Contest 25 -- Precious Jewels

[glamourie]

This contest is really simple: Design a precious gemstone unique to Pern. Your limitations are 500 words, no pictures, and a deadline of April 25th. Your prize is to have one of your characters discover a mine with all the gemstones created by Selenitas players ICly (as a plot device - yeah I'm spoiling this one a little 'cause I think it's funner for you guys to design what kind of gemstone mine it is) and 5 marks. Runners up all get 3 marks.

Post here to enter. One entry per character you have. Fill ze form:

Character:
Gemstone Name:
Gemstone Description:

Thank you muchly~

PS: Winner is decided by me so admin/modly sorts can enter as seen fit. I'll be picking the top 5 entries, so 1 winner, 4 runners up.

[bookworm]

Character: Imaskel
Gemstone Name: Lovestone
Gemstone Description: This cute little gem embodies everything romantic and girly. It is most commonly found in a pale pink color, although it can very to a deeper magenta or a lighter, near white color. When split open, the stones have a scarlet colored center. The stone has medium hardness, making it fairly easy to create jewelry out of it. Lovestone is opaque, not transparent, and when making jewellery out of it the cabachon method is best (shaped and polished, not faceted). Which, yes, means that they can be shaped into hearts. Some of the more romantic-minded people among us believe that Lovestone does indeed possess properties that can make a person more attractive when wearing jewelry made out of it.

[Ember]

Character: Eikane
Gemstone Name: Flashfire Stone
Gemstone Description: An unpolished Flashfire Stone is a rather plain red-brown with occasional flashes of the colour the stone could be once it is polished. On a one-to-ten hardness scale, Flashfire ranks as a 6 - 6.5. The polished Flashfire Stone is quite a remarkable stone indeed. Every stone is different and may display a different set of colours. The colours typical of a Flashfire Stone are red and gold, though it is not rare to find a sample with white. This stone is also called the Optical Illusion Stone for when light strikes the polished stone the colours seem to glow. When the stone is turned or moved the colours shift and all across the surface of the stone. This effect only occurs in the light for it is not the actual stone that glows, but the The Flashfire Stone’s most common usage is in jewellery in which it is polished and shaped. However, it has another common usage too. The unpolished stone makes for interesting worry rocks that people can hold and rub when feeling worried. They can also be sold to people interested in polishing the stone themselves and revealing the colours that way.

[Tashe]

Character: E'rro
Gemstone Name: Imenthium (Ih-men-thi-um)

Gemstone Description: Hard to find without an untrained eye, raw Imenthium is generally an unglamorous sight. Deposits are denoted by a rust colored formation that is matte in appearance and most often mistaken for rock or hard clay. Lucky miners will find opaque crystalline veins running through and around this air exposed outer layer. Once mined and cleaned of all sediment, the Imenthium begins to show hues of blue and green, yet the feel and appearance is still very much like that of a smooth rock. It is when the crystalline is cut and and polished, does it truly catch one's eye. Glassy and bright, the Imenthium does a complete turnaround. The hues of Blue can range from an almost startling shade (like that of a Terran Bluejay) to an icy Blue that is almost white.

Now, because of particular pressures within the making of Imenthium, the core of each gem has hundreds of small minute faces. As if someone had stuffed blue, metallic pieces of confetti into a stone. This reflective glitter is not necessarily always different shades of blue, green and indigo are also common. All three colors have been found mixed together in rare occasions, though none have been found with out Blue being the primary medium. Not rare, but not extremely abundant either, Imenthium is a beautiful stone that normally is used for jewelry or other such decorative devices. Its hardness rates a 5 - 5.5 on a one to ten scale.

[neeuqtar]

Character: Tiramnet

Gemstone Name: Arukanite

Gemstone Description: At about a 9 on the 1 to 10 hardness scale, arukanite is almost as hard as diamonds, though diamond is far more common, to being found scattered on certain southern islands. Arukanite, on the other hand, is rarely found exposed. It forms in hot and extremely mineralized water, which would boil off immediately if not sequestered in high pressure in either geodes or deep, sealed caves. The stone itself grows in a translucent six-sided spear, which can easily be sheared perpendicular to the growth. It comes in a variety of colors, depending on the inclusions of the original mineral mixture. Most commonly, arukanite is greenish, but it can also come in colors ranging from pink to purple and in a mostly-clear gray. It is not uncommon for a single spear of arukanite to suddenly change colors partway up the spear, or to be split down the middle into two or more colors. It all depends on the way that the stone originally formed.

