Eclipse Embers (ih-klips em-burz)
Celestial fury gives birth to these stones. Hold them gently, for their light could change the world. That is, if they’re used wisely.
- Sagecaster Friwind, Eldermage of the Gray Company
Eclipse Embers, rare and powerful fragments of enchanted storms, are a power for both fuel and culture. These stones have long mystified scholars. The tale of these Eclipse Embers is woven through Summerdark’s history. A chronicle of condensed celestial power that reaches back to the Age of Twilight and before.
These ‘Emberstones’, such as Sunstones, Lunar Pearls, and others, are born in the rare, chaotic confluence of Summerdark’s three moons with the sun. An event always marked by a mysterious tempest known as an Eclipse Storm.
During these rare storms, the heavens are torn apart. Enchanted lightning rips holes through the sky to stab the ground and soak the soil. Nearby stones are transformed into glowing rocks. Minerals that capture the essence of Summerdark’s sun and moons. Sunstones, ablaze with the sun’s burning light, and Lunar Pearls, reflecting the cool, serene power of the moonlight, are but two of these. Sky children born from cosmic upheaval.
A Wink of Power
With one exception, the power of these Eclipse Embers is transitory. They only thrive in the rare alignment of sun, moons, and the lightning-filled crucible of an Eclipse Storm. Once removed, Eclipse Embers keep their power for only a few months to at most a year. Then their light fades, and the once-glowing mineral cracks then crumbles to dust.
But within that brief time, these artifacts hold the power to illuminate the deepest darkness. Some energize arcane machinery, and triple the power of any spell. This, along with their fleeting lifespan, makes collecting them a race against time and the elements. A dangerous profession that attracts the bravest, or most desperate, of souls.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Eclipse Embers have an ethereal beauty. Their unique glow reflects the mystical lightning and celestial bodies from where they gain their power. Their forms are often irregular, with jagged edges and facets shaped by the intense weathering of an Eclipse Storm.
Most of these stones start out as marble or granite, but once transformed, are transparent but cloudy. They appear as if each one contains a tiny, swirling storm cloud trapped inside. Despite those similarities, each type of Emberstone possesses characteristics unique to the celestial alignment during their explosive creation.
Collection of Eclipse Embers by CB Ash *
Type
Mineral
Value
Varies by type and region. In some locations, buying and selling Eclipse Embers is illegal because of their religious significance.
Rarity
Rare, with certain types being rare to the point of myth.
Common State
Solid. When they're formed, the energy of the Eclipse Storm liquifies the stones before solidifying them into their charged mineral form.
Related Locations
Related Professions
Sunstone by CB Ash *
Sunstones
These Eclipse Embers shine brightly with a golden glow inside an orange-yellow stones. The effect is similar to sunbeams caught in veins of amber. So long as they have power, the heat of the sun is noticeable. They radiate a comforting
Sunstones are best used to power or amplify light and energy spells. Arcansmiths use them frequently in devices that require strong, steady power. These Eclipse Embers are strongest during the daylight hours. This has caused many scholars to believe they can slowly replenish their power by absorbing daylight. So far, no one has proven that to be true.
Lunar Pearl by CB Ash *
Lunar Pearls
Where Sunstones glimmer like the sun, Lunar Pearls exude an opalescent, silvery light below their blue-white gemstone surface. A pale glow like the moon of Pyrak when it’s full. These stones are cool to the touch, and their magical power is gentle.
Lunar Pearls are favored by healers, herbalists, and vitalists alike. Their power can amplify healing spells, transformational magic, and arcansmith devices that need a steady, gentle energy. Where Sunstones are strongest in daylight, Lunar Pearls are more potent at night.
Celestial Carnelian by CB Ash *
Celestial Carnelian
This type of Eclipse Ember is one of the rarest outside of the Starfall Sapphires. Celestial Carnelians glow with an intense red light beneath their yellow-red surface. A light similar to the blood-red hue of the sky during a total eclipse. These unusual
The energy held in Celestial Carnelians is volatile. Carnelians are used by all sorts for warspells, forge casting, or devices that require explosive blasts of energy from the smallest sliver for Emberstone. They are equally potent both day and night, but their energy is so intense, it is difficult to harness effectively. Unless the wielder simply wishes to cause an explosion that would devastate several buildings.
Out of all the Emberstones, Celestial Carnelians last the shortest of all, only a month or two. But, unlike other Emberstones, their power doesn’t just fade out. Instead, Celestial Carnelians crack and explode in a devastating fireball when they expire.
Twilight Topaz by CB Ash *
Twilight Topaz
A blend of silvery moonlight mixed with golden sunlight makes this type of Embers emit a unique glow. The soft pale yellow-white illumination just before dawn or at the brink of sunset. This twinkles below its reddish pink gem-like surface.
These are the most common of Emberstones. The energy they hold is balanced and long-lasting. It’s neither forcefully bright like a Sunstone nor a cool gentle glow like a Lunar Pearl. This makes them ideal for spells or devices that require the harmony of both types of energy. Twilight Topaz are sought after for their versatility because of their steady available magical energy day or night. But like their name, they are the most potent during the hours or dawn or dusk.
