Luneweep Stone

Luneweep Stone A.K.A. Luneweep Agate

OVERVIEW
This is a stone predominantly found upon the mountain tops and throughout the many caves of Cyhalloi. While the stone itself is usually of a dark, almost black color, it emits a cyan colored glow. It is commonly used as a means of light, and famously in the forging process of the Kasumarii's Moonblade. A huge luneweep stone, called Kruu-an's Soul Stone, reportedly stands in a hidden glen, a temple built around it.

DESCRIPTION
This luminescent agate can most commonly be found in the form of teardrop shaped stalagmites and rocks throughout the caves and mountaintops of Cyhalloi. While usually varying shades of deep navy and dark plums in color, the stone glows with an eerie pale blue color shimmering with undertones of other darker hues. It has a particularly smooth texture compared to other rocks and is especially hard to break, shattering much like glass once broken. It can then be easily ground into a sand or dust. However, despite the glasslike quality of this rock, it is brittle and is thus unsuitable to use as a weapon. Generally, this stone tends to be anywhere from 1 to 3 fores long, while the stalagmites are anywhere up to 10 fores tall.

The glow of this stone is a peculiar one, to say the least. No matter the size, it emits a surprising amount of light, yet there always seems to be a shadow inside of the glow. Regardless of how much is shaved away from the stone or if it is broken in half, it is seemingly impossible to reach the dark spot inside. It's almost as if the stone had light all around it, without actually glowing itself. It is a difficult phenomena to describe accurately. Even when pulverized, the sand made from the Luneweep still has that curious shadow inside of it's glow.

Kruu-an's Soul Stone
Kruu-an's Soul Stone is a Luneweep stone that is, simply put, gigantic. Found in an underground glen, it stands at 30 fores in height, while the base is about 15 fores in diameter at its widest point. This huge almost black stalagmite glows a bluish-green, with a rainbow of dark and light colors shimmering and swirling together as it undulates around the shadow inside of it. The Kasumarii priestesses that tend to the glen insist that the shadow inside is Kruu-an herself, saying that it very obviously looks like the silhouette of a woman. Scattered all around the foot of it are smaller Luneweep stone stalagmites of every imaginable color, all ranging between 2 and 5 fores in height.

the Moon Agate
At the highest points of Dying Ice Ridge are large clusters of Luneweep stone stalagmites, varying in shade but all of which are the same pale umber hue that is so reminiscent of the moon. Their light swirls with pale blues and ghostly greens, occasionally with streaks of pink or red in it. It has been most accurately described as an aurora borealis. These are the most treacherous stones to reach, as the valley before and the entire mountain range are badlands with false footing and hidden, deadly crevasses. But it is this specific Luneweep that the Kasumarii use in the forging process of their famed MoonBlades to add its signature glow, as it is part of the trials to earn one of these deadly blades to climb Dying Ice Ridge to procure a stone to use in the creation of their blade. However, with a little bit of luck, small stones can be found in the snowy valley leading up to the mountains.

TERRITORY
This beautiful stone can be found throughout almost the entirety of the continent of Cyhalloi, but it tends to be most heavily found deep in caves and high upon mountain tops. Only atop the Dying Ice Ridge mountains can one find the particular shade of the Luneweep stone that the Kasumarii use exclusively in their Moonblades to give the weapon its eerie glow, which they have rightfully called Moon Agate. However, Qu'prur's Necklace and Deity's Isle both seem to be strangely vacant of this stone.

USAGES
The Kasumarii-men make great use of the Luneweep stone in many different ways. They often use the stone as a means of lighting up their tents at night, carrying with them should they live on the move in a carryhome. However, they keep the stone wrapped in a cloth and tucked away in a leather pouch when they are not using it, as having a glowing beacon on them as they make their way through the cover of darkness isn't particularly stealthy.

In the Citadel of Korenjah, larger Luneweep stones have been placed throughout the city. Beautiful, ornate stands are made to hold the stones and one is on each corner. Many stones have even been transportated to Ludor Port to light up the city. It is also told that the city found in Winking Moon Cove has also had many Luneweep stones transported there to light the walkways and homes there.

Also worthy of mention is the artistry of the stone's use in the Citadel of Korenjaah. There, the Kaumarii have etched deep, thin grooves into the floor stones, which they then filled with Luneweep stones that have been pulverized into sand. In doing so, they achieved vast intricate designs that span the floors of the Citadel, while also providing gentle lighting.

The most famed used of the Luneweep stone is in the forging process of the Kasumarii-Men's feared MoonBlade. However, the specific stone that they use for this purpose is called Moon Agate, and is particularly dangerous to procure because of its location atop Dying Ice Ridge. This makes it even easier to spot Moonblade fakes.

While not too much is known about the Orcs of Cyhalloi, it has been mentioned that they wear these stones as jewelry. The orcs do not rely upon stealth at all, and as such wear their glowing jewelry with pride and often times lavishly, wearing many stones braided into their hair and beards or upon belts and anklets. The few pieces of Orcen jewelry that has been found has shown that their style is crude, yet hold an air of elegance. Oft, the Luneweep stone is smashed into what could be regarded as "ugly" shards and chunks, wrapped with blackened wire.

MYTH/LORE
It is said that Kruu-an and the Moon have a love affair. When Kruu-an turned away the Sun God's advances, he burned her in a rage to teach her a lesson. So badly he wounded her, she was near death. Seeing this, the Moon wept healing tears that fell to the Earth. However, the Sun God noticed this action and tried to stop the tears. But the Moon's magic was too strong for the Sun God and he only succeeded in petrifying the tears upon impact, causing the effect to be muted and take longer to fully heal Kruu-an. Determined to save his love, the Moon came down from the sky to heal the goddess himself. He found her laying limp and wounded in a hidden glen. He held her body and wept his healing tears, but to his dismay the tears petrified her and grew into a huge teardrop shaped stalagmite. As he wept bitterly at this development, the tears falling from his eyes petrified upon the ground all around her giant stone. And it is here that the Moon goes when it is not in the sky, to tend the glen where his love is encased in stone.