SunStone: (Amber) Rarity Level 5 (Common)
· SunStone is a common mineral. Its power is centered in the manipulation of ones physical density and strength. SunStone is primarily a defensive power though, when used by a skilled warrior it can be a very useful tool for attack.
The markings for the SunStone are located on the back, traditionally between the two shoulder blades. The markings for the SunStone are unique as they depict the heavens—sun and planets—in their orbit. The central piece is a sun in the shape of a large gear, teeth that arc out from the edges like waves frozen in time and mid break. To the left of the sun, connected by arms that extend from the top of one smaller gear shaped planet to the next, sit the four smaller planets [Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars] while to the right of the sun sit the remaining four planets [Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune], similarly anchored to each other and the sun. The Sun, as the central piece is done using Amber, a deep yellow mineral, and the adjacent planets and arms are done using the same Iron laced ink as the gear in the FireStone markings. Planets are colored to replicate their physical counterparts, but the colors are derived from dyes and not power imbued elements.
The power derived from SunStone enables one to change their physical density and weight, increasing ones strength at the same time. The common name for someone who utilizes SunStone is Bruiser, as they tend to be more roughneck and thuggish. When tapping the SunStone’s power, the user’s size and shape will remain the same, thus enabling a person who weighs 150lbs to double and triple their power without physically looking any more imposing. Like all other mineral powers, SunStone draws its energy from the source, in this case the person’s weight. One drawback to the FireStone is the lessened agility that accompanies the greater density. The heavier one becomes the slower and more laborious their movements become as well. Though their strength increases, allowing them to continue to move, fight, etc. Their speed is diminished in direct relation to their greater size. Thus, a person who normally weighs 150 lbs, and increases their density to that of a person twice their size, would have the reflexes and agility to match the greater force pulling against their movements. While they would be able to easily overpower someone in a one on one fight, or possibly against larger numbers, because their attacks would have greater force upon connecting, their stamina would wane faster and any prolonged fight could potentially prove to be fatal. SunStone, as a physical power, is very exhausting. The longer it is used, the more draining it becomes, and the longer one needs to rest between uses.
Psychologically, there are drawbacks to SunStone as well. Often a Bruiser will feel a sudden sense of vertigo or lightness when they abruptly stop using the mineral. They forget that their bodies are no longer enhanced and they will often attempt tasks that normally would be impossible for anyone not enhanced by SunStone. Also, while the body may not feel the effects of a fight while SunStone is being used, the after affects will be seen and felt shortly after turning off the power. The true severity of cuts, bruises, breaks, etc. is highly noticeable.
Most people who choose to become a bruiser will simply use the power to toughen themselves sporadically, when the power is, forgetting it when not. But, there are select groups who will condition their body to SunStone’s effects. These men and women are typically employed in military or militia organizations, and are used for most hand to hand combat or the protection of important persons. Those who choose to condition their bodies in this way will spend months, and sometimes years, gradually increasing the density of their body to counter effects that would ordinarily be felt. Stamina and agility are often times less effected in these groups, and as warriors their services are highly sought after.
SunStone takes its name from Amber, a golden yellow mineral secreted from trees and hardened over time. While it is possible to use fresh amber in markings, the power transferred is not as great and the effects can be somewhat sporadic. The best amber comes from a monastery where monks harvest and cure the mineral over several centuries. When tapped, the SunStone will flare a bright yellow, the intensity of which can be momentarily blinding if looked into directly. It is rumored that this is one reason why the markings are located on a person’s back. Though the real reason lies in the story of Atlas carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
EarthStone: (Emerald) Rarity Level 3 (Common)
· EarthStone is a common mineral. Like FireStone, its powers are referred to as elemental because they enable the user to manipulate earth and water. EarthStone, as and elemental power, is a commonly sought power. It is often seen on farmers who will use the power to help in tending and harvesting their crops. The markings for EarthStone located around the wrists and forearms. Concentric bands of Iron, in the shape of gears, are placed around each wrist and halfway between wrist and elbow. Between these bands run in various patterns, interlacing and entwining with each other. Those people who use the EarthStone are often referred to as Tenders, a reference to the care they take in raising crops, cultivating and nourishing the ground they work, and ensuring there is enough food to last during droughts and cold seasons.
Using EarthStone’s power is very similar to using BloodStone. A focusing crystal is placed in a copper bracelet, the stone situated on the underside of the Tenders wrist, and is connected to a second bracelet worn around the forearm and connected by four leather thongs sewn together and attached to the bracers using copper wire. The metal bracelets draw the energies from the marking and the wires serve to channel that energy into the focusing crystal which releases the power in a concentrated beam. Experienced tenders will have their crystal set in an adjustable setting so that they can better control the breadth of the area affected by focusing the beam. EarthStone is a rare element in that its energy is released on a spectrum visible to the naked eye. Depending on the intensity of the power expended, the beam will range from a deep forest green to a pale sky blue.
