User:TorenD

Gemstones

Gemstones

Name	Description	Image
Amber	Highly valued for its colour and natural beauty, it is often made into a variety of decorative objects, ranging from beads and pendants, to smoking pipes or small drinking vessels. Specimens of a clear nature, or particularly stunning coloration, will often fetch the highest prices. Amber deposits have been found in multiple places, though these have been in the warmer portions of Bormar. Scholars theorise that the lack of trees in the past may have contributed to the lack of amber in the colder areas of the region. Shores and coastlines are often common places for pieces of amber, often being washed up by the waves where any traveller may find them, but any serious mining attempts are done underground. Within Dwarven superstition and folklore, it is said that amber brings clarity to the mind and control of one's intellect, allowing them to achieve mental stability and to complete tasks that they may not have previously had the potential to do.
Amethyst	A purple jewel that is often through to be a variety of quartz. It can range in coloration from light pink and violet to deep purple, occasionally having some red or blue tinges present as well. Before the large-scale mining efforts of the nation of Bormar, amethysts ere usually held in the same respect as diamonds and rubies. Its natural beauty, colour and relative rareness elevating it above most other gemstones.
Apatite	Usually found as a rock or mineral, gemstone-grade specimens of apatite are quite hard to find. Often seen in green, blue or colourless and ranging from transparent to translucent, it nevertheless has a distinct quality as a gemstone. Due to its range of colouration and striking similarity to other gemstones, apatite has a reputation as being a 'fraudulent' gemstone, often being the bane of many miners and jewellers when they discover that they have overpaid, or undersold, for a particular specimen.
Aquamarine	Aquamarine is a light-blue variation of a gemstone known as 'beryl'. It is usually colourless, but various impurities can impart particular colours into the gemstone. It is a very popular choice within jewellery, with its colour often being used to invoke the sea or the sky in whatever setting it is placed. Due to its alleged relation with the water, it is often stated to grant protection for seafarers and also as a stone associated with healing. As such, it is a very popular sight amongst sailors and other nautical travellers, who often put much weight into these superstitions.
Carnelian	Carnelian is a popular gemstone that ranges from in colour from orange and brown to red, which is the most sought after colour. It is not particularly valuable, possibly due to the opaque nature of the gemstone, but it is a common sight in jewellery across the world, often used in great quantities in arrangements. With its relative frequency and deep coloration, it is an incredibly popular starting choice for beginner jewellers to practice their skills on. Due to its particular easiness to work, it is very often carved into signet rings, depictions of figures, talismans or other such things.
Citrine	Available in a range of yellow to orange colours, from light 'lemon' yellow to the much sought-after golden-orange, citrine is often used to evoke the sun, gold or wealth. Known as the 'Merchants Gemstone', citrine was an incredibly popular choice for jewellery in the early days of Bormar, due to the emphasis placed on trade during that time. Whilst being rather durable, citrine is also rather easily cut, allowing it to be worked into a variety of shapes and sizes. Nowadays it is quite commonly found and, as such, is not the most valuable of gemstones.