Throughout human history there have been tales of gemstones with magical abilities.  This is a way to implement these tales.

The premise of the Awakened Gemstone follows the paraphrased ITL (p62) Religion comment:  

The GM may wish to make one or more gemstones “effective,” – that is, give certain powers to gemstones. If this is done, it should be kept to a low level – or gemstones may well outnumber swords or spells. In any GM's universe, most gemstones will be valued for their beauty and cost.  If more material advantages are to be gained through the gemstone, they should be small (like an occasional +1 die roll bonus) and unreliable. In fact, the GM may keep players in the dark about whether gemstones are really getting any advantage at all!

That will test their faith . . .

In order to keep that 'in the dark' aspect, using Awakened Gemstones is heavily GM dependent.  They decide what the power of the stone will be and when the item will be activated.

Awakened Gemstones are Magic Items.

These awakened gemstones are enchanted and allow their users to do things that would be difficult or impossible without them, without knowing a spell himself or otherwise expending a lot of fatigue.   There are hundreds of different kinds of Awakened Gemstones.  Many are listed in the chart below.

Most of these awakened gemstones can be used by anyone (Wizard or Hero) at any IQ level. A few can only be operated by wizards; these are noted. Some magic items put thrown-type spells on their wearer. Most of these gemstones work with no fatigue cost to the wearer. Some do require an expenditure of fatigue when activated but at very low fatigue cost compared to spells and they may work may work longer in tactical situations.  This data is in the Power description of the Gemstone.

Such an item may be worn at all times without functioning or draining its wearer's fatigue; it only begins to work (and use up fatigue) when the whim of the Gemstone (the GM) wills it to do so.

Awakened Gemstones should be as rare as wizards are on Cidri.

Mana is a term that wizard use to power up a staff; Energize is a term that Awakeners use to 'power up' a gemstone.  Spell is a term for the magic that comes from psychic manipulation; Power is the term for an Awakened Gemstone spell.

What are Awakened Gemstones?

Each gemstone type has an inherent essence that can manifest occult powers.*  These gemstones need to be Awakened (essentially lining up the psychic polarities so it can 'come alive'.)  

*A google of occult powers of a particular gem will give a bewildering array of abilities, sometimes conflicting.  I have kept these down to a couple, rather than just one, so the GM has some flexibility with play.

Once Awakened, the gemstone needs to be Energized.    Once Energized, a gem waits until the conditions are right for it to release its energy in a pattern (or spell) for the living entity that 'owns' it.  Once it has discharged its energy, it goes dormant, waiting for an Awakener to re-energize it.  It will need to be recharged by an Awakener to work again but it does not have to be the same Awakener that created it.  One cannot energize an UnAwakened gemstone; it has no psychic polarities to align to.

Who makes Awakened Gemstones?

Three types of 'classes' can Awaken a gemstone.  

Witches:  the witch uses a small clean cauldron and rituals to do this.  Witches must have a fully stocked Pantry ($100) and a smallish cauldron ($100) dedicated to aligning polarities to awaken gemstones.

Alchemists:  an alchemist uses alchemical processes to do this.

Priests (for gems that involve Spirit or Soul orientation). A priest uses religious ritual to achieve this.

Anyone else cannot take the Gem-Awaken / Energize spell.

The Process used to make an Awakened Gemstone

IQ 8  SPELL

Awaken / Energize Gemstones (S)

The ability to align the psychic polarities of the stone into a form that will receive energy.  [or in the priest and witches view:  to align the spiritual essence of the stone so that it can be energized.]

At this time, the stone will take on its particular power. [All gemstones have at least two powers listed. This gives the GM some variety with these gems.]  The GM secretly decides which power the gemstone receives and notes this down.  Only one power is activated by the awakener; See gemstone list.  See also Witches and Gemstone for restrictions.

To Awaken =  Utilizing the Awaken Spell

Cost: 1 ST per Gemstone or 1 ounce of gem dust.

This is a ritual or process that takes 1 week to complete.  Can do up to 10 gemstones (or 10 ounces of gem dust) at once at total cost of 10 ST. Other mundane activities can be done during the week while the creator is Awakening the stone.

