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#1 bluepointsorcerer Oct 05, 2005 0:45:27

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS THREAD. By Anhairghen Faithliaig. THE GEMS, CONTINUED. Nelvine: An ornamental grade of spectrolite moonstone, this semi-opaque gem produces only a faint rainbow-hued iridescence in sunlight, and therefore is used only in the most inexpensive trinketry. Its greatest consumers are humans. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Nune: Also called cross-stones, these stones are kept solely for use as good-luck charms by the poor, as they lack any visual beauty or other useful property. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Obsidian: A naturally-occurring volcanic glass, obsidian is most commonly found in its black form, and is darkly transparent grey when this is the case. Occasionally, however, it occurs in other forms, such as snowflake (having odd white snowflake-like patches within it), mahogany (bearing opaque to translucent, bright mahogany-coloured streaks), sheened (bearing a silver, gold, bronze or rainbow-hued iridescence within) and spiderweb (with re-healed fractures that create a web-like appearance inside the stone in either the same or another colour of obsidian). Occasionally, cultures that lack metal craft workable blades from obsidian, and these are typically of gem-quality material. Hardness 8, 20 hp/inch. Ocanthan Ever-Ice: This bizarre mineral occurs only seldom in glass-like splinters, and is found exclusively inside the black-ice shards for which the layer of Ocanthus on Acheron is so well-known. It is typically of a dark forest-green to bottle-green hue, though specimens of other unsettling and dark colours are infrequently found. This stone is not so much mined as it is collected by random chance, since the inimical nature of Ocanthus makes any coordinated mining effort an extremely hazardous venture; typically, those who set up to “mine” this jewel either give up or get cut to shreds within a year. It is favored by the baatezu who live on Acheron, and gets its name from being the only part of an Ocanthan ice shard that does not dissolve when it is removed from Ocanthus. Hardness 17, 35 hp/inch. Octel: Found near major deposits of many metals, these spindle-shaped crystals cut fabulously beautiful yet inexpensive clear faceted stones of a deep and rich orange-yellow hue. Dwarves love them, not least of all for their ability to be carved and to hold a high degree of detail. Hardness 12, hp 30/inch. Onyx: A cryptocrystalline quartz gem related to agate and chalcedony, this stone is of a uniform black (occasionally with interspersion of evenly-spaced white bands). It is opaque, but takes a mirror-finish when properly polished, and as such it is prized for the creation of official seals. It occurs naturally in the form of thick-walled geodes in volcanic ash deposits, with the interior surface of the geode being lined with quartz crystals (usually smoky quartz).Hardness 18, 30 hp/inch. Opal: Coming in a wide range of colours and fire types, opal is an amorphous, solidified silica gel containing a variable water content, which accounts for its unusual variety of fire patterns and colours. Some opal lacks fire; this usually renders the opal worthless, unless it has some other redeeming feature, such as a rich body colour (as in fire opal) or a cat’s eye or star effect (the latter being unbelievably rare). It is highly prized in all its forms by all peoples that revere colour (elves especially). White opals are often referred to as moonbar, while contra-luz opals are commonly called water opals. Black and fire opals are known by their usual names. Hardness 12, 20 hp/inch. Ophealine: Mostly near-opaque and brown, these blade-shaped crystals are prized for their hardness and their tendency to take an edge when cut. This tendency makes them a favourite of lower-class street-fighters, who enjoy the scarring that these stones (when set into rings) produce on the faces of those punched with them. Their origin is volcanic, but they are only found near basaltic volcanoes. Hardness 16, 35 hp/inch. Orbalen: Occurring naturally as large, block-like tabular crystals, this stone occasionally produces gem-quality specimens of a spectacularly warm honey colour; for this reason, it is often called by the common name of honeystone. Its origins seem to be volcanic, as these crystals are generally found lining the inner walls of large vacancies in lava deposits, and it is most prized by dwarves and humans, who find its colour and smooth gloss strangely comforting. Hardness 12, 20 hp/inch. Orbaline: Consisting of very small natural crystals of dodecahedral form, this pale blue to colourless gem is always faceted for best effect. Because of