Update: I keep ignoring this project for other things. I probably won’t finish typing up characters before then, but I’m setting this up as my camp NaNoWriMo project, in the hopes of getting something done. I think, format wise, it’s a series of chapters, then also ‘side material’, such as mock-up diaries and incident report forms and newspaper articles.
[Image: a blue gemsona with brown detailing, and colour reference to the side
Text: Moonstone, Owner of Moon-Sun Shipping Corp., Smuggler, Navigations Expert]
Well, this month’s entry into @the-gemsona-games, Moonstone’s a but of a character. And I can’t draw human proportions too great.
Gem Type: Moonstone (blue)
Gem Location: Stomach
Court: N/A
Weapon: Telekinesis
Role: Business Owner/Transport
Short Personality: Adventurous, Free-Spirited, Resolute, Stubborn, Protective, Crafty
Background:
Moonstones are inherently unusual gems, in that their skills do not lead to an obvious job. This one, however, is old enough to have existed when the structures of Homeworld were a little more flexible. As such, she gets away with a lot of things other gems couldn’t.
Her shipping business that pre-dates the creation of Diamond Authority, for example.
It’s still active, and, where Sun-Moon Corp. is concerned, entirely above board. Moonstone has a fleet of ships which, when ordered accordingly, travel to various planets to collect equipment and resources which are too large to use the warp network, and deliver them safely to new hands. More often than not, her ships bring the first civilians to every new Front Line of the Empire of the Authority. The military have their own transport, but it is Moonstone’s ships that move the reporters, building resources and technicians before warp-pads are built.
Lots of people are confused by Moonstone’s crews: they do not contain the traditional sailors, or even a mixture of those and other declassified gems, but rather collections of gems from all strata and walks of life. There are a disproportionate number of Pearls working for her, especially given the status of ship-yard gems. It is not common knowledge that she offers protection to any gem abused or abandoned by their superiors, although certain circles know. Collectively, and amongst the other pilots, they are known as ‘Moony’s Girls’, and Moonstone is known to ensure ‘accidents’ occur to any who harm them.
She has been known to work with the law enforcement services - for example, during the raid on the laboratories of a Peridot who was conducting inhumane experiments. In return for providing intel and raw labour, Moonstone was paid handsomely, and also was allowed to take into her service all of the surviving test subjects.
Not everything is above board, however. Shipping, and even mercenary work, isn’t really what she specialises in. Moonstone also functions as a smuggler, supplying weaponry and heavily taxed items to the lowest levels of society. She refuses, however, to transport gems. The first time she acted in an illegal measure was when she was employed to transport a group of defective gems, as well as political prisoners, to reprocessing. Horrified, Moonstone filtered out as many gems as she could and would survive, delivering only the minimum to not arouse suspicion. All that remain, she offered either work or free passage off world. Since that day, she has also run a smuggler to fund her ‘rescue’ missions.
Moonstone also supplies the Petal Rebellion with their weaponry. She has a deal with them that, should they succeed, protections are given for all her workers from the legal repercussions of the smuggling, and anything they were forced to do by previous masters, as well as safer work if they request it.
Role: Political Advisor, Media and Communications (former)
Short Personality: Quiet, refined, cautious, verbose, dignified, politically inclined, imaginative
Background:
Hematite was created after the rebellion of Rose Quartz, and so cannot tell you what truly happened. She can, however, tell you a thousand different stories about it, and a hundred more variations on each of them. Hematite has read many of them, and discussed with colleagues others. Afterall, from the moment of her creation she was employed by White Diamond to ‘correct’ all published information which did not meet the required standards.
She saw many things wrong, but spun the tales as she was commanded. As a reward to herself for years of service, she decided to use her savings to purchase a Pearl to carry her belongings on days when she was at Court as opposed to working. The process went smoothly until she was returning from the collection point - as it was her first Pearl, she had no others to send to collect her new servant.
The first Hematite knew of something being wrong was when the Pearl pushed her to the floor. About to scold her purchase, the Courtly gem looked up to see a band of thug-ish rubies encroaching. It was a very short period of time before the Pearl, programmed to defend her master at all costs, was poofed. Hematite was not a warrior, and could do little against the gems.
However, a figure she was familiar with only from news reports appeared. Tall and slim, and unnaturally fast, she recognised the other as a Moldavite - and not just any. The costume she wore immediately showed the other to be a well known outlaw.