At the end of the week, the manufacture will reach a critical point; the GM, rolling for the Awakener, attempting his IQ roll on 3 dice. If the roll is made successfully, the gemstones are finished. If the roll is failed, the attempt is only partly aligned and will take another week (and common ingredients) to finish.  No rolls are needed, it just takes longer.

A roll of 3 means the gemstone is self-energizing.  It goes dormant for a week as it draws energy from around it and is ready fully energized and ready for activation one week after its use.

A roll of 16 means the gemstone is flawed and cannot be aligned.  It is just a gemstone.

A roll of 17 means is a faulty alignment.  It may be totally unable to hold an energy, poisonous to the touch, or produce the opposite of the desired effect. The GM determines which or any other effect.

A roll of 18 means one gemstone explodes, doing 2 dice injury to its maker and 1 die times $500 damage to the laboratory/home.

To make any gemstone, a witch, priest or alchemist must possess a book (q.v.) containing all the instructions for that Awakening gemstone. It takes 5 pages to adequately describe each Gemstone. The worth of such a book is usually about $20 per page.  [this is a variation on chemistry/alchemy ITL p 145.]

Note: If the Awakened Gemstone is faulty, only the GM will know . . . until someone uses it.  A Witch or Alchemist can detect a faulty Gemstone of their type (Witch can detect witch created stone, Alchemist an alchemy stone) on a 4-die roll against IQ – but only one roll per gemstone encounter can be made, and the maker himself cannot detect anything wrong.

To Energize or Recharge = The second part of the Spell pulls the psychic (or spiritual) energies from the environment (including the Awakener) and flows it into the aligned stone where it is held till released.  

Cost: 1 ST per Gemstone.  

This is a ritual or process that takes at least 3 days (1/2 d6) to complete.  Can do up to 10 gemstones at once at total cost of 10 ST.  Can do up to 10 ounces of gemstone dust used for medicines or other things.  

A witch can know what power a stone has as she energizes it.

To Activate =  To emphasize the unreliable advantage element to the gemstones, the GM decides when to utilize the gem's power.  This is known as Activating a gem.  Once activated, the energy is released and the power manifests. The GM can be subtle about this activation or he can make it obvious by saying "Hey, your gem activated and you get blah."

In order for a figure to activate a gemstone, the figure must hold it in hand or wear the gemstone as jewelry.  Some gemstones are devices and meant to be placed in the ground, set about around an area for it to work, etc.  The owner of these devices places them where he wants them and does a small 1 minute ritual that either activates them right now or when the circumstances are right.  See Gem power descriptions in the charts.

Dormant Gems = The gem then goes dormant and will have to be re-energized by a Gem Awakener.  Any Gem Awakener may re-energize this gemstone.  

More Data on Awakened gemstones

With uncanny prescience, the gemstone (usually amulets) may sometimes activate itself during the Renew Spell phase, microseconds before movement and regular spells begin. [in other words, demon moves toward Wearer and power activates forcing demon to avert; Joe's sword swings on Wearer but power activates before the DX roll; etc.]

Some gemstones only work once for a user.  The polarities of the gemstone and the polarities of the user now cancel each other.

Certain gemstones have Powers that are constantly on and self-energizing.  Those rare types are noted with the Power.

The GM decides if two different Awakened gemstones can work for the same figure simultaneously.

Witches and Gemstones

[My intent of witches empowering gemstones was to provide a low IQ level spell that didn't cost much to power, and that might give witches some purpose in the game.  I wanted to keep the IQ bloat on witches down, so I put the following cap restriction on the spell.]

Witches Losing the ability to Awaken Gems

There are restrictions for Witches learning the Awaken/Energize Gemstone spell.  Witches can learn and utilize this spell up to IQ10.  

IQ 11 is a threshold to see if Witches can still utilize the spell.  Roll their IQ each time they cast the spell.  If they pass, they continue on with the spell.

Once there is a failure they have lost their “innocence” and can no longer do this spell as noted below.

At IQ 12+ or greater, the negative energies of the higher IQs interfere with the process of Awakening.  However, they can still detect if it is an Awaken gemstone, but she cannot identify its power anymore.

