On Harvestide, 1,000 D.R, Svldames "Firestone" Hightide finished the first
of his many experiments into the ability of gems to store magical energy.
A Fire Elementalist by training, he left his family's merchant coaster at a
young age to study magic.  He was known for his preference for somber blue
or white robes, fierce loyalty to his friends, and like of Lurien Spring
Cheese.  After several years under the tutelage of a Bringledamp (m-Gn,
Ill-12), he began his long term study into the ways of magic (his treatise
Gems- Manifestations of the Weave contains much of the magical properties,
as well as how to activate them, that is within VGtaTM; the only KNOWN copy
now resides within Candle Keep).  After some limited success with getting
gems to store low-level spells (primarily Magic Missile and Burning Hands,
he began research into a more permanent form.  His first success was a
10,000 GP Fire Opal that could store magical energy that could be released
later, and then more magic could be placed within the gem.  He placed the
gem into his own magical dagger, as a reminder that his hard work would
eventually pay off.  Ten years later, as he was upon the threshold of a
great discovery (involving gems that could permanently tap into the Weave,
he was slain by his wife in their bedchambers.  In reality, his wife,
Glenda (Ravencorps F-CE Succubus M-12/T-12), had been under orders to go to
the prime material plane, and seek out mages whose power and ideas could
help fuel the eternal Blood War.  She dragged him, along with much of his
magic and research into the Abyss.  His Tower in Neverwinter would remain
unentered for the next fifty years.

For the first several years after his disappearance, few wondered about
his fate, he was magi after all, but eventually, rumors began to spread
about his demise.  Finally in 1,060 DR, Darthin the Ape-lord, (H-M NE
T-15), invaded the tower.  Known for his use of trained apes and monkeys
(through a Ring of Simian Control taken from an explorer from Chult), he
used Spider Monkeys (FR-MC, about 2" high), to pick the lock, and small
"trap-finder" monkeys to set of the various glyphs and Runes that pervaded
the tower.  He was able to cart off much of what Ravencorps was unable to,
or what she just didn't want.  Among the items he found was the Dagger
"Fireheath", with it's expensive Fire Opal in the Pommel.  Although he
recognized the magic, he planned to sell it for a profit to a merchant
(MindRend Illithid Psi-11), with ties to Skullport and the rest of the
underdark.  He never made it, as while on the way to Luskan to meet a
mutual agent he tried to ambush a wondering hunter.  The Hunter, a high
cleric of Malar, had Darthin killed and consumed by his own Carnivorous Ape
body guards.  He then took the Dagger  (as well as the Ring of Simian
Influence), and headed for the High Forest to kill all the Druids he could
find.

He was very good at his chosen career, killing nearly two-score druids
before being caught in a rainstorm and being blasted apart by several Call
Lightning Spells.  The Druids who killed them, among them Leyla (F-GE
Dr-1), simply tossed the Dagger aside, not wanting any part of it.
Eventually, it was picked up by a mysterious thief who called himself
Mongoose.

As part of the Adventuring group, Dragontamers, he had an exciting, if
understandably short, career.  Once, he even managed to save himself and
his companions by placing a lucky shot into he eye of the Red Wyrm,
BackBlast (know for using confined spaces into his lair to force his Fire
breath to rebound in upon itself.
However, he lost the dagger while on a mission to find a rogue Blue
somewhere within the Shaeradim Mountains.  He lodged it deep into the belly
of the leader of a group of Hill Giants trying to squash him flat.  It
remained there for fifty years.

Gruunk, head of the Gnome-Basher clan of Hill Giants always felt a severe
pain after particularly spicy meals, such as Hot Gnome and Kobold Stew, and
often had a felt a hard object within the rolls of fat that surrounded his
middle.  One day while listening to a Gnome babble for its life, he felt a
sudden, intense heat, and then his belly exploded in fire.

Glassflint, (M-Gn 0-lvl), had been out looking for surface quartz when
surprised by the massive Hill Giant.  he immediately began to beg for his
life, and muttering about his family and friends, and was bemoaning how he
would never eat his mother's Spicy Fungus & Toadstool Soup (called
Strainedgem by the gnomes, due to the sparkles of the Fungus), when the
Giant's torso exploded in flames.  Unknown to the Gnome, he had called upon
the command word to release the Gemstone's stored Fireball Spell.  Curious,
he examined the fallen Corpse, spied the Dagger with the ornate fire Opal
Hilt, and thought it a Blessing of Glittergold, himself.  He immediately
took the dagger back to his underground village, StonyGarden)where his
story was quickly taken as cannon by the local priests.

The Dagger Became Known as the "Miracle of Glittergold", and many nearby
Gnomes began to make pilgrimages to the Dagger wielded by GlitterGold
Himself to slay an army of Hill Giants bent on Killing a long-lost Gnome
Prince (the story grew somewhat).  Alas, shortly after the Time of
Troubles, the dagger stolen form the temple, and it has been not seen
since, Despite the 30,000 GP reward offered by the Church of GlitterGold.

Appearance:  Fireheath appears as an ornate, finely crafted Steel Dagger.
The Hilt is made of some red metal, with a large, 10,000 GP Fire Opal set
into the hilt.  The Dagger always feels somewhat warm in a user's hands,
and it will radiate an aura of Fire Magic, if detected for.

Powers:  Fireheath is a Dagger+1/+2 vs cold dwelling creatures, Its
wielder is protected as if by an endure cold spell.  The Fire Opal in the
base can store up to 3 levels of Fire-based Magic,  These can be released
by Saying "Strainedgem" in Gnomish, followed by the spell, if more than 1
spell is within the dagger.  Releasing a spell has an iniative of 3.