Tell me true, @TheEdVerse, are there any artifacts or entities in the Nine Hells capable of arresting Lord Asmodeus, even for a time? If so, what are they? If not, extend the search parameter beyond the Nine and answer once more.
— Zac (@zac_stelling) May 3, 2019
Oh, yes. Any “snarlshard” will do it. Picture a spindle-shaped, razor-sharp piece of black gemstone, resembling obsidian. When “given blood” (handling it bare-handed will do; it will slice you somewhere!), willed to drink, and hurled at or touched to someone, it…#Realmslore 2)
…will instantly start to drain magic (memorized spells) and/or life energy (hp) from a living being (NOT scrolls or magic items). It will bond to flesh, though it can easily be plucked off. So Asmodeus would pause to go around a floating shard, or dodge one, …#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) May 3, 2019
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…or even flee to circumvent it and come at its source by another way. Needless to say, anyone openly striding around the Nine Hells with a snarlshard is going to get BURIED in lesser devils, sent to rend them limb from limb. No unguarded, unhidden, unguarded…#Realmslore 4)
…snarlshards are to be found in the Hells, but there are quite a few of them all over Toril. They were a favourite "secret weapon" among the Netherese and (still are, among) certain hin and gnome families.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) May 3, 2019
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And yes, there are other means, both artifacts and entities, but they're far rarer and more secret or secretive, for obvious reasons.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) May 3, 2019
Sounds glorious! Can it be fashioned into a dagger, sword, pike, etc. that oh, say….a Vengeance Paladin of Kelemvor could use? You could tip a weapon with a snarlshard…and unlike obsidian or glass, snarlshards don't easily shatter…but they do chip and flake, so are short-use "tips and edges."#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) May 3, 2019