Starstone
Starstone is an unusual orange/yellow gemstone found across the worlds. It is fairly uncommon, but is widespread, being discoverable in small quantities in almost any location
Starstone, a symbol of luck and forgiveness round here. This stuff is weird, but real fascinating. A simple rock that can grow like a (very slow) plant and can float in the air if you give it electricity.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Starstone is a translucent orange gemstone with a soft glow. It can only be cut into angular shapes, attempts to smooth it will end up with it shattering into a sharp dust. When polished, it will occasionally reveal a mild iridescence effect.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Starstone is very hard and resistant to wear and tear. It is fairly similar to diamond in durability and can generally be worked on in the same way.
Its most notable property is its response to electricity. When given an electrical charge, it resists movement, even gravity given enough charge, and reinforces connected objects. This property is what allows the floating islands in The Sky to form and levitate, lightning strikes into huge crystals of starstone deep within the The cloud sea, causing them to float up into the sky and allowing even loose rocks and dirt to keep a stable and livable structure.
Charged starstone glows with a warm orange light and it is able to retain its charge for a long period of time, a single strike of lightning can keep a sky island in place for over 200 years (assuming it doesn't get struck again and recharged). While there have been attempts to use it as a high-capacity battery, so far there hasn't been much success, current knowledge and technology have been unable to extract energy from it in a way that is safe or in practical quantities.
Origin & Source
Starstone can very rarely be found protruding from the walls of caves across the worlds, very slowly growing. Due to this, it could technically be farmed by embedding starstone shards in rock but it is slow enough that it would take generations for it to produce a useful amount.
The easiest way to find it is inside small meteorites that occasionally fall from the sky. Its incredible durability means very little will be lost in the impact, even if the surrounding meteorite is destroyed.
On Solis, there is a unique weather event, called "Star Falls" by the locals, which causes tiny pieces of starstone to rain from the sky into the water below. This overabundance of starstone has caused it to be incorporated into most lifeforms on the planet. The actual origin of these star falls is unknown, it is theorised that the planet occasionally passes through a debris field containing huge quantities of starstone, but the inability to get into space and the Soliil's secrecy has left this particular subject a mystery.
History & Usage
Everyday use
It is used by the residents of Solis as a key component of many of their technologies. They are very protective of this technology and, while they will share a small number of pre-produced items, they refuse to share the secrets of how to make them.
The floating islands of The Open Sky each contain a large natural deposit of starstone in their centre, which is often connected to large spikes at the surface that are often struck by lightning. These deposits are capable of keeping these large islands floating in the sky.
Cultural Significance and Usage
Hazards
It is generally advised to wear protective gear when working with it, incorrect handling comes with the risk of it shattering into razor-sharp shards which can easily bury themselves deep into the flesh of anyone holding it.
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