Gems
Precious Stones and Jewels
One of the most important types of matter in FaerieMUD is jewel-matter, which is represented by the Gems and Jewels Periodic Table.
Periods
Like all matter, gems and accretions are divided into periods? on the periodic table:
Groups
The groups of specific gems, jewels and accretions are based on the Group Numbers and valences of the elements which make up the jewel. These Group Numbers can be found on the Periodic Table of the Elements. The magical properties of the jewel are also used to resolve conflicts and to make them correspond as much as possible with the Woods and Wendings Periodic Table.
The Periodic Table
Each jewel is associated with a specific column on the Periodic Table and a specific row. For instance, if a gem is associated with Group VII and Series B, it will be associated with the column known as Group VIIB. If it is a quartz (period 2), it will be found at the point on the periodic table which corresponds to manganese.
*Lanthanide Series (see first row of the rare earth chart below) inclusions
**Actinide Series (see second row of the rare earth below) named doublets
Rare Earths
| Lanthanides | La | Ce | Pr | Nd | Pm | Sm | Eu | Gd | Tb | Dy | Ho | Er | Tm | Yb | Lu | inclusions |
| Actinides | Ac | Th | Pa | U | Np | Pu | Am | Cm | Bk | Cf | Es | Fm | Md | No | Lr | named doublets |
Inclusions
Autopoiesis in Gems and Jewels
Despite what Maturana and Varela say in Autopoiesis and Cognition...
In a natural physical unity like a crystal, the spatial relations among the components specify a lattice organization which constitute it as a particular case in that class. Thus, the organization of a crystal is specified by the spatial relations which define the relative position of its components, which these specify its unity in the space in which they exist -- the physical space. This is not so with an autopoietic machine. In fact, although we find spatial relations among its components whenever we actually or conceptually freeze it for an observation, the observed spatial relations do not (and cannot) define it as autopoietic. This is so because the spatial relations between the components of an autopoietic machine are specified by the network of processes of production of components which constitute its organization and the are therefore necessarily in continuous change. A crystal organization then, lies in a different domain than the autopoietic organization: a domain of relations between components, not of relations between processes of production of components; a domain of processes, not of concatenation of processes. We normally acknowledge this by saying crystals are static.
— Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela, Autopoiesis: The Organization of the Living
...an interesting case can be made that individual atoms and even crystals meet the criteria for autopoiesis (and, thus, life). Schroedenger made an even stronger case for the impossibility of periodic crystals being the basis of life in his famous "What is Life?" lecture. Of course, this led to the discovery the aperiodic nature of DNA and RNA and became the basis for modern biology.
Stuart Kaufman's Investigations makes the case that autocatalysis must occur at an early stage, probably precluding aperiodicity. Our project here will be to assume such and see where it leads in our fantasy world. Indeed, our assumption will go further and assume a spectrum of life-to-nonlife corresponding to the aperiodic-to-periodic specturm of crystals.
See Also
— Scotus - 14 Jul 2001