Witches need an iron cauldron to perform most of the Awakening & Energizing spell.  The cauldrons have a non-iron grate (usually copper or bronze) that the gems are put onto.  This way the problem with magic and iron is bypassed.

Detecting Awakened Gems.

Awakened gemstones look no different than regular gemstones.  A witch often senses if one is in her area (a mega-megahex).  GM decides when there are any and fatigues witch 1 point.  Witch will only know that one is nearby, not where or what or how many.  The witch will know that a gemstone is Awakened when she holds it, but not what its power is.

A priest can tell if there is an awakened Spiritual Oriented gemstone in the area, (as per witch) but not its power.  

An alchemist would have to make a test for each stone to see if it is Awakened.

Testing Power without Using Stone.

Once a witch has detected an Awakened Gemstone, she can do an Awakened test ritual (doesn't have to be in a cauldron) to determine which power it has.  Takes 30 minutes and Cost 1 Fatigue each gem.

A priest will know the gemstone's power when he holds it in his hand.  Cost 1 Fatigue for each gem.

An alchemist would have to make a test for each Awakened gemstone to reveal what its power was.  Cost 1 Fatigue for each gemstone.

Once a witch has detected an Awakened Gemstone, she can do a short form of the Awakened Gemstone ritual (doesn't have to be in a cauldron) to determine which Power it has. The witch must meditate while holding the gemstone or be concentrating on a gem device. It takes 30 minutes and Cost 1 Fatigue each gem. At the end, roll 3d6 against IQ. Crits success give 1 free Testing on next gemstone. Crit failure means witch identifies it wrong.

A priest will know a Spiritual gemstone's power when he holds it in his hand. Cost 1 Fatigue for each gem.

An alchemist would have to make a test for each Awakened gemstone to reveal what its power was. Cost 1 Fatigue for each gemstone.

He can do a short form of the Awakened Gemstone Alchemical ritual to determine which Power it has. The alchemist must boil the gemstone in pure water, then add certain tinctures to the container. He will then read his books and charts and cross references. It takes 30 minutes and Cost 1 Fatigue each gem. At the end, roll 3d6 against IQ. Crits success give 1 free Testing on next gemstone. Crit failure means witch identifies it wrong.  – from website

*Over the centuries certain gemstones have acquired titles which may or may not be appropriate to the shifting spiritual powers of current day.  Some of these titles are listed.

**This is the GemCutters Guild's approximate value for cut gems of its type.  Prices go up or down due to size and quality.

[durations of gemstone effects:  

3 months instead of 6 months?

Growing Season is how long?

A lot of these gemstones have No Cost because they are Stragtegic affect (long term) and the energy will be recouped during in-between game times.

'Talent, thing' costs 20% less

Evil Eye = Curse Spell

Certain Gem Powers are designed for use during Tactical situations.  Some of these rules might have the spell last longer than the GM would like.  By all means, GMs can alter the power to fit their views, including shortening the duration of the spells.

In order for certain long duration powers to activate, the Awakened Gemstone must be worn most of the time, like Agate – Charm for Farming should be worn for a season.

Iron

Iron does not affect the Awakened Gemstone.  The owner can activate it even when embedded in Steel Armor. The reason is not known; it appears to have something to do with Spiritual Polarity of the Awakening.

The Rule of Five

The Rule of Five ITL (p148) still applies.  However, the Gemstone will take over upon activation and one of the other magic items will power down for the duration of the spell.

Gem dust (or powder)

An Awakener may create or energize up to 10 ounces of Awakened gemstone dust that can be used for medicines or other things.  

(Note:  if you split up an ounce of gem dust before it is activated, that disrupts its polarities and will no longer be Awakened.  You can make one large 10 ounce Awakened mass, pour it into 10 small containers and it will work.  If you spill one of the container contents on a spread out pile on the floor, then put it back in the container, it will work.  If you spill one container content on the floor where you have to sweep it up, it will be ruined.  The content has to be nearly pure dust or powder, not mixed with other powders.  If mixing is done with another Awakened dust, it nullifies both powers.)

Awakened Gemstone Dust usually gets 'used up' in the casting and can't be re-energized.