their minute size, however, they only see any significant use as accent stones in more complex designs, though they are quite pricey for a mere accent stone. Hardness 16, 30 hp/inch. Orl: Found only in the oldest and softest blue ground where diamonds are mined, these spindle-shaped crystals come in shades of red, orange and tawny. Red specimens are most prized, especially by dwarves, who hold this jewel in very high regard (so much so that few other races ever get their hands on such specimens). Hardness 19, 40 hp/inch. Orprase: Another form of feldspar, this stone is found as tabular crystals of a high clarity and a pale straw-yellow to traceless colour. Halflings seem to prize it most highly, as few other races find it particularly attractive. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Pearl, Freshwater: These pearls are very uneven in shape, with a more rippled surface and a less luxuriant sheen than their marine cousins. They can come in all colours, with colour depending mainly on the minerals in the soil of the river or lake floor of the parent mollusk’s home. Used frequently in cheap jewelry, they make passable gemstones, but are nothing special. Hardness 12, 20 hp/inch. Pearl, Marine: With a rich and luxuriant iridescent sheen, marine pearls far exceed their freshwater cousins in practically every respect, being more silky to the touch, brighter in their iridescence and far more consistent in their shape. Such pearls come in practically every colour that it would be possible to name, though most coloured pearls are no more valuable than the average silver pearl commonly displayed. Black and blue pearls, on the other hand, tend to be much more valuable, and consequently also much more difficult to obtain. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Peridot: Found principally in lava bombs and alluvial volcanic deposits, these beautiful light green jewels are prized in the jewelry of many cultures, particularly halflings. Their crystal form is unclear, as specimens are only rarely found as complete and unaltered crystals; usually, they are found as pebble-like amorphous chunks in alluvial deposits or crystalline chunks of indeterminate shape inside lava bombs. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Phenalope: The common name for the massive form of rhodonite, this attractive fancy stone is typically opaque and granular, with a rich pink hue broken by clumpy but attractive black dendrite formations. It is often used in the crafting of objets d’art, and is a common stone to see in inexpensive jewelry. Its greatest admirers seem to be humans, though other races also employ it, and often to better effect. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Ponteth: Found exclusively on the Astral Plane, these jewels are among the most common jewels brought back to the Material Plane by planar travelers. As a result of the near-weightless conditions where they form, it is almost unheard-of to find a flawed specimen of this gemstone, which comes in a range of attractive colours. Individual crystals of ponteth are always single-colour; however, it is not uncommon to encounter clusters of these crystals, and these clusters rarely contain only one colour of ponteth crystal. Hardness 15, 30 hp/inch. Pranozine: First discovered by the dwarves and fawned over by the elves, this jewel is actually a synthetic substance, a kind of gem-quality slag that forms only very rarely during the smelting of mithral ore. It is phemonenally hard, coming in shades ranging from light green to green-gold, and has a slight but evocative sheen while remaining spectacularly transparent. No-one knows precisely what causes this material to form, but it is believed to be due to one or more contaminating trace materials occasionally found in mithral ore. Hardness 14, 25 hp/inch. Quartz: Coming in most colours, quartz has variable names and values depending on its colour. Smoky quartz is anywhere from light grey-brown through to deep black in colour and anywhere from transparent to semi-opaque in clarity. Blue quartz is anywhere from baby-blue to lavender blue in colour and translucent in clarity. Citrine is anywhere from pale yellow through to the colour of concentrated urine and transparent in clarity, while amethyst is pale to deep purple (and sometimes even cherry-purple) in colour and transparent to semi-opaque in clarity. Rose quartz is soft pink in colour and slightly translucent to semi-opaque. Ametrine is a mixture of amethyst and ametrine in a single stone. Algae is another name for dendritic quartz. Quartz forms as six-sided columnar crystals terminated at each end with 6-sided pyramids. Occasionally, blue quartz, rose quartz and amethyst will produce star stones: stones generating a 6-rayed star