Greenstone

Greenstone, sometimes referred to erroneously as jade or jadeite, is a kind of green igneous rock imbued with the Old Magic and sacred to dozens of cultures throughout Holos. In various cultures, greenstone is believed to have such diverse properties as containing the spirits of ancestors, comprising the flesh of the divine, forming the foundations of the Celestial Mountains, and even possessing their own unique personalities, memories, and souls.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Greenstone appears in multiple forms throughout Holos and varies even within the regions where it is found. Polished greenstone can have either a reflective or translucent appearance depending on the specific source. It ranges in color from pearly-white to grey-green to emerald to vivid viridian to ice blue to seafoam to copper patina to deep pine. When in the rock, it is hard to distinguish until one quarries it.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Greenstone has innate magic, unique to itself and derived from the Old Magic of the Cosmos. Weapons and tools made with greenstone are considered magical in nature. Thus, greenstone is exceptionally difficult to work, requiring diligent prayer as well as expert craftsmanship to produce anything that takes full advantage of the greenstone's properties. However, if properly crafted, greenstone can impart its integrated object with the following properties:

• Alchemy—greenstone containers are said to be the ideal vessels for creating alchemical compounds or potions
• Alchemy—powdered jade added in small doses is said to help expedite the movement of medicine throughout the body at grave moments. However, too much powdered greenstone will actually accelerate the death of the patient.
• Ritual—Greenstone is needed in a variety of sacred rituals, such as the summoning of rain, the steadying of one's breath, the fertility of an individual or of a community's harvest, mirror divination, and the resurrection of a spirit or soul.
• Tools—Greenstone items generate memories and personalities over time. For example, a greenstone club that participates in a pivotal battle that liberated a village will gain a more justice-orientated perspective, while a greenstone club that was used in a bloody massacre may become cruel and bloodthirsty.
• Weapons—Because of greenstone's magical properties, an item or tool made from greenstone touch and interact with incorporeal creatures.
• Weapons—Unfortunately, greenstone weapons do not hold edges and are thus almost always have the piercing or bludgeoning types.
• Burial—Greenstone pendants are used to purify bodies and are often buried with those who can afford it. A charm made of greenstone is placed in the mouth of the deceased during the burial rituals to ward off dark spirits.

Geology & Geography

Greenstone is found throughout Holos and places where greenstone is found are often nexuses of the Three Fonts of Magic: arcane, divine, and natural magics.

Origin & Source

Greenstone is typically recovered from rivers and beaches where it has been transported to after being eroded from the mountains. However, greenstone has also been quarried by Iroans from the mountains, even above the snow line. The group of rocks where greenstone comes from are called ophiolites. Ophiolites are slices of the deep ocean crust and part of the mantle. When these deep mantle rocks (serpentinite) and crustal rock (mafic igneous rocks) are heated up (metamorphosed) together, greenstone can be formed at their contact.

History & Usage

History

Greenstone has long been considered one of if not the most precious stone in the Cosmos. It is believed to be the foundational material for the Material Plane and the Heavenly Council's Celestial Mountains. This, along with its innate magical properties, has caused it to be highly sought after and play a pivotal role in the cultures that live near its sources.

Type

Stone

Color

Varies from pearly-white to grey-green to vivid translucent grass-green to emerald glass to deep forest evergreen