The Aural Monolith

The Aural Monolith is no mere artifact, but a solidified echo of the Cacophony, a monument to the destructive power of sound. Forged from a single block of Resonance Shale, a stone known for its ability to amplify and distort sound, its creation marks a turning point in the understanding of sonic energies within the Iron-Grip Mountains.

Unlike the carefully crafted Aetherium Conduits of the Order of the Azure Hand, which seek to control and channel energy, the Aural Monolith serves as a Resonance Dampener, designed to absorb and dissipate chaotic sonic vibrations, or perhaps even be used as a sonic weapon, similar to the devices the Cobalt Corsairs use. Its primary purpose to try and quell the rising tide of The Cacophony, although the Forgotten Smith did not fully complete the device.

The monolith stands as a silent testament to the failed efforts of the Silent Monks of Durin's Peak and the Gnomish Tinkers, who collaborated to construct this device. Their hope was to find the source of madness within the mountains, by harnessing the energies into one source, and destroying it. Before it was completed, the device overloaded, and shattered a section of the Glimmering Caverns, requiring the Crimson Cartographers to create a new map.

However, this device is dangerous, for it may attract The Cacophony, which could lead to The Great Unmaking. Perhaps it will only attract Valia, the Empty, and her power. Can the Sunstone of Aethelgard amplify its properties, or will it destroy the object entirely? Perhaps it requires a new type of musical rune, The Runes of Silence, to be properly activated.