Spellstones (SC)

As the smallest member of the runestone family of artifacts, these tiny rocks or gems carry regular spells or enchantments. Most hold cantrips, but some are capable of containing greater power. They can be used by anyone, regardless of their magical affinity. Many spellstones lose their power after a set number of uses, but some do not. Those can be passed down through generations. In modern times, nearly everyone has a minimum of one spellstone, regardless of their socioeconomic status.Making spellstones is difficult but profitable, making it a worthy profession or side job for low-level mages, young tinkerers, and experienced adventurers alike. An entry from the Codex, modified and updated to better suit the modern reader.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

The vast majority of spellstones are made of exactly what their names imply: some variety of stone, or possibly a small gem. The source of their power is a combination of the intricate runes carved into their surfaces or magically imprinted on their inner facets and the magical energies that their creator pours into them during each spellstone's manufacture. Some spellstones can be recharged after they are exhausted and a rare few require an outside source of magical energy to function, but most will work perfectly adequately when powered solely by their internal magic supply and the ambient energy of their surroundings.

Significance

To put it simply, spellstones were originally designed as portable vectors for spellcasting, which could be utilized by those without the slightest (or with a completely different) magical aptitude. As such, the vast majority have always been created to hold simple, everyday spells that would assist in the day-to-day lives of average citizens, such as workers in need of constant minor clothing repairs or farmers wishing to irrigate the farthest reaches of their fields without having convenient water sources nearby. Most working-class people lack the time or willingness to learn all of the simple spells they may commonly require, especially if those spells spanned several different styles of magic, so spellstones were invented as an easy-to-implement solution. Now, spellstones are almost completely ubiquitous in Harvenstonian society, and the process of their creation employs hundreds if not thousands of spellcasters from all different disciplines every year, often providing an appreciable boost to local economies and allowing aged or inexperienced spellcasters to earn money to provide for themselves.

Item type

Miscellaneous

Rarity

In general, spellstones are quite common. However, the prevalence of the specific spells carried by the artifacts tends to vary not only from place to place but in accordance with the spell's strength and the type of caster who created the stone. For example, spellstones bearing several uses of the Mending cantrip are incredibly commonplace, to the extent that even the poorest households are often able to afford at least one and the average family will have several in their possession. Spellstones made by wizards are the most common, while those made by warlocks are the rarest. Generally, the higher a spell's level or casting difficulty is, the less common it will be. Spellstones with higher or even infinite numbers of uses are rarer than those with fewer casts, although they are much more highly sought-after. Overall, though, nearly all cantrip spellstones can be easily afforded by the average farming family, and those with first or second-level spells can also be acquired with a slightly higher investment.

Weight

The largest and heaviest spellstones rarely surpass thirty pounds. On average, spellstones weigh a fraction of a pound, no more than the weight of a small geode or pebble.

Dimensions

A spellstone's dimensions may vary, but on average they can easily be held in one or both hands, and can likely fit into one's palm or pocket.

Base Price

Depending on their components and the spells they hold, spellstones can sell for anywhere between a handful of glass pieces to a number of gold coins and above.