Moldavite defeated the Rubies, but poofed within moments of doing such - her gem cracked. Moldavite, thankful for her life, collected her Pearl and the Moldavite. For the first time in her life, Hematite lied to her superiors. She claimed ignorance of who the cracked gem was, only that she had saved her, and so insisted she be fixed. It was done, and Moldavite escaped before her exact identity was revealed.
Over the rotations, Moldavite would visit Hematite on her rest periods. In time, they went from friends to lovers and fusionmates, although always in private.
And then, Hematite slipped. It was inevitable really, but her Diamond caught wind of her relationship. She was very suprised when a small, young peridot arrived on her doorstep, saying that White Diamond was going to destroy her for subversion, and she should probably leave now.
The two gems fled, Moldavite leading Hematite to Smoky Quartz’ lair. The rebels were wary of Hematite - she understands why - but she eventually fitted herself into the others. Although no longer up to date with trends, Hematite advises on other Courtly Gem; what makes them tick, their habits and schedules, what you can use to manipulate them. However, she does not leave the lair. Hematite cannot defend herself, afterall. At least her Pearl stays to keep her company and reach the top shelves?
Short Personality: Reliable, inquisitive, sharp, mistrustful, loyal, bright
Background:
Corrundum was one of the last gems created in the Kindergartens of Earth before they were abandoned. The creation of a sapphire was not the origional intention and, due to her non-natural creation, she is valued as less than others. The matter of her creation has also limited her ability to use future-sight.
During her time working on Earth, she became close to Tektite. However, when Earth was abandoned, Tektite was arrested as her loyalty could not be proven. Corrundum succeeded in proving her loyalty to Blue Diamond, and over the years was one of the few gems to remain faithful. As such, she had the time to work to the head of her division - indeed, it is Corrundum who is responsible for the entry of any data considered too sensitive for public eyes.
Corrundum was originally bought into the fold of Smoky Quartz’ activities many rotations ago, when Fluorite managed to track her down as the originator of a series of anonymous forum posts linking White Diamond to the shattering of Pink Diamond - heretical if nothing else. In return for her co-operation, and the promise of Tektite being freed should Smoky Quartz ever succeed, Corrundum agreed to work with them.
As well as her responsibilities for Blue Diamond, Corrundum also works directly on the orders of Smoky Quartz, manipulating data concerning members of the rebellion, covering their tracks and embedding recruitment information deep into the systems. However, she is yet to fully choose a side - although she does these things, Corrundum has so far refused to diverge anything which could incriminate, damage or hinder her Diamond or courtiers.
Text: Grandidierite, Scholar of the Court of Blue, Liason Specialist, Assassin
Gen Center, Gem LHS, Gem Base, Gem RHS, Skin, Hair, Clothing (main), Clothing Division, Diamond, Boots, Socks, Tow Caps]
Gem Type: Grandidierite
Gem Location: Upper Chest
Court: Blue
Weapon: Stiletto Knife
Role: Guard
Short Personality: Patient, Tactful, Dry, Defensive, Observant, Actually cares more than she is willing to admit
Background:
When Grandidierite was young, she worked as a liason to other sentient races. Although she tended to bodyguard the true diplomats, she was often required to mediate for prouder gems who could not respect other cultures. Not to say that she was not proud herself, but her pride manifested in different ways. She was also responsible for recording everything possible about the other races encountered, reporting back to Blue Diamond personally.
However, things do not always go right. One courtier of Yellow Diamond, a Citrine, overstepped further than Grandidierite could repair relationships with herself. Due to the sensitive nature of the mission, it was the diamonds themselves who came to smooth things over. By the time they arrived, Grandidierite was the only gem left unshattered, poofed and cracked in a pile of shards and organic remains.
Grandidierite reformed in prison. Her word of events was not taken as reliable by any bar her diamond, and Yellow was exceptionally annoyed with the loss of the few diplomats that even exist within yellow. A comment about how it was their fault the situation got as bad nearly had her shattered, but the rarity of her gem saved her - instead, she was sentenced to a life on Homeworld, doing grunt work.
Whilst Blue Diamond eventually assigned her to guard Aragonite, Grandidierite is well aware that a single toe out of line will cost not only her own life, but those of Aragonite and her remaining sisters - if she has defects enough to step out of line without any showing up on scans, then it is determined to be a flaw in the gem type.
