The Embers of Innocence are magical manifestations created by mortal children throughout Faerûn. They are not physical objects, souls, or memories. Instead, they are small fragments of magical essence formed at the moment a child loses a significant piece of their innocence and begins to develop a more mature understanding of the world. The event that creates an Ember varies from person to person. For some children it may be the loss of a loved one, witnessing violence, experiencing betrayal, or confronting a difficult truth about the world. The exact trigger is different for every individual, but the result is always the same: a small amount of magical energy separates from the child and forms an Ember of Innocence. Children are unaware this process occurs, and the creation of an Ember has no harmful effect on them. It is considered a natural part of growing up. ### Nature of the Embers Embers of Innocence are not tangible objects and cannot normally be seen or touched. They exist as magical essences connected to concepts such as imagination, wonder, curiosity, hope, and childhood creativity. An Ember contains a small amount of the child's memories, it does not contain the personality or soul. Once created, it becomes completely separate from the individual who produced it. Because they are magical rather than physical, specialised rituals and training are required to locate, collect, and preserve them. ### Collection and Preservation The Dusk Wardens are responsible for locating and collecting newly formed Embers across Faerûn. This duty is considered one of the most important responsibilities of the organisation. Once recovered, the Embers are transported to the sanctuary of the Weavers, three sisters who lead the Dusk Wardens. There, the Embers are carefully preserved and protected from magical corruption, theft, or misuse. Over thousands of years, the Weavers have amassed an enormous collection of Embers gathered from countless generations of children. ### Use in Dream Weaving The primary purpose of the Embers is to serve as the foundation of dream weaving. The Weavers utilise the magical properties of the Embers to create and maintain dreams across Faerûn. The imagination, creativity, and sense of possibility contained within each Ember are woven together into dreamscapes experienced by sleeping mortals. While dreams can still occur naturally, the work of the Weavers helps sustain the richness, variety, and imaginative qualities found within them. ### Importance The Dusk Wardens consider the protection of the Embers to be a sacred duty. Many magical creatures and powerful entities have an interest in obtaining them due to their unusual properties. Because the Embers represent a unique form of magical essence that cannot be artificially created, every Ember is considered valuable. The loss of large numbers of Embers could potentially disrupt the Weavers' ability to perform their work and affect the dreamscape relied upon by countless mortals throughout Faerûn.