What's Your Dwarven Birthstone?

Silver Doorway#2: Dwarves in the Dark

 The dwarves of Underearth have a different metal for each month of the year, and a different gemstone for each day of the month. To find out what your birth-metal and birth-stone would be, use the chart below:

Month of the Year:

• January – Brass; most often found among dwarven musicians, especially for soldiers' bugles and horns, and also used for trim on shields and armor.

• February – Adamantine; the hardest of all known metals, is very rare and prized for making weapons and armor for "thanes" (dwarf kings).

• March – Truesilver; a deeper and richer color than regular silver, it is softer and can be worked with steel to make "truesteel."

• April – Bronze; a soft yellowish-gold metal, bronze is often used in practice armor and as a training material for apprentice smiths.

• May – Iron; a dark metal used in everything from pipes and machinery to armor; iron and coal form the basis of dwarven culture.

• June – Silver; this shiny grey metal is popular for bells, decorations, and eating utensils, and also used for coins.

• July – Platinum; a rare whitish metal, most commonly used in jewelry and believed to bring good fortune to relationships.

• August – Manathricite; this hard blue-black metal has the unique property of absorbing magical energy, making anyone who touches it immune to spells.

• September – Gold; dwarves love this precious metal almost as much as dragons do, and use it for money and jewelry.

• October – Steel; worked and treated iron becomes steel, which is used primarily for the making of weapons and armor.

• November – Copper; a reddish-brown metal that turns green when exposed to dampness, copper is most commonly used in cookware and coins.

• December – Tin; one of the softer, easier-to-work metals, tin is greyish in color and often used in cups, cans, and the making of small toys.

Day of the Month:

1. Diamond; the hardest of the gemstones, can cut glass, usually clear but sometimes found in many other colors, red diamonds are especially rare.

2. Tourmaline; often banded with two or more colors, like blue and green, or pink and green; sometimes called "watermelon stone;" believed to be useful in dispelling illusions.

3. Bloodstone; opaque, dark stone with speckles of deep red; a favorite for carving game pieces and small sculptures; favored by warriors.

4. Obsidian; black volcanic glass, can have very sharp edges and be used for knife blades or spear points; often set into shields or helmets to bring protection.

5. Emerald; deep green color, very prized and valuable, believed to promote quick healing and general good health.

6. Carnelian; opaque, dark red stone often used for signet rings; a source of energy and help in decision-making.

7. Smoke Topaz; translucent, light or dark grey; believed to help with self-discipline and resisting bad habits and bad advice.

8. Sapphire; usually a rich blue but can be any color except red, occasionally found with white star-shaped flaw and called "star sapphires;" often favored by judges, lawyers, and law enforcement.

9. Jasper; opaque and multi-colored, some varieties brown and black spotted like leopard-skin; believed to help resist pain.

10. Malachite; opaque, banded light and dark green; believed to increase concentration as well as conduct energy and power.

11. Ruby; a deep clear red, similar to sapphire, occasionally found in "star ruby" varieties which have a star-shaped white flaw.

12. Moonstone; opaque, pearlescent and usually a frosty white; the dwarves rarely see the moon and so regard moonstones as rare and mystical.

13. Topaz; translucent, dark yellow, orange, or rusty in color; believed to help focus the mind and see clearly, or help determine the truth.

14. Amber; the petrified sap of ancient trees, often honey-colored, sometimes forms around trapped insects and such pieces are considered very lucky.

15. Amethyst; translucent, ranges from lavender to dark purple, believed to have the power to detect and cure poison.

16. Jacinth; sometimes called 'fire stone,' this gem has swirls of red, yellow, and orange and is believed to be warm to the touch. 

17. Aquamarine; translucent, a light blue or blue-green stone said to bring good luck to sailors and fishermen, or purify bad water.

18. Garnet; a very dark red though some rare green ones have been found; red garnets are supposed to increase physical strength and vitality.

19. Peridot; green gemstone often found near volcanoes; this gem is exhcanged between friends as a sign of sealing their friendship.

20. Agate; opaque, banded in many colors, can be carved and polished into many shapes; said to be good for improving eyesight.

21. Turquoise; opaque, most often sky blue but can be darker greenish-blue; the dwarves believe that turquoise is a good-luck charm for anyone traveling outside of Underearth.

22. Onyx; opaque, a form of black quartz often used in rings; said to be helpful in relieving stress and getting over grief.

23. Zircon; brilliant clear gem, sometimes mistaken for diamond, very sparkly, some types glow even after being broken off from the source.

24. Jade; opaque, found in many colors but usually green, often used in carvings and statues and believed to be a token for good dreams.

25. Hematite; opaque, a shiny silvery-black stone sometimes called "fool's silver;" when ground-up, it produces a dark reddish powder good for helping cleanse and purify the blood.

26. Opal; opaque, the softest gemstone, usually white with pink and blue swirls but also found in blue "sea opal" and red "fire opal" varieties.

27. Spider's Eye; opaque, a rich brown stone with golden streaks, sometimes called "cat's eye" or "tiger eye;" believed to bring good luck in attaining wealth and making good business deals.

28. Beryl; almost as hard as diamond and can be found in a variety of colors; believed to help with communication, negotiating, and public speaking.

29. Citrine; believed to have a source of inner electrical power, called "lightning stone," comes in various shades of yellow.

30. Lapis; opaque deep blue gemstone with green, black, and yellow speckles; a lucky stone for making the right choice or guess.

31. Quartz; associated with fast-running water, often naturally polished, and usually either a white "milky" type or pink "rose quartz;" often associated with peace and love.