Ruby
Description
Rubies are a gemstone version of the mineral Corundum with a very high concentration of chromium. They are a translucent to transparent red crystal. They can also be pink or purple in color. Contrary to popular belief, rubies do not strengthen blood magic as that almost always requires a mineral made of iron oxide in some way, usually Bloodstone or Hematite. Instead, rubies strengthen Fire, Earth, and Lightning magic.
Mana Charge
Rubies charged with mana have an affinity for Fire magic, strengthening these type of spells by up to 6 times. Rubies also have a lesser affinity for Earth and Lightning magic, strengthening each by up to 3 times. Rubies are a very stable crystal and can hold a mana charge for over a century, much longer than any quartz crystal can.
Aether Charge
Aether will slowly turn a ruby darker until it is almost opaque and black, but still noticeably red. Rubies brightly glow when charged with aether, the same color as when charged with mana.
Aetheric Saturation
As long as aetheric saturation is maintained, Rubies will start to rapidly heat up and generate electrical sparks. It will heat up well past its melting point but will seem to maintain stability and stay as a crystal. It can be used to generate a beam of extremely powerful, extremely hot, concentrated red light that can burn through almost anything, but drains the gem of its aether rather quickly.
Effects of forging metals
Ruby Gemsteel is a particularly popular type of Gem Forged metal due to its power. When ground up into a fine powder and added to molten metal during the regular forging process, the result is a pale pink metal that is almost always shaped into a blade. This blade will glow red when mana is channeled through it and like regular ruby crystal will strengthen certain types of magic. When charged with aether, the blade can be made to glow red hot, so hot it can cut through other steel weapons with ease.
Common uses
Rubies are used by mages to strengthen multiple magical elements, especially fire. Orcs on the floating Kingdom of Viricrul have technology much more advanced than most of Vreathe. They have fashioned Ruby cannons for defense against invasion by airship, and are said to have miniaturized it into that of a Beam Rifle. As the Orc kingdoms are very secretive and do not allow outsiders, this technology can't actually be verified.
Locations Found
Rubies can be uncommonly found inside the Island of Rosika, but otherwise they are mainly found in the Centaur lands, far to the south of The Olimian wastes. The elves of Ledo seem to have a lot of rubies and it isn't really known why, which usually means the elves know of a secret deposit of gem quality rubies and arent telling anyone about it.
Variations
((Author's Note - For the purpose of worldbuilding, all varieties of Corundum that have a larger chromium content than iron will be referred to as Rubies.))
Pink Rubies: Pink rubies have the same chromium impurity as red rubies do, just much less of it. Pink rubies will strengthen fire, earth, and lighting magic, but only by up to two times each. Pink rubies have completely different properties when charged with Aether, generating a white light. At saturation, pink rubies will generate a field of healing energy similar to that of a jade crystal. This healing field can be strengthened with the users own mana if they channel it directly into the gem. It can also be used to create a concentrated pulse of healing magic, but it drains the gem completely of all mana.
There is a gemsteel version of this type of pink ruby. It is usually fashioned into the shape of a religious symbol. It is used by healers and priests as a way to focus and amplify their healing magic.
There is a gemsteel version of this type of pink ruby. It is usually fashioned into the shape of a religious symbol. It is used by healers and priests as a way to focus and amplify their healing magic.
Purple Ruby: Purple rubies are red rubies with a small titanium impurity, which gives it a purple appearance with a tinge of red under most lighting conditions. Purple Rubies will strengthen fire, air, and water magic by up to two times. When charged with aether, these gems give off a purple glow but will otherwise fluoresce red. At aetheric saturation, purple rubes will produce a paradoxical effect, rapidly heating everything around it except water and organic material. It can be used to create an concentrated pulse of aether that melts metal. Metal that melts with this armo doesn't seem to harm organic life and it doesn't seem to give off heat of its own.
This property can be exploited in gemsteel. This variety has a pale purple color. It will glow purple when charged with mana. This metal weaker compared to red varieties so it is often fashioned into a blunt instrument to be placed on the end of staves and spears. It is used by mages for the purpose of destroying enemy armor.
This property can be exploited in gemsteel. This variety has a pale purple color. It will glow purple when charged with mana. This metal weaker compared to red varieties so it is often fashioned into a blunt instrument to be placed on the end of staves and spears. It is used by mages for the purpose of destroying enemy armor.
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