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Diopside is a green stone that varies in hue from a
dark forest color to a shade that is nearly black. Almost all
sufficiently thin pieces of diopside will display a faint four-rayed
star if held to the light. The larger a piece of diopside is, the
less the star shows, resulting in a stone that may actually lose
value with size. Diopside outcroppings exist
all over Elanthia. It is not quite as common a stone as its price
reflects, but it is not a popular jewelry stone among any race, due
in large part to its fragility. As well, diopside is particularly
prevalent near the Demonwall, which has given it a distasteful
reputation among human cultures.
Sometimes called "poor man's emerald", diopside is
the cheapest gem with a true green color. The Dwarven name for
diopside translates roughly to "earthweed."
An old joke claims that no one bothers to mine
diopside -- the dwarves just kick it on their way past, and the
gnomes scurry after them to pick up the pieces.
Upon rare occasion, someone will discover a piece
of diopside that displays a six-rayed star rather than a four-rayed
star. Examination suggests that these diopsides are crafted by
exposure to sorcery, but, while it is rumored that the Erithi know a
technique for producing diopsides like these, none of the races
native to the continent of Elanith know how to replicate the
process. Followers of Marlu treasure such diopsides and say that
they are created by the presence of the Demon Lord.
Diopsides can enhance spells related to
demonology, but only to a very slight degree -- diopside, being a
cheap, common gem, is simply not pure enough in its composition to
have any serious effect upon spell casting.
In appearance, diopside may be
confused with peridot, dermatoid
garnet,
zircon,
enstatite, tourmaline,
chrysoberyl, or
grossularite.
Diopside has several varieties, including
a chromium-rich gem variety called chrome diopside.
Chrome diopside won't win any contests for the
most beautiful name. To most people, it sounds more like a car
polish rather than a gemstone. But don't jump to any conclusions! Chrome diopside has a beautiful rich green color and an amazingly
low price. It is the most affordable gemstone with a pure rich green
color. There are a few drawbacks. The chrome diopside is most available in
small sizes: in the rare large sizes, the color becomes so rich it
is too dark. But for bright green accent stones, chrome diopside is
ideal.
Violan is rare blue variety found in some
localities in Italy. There is also a green "cat's eye" variety that
contains minute inclusions, probably of rutile, that reflect light
in such a way as to produce a lively linear luminescence within the
crystal.
Still another variety is quite dark, with
included rutile needles aligned so as to produce a 4-rayed star,
hence the name star diopside.
Ordinary diopside is typically white or
green and can have a nice glassy luster. While the color of chrome
diopside is much brighter, many specimens of ordinary diopside are
also cut for gemstones. |
