The Soulforges

Of all the discoveries to come out of the ruins of the Yawen the most influential and devastating was the soulforge.
The first soulforge was an actual artifact but in the same ruins were found the instructions to build more.
The soulforge was a device that allowed the construction of items of incredible power by binding the living essence of a being into the item, the more powerful the donor the more power that could be bound to the item. With this some of the most powerful and famous artifacts known were forged binding great elementals and in some cases, it is said, gods.
The list of artifacts that can be traced to one of the forges includes many items blessed and infernal. The sword Retaliator was forged from the greatest Paladin of the age to allow him to continue to fight after a grievous injury. Kravensbane was forged for a warlord who was renowned for never retreating from battle. With this art the Dark Lord built the Hellsgate to build his armies. And out of the forge came the mysterious blade Woodsheart.
While both magi and priests embraced this art as a means to power and glory there were many who felt the cost was too high and counciled setting it aside lest it lead to ruin. In the end the opposition to the soulforges became the spark that started the inferno that was the great purification and changed the shape of magic in the Empire.