Gravity Stone
Description
Gravity stones get their name from their ability to become much lighter when charged with aether. Certain types of Granite can be Gravity Stones, but purer minerals are more effective, particularly potassium rich Feldspars such as Orthoclase and Microcline. Gem quality versions of these stones make the optimal gravity stones.
Mana Charge
Being a silicate, gravity stones can store large amounts of mana and stay stable. Excess mana is bled off as a soft white light. All potassium feldspars have an affinity for gravity magic.
Aether Charge
When lightly charged with aether, gravity stones become extremely light, almost lighter than air. When heavily charged, gravity stones will actively oppose gravity but become difficult to control. Gravity stones will start to glow blue when charged with aether, and almost appear white when they reach their maximum charge.
Aetheric Saturation
When Aetheric saturation is reached, nothing immediately happens. This is because orthoclase crystals are relatively stable. Excess aether is slowly bled off as a gravity field is generated around the crystal. This gravity field makes other objects lighter as well.
If far too much aether is charged into a gravity stone, it will melt and then collapse into a quartz crystal. The potassium content melts and degasses. This gas is very hot, explosive, and dangerous. Smaller crystals tend to collapse first, but larger single crystals, those being 100 kilograms or larger in size, are so stable that no amount of aether will cause them to explode.
Measuring the antigravity effects
The anti-gravity effect of a gravity stone is difficult to measure due to different stone qualities and the danger of a stone has when it reaches sauration. Scholars of the Empire of Irrelith did a study and found that at aetheric saturation, a 100 gram orthoclase stone will oppose gravity enough to lift 500 grams before it explodes. A 100 gram solid crystal version of orthoclase can lift 100 kilograms.
The Elves of Lyonne have a deposit of expecially pure orthoclase crystals that are able to lift 1,000 kilograms per 100 grams of crystal. Similarly pure crystals are found on some floating islands, but haven't been tested yet. There might be even purer versions of these crystals that exist but none have been found yet.
Effects of forging metals
If orthoclase is ground up and added to the steel forging process, a pale orange or white blade will result. Steel made this way is called Gravity Steel. These blades are as strong as normal steel, but are 25% lighter. It also amplifies gravity magic slightly. A lighter blade that retains its strength is useful to some soldiers who love swinging around giant swords, hammers, and axes.
Common uses
Gravity stones are mined and cut into large, standardized blocks, and are attached to the wooden or steel frames of Airships. This almost makes the Airships lighter than air. The addition of helium filled balloons or charging the gravity stones with more aether makes the airship float with ease. Gemstone or single crystal versions of orthocloase mke the helium balloons unecessary, but they are said to be more difficult to control. Altitude can be controlled by modulating the aether charge of the gravity stone.
Locations Found
High quality gravity stones can be found in the Ash Mountains between the Elf Kingdom of Lyonne and the Duchy of Fairden, as well as the Serosie Mountains in northern Lyonne. Slightly lower quality gravity stones can be found in the Valley of Kings, Niverden Valley, the Icenae Mountains and the Cliffs of Nikria.
The human kingdom of Pellensk, far to the west of Cassel, has some of the largest single crystals of orthoclase ever found, with one stone being reported as weighing over 100,000 kilograms, with a theoretical lifting force of a billion kilograms. There is not enough aether in Pellensk to make the stone float on its own, so for the last 50 years, much smaller pieces have been shaved off.
Basic Information
Price: 5000 Beryls per ton.purer crystals are 100 beryls per gram.
Type: Igneous Rock.
composition: K,Al,Si3,O8
Density: 2.55 g/cm3
Color: White
Fluoresence: White
Mana Information
Mana Point: 0.8 MP per gramStability: 1 MS per gram
Resistance: 0.31MR per gram
Variations
Amazonite - A variety of feldspar with a high lead impurity, which gives it a greenish to bluish hue. Green varieties of both orthoclase and microcline can be amazonite. Amazonite is Most common in the Dark Lands. Amazonite is used to create floating crystals in the temples by the Xinopta empire. Emperors are placed in large stone tombs that float above Xinopta's capital Otomi. Large amazonite crystals are rare so these can explode much more easily.Paradoxite - Flesh colored Orthoclase. This is actually more common than white varieties, but it also reaches aetheric saturation and explodes much more quickly, making it unsuitable for use as a gravity stone.
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