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The Lightstone

Page 110

by David Zindell


  It is believed that that baalstei might be potentially more dangerous than even the firestones. For in the Beginnings is told of an utterly black place that is at once the negation of all things and paradoxically also their source. Out of this place may come the fire and light of the universe itself. It is said that the Baaloch, Angra Mainyu, before he was imprisoned on the world of Damoom, used a great black gelstei to destroy whole suns in his war of rebellion against the Galadin and the rule of the Ieldra.

  THE PURPLE

  The lilastei are the stones of shaping and making. They are a bright violet in hue, and are cast into crystals of a great variety of shapes and sizes. Their power is unlocking the light locked up in matter so that matter might be changed, molded and transformed. Thus the lilastei are sometimes called the alchemists' stones, according to the alchemists' age-old dream of transmuting baser matter into true gold, and casting true gold into a new Lightstone. The purple gelstei's greatest effects are on crystals of all sorts: but mostly those in metal and rocks. It can unlock the crystals in these substances so that they might be more easily worked. Or they can be used to grow crystals of great size and beauty; they are the stone shapers and stone growers spoken of in legend. It is said that Kalkamesh used a lilastei in forging the silustria of the Bright Sword, Alkaladur. Some believe the potential power of the purple gelstei to be very great and perhaps very perilous. Lilastei have been known to 'freeze' water into an alternate crystal called shatar, which is clear and as hard as quartz. Some fear that these gelstei might be used thus to crystallize the water in the sea and so destroy all life on earth. The stone masters of old, who probed the mysteries of the lilastei too deeply, are said to have accidentally turned themselves into stone, but most believe this to be only a cautionary tale out of legend.

  THE SEVEN OPENERS

  If man's purpose is seen as in progressing to the orders of the Star People, Elijin and Galadin, then the seven stones known as the openers might fairly be called greater gelstei. Indeed, there are those of the Great White Brotherhood and the Green Brotherhood who revered them in this way. For, with much study and work, the openers each activate one of the body's chakras: the energy centers known as wheels of light. As the chakras are opened, from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, so is opened a pathway for the fires of life to reconnect to the heavens in a great burst of lightning called the angel's fire. Only then can a man or a woman undertake the advanced work necessary for advancement to the! higher orders.

  The openers are each small, clear stones the color of their respective chakras. They are easily mistaken for gemstones.

  THE FIRST (also called bloodstones)

  These are a clear, deep red in color, like rubies. The first stones open the chakra of the physical body and activate the vital energies.

  THE SECOND (also called passion stones or old gold) These gelstei are gold-orange in color and are sometimes mistaken for amber. The second stones open the chakra of the emotional body and activate the currents of sensation and feeling.

  THE THIRD (also called sun stones)

  The third stones are clear and bright yellow, like citrine; they open the third chakra of the mental body and activate the mind.

  THE FOURTH (also called dream stones or heart stones) These beautiful stones - clear and pure green in color like emeralds -open the heart chakra. Thus they open one's second feeling, a truer and deeper sense than the emotions of the second chakra. The fourth stones work upon the astral body and activate the dreamer.

  THE FIFTH (also called soul stones)

  Bright blue in color like sapphires, the fifth stones open the chakra of the etheric body and activate the intuitive knower, or the soul.

  THE SIXTH (also called angel eyes)

  The sixth stones are bright purple like amethyst They open the chakra of the celestial body located just above and between the eyes. Thus their more common name: theirs is the power of activating ones second sight. Indeed, these gelstei activate the seer in the realm of light, and open one to the powers of scrying, visualization and deep insight.

  THE SEVENTH (also called clear crowns or true diamonds) One of the rarest of the gelstei, the seventh stones are clear and bright as diamonds.

  Indeed, some say they are nothing more than perfect diamonds, without flaw or taint of color. These stones open the chakra of the ketheric body and free the spirit for reunion with the One.