Gem dust can be ground into a powder. This powder can be sprinkled on food or drink, or made into a paste, etc.  It has bit of crunch and no taste and can be eaten without notice by unobservant people.

Powders can even be burned as incense.  

Gem Costs

Note:  Gems of Cidri cost less than they do on Earth.

Cidri's Gem-Cutter Guild's traditional standard gem size = 22 carat that is often favored by Wizards. This is about the size of a US quarter.  That comes to about 100 gems to 1 pound.  They also tend to price their gems of various sizes into about 8 price categories: the Guild Suggested Retail Price for cut gems.

Raw gems are about ¼ of the price.

Traditional amount of jewel dust in spells is 1 ounce and is about 1/10th the cost of a stone on the gemstone list.

Cost of Awakened Gemstone

Guild Suggested Retail Price of gemstones are listed in the charts.  A known Awakened Gemstone will be the cost of the gemstone plus an additional amount to be negotiated.  A gemstone with a known Power will cost even more.

Witches seldom have gems in their domiciles.  They are too poor to have a collection.  Usually someone brings them gems and the witch will take a week to Awaken them and negotiates a price between $50 and $500 depending on the witch's circumstances.  The witch may have one or two Awakened Gems, either energized or not, hidden away.  They may even be using them as they can energize them when they want.

Alchemists may several gems in their domicile waiting for use in alchemical formulas.  They may even have a few Awakened Gems for sale.  Alchemists charge a lot for their Awakened Gems.  The Wizard's Guild has established rates for Awakened Gems, but it doesn't seem to enforce it.  

Priests probably won't have any Spritual Awakened Gems in their possession.  These would be rare and usually restricted to Theologians or Church Hierarchy.   Spiritual Gems held by a Religious institution would not be for sale except for when a church has fallen onto hard times.  Spiritual Gems may be given to a follower for a special mission to be returned when done Or as a reward for some special triumph.

The cost of the Gemstone does not relate to the Power of the gemstone.  Cheap gems could be powerful and some expensive gemstones could have relatively poor powers.

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Black Magic Awakened Gemstones

Black Magic Witches & Dark Arts can also attune gemstones with negative energies and curses.  Among these are Black Diamond for dark arts and Red Diamonds called Blood Diamonds for those involving blood rituals.  You can make up your own rules for these.  

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If you wish to have Awakened Stones be a bit more powerful:

1)  have the character decide when to use it and not the GM.

2)  have the gemstones not need recharging.

3) Once the Figure activates the stone, he takes an additional Fatigue at that time as noted.

OR if you want to do it through the game rather than arbitrarily:

Witches only

IQ 15  SPELL

Mana Energizer (S)  Cost 3 to Learn

Lets the Witch take an Awakened gemstone that she knows the Power of, and make it so the figure can now activate the gemstone when it is energized instead of the GM. The witch causes the polarities to reverse 60 times per second.

This allows an already awakened stone to receive the mana energies from a wizard as per staff.  

A witch who has learned the IQ 8 Awaken / Energize Gemstones (S) spell when she was below IQ11, then lost the ability to use it due to polarity interference when she got smarter (at IQ 11 and above) may learn Mana Energizer at IQ15.  The witch was still able to detect when an Awakened Gem was in her area. Note: witches at IQ 11+ cannot create Awakened stones.

Once the Witch has Mana Energized that gemstone:

From now on any Wizard with Drain Strength spell may energize the gemstone.

Once energized, any character that knows that gemstone is awakened may utilize the stone. (if there are no gemstone restrictions.)

How is the stone identified as Awakened?

How do they know the Power?

How do they know it is not dormant

From now on any Wizard with Drain Strength spell may energize the gemstone.

How is the stone identified as Awakened?  How do they know the Power?  How do they know it is not dormant?

Alchemists cannot do this unless they are wizards too.  Priest who have Awakened Gemstone spell can do this to Spiritual gemstones.  Once energized, anyone can use the stone (if there are no gemstone restrictions.)

Note:  witches at IQ 11+ cannot create Awakened stones.  

3)  Once the Figure activates the stone, he takes an additional Fatigue at that time as noted.

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Terms for Gemstones

Wearer = one actively wearing gemstone (though in certain cases could also represent a Holder as well)

Holder = one actively holding gemstone in hand or cradled in arms

Owner = one who actually owns the gemstone.  This rarely comes up.

