Lapis Lazuli

Basic Knowledge

Lapis lazuli is one of the stones with the longest tradition of being considered a gem, with a history stretching back to 5000 BC. Deep blue in color and opaque, this gemstone was highly prized by the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, as can be seen by its prominent use in many of the treasures recovered from pharaonic tombs. It is still extremely popular today.

In ancient times, lapis lazuli was known as sapphire, which is the name that we use today for the blue corundum variety sapphire. It appears to have been the sapphire of ancient writers because Pliny refers to sapphirus as a stone sprinkled with specks of gold. A similar reference can be found in the Christian Bible in Job xxviii. 6.

With the ancient Egyptians lapis lazuli was a favorite stone for amulets and ornaments such as scarabs; it was also used by the Assyrians and Babylonians for seals. Egyptian burial sites dating before 3000 B.C. contained thousands of jewelry items, many of lapis. Powdered lapis was favored by Egyptian ladies as a cosmetic eye shadow.

The ancient royal Sumerian tombs of Ur, located near the Euphrates River in lower Iraq, contained more than 6000 beautifully executed lapis lazuli statuettes of birds, deer, and rodents as well as dishes, beads, and cylinder seals. These carved artifacts undoubtedly came from material mined in Badakhshan in northern Afghanistan. The word lazuli itself originates from the Persian dialect of Badakhshan.

The Romans believed that lapis was a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy, and free the soul from error, envy and fear.

It was once believed that lapis had medicinal properties. It was ground down, mixed with milk and applied as a dressing for boils and ulcers.

Many of the blues in painting from medieval Illuminated manuscripts to Renaissance panels were derived from lapis lazuli. Ground to a powder and processed to remove impurities and isolate the component lazurite, it forms the pigment ultramarine. This clear, bright blue, which was one of the few available to painters before the 19th century, cost a princely sum.

As inscribed in the 140th chapter of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, lapis lazuli, in the shape of an eye set in gold, was considered an amulet of great power. On the last day of the month, an offering was made before this symbolic eye, for it was believed that, on that day, the supreme being placed such an image on his head.

Lapis lazuli is said to be associated with self-confidence, truthfulness, openness and inner tranquility. Lapis lazuli is the ancient stone of mental and psychological health, said to promote spiritual healing, mental calmness and strength of will, increased psychic abilities and spiritual growth.

When used during meditation, it is believed to aid in detaching the mind from the physical body and allowing for a deeper and more open state of consciousness. It helps establish a connection with the creative force and in receiving information from other planes of consciousness.

It is said to be a good stone for emotional healing and treatment of disorders of the throat, bone marrow, thymus, and immune system.

 

Bardic Knowledge

DC	Things Known
10 -Common	Many races and cultures use the Lapis lazuli as part of their worship or spiritual rituals.
20-Uncommon	The druids of the Hornsaw Forest make charms of Lapis Lazuli to ward off nightmares (+2 to will save vrs spells such as nightmare if worn while sleeping).
30-Obscure	The Orafaun use Lapis Lazuli to heal those that have damaged spirits or souls. Also those cursed with nightmares or the in-ability to sleep.
40-Very Obscure	Two disks of Lapis Lazuli placed at the temples of a person and held there for three rounds will wake him from a comma induced by a dream snake or other such creatures.

Rare Uses and Items

Tears of Denev

Denev the Earth Mother fought on the side of the Gods against the other Titans to save her world. The war was won, but the world suffered greatly. It is said that Denev wept for her world before going to deep underground to sleep and heal.

Whether this is the true origin of these artifacts or not is just about anyone's guess, but the power of these items certainly give credence to the tales.

The Tears of Denev are small Lapis Lazuli stones shaped like tears. A person coming in possession of a Tear of Denev falls into a great sadness, and feels pain in every part of his body. A Will save of DC 25 allows the person to drop the tear, but not to carry it unaffected. If the Will Save is failed, the only way to remove the curse from the person is to take the tear to the lake Adurn's Tear and drop the stone in the Denev Aquifer, returning it to the sleeping Titan. Until that time the person is afflicted with uncontrollable sobbing and pain, and is considered fatigued in game rules.

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