Thursday, August 6, 2009

Arcanist's Adamant

An odd species of crystal, seldom found in clusters of more than three -- and most frequently as single specimens -- arcanist's adamant is composed of two distinct parts.

The outer shell of a crystal of arcanist's adamant is composed of the glittering, microfaceted "diamond" that gives the stone its name. This shell is surprisingly variable, ranging in shape from a near-perfect sphere to an almost comma-like configuration, and varies in size from the thumb's last joint to the heft of a clementine or small tangerine. Unlike true diamond, arcanist's adamant may be broken open readily when stress is applied to the proper angles.

However, it is the interior of the crystal which is of interest to spell users of all kinds. The central core contains a strangely soft, malleable orange-gold crystalline substance -- like viscous amber -- and this amber jelly gathers magical power which may be tapped by a spellcaster.

An arcanist's adamant will offer a number of spell levels per week based on its size, with the smallest strong enough to power a single first level spell and the greatest surrendering as many as five or more spell levels. An adamant may be broken open to grant twice (or even more) as much energy, but doing so forever destroys the crystal (though its remains may be otherwise useful).


Rumours circulate of adamants whose cores contain a crystal jelly as deep red as cinnabar and heart's-blood. These crystals supposedly offer twice the available power and a -1 to the saving throws of the spell's victims,, but require the sacrifice of hit points equal to the power of the spell being cast.

1 comment:

Restless said...

Sorry for not posting before, but I am playing catch-up after a few months away.

I really like this item! It reminds me a lot of one of my favorite concepts from Ars Magica, the vis that mages collect and alchemically refine from locations where magic naturally collects. Examples may be enchanted pools frequented by water fey, the leaves of a special tree at a certain phase of the moon or snow that falls on a certain peak at the height of winter.

I'm certainly putting this in my ideas book! Thanks for posting this!