Tenders are most commonly found in folk of a more earthen nature. Wood Nymphs and Tree Sprites especially. These groups tend to be much less confrontational and spend much of their time trying to correct the damage that is caused through dispute and urbanization. The EarthStone’s power is still quite impressive. Because it has the ability to rend the earth, change the flow of water, uproot plant life and rock, EarthStone is a valuable power used by underground groups who wish to hold meetings in locations that are untraceable. With enough tenders working together, one could open up an enormous meeting hall anywhere, underground, in the side of a mountain, in a grove of trees.
EarthStone pulls its power directly from the plant or rock source that is being manipulated. The larger the object, the more power that can be used. This power is directly related to the life force of the object being manipulated. So, while some objects (like rocks) have a very small and almost unnoticeable life force, other objects (such as aspen trees which have entire groves that derive from the roots of a single tree) have enormous amounts of energy flowing through them. When the Tender taps into this power they merely manipulate and direct it through their imagination. Tenders have to be careful not to push or stretch the energies of the object they are manipulating too far else they will kill or destroy it. Though objects can be enlarged, their growth is in direct relation to the amount of energy they put out. A Tender may use their power to help a row of beans grow fatter for harvest, but that growth, if forced on the first day of planting, or when the first shoots break through the ground would prove fruitless because the plant has not grown enough to sustain such rapid growth and the entire row would whither and die. Similarly, if a Tender attempted to increase a row of pebbles so that they formed a waist-high wall surrounding a field, the pebbles growth could only grow in relation to the amount of stored energy, pushed any farther and the stones will merely crumble to dust. With stones, the larger the object is pushed, the more fragile it becomes. On the other hand, the more compact the object is made the more durable and resilient, though it will not loose its weight. Bruisers will often carry stone weaponry that is crafted by an armorer who is also a skilled Tender.
EarthStone is made from refined Emeralds, and is a fairly common mineral to see among the poorer classes. Nobility have less use for it because they feel they can purchase anything they need. Thus those with EarthStone markings are commonly looked at as being common, unintelligent, laborers, etc.
PeasantStone: (Blue Star Sapphire) Rarely Level 9 (Rare)
· PeasantStone is very rare mineral because of the power it grants. Also, because it is a rare mineral it is illegal for anyone not of royal blood to have PeasantStone markings. Like each of the power minerals, PeasantStone counteracts the direct effects of another element, in this case KingStone. Primarily a defensive element, PeasantStone is used to shield a person’s mind and thoughts from being manipulated through the use of KingStone. The markings for PeasantStone are located on the back of the neck, between a person’s shoulder blades and hairline. The markings look like a series of gears (twelve to be precise, one for each of the elements, one for the person shielding their mind, and a final gear for the person being shielded against.) meticulously put together and perfectly tuned to never skip a tooth. Their teeth fit perfectly into each groove, and when the PeasantStone is being used, it looks as if the gears are actually moving; spinning in an attempt to draw closed some unseen barrier used to shield the mind. Each of the gears has a rune placed on it to identify the element it represents. The largest (central gear) is considered the peasant gear and it is the gear that seems to move first when PeasantStone is activated—this is the gear that starts all the other gears spinning. Because PeasantStone only works to shield the mind of its user, there are no additional accessories needed (gloves or bracers) to work its power, and like most of the other elements, PeasantStone draws its power from its host.
Because of its rarity, there is very little that is known about the PeasantStone. Several groups have tried to make synthetic stones that proved to be very detrimental. Only a true, naturally formed, blue star sapphire can be used.
Several groups throughout time have tried to subvert the ruling classes monopolizing of PeasantStone by having the markings placed on their members despite not being of royal blood. Within these groups would be a Keeper, the colloquial name for one who uses PeasantStone, who would be trusted with all of the group’s secrets. These fake markings were used as a means of concealing the Keeper, but as these groups began to spread their influence, their members were rounded up and sent to labor camps or executed for rebellion. Today, these splinter groups have to work in secret and their members, especially their Keepers and Speakers, are closely guarded.
As with all of the internal minerals, PeasantStone draws its power from the user. It differs in that the power comes from a person’s mental strength and their ability to focus on shielding their mind. Skilled Keepers are able to compartmentalize their thoughts so that part of their mind focuses on closing off their mind while the other deals with interactions and processes. Using PeasantStone can be a very draining process, especially when under attack from a Speaker.
ShadeStone: (Tanzanite) Rarity Level 8 (Moderate)
· ShadeStone is a moderately difficult mineral to procure. The mineral itself can only be harvested during a solar eclipse if it is to be used in a marking. Because of this restriction, ShadeStone is a highly sought after mineral. Large gathering parties will form before an eclipse in hopes that they will be able to quarry a few precious stones to sell at the market. When initially mined, the stone is reddish brown in color, and only through the refined process does it begin to take on its characteristic blue-violet hue.
