Gimyndine

Gimyndine [gih-men-dean] is a naturally occurring opal-like material commonly seen accumulating on and around areas of high infusion, and is notable for it's ability to produce a distinct form of Soulfire--appropriately called gimynfire--upon various forms of interaction.

Different colors and crystal formations of gimyndine are known to have different soulfire outputs and ease-of-use, which influences which type a prospecting scriptlighter might choose. Generally, the most powerful crystals have vibrant hues with stunning patterns, but are also exceedingly rare. Each grade is also split into “low” and “high” (e.g. “high kingstone” and “low palestone”) for further granularity, and to nicely align the ranking to base 12.

Ashstone

Commonly referred to as simply “ash” or “dust," ashstone is the lowest grade of gimyndine, and the most common. Simply a dull black or other exceedingly dark color all within and without; not a hint of honesty. It is also by far the majority component in making gimpowder, as its only practical use.

Recent research has suggested that, rather than a mined mineral, ashstone is a human byproduct in some way. It is most commonly found encrusting surfaces where humans or dense life gather, as opposed to buried underground or strewn about ruins. A common theory is that it's actually a localized crystallization of soulfire from ambient life, where the high density coagulates with little available matter to couple, and so instead “precipitates” into physicality.

Dullstone

A middle ground between blackstone and palestone, though often simply blackstone with patches of dark color. Typically used to make mid-quality gimpowder.

Palestone

The common grade of gimyndine, with a pale hue and a monotone pattern. Often granted to scriptlighters in training or those of low standing, but still preferable to being unable to use firekeeping.

Purestone

The advanced grade of gimyndine, possessing vibrant colors but no play-of-color. The standard for professional scriptlighters and high-grade military equipment. ^4fb5c9

Blazestone

The elite grade of gimyndine, possessing a hue that seems to glow with play-of-color, and maintains a persistent halo of sparks. Often the centerpiece of a renowned scriptlighter's arsenal.

Kingstone

The highest grade of gimyndine, and so named because its power and rarity allow those in possession of one and the skills to use it to found nations. Even single toes of kingstone are regarded as world-class and fetch prices that rival entire estates. Physically, they resemble high-grade black opals with vibrant colors and patterns.
As of the writing of this encyclopedia, there are thought to be only 3 complete statues of kingstone in the world. Curiously, they have only been found as unbroken, completely whole objects in ruins, as opposed to shattered and piecemeal like other varieties.

The Skull of Vakatow

The largest and most powerful specimen of gimyndine in the world. It was discovered in the depths of a Kishian ruin, and is currently in the possession of the Ayangatalan royal family for powering their infamous “Scarlet Sky” city-scale defense engram. The skull itself has been encased mostly in a large tungsten sphere to protect those near from the burning intensity of its sparks.

Gimyndine

Gimyndine is not the only source of soulfire, but an extremely important one. Soulfire is also generated by every living thing, and with practice this soulfire generation can be increased. Compared to an unpracticed sapient, however, gimyndine is many times more powerful when resonating. Of note is that soulfire produced by gimyndine is referred to as gimynfire, as its properties are unique enough to warrant differentiation.

Gimyndine is divided into two distinct classes, dyed and undyed. Undyed gimyndine, or ashtone, is noted to accrue over time in any area dense with soulfire. Meanwhile, dyed gimyndine is only attested as far back as 0 AL, and is not mentioned in any Hythean records discovered to date. So far, the cause of this is unknown.

In order to utilize dyed gimyndine as a steady source of gimynfire, it must be sufficiently resonated with. This process involves a user packing their own thoughts, beliefs, and emotions into a metaphorical box, causing their soulfire to become colorless. When this colorless soulfire overlaps with a gimyn (a sample of gimyndine), a stoneshade will manifest, often a similar personality to the resonator. The resonator must calmly convince the shade to bond with them, often done by compromising beliefs and personality traits present during resonance. Upon completion, a resonator may choose to activate the gimyn any time it is sufficiently near to them, which will result in their ability to wield gimynfire and the agreed upon mental shift. Some individuals, most notably the copperleaf tribes, are unable to resonate with gimyndine due to their naturally resistant constitutions.

For bursts of gimynfire, gimyndine can be put under intense compressive pressures which vary based on the color of the crystal. Upon crossing the breakpoint, a gimynfire burst of a corresponding intensity will expand out from the crystal, destroying it. This pressure is often higher than its shear strength, so it can be sliced into a fine powder for easier transport at the cost of efficiency.

Stoneshades

Referring to a few different phenomena, the primary use of the term “stoneshade” is to refer to the eerie “personality” gimyndine samples and their gimynfire seem to possess. This necessitates one of the major components of scriptlighting and resonating, the ability to shift one’s thought processes to be more in-line with any particular sample. The principle skill of the scriptlighter, then, can be said to be acting.

Another use of the term stoneshade, in many ways identical, is to refer to the actual personality that scriptlighters assume when resonating that may sometimes overcome them. The principal danger of scriptlighting–aside, of course, from glassrot–is in the domination of a stoneshade over a scriptlighter's ego as a result of over-reliance on one gimyn. This process is naturally very distressing, though the afflicted are often incapable of recognizing their own changes. Once a stoneshade fully takes over, the afflicted is rendered unable to use any other gimyn.

There are also rare cases where a stoneshade may take on a physical presence in reality in the form of an autonomous soulfire field, called a descension. Descensions have been noticed to occur most frequently when a glassrote scriptlighter goes through significant emotional distress during a resonation, causing an immediate rejection of the lighter as a soulfire controller but still requiring the gimynfire be controlled. In this case, what is thought to be the scriptlighter's own shade takes control of the cloud and causes general destruction until forcibly dispersed.

Due to the consequences of stoneshades, one of the cornerstones of a flamebearer's skill is the ability to successfully resonate with many different samples. This is especially paramount in the modern religious climate, eager to differentiate themselves from the “demonic tyrants” of the past and their “haunted” actions.