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Chrysoberyl is a transparent stone that varies in hue
between apple green and honey gold, or that may include a mixture of
the two. It is quite striking, particularly when it occurs in the
cat's-eye form -- no gem really presents a greater resemblance to a
cat's living eye than cat's-eye chrysoberyl.
Chrysoberyl may be mined in various places throughout
known Elanthia, but it is particularly prevalent in Torre.
Some followers of Andelas, typically those who
worship the Arkati primarily as the god of cats, will carry
claw-shaped pieces of chrysoberyl or use sacrificial daggers with
cat's-eye chrysoberyl gems set into the pommel. Other followers of
Andelas, typically those who worship the Arkati primarily as the god
of the hunt, scorn such adornments on the grounds that Andelas and
his ways are beyond such silly ornamentation.
Magically, chrysoberyl is aligned with the element
of air. Along the coastline of Seareach, it is said that ships can
be cursed or blessed by taking a splinter of wood from the ship and
surrounding it with a pattern of chrysoberyl stones. Patterns that
surround the ship entirely will bring storms and ill luck upon it,
while patterns of separate lines will bring strong winds and fair
weather to the ship. To be properly effective, the pattern must be
placed before the ship leaves port and remain unbroken until the
ship's return or destruction.
The chrysoberyl family is best known for the more valuable
alexandrite and
cat's-eye varieties. Faceted
chrysoberyl is a beautiful gem that is not as well known in its own
right. Apart from the high hardness, it takes a good polish and
has a good luster.
The name chrysoberyl comes from the Greek, chrysoberyl meaning
golden beryl. But chrysoberyl is harder and therefore
different from the classical gem beryl, which is much softer. It
is third only to corundum and
diamond in hardness. For such
a hard and durable material, chrysoberyl is relatively obscure and
the undervalued prices do not seem to reflect its utility as a
gemstone.
Chrysolite is another name given to the light greenish
yellow variety of chrysoberyl that was in fashion during the
nineteenth century.
A magnificent 47 carats chrysoberyl is listed in the catalog of the
British Museum of Natural History.
Chrysoberyl is said to promote kindness,
generosity, benevolence, hope, optimism, renewal, new beginnings, compassion
and forgiveness.
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