Gesch Crystals (gesh)
Since the discovery of Brida Ore in the twelfth century, inventors have been experimenting and coming up with many different uses for this magically imbued ore. One of the more important inventions that has come from that is the creation of Gesch Crystals, which allow communication between all devices on a specific loop across any distance. The enchanting process to tie the crystals together is unknown but believed to be incredibly difficult, which makes this technology extremely rare and costly, available only to the wealthier nations and prestigious organizations. The nameless inventor never shared her secrets publicly, and her protégé - now her successor - is likewise keeping the enchantments and methods out of the public record.
For the most part, Gesch crystals operate similar to Sending Stones, though they do not have any daily limit or word limit per message and they also transmit a visual of the speaker's face to the receiving crystals. They always produce an audible "ringing" sound when one of the connected crystals is trying to make contact with the others on its loop, alerting the listeners of an incoming message. Most crystals are then programmed to play the incoming sounds out loud, sometimes placed in simple machines with funnel-shaped horns to amplify the sound for larger rooms. The image of the speaker's face is transmitted similar to a hologram and appears immediately above the crystal apparatus, rendering the image in life-size and in such detail as if the audience were all gathered around the speaker in person. All Gesch crystals require activation to transmit one's voice, so any contraptions in which they are installed include at least one button to activate the crystal and transmit one's message - similar to a radio connection in the real world. These buttons are either made entire of Brida Ore themselves, or they are mechanical buttons tipped with Brida Ore that interface with the main crystal when pressed.
The use of Gesch crystals is most widely seen in the dwarven holds, as is the case with much other technology based on Brida Ore. The leaders of the four holds and the mayor of Gel'Eismer are all on one connected loop of crystals, allowing them to discuss trade and political matters efficiently. In fact, these crystals were instrumental in the cooperation between the holds in the early days of the Dwarven Union. The treaty was negotiated in person and then distributed to each of the holds, but without a way to stay in contact quickly the peace might have fallen apart several times. Knowing how important this technology was to the Union, it is even more impressive that the original inventor and her successor have managed to stay anonymous and keep their secrets private.
The history of Gesch crystals is, understandably, shrouded in mystery. We know they were first invented around 1225 in Gel'Starke and required several years of testing to determine how many could be enchanted together and across what distance they would function. It is also unknown whether "Gesch" is any reference to the creators name or surname, an acquaintance's name, or just a moniker attached to the device at some point in the invention process. The first acknowledgement of the crystals' existence was during the negotiations that eventually led to the creation of the Dwarven Union. Negotiators and diplomats had been traveling back and forth for months, when the representatives of Gel'Starke introduced this new technology to the others and instructed them to take the crystals back to their individual kingdoms to help ease discussions and make them less taxing on the diplomats.
Social Impact
The largest impact of Gesch crystals has been political and organizational. Coordinating efforts or spreading news over long distances was very difficult prior to the invention, requiring trained mages to use spells such as sending to transmit limited amounts of information to other target individuals. In more than two centuries since their invention, Gesch crystals have allowed nations such as the Dwarven Union to operate efficiently and communicate with all members over long distances. This allows nations to discuss trade with one another, conduct negotiations without having to travel across the continent, and generally keep in touch with one another about current events or important updates.
The rarity of the crystals has prohibited the technology from spreading to the common man, so the true potential impact is still unknown. Only in the last 20 years or so have these crystals been purchased and used by organizations such as the Luuxinor Mercenaries' Guild, and even that usage is limited to wealthy organizations or noble families who need to communicate with representatives or business partners across the continent.
Unnamed younger male dwarf (creator's apprentice, current owner)
Access & Availability
Limited (governments and wealthy businesses/organizations)
Complexity
Discovery
Invented 1225 by unknown female dwarf
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