of light when cabochon-cut. When this occurs in amethyst, the stones are known as lavender star quartz. Star quartz is always deeply translucent to semi-opaque in clarity. Rabathell: These rhombododecahedral crystals are highly-favoured when they can be obtained, though this is unfortunately only rarely. As hard as a ruby and with sparkle approaching that of a diamond, these stones are seen as very acceptable replacements for rubies by most races. Gnomes fawn over them. Hardness 18, 35 hp/inch. Raindrop: Colorless to rich brown and spectacularly clear, these dodecahedral to cubic crystals are actually a gem-quality form of cassiterite, the primary ore of the metal tin. Their use is particularly favoured amongst the dwarves, though elves also appreciate them (something no elf will ever admit in the presence of a dwarf). They are also often seen in tin-mining communities, as it is often a point of pride for members of such communities to wear the results of their mining success. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Red Tear: Only ever found in old, weathered rock, it is speculated that these jewels are the result of oxidation of some other material. Whether this is true or not, it is certainly true that they are never found deeper than 3 feet from the surface of any rock face, and are never found in airless environments. They occur as teardrop-shaped crystals, and in hues ranging from fiery orange and deep red to crimson, cherry, scarlet and pretty much every other tone of red known to exist. They are mostly a human favourite, though some gnomish communities also favour them. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Rellakhar: As hard and as bright as the average topaz, these pink acicular crystals are cut into stones that tend to be favored by nobles for their less-expensive, more everyday jewelry, though spectacular specimens do still occasionally find their way into more valuable jewelry creations from time to time. The githyanki, particularly, have an appreciable taste for them. Hardness 16, 30 hp/inch. Rhodochrosite: A beautiful soft pink with black patches of impurity scattered through its body, this stone is highly ornamental and is widely used in feminine jewelry. It also finds significant use in the crafting of fine statuary miniatures and vases, when large enough pieces are obtained. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Rogue Stone: An unusual stone that seems capable of forming only in Limbo, this stone is a manifestation of the chaos that governs its home plane. The stone appears to be a darkly transparent grey when looked through, but when held in any light, its surface is covered with a chaotically-spread multicoloured metallic iridescence. They occur as amorphous nodules, and are typically not facetted due to the quality of their surface effect, which is best displayed when the stone is cut into cabochons. Rogue stones seem to be favoured by both slaadi and the occasional githzerai. Hardness 17, 30 hp/inch. Rosaline: This ornamental stone is actually a massive form of pink zoisite, and frequently finds use in inexpensive jewelry, particularly ladies’ belt buckles and brooches. Elves seem to have a heightened taste for this stone, and often use it in everyday ornamentation. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Ruby: The red form of corundum, ruby appears in all clarities from transparent to opaque and in all hues of red from pinkish-red through to pigeon’s-blood and deepest crimson. Occasionally, translucent to opaque stones can actually be found that produce a six-rayed star effect when the stone is cabochon-cut. Even more rarely, the star effect that these stones produce can throw a twelve-rayed star instead. Hardness 18, 30 hp/inch. Rusteen: Extraordinarily hard and durable stones, rusteens are favoured for the adornment of weapons, both for these properties and for their rusty hue (which has a notable similarity to the appearance of dried blood). The stones used for this purpose are always clear and of high quality, with the vast majority being flawless, and many of them are also richly engraved. The stone takes and holds phenomenal detail, and they are thus heavily favoured by dwarves. Hardness 18, 45 hp/inch. Sagenite: Essentially a chalcedony with needle-like intrusions of silver-hued rutile, this stone is often used as a backing material for brooches, as the cloudy base material and silver hairs within it tend to set off the small metal ornaments and stone settings to which it is affixed. Occasionally, it finds use in the making of objets d’art, as it makes attractive paneling and superb vases. Its most common use, however, is for the construction of guild seals, particularly those of the various Sage’s Guilds (who first popularized its use and consequently had it named after them). Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Sanidine: A massive form of feldspar, this stone forms great chunks made up of small, accreted tabular crystals of a pale tan to straw-yellow hue. Pieces fine enough for ornamental uses are not common, and when they occur they are cut into reasonably good-looking cabochons. This stone is most commonly used for ornamentation of objets d’art, as no race finds it particularly attractive in jewelry. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Sapphire: Consisting of all non-red specimens of corundum, sapphires are found in the same sorts of locales, possessing the same crystal forms and the same chances of producing star-stones. Occasionally, sapphires can possess multiple hues within a single crystal or gem, and these can exist either as clearly delineated and separate zones within a stone or as bands interspersed through the crystal structure of the sapphire. Such specimens are less prized than the deep blue or pink sapphires, but are more prized than specimens of most other colours. Green sapphires are occasionally called Oriental emeralds, while purple and yellow specimens are occasionally called Oriental amethyst and topaz respectively. Hardness 18, 30 hp/inch. Sarbossa: Similar to silkstone in basic appearance and formation, the sarbossa has the same chatoyancy, but its base material forms bands of many colours, including pinks, reds, greens and white along with the common grey-green seen in silkstone. It is an odd stone, and it is typically either liked or hated, with no room for aesthetic in-betweens. No race tends to favour it more than any other, and it is only really seen as a novelty stone in trinkets and peasant jewelry. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Sard: Consisting of bands of orange agate (carnelian) and white agate interspersed fairly evenly throughout the stone, these gems are frequently used for ornamental inlays on objets d’art and for the creation of official seals. They are typically found as reniform nodules and hollow geodes in beds of volcanic ash. Hardness 18, 30 hp/inch. Scapra: A soft stone, this gem occurs as blade-like crystals in volcanic regions, and has a fine clarity and pale to medium yellow hue. It is most appreciated by halflings, who use it to make pendants that almost seem to glow in daylight. Due to its softness, it does not take well to faceting, and as such is always found either as a cabochon or a carved objet d’art. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Serrawyn: The only known ore of the epic metal nythauai, this material occasionally forms breathtakingly beautiful, gem-quality octahedral crystals of the most extraordinary purple tones. These jewels are very slightly phosphorescent, glowing very dimly in dark environments (as if the viewer is seeing the afterglow of an extinguished torch or candle). Hardness 18, 35 hp/inch. Shandon: Completelt colourless and clear, these stones are prized solely for their sparkle, which gives them anappearance similar to drops of dew when facetted. They occur only as small crystals of a columnar, 4-sided crystal with bipyramidal terminations. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Sharpstone: Actually a very fine-grained variety of quartzite, sharpstone is mostly used in the creation of whetstones due to its hardness and fine grain. Occasionally, however, pieces are found that are of a sufficient quality to make good ornamental stones. Most races use such stones for the making of very inexpensive village trinketry, but orcs seem to positively love such stones, and are not ashamed to admit it. It is not uncommon to find orcish rings, pendants or even bracelets that have been carved from this stone, and the resale of such captured items to orcish tribes can be a mildly lucrative (though rarely safe) endeavour. Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Sharruneth: This beautiful jewel is extremely bright, glittering and flashing in the light even more spectacularly than a diamond. This, coupled with its beautiful range of colours, cubic crystals and phenomenal hardness make it a great favourite of the formians, who are its principle miners. Specimens rarely make it to the Material Plane, but when they do they are typically snatched up early by nobles or rulers. Hardness 19, 40 hp/inch. Sigillite: First found directly beneath the planar metropolis of Sigil in the Outlands, this extraordinary jewel comes in practically every tone of purple from deepest violet right through to lavender and magenta. Its tabular hexagonal crystals are always strangely warm to the touch, regardless of the external climate, and it is prized for all manner of ornamental jewelry, especially