Death curse

The death curse, sometimes referred to as the anomaly, was an event that occurred from 2968 to 2970 in which virtually all magic capable of restoring dead creatures to life began to fail across Syra. In addition to resurrection spells, necromancy spells that bound the soul of an undead creature were also non-functional. Only spells usable immediately after death could be cast successfully.

In addition to causing resurrection magic to fail, anyone who had been raised from the dead within an approximately ten year period prior to the advent of the death curse began to rot away; no cure could be found for this condition, which would ultimately prove fatal to several individuals.

The lich Leardon Sunflare investigated the death curse and determined it was linked somehow to the Tomb of Horrors, sending the adventurers known as Garland's Garrotes to investigate. They returned to tell him that the demi-lich Acererak had returned, and though they destroyed his physical form once more they knew it was only a matter of time until he returned again. Though they had obtained a cryptic riddle with a clue to how to destroy Acererak forever, Leardon was unable to interpret it. Using the soul gems reclaimed from Acererak's skull, however, Leradon was able to determine that the source of the death curse was somewhere in the jungles of Estorium or Palmheart. The expedition led by Leardon's grandson, Wyncit Sutler, further pinpointed its source to the lost city of Omu.

Within the depths of the Tomb of the Nine Gods, they discovered that the source of the death curse was an artifact called the Soulmonger, powered by an atropal that Acererak found within the Shadowfell. After Lukanu slew the atropal, Tony Childs shattered the Soulmonger's crystal container, ending the death curse.