A Technical Treatise on Gems: Ruminations on Rubies

A Technical Treatise on Gems : Ruminations on Rubies By Magus K. Firehart

This treatise covers the use of rubies in wand craft. Even the most novice artificer knows that rubies are used to get maximum potential out of spells, but even experienced artificers may overlook tiny intricacies of ruby use. These intricacies are subtle and easily overlooked especially when combined with gems like emeralds; but by the end of this treatise, dear reader, you too will know these intricacies about rubies. I also apologize for the formulaic format these treatises have taken but they get the job done, dear reader, and you are willing to overlook them.

Sorting

The first thing we need to do with rubies is to sort them. There are a whole slew of characteristics that influence how you can use a stone for simplicity sake I am going to lump them all together into a singular category. As a master artificer there are only four categories I use and that is category one through category four. Category one is reserved for rubies that are only fit to be used in a wooden wand. Category two is reserved for rubies that can be used in a steel wand. Category three is reserved for rubies that can be used in ivory wands. Category four is reserved for rubies that can be used in a gold wand. I am often fond of using category four gems (including rubies) in all my artifice for reasons mentioned earlier and explored later.

Each wand also has a base ranking on the Flenken Power Scale and a certain number of castings that it can hold. If you are unfamiliar with this information I recommend you pick up a copy of A Technical Treatise on Wands, it covers this basic information. If you can not find a copy this treatise I usually have some for sale in my loft (along with other impressive works of artifice) and if I have none for sale I certainly have some available for in-loft examination. All gems can either modify this FPS ranking, provide additional charges, do both, or provide other properties that make them useful. Rubies are used to get the maximum potential out of a spell, I've found consumers of my wands are fond of this feature and often request it. I've also found that rubies work well when paired with transmutations spells; I may be biased in this though.

Wooden Wands

Wooden Wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.075 and provide five castings. Using a category one ruby in a wooden wand maximizes the spell and offers a slight increase in the potency of the spell. Using a category two ruby in a wooden wand maximizes the spell, provides an additional casting of the spell, and offers a minor increase in the potency of the spell. Using a category three ruby in a wooden wand will increase the FPS ranking to 1.0, maximizes the spell, provides an additional two castings of the spell, and offers a modest increase in the potency of the spell. Using a category four ruby in a wooden wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.1, maximize the spell, provides an additional three castings of the spell, and offers an increase in the potency of the wand. While rubies offer a noticeable increase in the potency of the wand other gems are better suited to this.

Steel Wands

Steel Wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.15 and provide ten castings. Using a category two ruby in a steel wand maximizes the spell, provides an additional casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. Using a category three ruby in a steel wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.175, maximizes the spell, provides an additional two castings of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. Using a category four ruby in a steel wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.175, maximizes the spell, provides an additional three castings of the spell, and offers a minor increase in the potency of the wand.

Ivory and Gold Wands

For the sake of brevity, I will cover both Ivory Wands and Gold Wands simultaneously; Ivory Wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.225 and provide fifteen castings while Gold Wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.3 and provide twenty castings. A category three ruby in an ivory wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.25, maximizes the spell, provides an additional two castings of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. A category four ruby in an ivory wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.25, maximizes the spell, provides an additional three castings of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. A category four ruby in an ivory wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.325, maximizes the spell, provides an additional three castings of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand.

This concludes my treatise on rubies. As with my other books this book is just a primer. As I've said before it will take you decades if not a century to master artificing as I have, but you have sat down at the banquet of the art and now it is time for you to gorge. May your appetite for discovery be insatiable, dear reader, and may you burn brightly.