Bloodstone

The bloodstone is a raw, uncut jewel of a stone. They generally look like fine droplets of blood, or like crystal balls naturally coloured in different hues of red, scarlet and burgundy. They're also translucent with an odd shimmering effect should one look straight through them, which twists the world on the other side into a weird form of vampiric lense where things such as trees may grow twisty and thorny, or animals boney and sinster.

On touch, this stone isn't cold or rocky at all. It's like a warm smooth marbel to the touch, almost theurapetic, some say it feels like brushing against soft skin, though still hard as diamond should anyone try to crack it. The stone is also reactive with different elements, where it can soak up water, harness flames or even charge a load of thunder, if said element comes to touch with it. There is however a limit to how much it can contain, ensuring no one bloodstone owner can just dry up a lake, or even a larger pond from the street's crack in the cobblestone.

Bloodstones can be found all over the zones of Diestria, though mostly grow out of old battlefields from the age when the Demon Emperor tamed and united the many factions, clans and demonic throes, underneath a singular standard. They are also more commonly found around regions where practicers of dark arts, especially necromancy combined with druidism or fouler forms of occultism often take place. Still, for all the evidence that magic has a part to play in forming them, bloodstones are thus far impossible to create by any mortal, or immortal for that manner.

As blood is the element of creation, the very sap of life itself, it has been discerned that in regions where a lot of blood have recently been spilled during the span of a couple hundered years, nature will soak up the cadavers of the dead and coalascate the aspects of creation which lives in every sentient creature into these stones. Although only nature itself is capable of creating these formations, it -is- possible to escalate the process by sacrificing the living to the soil, by rites, wanton murder and even magics that involve a lot of blood.

Bloodstones were first uncovered around a hundered years ago, by the Demon Emperor himself. Found in the center of Diestria, where once a great battle between Peregonic knights and inquisitors and the ancient Blackwood's barbarians and witches had taken place. It was with these stones that he deviced relics such as the Dominion Sceptre, Bloodblade and the Throne of Dominance, which allowed him to take over both the minds of people, as well as demons.

The most common usage of bloodstones, at least from the perspective of a common civilian, would be either as grinded to a fine powder and used within bloodrunes, or just used as a magi-foci instead of runes. This foci just as a rune is able to load a magic spell and cast it, though the stone is much more efficent at absorbing magic than a rune, hence demanding absolutely no mystical knowledge from it's user. In short, it's completely useless to get a highly expensive runestone, when anyone could get a hundered more potent runes, legal, from their local magic guild or store.   What these stones are actually used for, is within jewelery, armoury or other pieces that can permanently adorn a living person. Through creating a runic link between a bloodstone, the Throne of Dominance and with a single dropplet needed of the wearers blood, the one linked to the prime core of this throne, namely the Demon Empress, can command the minds of the subjects adorned with these binding soulrocks.

Even though it is well known what these bloodstones are capable of, it's the seemingly willing fashion of most Diestrian nobility, as well as those who hold a high amount of power or wealth within it's empire. Rings, neclaces, bangles and other pieces of jewelery tends to adorn them in these crystaline rocks, as they are said to validify the purity of their bloodlines and loyality to the throne.   It's long been feared that the nobility of Diestria have had their minds controlled to serve their empress blindly, though on later inspection from stones retrieved by the victims of Witchfinders, it's incredibly rare that any human which is not a slave, bandit or other lower class is subjugated to this control. Rather, they are conduits themselves in control of demons, beastkin and other creatures not closely related to man.

Though rare as they are, bloodstones can be found nearly on each and every black market within Diestria, some even beyond their borders. To get the real deal may be a problem though, as certain scoundrels and liars tend to sell ordinary painted glass balls to people. Though they may in their own right be a pretty keepsake, they've got nothing on the real product in both price and usage. Hence, the best market to find them is in the hands of the Cult of Divine Pleasures, who. are publicaly known for selling them, though somehow never gets in problem with the law.

Unsubtly so, from the throne of Diestria, Madame Anita Di'estra herself has issued the decree that every and all bloodstones found within her empire are required to be instantly reported to any state official so that they may be retrieved and securely stored... in the possession of her own secret vaults.