A Technical Treatise on Gems: Details about Diamonds

A Technical Treatise on Gems : Details about Diamonds By Magus K. Firehart

This treatise covers the use of diamonds in wand craft. Even the most novice artificer knows that diamonds are used to empower spells, but even experienced artificers my overlook delightful details of diamond use. Some of the details are subtle, like all diamonds increase the potency of the spell slightly, and others are repetitious and interesting - like how category two, three, and four diamonds provide one, two, and three additional castings of the spell regardless of what wand they are used in. By the end of this treatise, dear reader, you too will know the details about diamonds.

Sorting

The first thing we need to do with diamonds 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 diamonds that are only fit to be used in a wooden wand. Category two is reserved for diamonds that can be used in a steel wand. Category three is reserved for diamonds that can be used in ivory wands. Category four is reserved for diamonds that can be used in a gold wand. I am often fond of using category four gems (including diamonds) in all my artifice for reasons delineated in the introduction and detailed below.

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. All gems can either modify this ranking, provide additional charges, do both, or provide other properties that make them useful. Diamonds are used to empower a spell, increasing the damage or enhancement of the spell by 50%.

Wooden Wands

Wooden wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.075 and provide five castings. Using a category one diamond in a wooden wand empowers the spell and slightly increases it's potency. Using a category two diamond in a wooden wand empowers the spell, provides an additional casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the spell. Using a category three diamond in a wooden wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.1, empowers the spell, provides an additional two casting of the spell, and offers a modest increase in the potency of the wand. Using a category 4 diamond in a wooden wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.1, empowers the spell, provides an additional three castings of the spell, and offers a noticeable increase in the potency of the wand.

Steel Wands

Steel Wands have a base FPS ranking of 0.15 and provide ten castings. Using a category two diamond in a steel wand empowers the spell, provides an additional casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the spell. Using a category three diamond in a steel wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.175, empowers the spell, provides an additional two casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. Using a category four diamond in a steel wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.175, empowers the spell, provides an additional three casting of the spell, and offers a modest 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 diamond in an ivory wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.25, empowers the spell, provides an additional two casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand. A category four diamond in an ivory wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.25, empowers the spell, provides an additional three casting of the spell, and offers a slight increase in the potency of the wand; a category four diamond in a gold wand will increase the FPS ranking to 0.325, empowers 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 diamonds. As with my other books this book is just a primer. It will take you decades of research and experimentation to truly master the skill of artifice as I have. This treatise is merely a sample of the intricacies and wonders that the buffet of artifice offers. I have set your plate and provided your cup, and now it is up to you, dear reader, to gorge yourself to your heart's content at this feast; may your appetite be insatiable.