Starfall Sapphire by CB Ash *
Starfall Sapphires
Last of the Eclipse Embers is the rarest, and some say the most powerful of all. Starfall Sapphires are unlike any other Emberstone. They are created during Eclipse Storms that form at the peak of an eclipse that aligns with one of the four mysterious Sunstars that appear each season.
Their deep blue inner glow shimmers like a starlit night, with a twinkle at the core of each Emberstone. A sparkle that suggests a trapped star lies inside behind the mysterious rolling clouds all Eclipse Embers have inside them.
Power from a Starfall Sapphires is not limited to day or night. Neither does their power fade with time. The energy held by a Starfall Sapphire is nearly limitless, and coveted by most sagecasters, arcansmiths, and any other caster. Especially those looking to fuel any spell or forgework device imaginable.
Legends from the First Age, the Age of Twilight, or even earlier mention Starfall Sapphires. Wars were fought over even one of these Emberstones. Conflict that may have been the downfall of those mythical ages. Also, it’s rumored that a Starfall Sapphire possesses the power to recharge the other Emberstones. Some even suggest that Starfall Sapphires are not made by the Eclipse Storms at all, but fall from the Sunstars themselves.
But the rarity and fantastic rumors surrounding them make Starfall Sapphires more myth than a reliable resource. A deadly lure that has caused many explorers to venture into uncharted, dangerous ruins using half-drawn maps, often with little to no success. That is, if they return at all.
They are both at once alike, but different. Each Eclipse Ember reflects the unique, if not mystical, event of their creation. In their own way, they almost mark chapters in the story of Summerdark.
- Danrion Uave, herbalist and member of the Embermyst Fellowship
Physical & Chemical Properties
Emberstones vary based on type. The golden Sunstones have a welcome warmth to the touch. Lunar Pearls are chilly, and others like Celestial Carnelians have the faint sound of boiling oil even if they are slightly hot.
All are smooth stones that range in size. Their outer surface is often weathered to the point of having some resemblance to cut gemstones or quartz. Enough to see the swirling storm cloud deep inside each stone.
The only other property they all share is their durability. Eclipse Embers look fragile, but these glowing stones are harder than most forged metals. But they can still be cracked. If an Eclipse Ember is cut or sliced apart, they release a strong burst of energy.
Compounds
The energy from the Embers is primarily drawn from a stone’s raw form. But, if carefully ground, the flakes can be infused into other materials or substances. Many uses are potions, additions to metal alloys, and more. All to boost the properties of natural materials, or with potions, brew something truly magical.
Geography & Geology
Emberstones are only found in locations where an Eclipse Storm has taken place. High altitudes are the most common, such as the Blue Mountains, which see almost seasonal Eclipse Storms throughout the year. Many temples exist near the locations where Eclipse Storms are more commonly seen. The clergy there hold the storms and the Emberstones in high regard, seeing both as a direct connection between the Ethereons themselves that shaped the world and those that live in Summerdark.
History
Eclipse Embers have played a key role across the length of Summerdark’s history. The appearance of these stones has often been associated with major events, both good or bad. Sometimes even to the point of being catastrophic or miraculous. To some, like the skarn, Emberstones are a powerful talisman and omen. Some tribes and regions use them in their worship.
Common Use
Eclipse Embers are commonly used to power spells or spell-like effects. This could be
An Eclipse Storm by CB Ash *
Hazards
As it’s been written, Eclipse Embers will release a burst of energy if cracked or sliced. Depending on the type, this burst could be an explosion that would consume the person holding the stone. These blasts of energy from a cracked stone can cause magical burns if the wielder isn’t careful with their use.
Worse, it’s well known among vitalists that prolonged exposure to large groups of Emberstones at once, such as ten at a time, can cause a deadly magical transformation sickness. One that can kill, or at least leave, a victim magically altered into a misshapen form.
Handling with Care
Broken Eclipse Ember by CB Ash *
Eclipse Embers are durable. As it’s written, they are more durable than many metals. But, the value and rarity cause many to take extra precautions when carrying or transporting these stones. To prevent accidental cracks or chips, which could lead to a painful magic burn, the stones are often carried in velvet pouches.
There are many records that state clearly that velvet cloth protects the stones, and even helps them retain their power. Why no one is sure of, as the reasons have been lost to time. Even the most ancient records from the distant Age of Illumination have nothing on why velvet, just that it must be that material.
Across history, there have been many lands, rulers, arcansmiths, and more that have tried to control the majority of Eclipse Embers. This has contributed to more that one conflict, such as the Betrayer War that ended the Third Age of Summerdark in bloody destruction.
Because of that, and the raw destructive power these stones possess, most lands have standing laws around the stones. In some places, the stones may only be traded in special buildings that could withstand the blast of a cracked stone. Elsewhere, the stones have such a strong religious significance. There, it’s illegal to buy or sell Eclipse Embers. Lawbreakers quickly find themselves imprisoned or worse.
Remember Danrion, Eclipse Embers are a lesson that even the smallest fragment can ignite the greatest changes. Those who dare grasp an Emberstone must tread lightly. For that stone’s magical glow could light a path to glory, or cast a long shadow as dark as the abyss.
- Sagecaster Friwind, Eldermage of the Gray Company
What an excellent article! I am amazed at how well you used this prompt as a sprint board for so many possibilities.
Thanks! :D This one opened a ton of avenues here. There is a lot of worldbuilding referenced that will be turning into their own writeups. That’s for sure.