Device = gemstone that is positioned in such a way as to function (not on body)

The Caster = one who casts a spell

Victim = One who is receiving the spell effects

Target = One who is receiving the spell effects

Powers = The equivalent of a magic spell.

Activation = the moment when the energies are released and the spell goes off.

Energize = Storing the energy (mana) into the gem, waiting for activation.

Dormant = An Awakened Gemstone with no energy in it.

ReCharge, Re-Energize = putting new energy into a depleted Awakened Gemstone.

Incident, instance = the encounter, a span of time that the power is working, the current action phase.

Gem, Gemstone, Raw State Gem, Jewel, Jewelry, Dust, Powder = See Gemstones box for their physical forms.

Aligned, Polarity = Configuring the gem receptacle so that the spiritual/psychic energies can be placed.

Amberize = Early term for creating static electricity.

Harmonize = make those affected friendly to each other.

Tactical = in reference to placing a figure on a hex map and playing the scene in turns rather than off-board roleplaying the scene.

Fo forms of jewelry

Ring

Bracelet

Necklace

Pendent

Rosary Beads

Pin

Badge

Clasp

Cufflinks

Belt buckle

Earrings

Body piercing ring, stud

Phylactery

Sequin

Sewn in clothing

Fixed into shield or armor

Placed in scabbard or sheath

=======================

       I suggest you put these Awakened Gemstones on a 3x5 card.  When a character picks one up unknowingly or by purchase, you can pull the card and hold it in his file until used.  Keep it afterwards and the Gemstone can be re-energized.

Sizes of Gems

Size = ¼”   2 carats

.3 carat or 2mm is small gem:  1/10 cost

Gem standard is 2 carat or 8mm die.

18 carat or 17mm is Large gem:  10x cost (marble size)

145 carat or 25mm is very large gem:  100x cost (eyeball size)

100 coins or "large gems" is one pound (ITL 67)

which makes each 22 carat.

Some larger, most smaller.

a third of an ounce of jewel dust ($140) (ITL 147)

which gives a value of $3/carat.

1 carat = 0.007 ounces

1/3 carat = 0.002  (1/3 ounce or .066 grams)

22 carat = 0.16 ounces  = 4.4 grams

1 ounce = 142 carats

Carat is a unit of mass and used to describe the weight of diamonds, gemstones, pearls. 1 grams equals to 5 carats and 1 ounce is 141.747616 carats. It is abbreviated as "ct".

Who may use Awakened Gemstones?

Most of these Awakened gemstones or devices can be used by both Hero and Wizard.  A few can only be used by wizards and will be so noted.

Amulets, Talismans, & Charms. ... There are three categories of Awakened devices:

•   a charm is worn to attract good luck; (there are bad luck charms too, but not included here.)

•    an amulet provides protection from danger;

•    and a talisman is used to attract a particular benefit to its owner.

Charm Bracelets allow people to wear a number of charms/amulet/talisman at the same time. Many people have a collection of objects that they use as charms, either singly or together. They do not need to be visible; they can be worn under clothing or carried in a purse, if desired.  Note, you cannot stack identically powered items; i.e two plus 2 charms.  Only one will operate.  However, you can have a Talisman that gives you a bonus for singing and another that gives you dancing which may overlap in a musical.

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The term gemstone (or gem) will cover mineral crystals like ruby, certain rocks like lapis lazuli and organic material that are not minerals like pearls.

Sometimes other names will be used, like stone or crystals.

These gems can be in their Raw State (but cleaned up).

They can be cut, like a jewel or tool (like a knife or cup).

They can be combined with other things like metal or more gemstones to make jewelry.

They can also be in minute granules called Dust.

Dust can be ground into Powder.

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Chart Clarification; Name, Picture, Nickname*, Cost of non-awakened Stone in Silver pieces and gold pieces**; cost of 1 ounce of gem dust; Powers, what the power is, how the power works along with duration and cost in fatigue; footnotes on when it activates, dormancies, self-energizing, Spiritual Stones and power of long duration; Devices that use Awakened Powers; any additional notes.