash when thrown and created a 10 feet (3 meters) black smoke cloud.[19]
- Stinkpots were commonly filled with burning sulfur.[20]
Spell Components[]
- Conjure fire elemental required a pinch of sulfur and phosphorus to be used as the material component.[21]
- Conjure nature elemental required lit incense, softened clay, sulfur, phosphorus, sand, and water.[22]
- Explosive cascade required bat guano and sulfur, as well as copper pieces packed into a metal tube with one end sealed.[23]
- Fireball and delayed blast fireball spells both required bat guano and sulfur.[24]
- Firebrand required a pinch of sulfur and a spark of fire.[25]
- Flame strike's only material component was a pinch of sulfur.[26]
- Flashburst's material component was a pinch of phosphorus or sulfur.[27]
- The lightning bolt spell, or at least a version of it, could be cast using a handful of dry sulfur as the material component, as demonstrated by a harper wizard Brenna Graycloak in 1362 DR while battling a darkenbeast.[28]
- Melf's minute meteors required a bead molded out of nitre, sulfur, and pine tar.[29]
- Protection from the elements, when cast as protection from fire, required the use of sulfur.[30]
- Syluné's streaking meteor required a wing of an insect or a feather, a pinch of ash, and a pinch of saltpeter or sulfur.[31]
- Steam blast required some wetted powdered sulfur and two tea leaves or a drop of dragon saliva as material components.[32]
- Summon fire dragons, a Zakharan spell, required a strip of paper soaked in saltpeter, coal oil, and sulfur to be lit aflame as its material component.[33]
- Zikalan fireform, a spell very rarely seen on Toril, required a mix of salt, sulfur, and ground peppercorns to be tossed into fire.[34]
Trivia[]
- Hell hounds' bodies smelled of smoke and sulfur.[35]
- Iron golems of Ironslag vented sulfurous smoke from their vents when activated.[36]
- Kruthiks could not stand the smell of their dead. The creatures' insides reeked of sulfur. Kruthik ichor, innards, and body parts were a valuable commodity in the areas where these monstrous insects were common.[37]
- Oblex could create duplicates of creatures that were virtually indistinguishable from the original apart from a faint odor of sulfur around them.[38]
- Nightmares'[39] and red dragons' breath of fire had a heavy distinct stench of sulfur.[40]
- In addition, a red dragon's dung contained significant quantities of sulfur and potassium nitrate.[41]
- Saurials of Tarkhaldale were known to exude the scent of brimstone when confused.[42]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Blood Charge • A Dozen and One Adventures • Caravans • Secrets of the Lamp • Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave • Tomb of Annihilation • Waterdeep: Dungeon of the Mad Mage • The Orrery of the Wanderer
- Referenced only
- Nightmare Keep (adventure) • Undermountain: Stardock • TSR Jam 1999 • For Duty & Deity • Sons of Gruumsh • Princes of the Apocalypse • Storm King's Thunder • Curse of Strahd
- Novels
- Pool of Radiance (novel) • Ironhelm • Red Magic • Elminster in Hell
- Referenced only
- Pools of Darkness (novel) • Pool of Twilight • Dragonwall (novel) • Elfshadow • Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad • An Opportunity for Profit• The Crimson Gold • The City of Ravens • Temple Hill (novel) • The Godborn • The Sentinel
- Video Games
- Secret of the Silver Blades • Neverwinter
- Referenced only
- Sword Coast Legends • Warriors of Waterdeep
- Gamebooks
- Knight of the Living Dead
References[]
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 37. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ Dave Gross (March 1998). An Opportunity for Profit. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 39. ISBN 0-7869-0868-8.
- ↑ James M. Ward and Anne K. Brown (1992). Pools of Darkness. (Wizards of the Coast), p. ?. ISBN 978-1560763185.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Richard Baker, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan, Matthew Sernett, James Wyatt (March 2007). Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 39–41, 48–49. ISBN 978-0-7869-4119-3.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 45. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Troy Denning (May 1991). Blood Charge. (TSR, Inc.), p. 18. ISBN 0880388897.
- ↑ Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 161. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
- ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Two: Amn”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 131. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
- ↑ Douglas Niles (1990). Ironhelm. (TSR, Inc), chap. 1, p. ?. ISBN 0-8803-8903-6.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 103–104. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Bruce R. Cordell, Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jeff Quick (October 2003). Underdark. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 182. ISBN 0-7869-3053-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 76. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, et al. (November 2016). Volo's Guide to Monsters. Edited by Jeremy Crawford, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 142. ISBN 978-0786966011.
- ↑ Rick Swan (1994). Al-Qadim: Caravans: Adventure Book. (TSR, Inc), p. 55. ISBN 1-56076-903-3.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (1993). Secrets of the Lamp (Adventure Book). (TSR, Inc.), p. 61. ISBN 1-56076-647-6.
- ↑ Steve Kurtz (1993). A Dozen and One Adventures (Muluk, City of Kings). (TSR, Inc), p. 28. ISBN 1-56076-622-0.
- ↑ Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen, Jon Pickens, John Terra and Scott Davis (1991). Arms and Equipment Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 95. ISBN 1-56076-109-1.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 225. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ Kevin Melka, John Terra (March 1995). “Campaign Book”. In Julia Martin ed. Ruins of Zhentil Keep (TSR, Inc.), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-0109-8.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 241. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Tim Beach (November 1995). Pages from the Mages. Edited by Jon Pickens. (TSR, Inc.), p. 101. ISBN 0-7869-0183-7.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 242. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 70. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Jean Rabe (December 1991). Red Magic. (TSR, Inc.), p. 35. ISBN 1-56076-118-0.
- ↑ Richard Baker, et al. (April 2015). Princes of the Apocalypse. Edited by Michele Carter, Stacy Janssen. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 238. ISBN 978-0-7869-6578-6.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (1993). Secrets of the Lamp (Adventure Book). (TSR, Inc.), p. 55. ISBN 1-56076-647-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (1995). The Seven Sisters. (TSR, Inc), p. 95. ISBN 0-7869-0118-7.
- ↑ Richard A. Hunt (November 1992). “Arcane Lore: Additional spells for elemental wizards”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #187 (TSR, Inc.), p. 38.
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (1993). Secrets of the Lamp (Adventure Book). (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 1-56076-647-6.
- ↑ Mark Middleton et al (September 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), p. 1045. ISBN 978-0786912094.
- ↑ Doug Stewart (June 1993). Monstrous Manual. (TSR, Inc), p. 187. ISBN 1-5607-6619-0.
- ↑ Christopher Perkins, et al. (September 2016). Storm King's Thunder. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 183. ISBN 978-0-7869-6600-4.
- ↑ Tim Eagon (December 2013). “Ecology of the Kruthik”. In Steve Winter ed. Dragon #430 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 39–43.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (May 29, 2018). Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Edited by Kim Mohan, Michele Carter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 217. ISBN 978-0786966240.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 195. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 76. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ Gregg Sharp (June 1988). “The Ecology of the Red Dragon”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #134 (TSR, Inc.), p. 36.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (February 2002). “Lords of the Lost Vale”. In Jesse Decker ed. Dragon #292 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 36–43. Archived from the original on 2016-10-02. Retrieved on 2009-08-19.