Difference between revisions of "Polestone"

The '''Polestones''' are the ten varieties of gemstone that naturally hold [[StormlightLight]]. They also serve as the basis of [[spheres]], the basic Rosharan money system.{{book ref|sa1|3}} In addition to the ability to hold Stormlight, Polestones are able to trap [[spren]]. The type of spren that can be trapped depends on the Polestone used and its cut. This quality serves as the basis for [[fabrial]]s.{{ref|name=Navani1}} Each Polestone is associated with one of the [[Ten Essences]] and with an Order of [[Knights Radiant]].{{book ref|sa1|part=ars}} However, there appears to be no functional difference between Polestones apart from [[Soulcasting]] and fabrial creation.

'''Smokestone''' is associated with the Essence of Vapor. They are used to Soulcast opaque gases, like smoke and fog.{{book ref|sa1|part=ars}}

It is associated with the [[Order_of_Skybreakers|Order of Skybreakers]].

Emeralds can be used to capture flamespren.{{ref|name=Navani1}} They can be found in [[chasmfiend]]s.

While Polestones are produced via mining, a significant source of them on Roshar is the harvesting of the [[gemheart]]s that grow inside [[greatshell]]s. Larger species of greathshellgreatshell, like [[chasmfiend]]s, produce gemhearts of great size, which are incredibly useful in Soulcasting as a larger stone is less likely to break from the strain.{{book ref|sa1|13}} This trait however has led to many species of greatshells, such as the [[lanceryn]], to go extinct.{{book ref|sa1|36}} The exact method by which gemhearts are grown is not understood, though it is known to be caused by a leak from the [[Spiritual Realm]] into the [[Physical Realm|Physical]], and is analogous, though not identical, to the production of [[atium]] in the [[Pits of Hathsin]] on [[Scadrial]].{{wob ref|4678}} Although they may have flaws, gemheart Polestones have virtually no impurities, unlike their conventionally mined counterparts.{{wob ref|6625}}

'''Perfect gemstones''' occur when one of the Polestones forms without any flaws or imperfections which allows them to hold light indefinitely.{{book ref|sa3|i|13}} The money exchangers living in major cities of [[Shadesmar]] use perfect stones to store the Stormlight they use for currency.{{book ref|sa3|99}} The [[King's Drop]] is a perfect gemstone that has been held in the [[Thaylen Gemstone Reserve]] for over two hundred years without being renewed or losing stormlightStormlight.{{book ref|sa3|i|13}} In addition to not leaking, a perfect gemstone can hold far more Stormlight than a normal gemstone of the same size could.{{book ref|sa4|87}} The [[Elsecallers]] were tasked with protecting perfect gems, including a ruby named [[Honor's Drop]].{{epigraph ref|sa3|83}} The [[honorspren]] have gathered many perfect gemstones in their stronghold [[Lasting Integrity]].{{book ref|sa4|87}} [[Jasnah Kholin]] believes that there are far fewer perfect gemstones around in the Physical Realm than there should be, suggesting that someone may have been gathering them up before their value was more widely known;{{book ref|sa4|29}} possibly the [[Ghostbloods]] as they are experimenting with transporting Stormlight off-world.{{book ref|sa4|13}}

It is possible to transfer lightLight from a filled, small gemstone to a large and empty gemstone of its type by holding the filled gemstone to the empty one.{{book ref|sa4|42}} This method of transfer is slow and inefficient,; however, the [[Thaylen|Thaylens]] have discovered ana more efficient way of transferring Stormlight from one gemstone to another.{{book ref|sa4|42}} By using a tuning fork of a specific frequency, a person can touch an infused gemstone and then touch the fork to the empty gemstone for a rapid mode of transfer. With the Thaylen method, the type of Polestone does not matter, and light can be transferred from any type to any type.{{book ref|sa4|42}}The Itdecay rate is unknown, howas faris the distance the tuning fork can be brought before transfer is impossible, or the decay rate.{{book ref|sa4|42}}

Gemstones form the basis for the Roshar economy. Gemstone weight is measured in kivs.{{book ref|sa4|42}} When used as currency, the gems are encased in glass [[spheres]]. Although the spheres are of uniform size, the gemstones inside are of three sizes.{{book ref|sa1|3}} In descending order of size (and value), these gem sizes are broam, mark, and chip.{{book ref|sa1|3}}