Greystone

Greystone aka moonstone is a material that has various magical properties. The greystone is thought to be pieces of the Moons that have fallen on Salan They can sometimes be found in small, irregularly shaped smooth lumps, mostly in mines or volcanoes. Many places where a moonstone has appeared, have become magically active and settled by powerful divines. The existence of the stones is not widely known. They mostly exist as vague mentiones in old folk tales.

Farens call the greystone sérkaiya 'moonstone' and the Ara have a related term silümk'ay with the same meaning. Zeribians call them iz engar 'gods' bones'
The moonstones are almost always owned and controlled by the divines and their cults, but sometimes mortals that find the stones can tap into the wild magic, that is, the magic that is not bound to the divines. The most mortals of Salan think that free magic is dangerously unpredictable and should be avoided. But if a mortal really becomes able to control the wild magic, they might gain divine powers.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The greystone is best described as colorless in appearance. It avoids being described and being noticed. When you look into one you are sure that it's something exeptional and valuable, but it you look away you might forget you even saw one. When touched they feel strangely alive but at the same time cold as death itself.

History & Usage

Manufacturing & Products

Processing greystone is very hard because of how hard it is. Experiments on the rare speciments have revealed some possible uses. Most greystone items are unique because of how valuable it is.
Greystone dust Greystone can be grinded to fine dust and then used to coat items such as Incantation bottles (the coating helps trapping demons inside) or armor (greystone coated armor would be impenetratable by magic). Usually greystone dust is mixed in a paint, that can be used to paint symbols that amplify the natural magical properties of the dust.
Intact moonstones Intact moonstones can store magic power, making the spellcaster able to cast more spells before becoming exhausted. Depleated moonstones seem to protect their wearer from any magical attacks by absorbing any incoming magic.
Greystone smithing Greystone smithing is the most delicate and powerful way of processing the moonstones. Greystone smithing is a jealously guided secret of but a few master craftsmen, but it seems that when heated in just the right way, the graystone melts and can be casted into blades and other tools of various forms. These blades made powerful weapons, but they were also feared, because they could pierce straight into the soul of their victim, killing their life-force permanently. It is thought that the last people who knew the secrets of greystone smithing perished during the Black Years .
Cultural differences Due to the technological differences, using grinded greystone is traditionally more typical for the Farens and Ara people, while the Zeribians, who until resently only had stone tools that can't break greystone, have learned to use the unrefined stones.

Hazards

Greystone magic is unpredictable and dangerous. Any greystone containing items can have unexpected properties. Moonstones depleated from magic are commonly used to ward against any harmfull magic, but they tend to make the wearer tired and dull-minded, because the stone also seems to be absorbing life force
Channellling magic from a greystone is dangerous. Magic can be highly addictive, and a mage must have a tremendous amount of willpower to not use a full greystone, and to stop channeling. Channelling too much magic at a time can be deadly. A mage used to casting through a greystone might become unable to cast naturally.

Color

colorless, hard to describe

Melting / Freezing Point

Solid in room temperature, meltable, but not by ordinary means.

Density

very dense, feels heavy

Common State

solid

Related Technologies

• Greystone smithing