Magical Gems fall into three categories: precious gems, semi-precious gems, and stones. As the names imply, these items are found in minerals of differing base worth. Precious gems include diamonds, emeralds, opals, rubies, sapphires, and fighter's gems. Semi-precious gems include garnet, quartz, onyx, etc. Stones are made of any old rock, basalt, shale, granite, etc. There are both generic and specific gem powers. Generic powers may be found in all types of precious gems. Specific powers are only associated with a specific type of gem or stone.
For all gems and stones with constant powers, the item must be on the user's person to function. To use a magical gem or stone to cast spells, the user must hold the gem in hand.
Many of these gems are multi-use items with a default burnout chance of 20%. Unless otherwise stated, the user activates a precious gem by holding it in his hand and concentrating on it. Each type---diamond, emerald, opal, ruby, and sapphire---has different specific powers, but there are certain generic powers that can be found in any of these types. Precious magical gems are distinguished from ordinary gems by their perfect coloration and flawlessness. When a precious magical gem burns out, it does not turn to dust, but instead becomes cloudy and flawed (as well as nonmagical).
These gems are single-use items, activated by being crushed. All effects of these gems are at point blank range. Anyone who crushes a fire garnet under his foot to activate it will be in the center of the explosion. These gems can be crushed by stomping them, smashing them with a rock, bashing them with a weapon, or any other means that makes sense to the GM. One of these gems can be mounted to the tip of an arrow shaft and fired at the enemy. If the arrow strikes metal armor or a stone wall the gem shatters. It does not shatter if it strikes cloth or leather armor. Some of these gems, marked by **, can only affect a person. Such a gem affects the person nearest to where it was crushed, up to a maximum of ten feet distant. If no one is within the ten foot radius then there is no effect.
These include both enchanted pieces of rock and pieces of magical rock and ore.
Last Modified on September 25,1995.
ammulder@princeton.edu