[Image: a brown-coloured gemsona, with various markings
[Text: Aragonite, Registered Defect, Healer Under Protection of Grandidierite and Blue Diamond
Gem, Skin, Markings, Left Eye, Right Eye, Hair, Gloves, Shirt, Belt, Right Leg, Left Leg, Right Sock, Left Sock, Skirt (150/250 opacity), Poncho (150/250 opacity), Ribbon]
And, another little lady - this one very small (smaller than Sapphire even) - with magical powers. And also entered into the Reaping Pool over at @the-gemsona-games. Aragonite here is one of my possible protagonists, along with Smoky Quartz, Fluorite, Oligoclase, Moonstone and Kunzite. As you can see, I really need to pick a P.O.V. ^^’
Gem Type: Aragonite
Gem Location: Upper Chest
Court: Blue
Weapon: N/A
Role: Healer
Short Personality: Childlike, compassionate, vengeful, persistent, believes the best in everygem, stubborn
Background:
Aragonite is a strange gem by many means. At not yet 50 cycles old, she is still one of the most valuable assests of Blue Diamond’s Court. Although useless in her intended purpose as a manual labourer due to her multiple defects, she displaces other, more valuable powers - notably, healing abilities akin to those of a Rose Quartz. Although requiring somewhat more resources than such a gem, Aragonite is unique in the fact she can be disguised as a normal gem, making her invaluable to those nobles who do not wish to accept that they have at one time or another been cracked.
Her defect was noticed very soon after production - before she had even taken form. As such, Aragonite was immediately sent for reprocessing - it was suspected that she would never take form, due to her very slow speed in doing so. However, she did generate a body whilst her stone was awaiting destruction. Uncertain of what to do, for this was not where she was programmed to be, Aragonite started poking around the things nearby. Needless to say, the reprocessing staff were very surprised to find the bizarrely coloured gemstone wandering around and sticking cracked gems back together. These were worker gems who had been damaged, and were considered cheaper to replace than repair.
The reprocessors shut the door, and immediately contacted Blue Diamond, for it was in her name that the destruction had been authorised. The Great Lady saw use in this gem, and sent a small detachment to collect the Aragonite. Since then, Aragonite has lived behind closed doors, in the basements of the Court of Blue, only leaving when called upon and under constant supervision of a disgraced Grandidierite. Over recent years, the two have formed a somewhat unsteady and strange friendship.
Short Personality: Sharp, loyal, cold, bitter, defensive, protective of those beneath her, disillusioned
Background:
Diopside has worked in the reprocessing of gems longer than any other - indeed, she started the job with the mass enforced crushing of Pink Diamond’s Court, when extra technicians were required to deal with the sheer quantity of those passing through the crushers. Before then, she had simply been a gem sat on a shelf, unformed, waiting to be assigned a role.
Usually, gems are reassigned from this duty after 100 cycles. However, Diopside was resistant to this idea. As such, they allowed her to stay - very few gems, even those who have worked their since birth, are happy to do the job. And, those content with their work are less likely to subvert.
Her status as a senior technician gives her more freedom than most of the other reprocessors. The main point of note is that she is allowed to leave the plant whenever she wished, so long as she signs in and out and isn’t on duty. Counts of gem dust are never done, mostly due to the sheer volume. Therefore, Diopside is known to ‘liberate’ some of the defective gems who are sent for crushing, or those whose only crimes are very minor, storing them inside her gem until she can take them outside and release them into Moonstone’s care.
However, her primary purpose for staying is to protect the other reprocessors. In her thousands of years working there, Diopside has become something of a legend amongst the workers. Despite her harsh words and cold, bitter ways, she considers it her duty to keep the other workers as safe as possible. The Authority does not care to put safety measures in place here - to make new gems is cheap and the workers are not skilled. As such, her work is somewhat cut out doing this - death rates have decreased, but are still the highest of any field of work.
Short Personality: Young, strong, cheerful, struggles a lot with the emotional aspects her job, inquisitive
Background: Below Cut
Prehnite is a very young gem, at only 10 cycles old. She was created to replace another gem, who was shattered in an accident with the machinery. She has never seen outside of the reprocessing plant where she works, having not yet taken form when she was delivered from her place of creation. In another 90 cycles, she will be considered experienced enough to be transferred to a less dangerous job - within her ten cycles so far, she has seen over 30 fatal accidents. She has managed to avoid them thus far, even if she has multiple times been rescued by Diopside very close to damage occuring.. However, reprocessing is considered a vital part of the society - breaking down failed, defective and criminal gems into their constituent parts so that their remains may be used for other purposes. Often these are to power weak artefacts - powerful ones require a full gemstone. Others are reprocessed completely, and their remaining parts used to build other gems from. These gems are considered lesser by the authorities, but indistinguishable to the untrained eye.
