When the races of Neria rose up against the gods, the laws of nature and reality shattered into millions of pieces, now scattered throughout the world. These shards, known as Corstones (
'god souls'), contain within them the very magic that the gods had attempted to keep from the people of Neria, allowing those with either innate abilities or the proper equipment to access the magic within the stones. These stones, commonly referred to as 'crystals', 'god stones', or simply 'the stones', have brought magic back to Neria, and the people of the world have long since risen to the challenge of discovering how these Corstones could be used in everyday life.
Active Corstones
Most of the Corstones discovered in the world are active, meaning that they still contain within them enough magic to be of use to someone with the ability to access it. Active Corstones are sought out by all types of adventurers and spellcasters, and can usually be bought from the same merchant one might acquire other magical gear or raw material from.
Active Corstones range in color and size, and it has long since been established that the tint of an active Corstone tends to relate to the magic held inside of the crystal. It has also been discovered that larger crystals, as one might assume, tend to hold stronger types of magic within them. In modern times, finding and trading these crystals has become a profession for some people, keeping the Corstones more affordable than one might suspect by keeping up with demand.
| Color |
Contained Magic |
| White |
Abjuration |
| Yellow |
Conjuration |
| Purple |
Divination |
| Turquoise |
Enchantment |
| Orange |
Evocation |
| Pink |
Illusion |
| Black |
Necromancy |
| Green |
Transmutation |
| Size |
Spell Level |
| < 55 mm |
Innert |
| 56 - 60 mm |
Trace magic |
| 61 - 65 mm |
Cantrip |
| 66 - 70 mm |
1 - 2 |
| 71 - 75 mm |
3 - 4 |
| 76 - 80 mm |
5 - 6 |
| 81 - 85 mm |
7 - 8 |
| > 86 mm |
9 |
Over time, the people of Neria have discovered how to incorporate these crystals not only into their everyday lives, but into their spellcasting, as well. Bards learned how to fit their instruments or collar necklaces with Corstones, allowing them to tune into the aetheric resonance directly. Wizards, on the other hand, have stepped away from the spellbooks they once cherished, and now don special hand-worn devices known as Docks in order to 'read' the spells contained within the Corstones.
Goddust
There are some Corstones that contain enough magic to be considered active, but aren't large or stable enough to contain full spells. These Corstones are often processed into a fine powder, and then mixed with the crushed leaves of the Fairymoss plant. This drug is, of course, known for its hallucinogenic properties, but is most famous for the effects it has on the user and / or their surroundings. Even those incapable of casting spells are known to experience magical phenomenon they couldn't otherwise be responsible for, such as surrounding themselves with dancing lights or making their laughter sound like that of several fairies.
Goddust is usually found in the upper crusts of Nerian societies, and is often treated like any other refreshment at a social gathering. There are those that deal with the black market in an attempt to find the drug at a cheaper price, but these individuals almost always regret the decision. Most Goddust making its way through the slums and ruins of the cities is cut with a filler product; at best, it could simply mean that a buyer doesn't experience a high from the drug at all, but at
worst, it could mean something as severe as death.
Whenever someone partakes in Goddust, they are affected by the drug for number of hours equal to 10 - their CON modifier (always a minimum of one hour). This gives them disadvantage on ability checks, but gives them advantage on spellcasting rolls. Those with no ability to use magic find that they have a new, sixth sense that warns them of danger; no matter how many enemies surround the user, none of them gain any advantage on their rolls due to flanking, and they cannot be targeted by attacks of opportunity.
Frequent usage of Goddust makes the drug less effective. Each consecutive use of Goddust within a 24-hour period last one hour less than the previous dose. If the user is already at the one hour minimum, or reaches the minimum through continual use, then the duration of the effect is reduced to ten minutes.
Inert Crystals
Corstones that are found to have no magic in them aren't simply tossed aside. Without magic within to tint the stones, inert Corstones tend to looks like a cross between glass and diamonds. Like diamonds, innert Corstones are valued for their beauty and market value: the clearer an inert stone in, the more valuable those in the hobby of collecting such things are willing to pay.
What these collectors do with the Corstones once they have possession of them is anyone's guess. Some women in the influential fashion circles have the Corstones implanted into the surface of their skin, decorating themselves with the Corstones. Some have even taken to crushing these Corstones into a fine powder, much like one would with their active cousins in order to make Goddust. The inert powder, however, is added to things such as paint or ink in order to make art and body markings glitter and sparkle.
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