Arukanite is not commonly used for cabochon jewelry, due to its relatively low shear resistance. Small spears of arukanite are sometimes used as pendants, and a careful lapidary’s hand can cut beautifully faceted pieces, usually in an emerald cut, with a wide polished face to show off the clearly demarcated color lines. Another use for arukanite is to shear it into thin hexagonal plates up a single spear, and to make decorative boxes and inlays. Particularly fine arukanite spears are also displayed as they are found, sprouting from their substrate rock (which is usually an ugly brown or grayish color). Only occasionally is arukanite used for industry of any kind, due to the difficulty of acquiring it, though sometimes it is used on grinding wheels for cutting softer stones.

[Rei]

Character ~ Feyrianth (SHE SAYS SHE COUNTS)

Gemstone name ~ Ishshinii (derived from the word it-is-shi-ney) [Fey loves Rii so much for the name idea.]

Description ~ This stone is particularly unattractive when first mined. Being a dull blue or black in color it’s true beauty is not revealed until it is exposed to sunlight. The dull color will spark with a metallic reddish glimmer leaving one to wonder what the stone would look like when freed from it’s rocky prison. The stones true color ranges from a royal blue to an inky black. Whatever the range in color, each stone is peculiar in the fact that it gains a distinct metallic sheen when exposed to sunlight.

Cut and polished it is extremely attractive. The gem ranges from completely transparent to translucent. Never opaque. However what really sets it apart is the aspect of heat. For if you heat the stone the metallic gleam becomes permanent due to a reaction in the makeup of the stone. Why this happens is still under speculation but the stone holds heat extremely well. Which may make it a popular addition to certain items. On a scale from one to ten it has a hardness of 9 the same hardness as a Terran Ruby.

Color ~ This gem is varies in color from vibrant royal blue to black but every gem sports a metallic red gleam when exposed to light. The gleam becomes permanent when the stone is exposed to high levels of heat.

[Ruby]

Character: Piden
Gemstone Name: Pidenstone

Gemstone Description: Pidenstone is surprisingly soft for a gemstone, at only a 4 on the hardness scale. Its relative softness and often muddy color makes it hard to find and even harder to extract from the earth intact, but if a miner or gemcrafter manages it, they will be greatly rewarded. Once the dirt is rinsed off, an egg-shaped, rich brown stone is left behind, flecked with tiny dots of gold. The nuggets are usually just about the size of green flitter eggs and surprisingly smooth, unless they are damaged during extraction. They can be any shade from a light coffee color to a deep chocolate, but are always a golden-hued brown, never a red-hued one.

Pidenstone comes in two varieties: opaque and translucent. The opaque stone is more common than the translucent stone, and it has a creamy quality, like chocolate, or coffee with cream. It is usually polished and shaped into beads and pendants (although sometimes it is kept in its natural form and displayed on a pedestal; in that case, very little polishing is necessary). The translucent form - only used if unflawed- can also be treated in this way, but its true beauty shines through best when it is cut like a harder gem. Due to Pidenstone’s natural shape, oval cuts are common, but square cuts are also popular. Both types become truly gorgeous when they catch the light, changing from slightly flecked to appearing to contain whole universes of tiny golden stars. As it is a very soft gem, the shaping and care of Pidenstone is extremely difficult- very easy to take just a sliver too much off, or chip a corner, and ruin the gem. As such, it is often used by those who have either the money to replace it, or for jewelry mainly intended to be seen, not worn: joining gifts, family heirlooms, signet rings and the like.

[Shiny]

Character: J'ash
Gemstone Name: Galaxite (Ga-lax-ite)
Gemstone Description: The high-contrast opaque gemstone Galaxite was named for its mesmerizing resemblance to the beauty of the universe. Scoring a 7.5 on the Mohs' scale of mineral hardness, Galaxite is often refined as fist-sized ovals, but is also cut into smaller pieces for jewelry and good luck charms.

Dark shades and tones of purple with a hint of cobalt make up the background of Galaxite's colour. Gentle wisps of defined lighter pinkish splashes burst from the center of the gemstone, giving the appearance of a nebula. Sprinkled atop, within, and around the "nebula" are extremely luminous large golden flakes. These flakes appear to glow, even in low light. Their glow lights up the darker outer layers from the inside, making it appear very mystical to the mind's eye, like a starry blanket of night wrestling with the sunset for its position in the sky. The astounding beauty of Galaxite is derived from not only one flake, but all of them together; the effect of their random yet constant sparkling and glowing is what makes Galaxite mind-bogglingly beautiful - and pricey.