The young gem hates her job, but does her best to keep people smiling and positive. After all, preprocessors who survive get to move onto much bigger things, and it is a vital job. So say the Diamonds.
Kyanite’s reference sheet, another of the entries into @the-gemsona-games‘ reaping bowl. And, well, her cover of stronger than you with my shitty singing is here: http://adventuresingemtime.tumblr.com/post/141563116084/so-well-i-covered-stronger-than-you-as-implied
Gem Type: Kyanite
Gem Location: Chest
Court: Blue
Weapon: Raipier
Role: Courtier
Short Personality: Loud, bright, willing to both give and take hits (both political and otherwise), brash, quick on her feet (literally and in terms of wits) and definitely honestly not plotting a rebellion honest.
Background: Under Cut
Kyanite has served the Court of Blue Diamond her entire life. Her early years were full of threats of shattering, as she stepped on political toes and made comments her superiors thought to be subversive.
Kunzite, however, saw potential in the young Kyanite, and took her under her wing. With permission from Blue Diamond, who tired of the antics within her court, Kyanite’s boundless energy and aggressive tendencies were channelled into dueling. In time, the court forgot her transgressions and started seeing her as their darling child - especially when she started winning them tournaments.
Her more radical views tend to be laughed off by the older gems, especially as she had such skill but never acted on them. In time, it became known as ‘just one of her quirks’, an almost endearing quality about how innocent and childish one of their’s was. It was almost seen as a trophy, that one of their courtiers retained such views despite the uprisings, damage and wars.
However, her lack of action should not be taken as an indicator of her inactivity. Her loud words about her subversive ideals are really there to distract people from the fact she actually is part of a rebellion. Nobody looks at the person declaring they want to take over the world. I mean, she even collects Pearls, and what Pearl collector ever truly considered other gems to be oppressed?
This is Fluorite’s reference sheet, and she has one of the most changed designs since the group images. I’ve got most the pictures done now, but text is a pain.
Gem Type: Fluorite
Gem Location: Forehead
Court: White
Weapon: Redacted
Role: Investigative Policing & Official Cover Ups
Short Personality: Quiet, thoughtful, respectable, willing to defer to people with more knowledge, suspicious of untested hierarchy, uncomfortable with parts of her job
Background: Under Cut
Fluorite has worked for White Diamond for a very long time. Although she has great respect for the abilities of her direct superior Oligoclase, she has yet to find any good reason why the diamonds are incharge, beyond their height. And, as a gem who’s small stature makes her more useful, rather than less, Fluorite is suspicious of that. She views the court structures as unhelpful and demeaning.
It was during an investigation into corruption in the Yellow Court that Fluorite first met Sunstone and Smoky Quartz. The corruption was indeed there, but Fluorite was told not to expose it, but cover it up. This was when she further started doubting the system - Sunstone refused the bribe to keep quiet, although Smoky Quartz quickly persuaded the other to stay quiet anyway. The hesitation of those two lead to Fluorite visiting them time and time again - officially to ensure their compliance - a matter which developed first into planning a stand against the Diamond Authority, and then later into a romantic relationship between all three.
Fluorite was removed from those duties after a time, far reducing her chances to see her girlfriends. It had been over 20 cycles since her last visit, and 30 until the next, when Sunstone appeared, crying and severely damaged, on her doorstep.
Both gems were registered missing shortly afterwards.
Right! Instead of writing, I’ve been updating designs and colour palettes, and making reference sheets. Seeing as she’s competing in this round of Games hosted by @the-gemsona-games, Kunzite is up first.
(I’ve got about 17 of them sketched, but only Missy Kun coloured so far)
Drawn in ink then scanned and coloured
Information on the gem herself under cut, background fits my AU homeworld.
Also, I recorded a cover of Do it for Her for Gemsona week, from her and Kyanite’s perspective. The recording is here: http://adventuresingemtime.tumblr.com/post/141563232404/again-i-distracted-myself-actually-singing-the
Gem Type: Kunzite
Gem Location: Upper Chest
Court: Blue (Formally Pink)
Weapon: shiv
Role: Courtier and Ambassador
Short Personality: Devoutly loyal, aristocratic, determined, compassionate, regal and prone to quietly subverting the authority
Background:
Kunzite was one of the foremost courtiers of Pink Diamond, and was devoutly loyal to the other gems in her court. However, her duty was to be their representative in Blue Diamond’s such. This ended up saving her life when Rose Quartz rebelled, the Renegade Pearl killing Pink Diamond, and those gems at court at the time either imprisoned or shattered by the remaining Diamonds as punishment. She was loyal to her fellow courtiers, not her diamond, and has been attempting to find a way to free her counterparts that survive still, and avenge those who do not.