ShadeStone is the only mineral to share its markings with another stone. ShadeStone is the polar mineral to SightStone, and like its sister mineral, ShadeStone markings are located around the eyes or the person using the mineral. The markings are comprised of two large gears that encircle each eye and several smaller gears which bridge the nose and connect the gears circling the eyes, looking very much like an odd pair of industrial eyeglasses. It is impossible for one person to use both ShadeStone and SightStone because their effects negate each other when used by the same person.
ShadeStone allows it’s used to conceal themselves as well as others from being seen by anyone using SightStone. It blocks both their visibility as well as any conversations that they may be having. In order to do this, the person using ShadeStone must concentrate on the people and the place which they are trying to conceal. The larger the group or the place, the more difficult it is to conceal and the more concentration it would take to successfully conceal. Like PeasantStone, and many of the other internal elements, ShadeStone derives its power from the person using the mineral. Because it is a mental and not a physical element, ShadeStone is more exhausting mentally to use. People who use ShadeStone are often referred to as a Hood, a reference to their ability to conceal themselves and others from Seekers (those who use SightStone).
People of a more criminal and stealthy disposition tend to be the type who prefer the use of ShadeStone. The markings, when powered glow a dark blue and will often cause the eyes and sockets to seem sunk and shaded. The effect is an ominous one. While ShadeStone can be used alone, it is most effective when coupled with a pair of lenses. The lenses are set into brass frames attached to a leather thong tied round the head. The lenses themselves can be adjusted and focused to enable a broader or more isolated area. Like the PeasantStone, the markings for ShadeStone move when the mineral is tapped. This is how a Hood focuses the lenses. Along the edge of each lens is placed a thin gear whose teeth match those of a small gear located inside the eye marking, just above the eyebrow. When the mineral is tapped and the eye markings begin to spin, the lenses will adjust to meet the Hood’s desired intensity. Without the lenses to help focus and direct the ShadeStone’s power, the Hood can still use the mineral, but the effects are much less predictable and easy to control. Often, untamed use of ShadeStone will cause the Hood to tire quickly and gaps to form in the shield extended from their power. Seekers using focusing lenses to help control their SightStone can easily pierce the shield of an untamed/focused Hood.
KingStone: (Lolite) Rarity Level 10 (Rare)
· KingStone is the rarest of all the minerals. Like PeasantStone, KingStone can only be used by those of royal blood/heritage. It is most popular among this group because of the power it grants. Those who use KingStone are referred to as Speakers, and they are given the ability to influence and manipulate the minds of those around them. Influence and manipulate are key terms in understanding the power behind KingStone. Speakers cannot control another person’s actions through the use of KingStone; they can only place suggestions into another person’s mind. They can manipulate a person’s emotions by fueling or calming certain feelings so that one is more agreeable to the suggested action. For example, a Speaker may manipulate a person’s sense of fear so that they are less likely to rise up in rebellion or become argumentative. Speakers can influence thoughts and actions by placing suggestions into the consciousness of another person, causing them to doubt their choices or even what they though to be true. Many battles have been won and waged over the use of KingStone.
The use of KingStone is difficult to detect when used by a skilled Speaker. Because Speakers are using their power to touch the consciousness of another person, they must be careful of how strongly they push. Too much influencing and the consciousness being manipulated will reject the suggestions and begin to question where the thoughts and impression are originating. Because a person’s free will cannot be taken away, the person being influenced will always have their choice to accept of reject what is being placed in their mind. KingStone is countered by the use of its counter element, PeasantStone. As a shield against manipulation, Royalty (or those in high positions of power will often have a Keeper (someone who has PeasantStone markings) in their retinue to shield from a Speaker. One unique aspect associated with the KingStone is the power to communicate without speaking (a one-way telepathy of sorts). Because KingStone allows the user to place thoughts inside someone’s mind, it also them to communicate with that person as well. This communication can come in both verbal and pictorial ways.
The markings for KingStone are some of the more austere. People who use KingStone are easily recognizable because the mineral used in the markings can vary in color depending on the purity. Typically, the stone is a medium color purple (average grade lolite), but can range from a very light, almost grey, color to a deep violet. The darker the color the more pure the mineral and the more effective the power granted the Speaker. KingStone marking are also more recognizable because of their location. The markings begin on the jaw, just below the bottom lip and extend downward along the jaw line and onto the neck in a roughly triangular shape. The markings for KingStone are comprised of interlacing lines all surrounding a central gear located on the throat in roughly the same place as the Adam’s Apple on a male. Like PeasantStone and ShadeStone the markings will move when KingStone is tapped, thought movement is more hypnotic and subtle. With KingStone it is not the gear the rotates but the interlacing lines that vacillate, The motion is typically compared to waves (sound or ocean) and the effect varies in intensity depending on how strong or soft the Speaker pushes on the emotions or thoughts of their target.