  THE LESSER GELSTEI

  During the Age of Law, hundreds of kinds of gelstei were made for pur poses ranging from the commonplace to the sublime. Few of these have survived the passage of the centuries. Some of those that have are:

  GLOWSTONES

  Also called glowglobes, these stones are cast into solid, round shapes resembling opals of various sizes - some quite huge. They give a soft and beautiful light. Those of lesser quality must be frequently refired beneath the sun, while those of the highest quality drink in even the faintest candlelight, hold it and give back in a steady illumination.

  SLEEP STONES

  A gelstei of many shifting and swirling colors, the sleep stones have a calming effect on the human nervous system. They look something like agates.

  WARDERS

  Usually blood-red in color and opaque, like carnelians, these stones deflect or

  'ward-off psychic energies directed at a person. This includes thoughts, emotions, curses - and even the debilitating energy drain of the black gelstei. One who wears a warder can be rendered invisible to scryers and opaque to mindspeakers.

  LOVE STONES

  Often called true amber and sometimes mistaken for the second stones of the openers, these gelstei partake of some of their properties. They are specific to arousing feelings of infatuation and love; sometimes love stones are ground into a powder and made into potions to achieve the same end. They are soft stones and look much like amber.

  WISH STONES

  These little stones - they look something like white pearls - help the wearer remember his dreams and visions of the future; they activate the will to manifest these visualizations.

  DRAGON BONES

  Of a translucent, old ivory in color, the dragon bones strengthen the life fires and quicken one's courage - and all too often one's wrath.

  HOT SLATE

  A dark, gray, opaque stone of considerable size - hot slate is usually cast into yard-long bricks - this gelstei is related in powers and purpose, if not form, to the glowstones. It absorbs heat directly from the air and radiates it back over a period of hours or days.

  MUSIC MARBLES

  Often called song stones, these gelstei of variegated, swirling hues record and play music, both of the human voice and all instruments. They are very rare.

  TOUCHSTONES

  These are related to the song stones and have a similar appearance. However, they record and play emotions and tactile sensations instead of music. A man or a woman, upon touching one of these gelstei, will leave a trace of emotions that a sensitive can read from contact with the stone.

  THOUGHT STONES

  This is the third stone in this family and is almost indistinguishable from the others. It absorbs and holds one's thoughts as a cotton garment might retain the smell of perfume or sweat. The ability to read back these thoughts from touching this gelstei is not nearly so rare as that of mindspeaking itself.

  BOOKS OF THE SAGANOM ELU

  Beginnings

  Mendelin

  Sources

  Ananke

  Chronicles

  Commentaries

  Journeys

  Book of Stars

  Book of Stones

  Book of Ages

  Book of Water

  Peoples

  Book of Wind

  Healings

  Book of Fire

  Laws

  Tragedies

  Battles

  Book of Remembrance

  Progressions

  Sarojin

  Book of Dreams

  Baladin

  I
dylls

  Averin

  Visions

  Souls

  Valkariad

  Songs

  Trian prophecies

  Meditations

  The Eschaton

  THE AGES OF EA

  The Lost Ages (18,000 - 12,000 years ago)

  The Age of the Mother (12,000 - 9,000 years ago)

  The Age of the Sword (9,000 - 6000 years ago)

  The Age of Law (6,000 - 3,000 years ago)

  The Age of the Dragon (3,000 years ago to the present)

  THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR

  Yaradar

  Marud

  Viradar

  Soal

  Triolet

  Ioj

  Gliss

  Valte

  Ashte

  Ashvar

  Soldru

  Segadar

  Table of Contents

  The Lightstone

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  APPENDICES

  HERALDRY

  THE NINE KINGDOMS

  FREE KINGDOMS

  THE DRAGON KINGDOMS

  THE GELSTEI

  THE GREATER GELSTEI

  THE SEVEN OPENERS

  THE LESSER GELSTEI

  BOOKS OF THE SAGANOM ELU

  Book of Water

  Book of Wind

  Book of Fire

  Book of Remembrance

  Book of Dreams

  THE AGES OF EA

  THE MONTHS OF THE YEAR

 

 

 


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