Stones
Legends
A number of sources refer to twelves stones, but the best information Thorn has is that there are eight. There may be an additional ("thirteenth") stone referred to by poem Thirteen.
Users seek to bond them. When bonded, powers become more natural and unerring. Bonding also extends life. Weakest is Bard Stone, most powerful is Dragon Stone. Others includes Vampire, Monk, Theif, Eagle, Wizard. The owner of one can sense the location of the next in the power level chain.
Has a firey self-defense mechanism. There is a gem inside, according to Zem.
The process of bonding is unclear. According to Garven, you must get close to the earth at night, like in a cave, basement or cellar. Then concentrate on the powers and shove the stone close to the brain. The pain is cruicial to the process. Only death can separate the stone from a bonded user.
Each stone gives powers to a certain type of person. Garven says that these powers can be used by anyone if sufficient will is put into the task. He also says that bonding with a stone will give you these extra powers.
The reason for the creation of these stones seems important to many. It turns out that the powers of the stones are shadow dressing. Their true purpose is to find the pieces of the Carmarthen Service.
Known Power Order and Location
- Bard Stone: Tanador
- Thief Stone: Probably Dylan Vlad
- Warrior Stone: unknown
- Priest Stone: unknown
- Paladin Stone: unknown
- Monk Stone: unknown
- Vampire Stone: unknown
- Dragon Stone: unknown
Stone Details
The Bard Stone
An eyeball sized metal shpere with one moving part inside, creating six distinct tones. Nyssian in origin. When inserted into eye socket as replacement for an eye, it functions as a gem of true seeing. It is unclear if all stones work like this or just this one.
It can also locate any kings or pawns of the service. If placed into a bard, the following powers are granted:
- Self teleport without error 1/day (to known place up to 10 miles away). Command: rantpass
- Greater power to enthral with Bard-like skills (+4 to charm). Command: orata, rub eye
- Shapechange without error or problem 1/week (house-cat size to bear) Command: morpha
Tanador eventually bonded the stone to himself. Again, it is unknown if the process by which this was done is similar for all the stones, or just unique to this one. Judging by the reactions of various sages, no one had manged to figure this out before. Using information from sages, Tanador's magic and affinity to the stone, Zem's abilties and Iadra's divination, it was determined that there were actually four pea-sized objects within the eye. Each was actually a small vial containing a potion. Tanador removed the eye from his head and the vials from the eye. Tanador knew the vials had to be drunk in the correct order. Each vial made a separate tone when shook within the eye, and this formed a musical clue as to the proper order. Tanador figured this out, but relied on Iadra's divination to find answers before the bonding attempt was made. Once consumed, the liquid within had pchycoactive effects, but Tanador managed to return the stone to his eye socket and shove it toward his brain.
Once bonded, the powers of the stone improved and expanded to include:
- Range of the teleport became nearly unlimited (thousands of miles) and could be done three times per day.
- Polymorph without error or problem 1/day
- Automatically enthrall anything with less than 12 Int.
- +1 charisma
- Speak into the ear of any one person at a time wherever they are. They will recognize that it is me. Cannot hear them. No powers through the link.
The Thief Stone
Dylan Vlad probably has this stone. This stone detects bishops (which is interesting because we have two of them).
The Warrior Stone
Detects rooks.
The Priest Stone
Detects bisops.
The Paladin Stone
Detects knights.
The Monk Stone
Detects knights. Also known as the Eagle Stone.
The Vampire Stone
Detects rooks. Also known as the Wizard Stone.
The Dragon Stone
Detects queens.