Gem of Brightness: This crystal appears to be a long, rough prism. Upon utterance of the proper spell words, however, the crystal emits bright light of one of three sorts.

One command word causes the gem to shed a pale light in a cone-shape 10 feet long, emanating from the gem to a radius of 2½ feet at the end of the beam. This does not discharge any of the energy of the device.

Another command causes the gem of brightness to send out a very bright ray 1 foot in diameter and 50 feet long. Any creature struck in the eyes by this beam will be dazzled and unable to see for 1d4 rounds. The target creature is entitled to a saving throw versus magic to determine whether or not its eyes were shut or averted in time. This use of the gem expends one energy charge.

The third manner in which the item may be used is to cause it to flare in a blinding flash of light in a cone 30 feet long with a 5-foot radius at its end. Although this glare lasts but a moment, all creatures within its area must save versus magic or be blinded for 1-4 rounds and thereafter suffer a penalty of -1 to -4 to attack rolls due to permanent eye damage. This use expends five charges.

Dazzling or blindness effects can be reversed by a cure blindness spell; eye damage can be cured only by a heal spell. The gem of brightness has 50 charges and cannot be recharged. A darkness spell cast at the gem's owner drains one charge from a gem of brightness, or makes it useless for one round, at the option of the gem owner. A continual darkness spell causes it to be useless for one day, or to expend five charges, at the option of the owner.

Table of Contents