Starstone

Ultimate Equipment Guide II

Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2005

Smaller and longer-lasting that a sunrod, though not quite as bright, a starstone is a rock, about half the size of a man’s fist, which seems at first glance to be a chunk of solid gold. Though it shares the same colour as gold, the resemblance ends there. A starstone is much lighter than the precious metal it resembles, weighing even less than an average rock of its size. The most important element of a starstone, of course, is not its appearance, but its function. When exposed to flame, the latent alchemy of the starstone is activated, causing it to burst forth with a bright, clear light. The starstone provides full illumination out to 20 feet, and shadowy illumination for an additional 20 feet beyond that. The starstone will give off a steady light for a full 72 hours before it exhausts its alchemical fuel and crumbles into dust.

The item has not yet managed to supplant the popularity of the traditional sunrod, and perhaps never will. Though its long duration is commendable, the reduced brightness of its light, coupled with its greater cost, may well doom the starstone to remain forever in the shadow of the sunrod.

Starstone: 15 gp; 1lb.