Slightly rarer than the Terran diamond due to its very unlikely natural formation, Galaxite is found in clusters deep in caves few and far between. It is found in tall, somewhat thin stalagmites which are usually submerged underwater. Millions of years is needed for Galaxite to form, like many other gemstones.

Water containing certain minerals only found in certain locations on Pern drips down from the stalactite and begins to form a stalagmite on the cave floor. Many hundreds of thousands of years pass before a tall, thick stalagmite is formed; the key water-mineral ingredient has become the solid core of the cone-like pillar. Pressure in the cave shoots up from tectonic shifting or other such natural phenomenon, and in most cases, boiling water must then be present in the cave. For this reason, most Galaxite forms near geysers that open up after the stalagmite has formed. The pressure and hot conditions of the cave squeeze the stalagmite over the next hundreds of thousands of years, condensing the Galaxite material within it to gem-like density. It can be found by chipping away the outer rock layer on said thin stalagmites. It is hard to tell which stalagmites are hiding Galaxite within; some may appear somewhat crumbly on the outside due to the beating they've taken from pressure and temperature, but that would be the only visible clue.

Due to this complicated, unlikely formation process, Galaxite is only found in a few areas across all of Pern. The few places that contain deposits of said rare minerals is where Galaxite is most likely to form. With all the right conditions within areas in abundance of the necessary minerals, lots of Galaxite will form in one cave. Unfortunately, these caves are few and far between, and are hard for even skilled gem-hunters to find.

[raii]

First two:

Character: Sari
Gemstone Name: Lornne
Gemstone Description: Unlike most gems, Lornne is beautiful only in its purest form. When it is mined, it is beautiful. Thinking to enhance its beauty, many tried shaping and buffing and polishing the jewel. The result was surprising. When it’s surface was touched by anything sharper, it cracked. Clean cuts are impossible with this gem, as its fragility causes it to shatter and scratch when this is attempted. Likewise, polishing does naught. Instead, it detracts from this gem’s appearance. Its coloring fades, becoming dull. It looks fake, in fact, and all around unappealing. Only minimal changes can be made to this jewel. In order to shape it into wearable jewelry, it is first shattered into smaller pieces. Then, it can be slowly ground at, but this takes much time, patience, and a very gentle hand. It must be ground with Lornne itself, as anything stronger will break it, and anything frailer will break. Naturally, most Lornne jewelry has misshapen pieces, as it is so difficult to form. The gem itself is a rather strange color. It is a bright yellow, actually. Colors, of course, have a small range, but this shade is the most common. Its coloring can range all the way from an almost burnt orange to an almost white gold. It grows in a unique crystal form, with three rectangular facets. The top is not pointed, as most crystals are. Rather, the top is a flat, two dimensional triangle. It isn’t a particularly hard gem, reaching only a 3.2 on the 1 to 10 hardness scale. However, its luster is pearly, with a smooth feel and a earthy look.

Character: Rof’l
Gemstone Name: Piscil
Gemstone Description: Piscil is a flakey gem, with many straight, uniform layers. For a gem with such a composition, it is surprisingly hard, reaching an 8.9 on the scale. It appears to be completely smooth, but on touch one finds the raw form to be rather rough. The gem itself is usually hard to find, as it naturally occurs below the surface. Sometimes, however, large amounts of heat can push a few crystals to the surface, telling of rare treasure below. Piscil is not naturally crystalline in shape. On the surface, it can appear in hexagonal formations with a sharpened head, but below the surface it can be found in sheets. Large amounts are often found at a time, but it is very difficult to find. In its raw form, it isn’t incredibly beautiful, though it does hold some attraction. After much work is done with it, the product is a sight to behold. It is a gem for the rich. It can be shaped or cut in any way imaginable, a canvas for many intricate designs, and sometimes even carvings. As far as color goes, it is certainly a favorable one. Its color is a pale blue. It doesn’t have a very wide range, ranging from a faint, almost immeasurable pastel color to a vibrant but soft cerulean. Unfortunately, it is rather sensitive to a few distinct substances. Numbweed has the tendency to break down its bonds and make it much weaker. Fellis juice can mar its appearance with flaws and faded colors.

[glamourie]

WINNER: J'ash/Shiny.

Please contact me in a PM when you're free for a thread, Shiny.

Everyone is going to get 3 marks for submitting - you all had really awesome entries, and I'm excited to say that all of them will be featured in this plot. Thank you so much! <3

Contest closed.