Crystallized Seasons – Google Docs
Crystallized Seasons
Cost: $25 to $250, depending on the supply
The seasons of the year have occult significance in mana-rich worlds, of course: and in some places (typically, high-mana areas) the change from one season to the next can cause the old season to more or less crystallize out of the air. This turns them into limited-college Manastones (GURPS Magic, pg 70), with the caveat that mages cannot actually create Crystallized Seasons: they’re the equivalent of a renewable resource, like bat guano. And, like bat guano, if somebody wants to collect the stuff regularly they’re going to have to be careful about it. Over-mining the areas where Crystallized Seasons occur can wreck it for further exploitation.
Each type of Crystallized Season appears as a kind of quartz-like rock, with obvious magical qualities (including distinctive, but pleasant, smells). Most sapient species react positively to these items; even a non-mage will react at +1 to anyone who offers a piece of Crystallized Season as a gift. That’s true for all sapient species, by the way: even an orcish raider can appreciate the smell of spring.
- Spring: colored rich green. Just the tiniest bit soft to the touch, like clay that has dried. Smells of new grass and fresh mud. Can be used for Animal, Earth, Healing, Making and Breaking, Plant, and Technological spells.
- Summer: colored bright yellow. Warm to the touch, but in the way that eases sore joints. Smells of hot rock and a field of flowers. Can be used for Body Control, Fire, Food, Movement, Protection and Warning, and Weather spells.
- Autumn: colored a medley of red, brown, and orange. Not actually sharp, but seems to be all rounded edges. Smells of honey and roasts and fireplaces and leaves and the hint of snow in the distance. Can be used for Air, Illusion and Creation, Light and Darkness, Mind Control, Necromancy, and Sound spells.
- Winter: colored blue-white. Cold to the touch, and slightly (but soothingly) damp. Considered to be nice for people with a fever. Smells of snow and pine. Can be used for Communication and Empathy, Enchantment, Gate, Knowledge, Meta, and Water spells.
The major limitation on these items is that they generally store only one point of mana each. There is a way to mix multiple units of Crystallized Season together: it’s essentially herbalism, which means that it uses the Herb Lore skill (GURPS Magic, pg 211), not Alchemy. Cost is $50 in materials (plus the cost of the Crystallized Seasons themselves); one week to brew, -1 to skill for every 2 Crystallized Seasons added past the first two.
The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games.
GURPS is a registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games, and the art here is copyrighted by Steve Jackson Games. All rights are reserved by SJ Games. This material is used here in accordance with the SJ Games online policy.