(some of this is basically a repeat from earlier posts of mine, but I wanted to get everyone's view anyway)
I think that the Dark Lense was crafted by ancient halfling nature masters (I'm talking Epic Level...) durring the height of the Blue age.. it was crafted by not one but many nature masters, they granted it the ability to bestow upon it's user the 'use' of psionic powers, which the dark lense fueled, it also amplified energies used upon it, from the ability to life shape, (hence, it's use in changing the sun), even to elemental energies, (and since it enhances life shaping, it also magnifies wizardly energies). This was a precursor to the new age races.
(the following is a tiny bit of a stretch, but it's kinda fun this way :P)
The connection the Dark Lense had with the elements, and it's ability with psionics, was implanted, ever so minutely, in the 'potential' of lots of the rebirth races.. hence, everyone was given the ability to grow, to connect with nature in a way not previously known (hence, elemental clerics in the green age, see D&PoA) it also granted everyone an innate capacity for Psionics, which, just like using the Dark Lense, had to be 'learned' by the individual. and its capacity for enhancing or altering the spark of life, that too was granted, but thought that such use wouldn't come for many many generations.. (Rajaat jumped ahead an "royally" screwed things up, bringing in power before wisdom, which they'd tried to avoid with the self mastery involved in psionics and the hoped for respect for life that a connection to the elements would provide) Remember, all the primary elements and one para, are basically preserver aligned.. However, Arcane magic, like life shaping, was incredibly powerful, and while many races had the capacity, the knowledge of how to implement it wasn't given, Rajaat searched it out while tracing the work of the halflings..
So, the Dark Lense was crafted, at the height of their power, and gifted with grand abilities, and used as a template in many of the new races, but at the close of the Blue age, it was forgotten, until Rajaat discovered it in the Priestine Tower, and used it for his own purposes... Yet this Relic of the blue age endures even still.. perhaps it can lead to Athas' restoration?? perhaps there is more to it than the simple uses it's been put to? could there be a wealth of knowledge hidden within that Dark Lense?? that most mortals are blissfully unaware of?? What would happen if it were again placed in the hands of halflings?? What would the Last Tree (PAoA) make of it?? What would the returning Rhul Thaun make of it (after their little space adventure).
Ok, there's my thoughts, what's yours??
RFoaDK is not canon (thankfully!).
Definitely. The Dark Lens is the most powerful Artifact on Athas after the Pristine tower itself. Its destruction would probably turn the sun blue again.
RFoaDK is not canon (thankfully!).
turn the sun blue again? I'd never thought of that
it puts a real defiler taint to the artifact, saying that it, like a dragon, absorbs all that life energy, and it's slowly killing the sun...(hey, why not include RaFoaDK as cannon?? discrepancy asside, it's got some great ideas!)
(hey, why not include RaFoaDK as cannon?? discrepancy asside, it's got some great ideas!)
Something continues to give the Dark Lens unlimited power and the artifact has been described as burning the individual who touches it.
The RaFoaDK was good, however it has MAJOR discrepancies that the author has admitted.
especially if you had the rules for an elemental sun cleric AB it would be like, DA but for clerics :Pthe two things to remember here is psionics were very common in the green age, and i think its fair to say just by the virtue of using the dark lens rajaat had psionic potential.
the other thing to remember is magic is non-existant before rajaat...he literally brought it to athas. whether this is discovery, creation or exploitation is up for grabs, but he is the first sorceror for a reason. hence the magical nature of the lens infers he created it, most likely with the proven creation-abilities of the Pristine Tower. its not unlikely he created/took a psionic artifact, tapped the tower and used his own mastered powers to create a tool for focusing and amplifying his already incredible magical prowess.
where creativity is concerned...you could say perhaps he trapped a powerful psionic presence (or for the truly innovative, the soul of the Sorceror he actually learned his craft from ;) ) into an obsidian orb (ala the Lens) and then used the pristine tower as a point to tap that trapped essence. most artifacts are known to have a sense of residue if you will of their creator or composer, a tainting influence on the owner(s) as a result.
the other thing to remember is magic is non-existant before rajaat...he literally brought it to athas. whether this is discovery, creation or exploitation is up for grabs, but he is the first sorceror for a reason. hence the magical nature of the lens infers he created it, most likely with the proven creation-abilities of the Pristine Tower. its not unlikely he created/took a psionic artifact, tapped the tower and used his own mastered powers to create a tool for focusing and amplifying his already incredible magical prowess.
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Rajaat experimented with the energies that would become magic in a pyramid complex by the jagged cliffs region. It would seem to me that he came upon this knowledge and expanded upon it, perhaps it was elemental in its origin.
The Dark Lens could be the very artifact that Rajaat used to unlock magical energy, but i dont think he created it.
but using this, could Rajaat not have crafted a clone or simulacrum of himself, and used it to be a foundation for the Dark Lense?? It's weak, but possible.. and that doesn't explain it's tie to the Sun..
I personally don't think he created it, besides, it's more fun if he didn't, that way, it means that despite all his power, there are those, or were those, who had greater power than he! (And if we let him loose like I want, that means epic level characters are going to need to chase down the origin of the Dark Lense (which only epics could do) and try to find a way to destroy both it, and the first sorceror) How's that for an epic level campaign!!
If someone other than the First Sorceror created the Dark lense, then who were they? and where can I get some more of their wonderful toys??(speaking of which, ever notice that few life shaped items that survived ever duplicated effects stronger than 3rd or 4th level spells? What could you come up with if you went for higher level spell effects?? Maybe that's a thought for another thread ;) )