jewelry that allows it to contact and warm the skin. It is now known to exist across the Outlands, in small and scattered deposits. Hardness 18, 35 hp/inch. Silkstone: Appearing somewhat similar to tiger eye, silkstone is a slightly softer material possessed of an even more silky chatoyancy and a pale grey-green hue. Unlike the tiger eye itself, which is essentially a fossilized asbestos, the silkstone appears to form as a fully-defined gemstone of fibrous structure, and is therefore not a fossilized version of anything else. It is used for many of the same functions, but due to its more subdued colour is mostly worn by women, particularly in association with green evening wear. Of all the various races, humans seem to find it the most pleasing. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Singing Crystal: Mined exclusively from alluvial deposits in small streams running through the caverns of Pandemonium, these unusual crystals appear much like water-worn clear pebbles of various hues, with some being sufficiently intact to reveal an odd crystal structure that resembles a square column with the corners cut off so completely that they are replaced by deep facets. These gems are most prized for their musical nature; when set in an open manner, their surfaces may be struck to produce a musical note. The exact note produced is unique to each crystal, and is unaffected by cutting the stone. Cutting, however, does moderate the volume of sound given off by a crystal, as smaller stones produce quieter notes, and larger stones sound off with considerable volume. Singing crystals are often mined by planar travelers, who protect themselves from the sonic effects of the plane by plugging their ears with wax or by similar physical or magical means. While the crystals also occur in the walls of the caverns of Pandemonium, mining them from this locality is perilous, since every blow on the wall causes all crystals within it to sound off, possibly cracking the stone and almost certainly dealing sonic damage to the miner. Jewelry bearing these crystals typically sells for very high prices, and is heavily favored by well-to-do nobles and members of royal houses. The stones cut well, and are almost never flawed. Hardness 16, 30 hp/inch. Skydrop: The semi-precious form of tektite, these stones are also of meteoric origins, and come in the same streak- and lens-shaped forms as agni mani. These specimens, however, are spectacularly transparent, and can come in any colour from golden or straw yellow to rich blue and pleasing grey-green. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Spectre Crystal: Found only on the Ethereal Plane, these pale grey-green crystals possess a mild luminosity in daylight and, when looked through, allow the viewer to see through the barrier between the Ethereal and Material Planes. A viewer looking into the jewel on the Ethereal Plane will thus see what is occurring in the same spot on the Material Plane, while one who is on the Material Plane will be able to see what is transpiring at the same spot in the Ethereal Plane. If removed from the Ethereal and taken to any other plane that is not coterminous to the Ethereal Plane, these jewels retain their slight luminosity in daylight but behave like ordinary crystal when looked through. Greatly valued by sages who study the planes and by most spellcasters, these stones fetch a very fine sum indeed. Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Spinel: Another volcanic gemstone, spinels are found in association with rubies and sapphires, and occasionally do a spectacular job of impersonating them, especially when found as water-worn pebbles or already-cut stones. It is however, softer than either of these gems, and has a notably different crystal form: an elongated octahedron. Harness 13, 30 hp/inch. Spircle: This extraordinary gem of variable crystal structure is the bane of all amateur gemcutters and jewelers, but is highly prized by the unscrupulous. Though appearing naturally blue-grey and possessed of a glassy luster, this stone is possessed of a weak natural dweomer of Illusion and will instantly mimic the colour and lustre of any other transparent stone within 5’ of itself. If multiple such stones are present, it typically mimics the nearest such stone. It can be differentiated by its hardness, and by the fact that it is soluble in vitriol. It cannot replicate the magical qualities of any stone it is near, however, and so is incapable of replicating stones like king’s tears. Hardness 10, 20 hp/inch. Sun Gem: This extraordinary stone appears to require conditions of extreme heat and pressure to form, despite the fact that it is not a particularly robust stone in and of itself. In fact, what this stone is most prized for is the clear, shadow-dispelling light that its tabular crystals radiate. It is a favourite of many Underdark races, especially the duergar, who prize not only the light that it throws, but its ability to reveal the light and beauty inherent in other things. It is only ever found very deep underground. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Tabasheer: A curious silica gem formed in the joints of a rare variety of bamboo unique to the Wilderness of the Beastlands, this stone comes in amorphous lumps of clustered spheroids, and possesses a slightly milky sheen. In full daylight, it also reveals opalescence similar to that of a water opal, but more muted and smooth in its distribution, with less definition between patches of various colours. Centaurs and bariaurs hold it in high regard, fashioning much of their personal jewelry from it whenever they obtain it, as they feel it reminds them of their god Skerrit, and of the plane on which he dwells and to which all faithful centaurs go upon death. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Tchazar: Also known as aragonite, this reasonably soft gem is capable of producing quite beautiful faceted stones of a translucent to transparent honey-brown colour. Due to its softness, it is mostly prized for ornamental work on ceremonial objects, but still manages to occasionally find its way into inexpensive pieces of jewelry. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Thuparlial: Also known as prehnite, this stone is found only in rhyolitic lava deposits and their associated ash fields. It has a reniform habit, producing massive chunks with a blistered external appearance and a distinct internal sheen. When cut, it proves to be of a pleasing lemon-green hue, with a silky and fibrous internal structure and a dull gloss. It is most prized by halflings, gnomes and orcs (though they never admit it in public). Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Tiger-Eye: Essentially fossilized asbestos, this material occurs in golden, red, blue, green and multi-coloured forms. When correctly cut, it forms an odd variant of the cat’s eye effect within the stone, consisting of a shimmering band of colour surmounted by the more profoundly shimmering cat’s eye. Hardness 14, 25 hp/inch. Topaz: Almost always found in association with tin ores, topazes come in a wide range of colours, though it is the Imperial cherry-gold specimens that command the highest prices. Occasionally mistaken for diamond by the inexperienced, this stone possesses almost as much fire as the diamond, and a near-identical luster. It is, however, far softer than the diamond, and occurs in a totally different source material. Hardness 16, 30 hp/inch. Tourmaline: Often thought of as one mineral, tourmaline is actually a group of minerals, each with slightly different specific gravities and refractive indices, but all sharing the same striated columnar crystal form with dual terminations shaped like three-sided pyramids. Typically found in a granite matrix or as alluvial, water-worn pebbles, tourmalines come in just about every colour there is, with different colours often being given different names. Red to pink tourmalines are known as rubellites, brown ones as dravites, greens as verdelites, blues as indicolites, blacks as schorls or ravenars and colorless specimens as waterstars or achroites. Hardness 14, 25 hp/inch. Tremair: Only ever found as small, pink dodecahedral crystals, this delicately hued gem is mostly used to produce accent stones for rings or pendants, though the occasional cut stone of sufficient size has been used in the creation of a solitaire ring or delicate pendant. Gnomish women seem to love them far more than members of other species, though women of most species find them attractive. Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Turquoise: Though generally quite soft and with a chalky consistency, turquoise is prized for its beautiful light-blue tones, though its ability to endure a fair degree of ill treatment is another major factor in its popularity. It is often used by more primitive peoples, due to the ease with which specimens can be shaped. Hardness 6, 20 hp/inch. Ulvaen: Forming soapy-sheened tabular rhomboid crystals of a pale to rich yellow hue, this stone is unusually soft for a gemstone, but amazingly immune to shattering blows and shatter spells. When struck by a shattering blow, the stone instead develops a deep scratch or flakes a portion of itself off, preventing total destruction of the stone by all but the most determined of destroyers. It is unclear why this should be the case, but this property alone sees it receive more use than many other gems, especially amongst adventurers. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch (immune to shattering). Valmarr: A coppery-coloured jewel, these columnar pentagonal crystals are prime-quality specimens of valmarr ore, the most significant source of cold iron in the multiverse. Such gem-quality crystals are reasonably rare (hence their value), but are generally prized most by the githzerai and only occasionally by other races. Hardness 12, 25 hp/inch. Violane: An amorphous purple stone typically found in ash pockets as portions of volcanic aggregates, this stone has an extremely pleasing colour and consistency, but is marred by being almost always opaque to semi-translucent and heavily flawed. Even so, it is prized for ornamental work, and both gnomes and halflings prize it for everyday and costume jewelry. Semi-translucent pieces are often faceted, while the more opaque specimens tend to be cut into cabochons. Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Wonderstone: An ornamental grade of rhyolite lava, this fascinating stone occasionally carries tiny pockets of agate within its body, but is usually just made up of a coloured rhyolite base with differently-colored spherules shot through it. Occasionally, pieces are found that bear a remarkable resemblance internally to a piece of fruit, with faint striations the width of hairs surrounding a central spherule with the appearance of a core. Such stones are not considered any more valuable than others, but are more sought after by collectors. Hardness 12, 20 hp/inch. Woodtine: The massive form of the tin ore cassiterite, this stone occasionally sees use in decorative work or for very basic jewelry worn in tin-mining communities. It is typically translucent, with a fine grain and pleasing warmth. It is not uncommon to find such stones used in the creation of ornamental belt buckles and similar objects, particularly in countries that draw significant revenue from the tin-mining industry. Hardness 13, 25 hp/inch. Yetsiran Ruby: Gifted only to the most noble and pure individuals by the archons themselves, these tremendously valuable stones appear as hexagonal bi-pyramids that shine with an inner light of great purity and beauty. They are extremely rare and valuable due to the restrictions on their supply, and they are also usually only sold by archons themselves. They are never sold on the open market to non-good individuals, and black-market merchants of them typically face unpleasant deaths if caught by the archons. Hardness 18, 35 hp/inch. Zarbrina: A colorless stone that forms blade-like crystals, this gem is remarkably soft and has a surface texture much like that of lead. Despite this, it is prized for strictly ornamental work, due to the brilliance of stones cut from it, which sparkle amazingly for so soft and frail a mineral. It is mostly used by master artisans among the elves, and then only for work that will not have to stand up to the rigors of wear (such as carved and gem-studded ceiling panels, mirror frames and the like). It occasionally finds use in ceremonial jewelry, particularly that worn by light-revering religions. Hardness 5, 10 hp/inch. Zendalure: Another ore of adamantine, this strange gem is much softer than its close cousin currasq, coming in 2”-6” egg-shaped crystals of a mottled blue-white tone. This stone is popular with necromancers, who have found that its use in wand creation maximizes the power of necromantic items. It is occasionally worn by others, but its degree of usage by necromancers has led to it becoming a kind of emblem of their craft. As a result, non-necromancers who wear it in public tend to be frowned upon. Hardness 18, 40 hp/inch. Zephramath: A rarely-occurring natural silver ore, this stone occasionally forms remarkable dodecahedral crystals of gem quality and a luxuriant silver hue. Such crystals are highly prized, due to their extreme beauty and rugged durability. Hardness 14, 30 hp/inch. Ziose: A trichroic form of zoisite, this stone appears purple from one angle, red from another and either blue or green from a third. While a relatively soft stone by gem standards, the sheer oddness and cosmetic possibilities of this stone make it quite highly sought. Githzerai especially seem to adore it. Ziose occurs as tabular to cubic crystals in volcanic regions, and is often found in association with ruby and sapphire. Hardness 8, 15 hp/inch. Zircon: Coming in a wide range of colours, zircons are found typically in association with sapphires and rubies. Their high degree of sparkle makes them acceptable substitutes for diamonds, and their wide range of colours gives them a broad appeal. Deep red zircons are called jacinths, while yellow zircons are known as jargoons or mellochryses. Brown zircons are known as malacons, while other colours are simply referred to as coloured zircons. Hardness 14, 25 hp/inch.