Jade

Jade was the generally accepted name for a class of stones found in the Realms that included jadeite and nephrite.

Description
When jade was freshly mined, it was found in shades of light to dark green, and white. As it aged, jade turned a warm brown hue. If buried for long periods of time, jade turned a dark red or brown and was known as tomb jade. Jade had a waxy appearance when polished and was easily carved. This stone was completely opaque unless carved thin enough for light to filter through, giving it a warm glow. A typical specimen had a base value of 100 gp.

Powers
Powdered jade had an affinity for illusion/phantasm spells and was the ingredient of choice when mixing magic inks to scribe such spell scrolls. It was also necessary in immersions for items intended to create illusions. The best time of day for mixing jade dust into a magical preparation was candleglass time.

Reputation
Bards and other musicians in the Realms wore jade for luck as it was said to improve musical talent. The stones were also favored by the gods Baravar Cloakshadow, Erevan Ilesere, and Urogalan.