MoonStone: (Pearl) Rarity Level 6 (Moderate)
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DeathStone: (Obsidian) Rarity Level 2 (Common)
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SightStone: (Diamond) Rarity Level 7 (Moderate)
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Characters
Haven: (based on Jordan Bowman student @ AFHS) Haven is 18 years old, only child, mild case of synesthesia, Halfling
· Haven has just turned 18, she is a senior in H.S., popular among the artistic crowd. Haven sings in a garage band called Hexeva, an alternative Goth-Metal band.
· Haven is of average height, with a petite build, medium length curly dark-brown hair. She is very pale in complexion, almost porcelain in nature. Her most distinguishing characteristics are her eyes, a rich warm amber color when she is happy and content, icy silver when she is upset or angry.
· Haven is unique. She is an only child, but events from before she was born contribute to her unique characteristics. Haven is a Halfling. Before Haven was born, Her parents (Randall and Mikelia) were involved in a serious car accident that left both Haven and her mother fighting for their lives. Having just entered her 3rd trimester, the doctors were not optimistic about either person’s survival. While she and her mother were in surgery, Haven’s father was waiting in the father’s room praying for a miracle.
· The miracle that Haven’s father was praying for appeared in the form of a ragged looking, musty smelling, knarled & bent stranger. This stranger promised to save Haven and Mikelia so long as the father would repay the debt when called to. The agreement is sealed by a nod and a handshake, and the little man turns to walk away, vanishing in the process.
· Ludor is the creature who struck the deal with Haven’s father and he is the Fae who attempts to heal Haven and Mikelia. A newly marked healer, Ludor is not quite as skilled in the use of BloodStone as he professes. In attempting to heal Haven, he mistakenly uses the wrong cantrips and focuses his lenses too strongly. The result is that Ludor transfers aspects of his Fae nature to Haven. Her alabaster/porcelain skin, amber eyes, heightened sensitivity to her environment.
· Perhaps the most intriguing change that Ludor prompted through healing Haven is her mild case of synesthesia, a neurological disorder in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. In other words, one sensory experience triggers a secondary involuntary experience from a different sense. In the case of Haven, her synesthesia manifests itself as an acute awareness of sounds and textures. High, sharp, or piercing sounds trigger a physical pain similar to being stabbed by a needle or cut by a knife, while low, soothing, mellow sounds are billowy and soft life cotton batting or a fluffy pillow. In her music Haven uses this heightened sense to help her “feel” what is happening to her audience and fellow band mates. She is able to tell, based solely on how the sounds are mixing and the effect it has on her physically, whether everyone is in sync and the crowd is enjoying the show. The other aspect of Haven’s synesthesia and Halfling nature is that she expresses laughter through tears. Haven is very sensitive about this “condition” and tries very hard to keep others from knowing about it. Only her closes friends see this side of Haven un-guarded. Jareth is Haven’s single most trusted friend. When Haven gets wound up, typically it is Jareth who would traditionally be one to calm her down again.
Jareth Sampson: (Based on a student by the same name @ AFHS)
· Jareth is 17, almost 18, he is Haven’s best friend, and has been since they were children. Separated by three weeks difference in age, their relationship has always been pure friendship. Through their friendship, Jareth has always suspected that there was something different about Haven, something out of the ordinary. For all her average traits, her abnormalities cannot be ignored. Whenever he discusses, or begins to discuss this with Haven she immediately changes the subject.
· Jareth is slightly overweight, with shoulder length brown hair that is typically pulled back into a pony tail. His favorite color is black, and he typically wears baggy black denim jeans, a black graphic tee, and black canvas Converse All Stars. The most common variation in his wardrobe comes in the form of some stylish black steel-toed work boots.
· Jareth, by all accounts is an average teenager, he has not been touched by the Fae (to his knowledge). Nor has he met one (again to his knowledge). He is the lead sound tech for Haven’s band, and it is his van that they use to cart their gear from one gig to the next. Jareth’s garage is also the main location for practices and hanging out.
· When Haven disappears Jareth is the one person who knows why she is gone. Because he is her best friend, he is the one that Tamm goes to at Haven’s request. Jareth, over the course of this story is the link between the analogue (human) and the Fae realm. His position
As always, any thoughts would be appreciated (though I do not anticipate that anyone will actually read this. It is more for my own edification and preservation seeing as how I cannot seem to hold onto any small storage device long enough to fill it. Multiple copies are saved everywhere!
Cheers,
