Elemental Hearts

Hearts of Fire, Hearts of Earth, Hearts of Air, and Hearts of Water are stones which contain concentrated elemental power. They are formed from mystical abrasions that form coatings of leyline power that solidifies into smooth organic swirls, like a pearl. They are very rare and quite powerful, though the exact powers provided are unique to each heart. There are perhaps two dozen mentioned throughout history, mostly held by denizens of the elemental planes, though they sometimes make it into the hands of mages. A single fully developed Heart provides enough power, at least, to power a mages tower (replacing the need for a ley line nexus).

#### Appearances

* Expedition 56: Ash Lord requests **Heart of Fire** to be able to raise an island from the sea
* Expedition 68: Found **Heart of Wate**r used by the succubus to turn an octopus into a formidable sea monster capable of corrupting sea life
* Expedition 94: Found **Heart of Earth** animating a fearsome bone hydra in the Silent Forest.

## Research

### Heart of Fire

***Uzmir - (27 history, 19 arcana)***

***Arcana:*** "Hearts of Fire" like Hearts of Stone, Hearts of Air, and Hearts of Water, are stones which contain concentrated elemental power. They are formed from mystical abrasions that form coatings of leyline power that solidifies into smooth organic swirls, like a pearl. They are very rare and quite powerful, though the exact powers provided are unique to each heart. There are perhaps two dozen mentioned throughout history, mostly held by denizens of the elemental planes, though they sometimes make it into the hands of mages. A single fully developed Heart provides enough power, at least, to power a mages tower (replacing the need for a ley line nexus).

***History:*** You find mentions, in your research, of 4 currently extant hearts of Fire:

1. Held at the peak of the tower of Erudition in the City of Brass in the plane of Fire, known as the Torchpeak
2. Held in the hoard of the dread-drake Uz'Vallack, one of the undead dragonlords of the Desert of the West, Known as the Magma Pearl
3. Powering the Grand Library of Windhome, known as the Candlestone
4. Stored in the royal vault of Uuron, known as the Chandelier Escarpment

### Heart of Earth

***Gonerton - "What are all the properties and uses of a heart of Earth?" (33 arcana (nat 20), 29 investigation (nat 20), 26 history)***

***Source: Capitol University Library***

Gonerton Scours through the library at a frightfully efficient rate, librarians and students watch in astonishment as he collects towers of books, speedreading them two at a time, seeking for any possible reference to Hearts of Earth.

These elemental wells of power are generally used in the following contexts:

1. ***Matters of Gravity.*** Earth is the element of gravity, and thus it is with hearts of stone that one can empower, reduce, or manipulate gravity in an area. It is in this role that Hearts of Earth are a component of flying vcehicles, Portable Holes, and Floors of Proneness.
2. ***Matters of Soil.*** Earth energy is responsible for all the soil and rock in the world. A heart of earth can be used to conjure vast amounts of soil or rock over a period of time, creating hills, mountains, or islands. However, without the influence of elemental fire or water, this soil will be infertile. It can also be used, though this is only theoretical to "consume" vast amounts of soil and rock.
3. ***Matters of Defense.*** Abjuration is deeply interrelated with Earth energies. Hearts of Stone can be used to create defenses of items, such as Rings of Protection or Songshields. They can also be used to make Wall and Armor spells act more permanently.
4. ***Matters of Material.*** Using a peculiar ritual, a Heart of Earth can be "popped" to produce significant quantities of random metals, some of which will be rare, and a few of which may even be exotic.
5. ***Matters of Authority.*** Earth is the most stable of the elements, and can thus be used to support the magics of Lawful folk. The construction of a Tower of Law is possible, which operates as a mage tower (without the need for a leyline nexus) but which can only be attuned by Lawful characters.
6. ***Matters of Dao.*** Genies of the element of Earth prize hearts of that element, and will highly reward those who can provide such hearts to them (and punish those they believe stole such hearts).