However, getting herself shattered would not assist her, and so she acts carefully and loyally for Blue Diamond. She has, however, been training the young gem Kyanite in both dueling and politics, as well as priming her to assist in her schemes.
The renegade Pearl inspired her to start collecting pearls - it looks like a matter of fancy and too much money, when in truth she trains them into her own private army.
Kyanite loves fusing with anyone she can, although she rarely gets the chance. She feels a great deal of freedom when fused - it is no longer her entirely, and so she can let loose a little.
Kunzite, meanwhile, remembers the wars. She hates fusing, if only because all her sister-gems, those she learnt to fuse with, have been destroyed - and to do it with another reminds her of them.
For both, their most common fusion is that with each other. It’s something they do when teaching their Pearls fusion, and also if they need to fight - Rhodochristite cannot be traced back to them, unless she is defeated and they split. Their fusion is a skilled tactician and duelist, but in battle tends to spend too much time worrying about the people she is responsible for to be able to fight effectively.
Both dance a form of jig to fuse - Kunzite has always fused using a Riverdance (Irish Jig). She is not expected to fuse in court or diamond-sanctioned combat, as the other Kunzites of her classification were all destroyed in the war with Rose Quartz, and so her waltz is very out of practice. Kyanite, meanwhile, was trained to fuse using various ballroom techniques and will continue to use this for legal fusions. However, far more her style and far more easy for her to improvise is a Scottish Jig - this is what she uses when she fuses outside of the strict protocols of Court.
Youtube links to examples below cut:
Both Jigs (Irish in black, Scottish in green skirt):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ijk4Yox4r0
Ballroom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rNcBlHr6qE
(Different types of ballroom dance have different rules. Kyanite doesn’t follow them whilst dancing, even at court; she just uses techniques from various dances, as such, ballroom not otherwise specified)
Come one, come all! It’s prom night, and here we have two courtly gems showing off the height of Homeworld Fashion on a Budget. I mean, they spend most of their money on Pearls, and Blue Diamond, their Diamond, believes flowing clothing is the most attractive. And impressing your Diamond is important.
(Yellow believes in 80s fashion, pink in poof and white in sparkles)
Kyanite and Kunzite are both dressing up, and heading out for the evening. Kunzite’s even pulled some of her hair into a bun - hence why it’s shorter here.
Pictures from part way through their evening, by the time they’ve given up on heels. Because dancing in heels is /hard/ (so is drawing shoes). But, like, pretty dresses! I nearly put Kyanite in Loli, but it felt wrong.
Also, proportions are /really hard/. The heads are all wrong. :/
Don’t have scanner privileges for the next few days, and so straight to computer pictures. Proportions get weird, as do everything else. Especially given there isn’t even a real mouse.
Kyanite in jeans, and Kunzite all dressed up in just normal human clothes.Given neither of them are on Earth, and only Kunzite has ever seen Earth, this is but isn’t a thing.
... What they’re wearing and how they stand kinda gives the biggest personality differences, to be honest.
As I don’t have enough scanner time, sticking with the short answer this time: What does your gemsona love?
Kunzite: Kunzite loved the gems of Pink Diamond’s Court. Almost all of them are dead now, and she instead turns her sights to looking after Pearls as though they were akin to her children. You could say she loves them, or maybe even Kyanite. However, what she strives for is success in adversity, and the challenge is her greatest enjoyment.
Kyanite: Kyanite loves Kunzite. Maybe not romantically, but she loves her as a mentor-figure. Even though she acts more emotionally than her partner in crime, she would not say she loves other things - because then she’d have to love everything (except the diamond authority and paperwork), and then the word looses meaning.
I’ll probably look at doing this with the others some other time.
Kunzite and Kyanite with redesigned outfits as courtiers of Pink Diamond. Kunzite was long ago a member of that court, and but Kyanite has always belonged to Blue Diamond. (Kunzite’s outfit is what she used to wear. Kyanite’s is entirely AU)
It was likely a matter of being younger, but Kunzite was much more open as a member of Pink Diamond’s Court. Strangely enough, Kyanite in such a court would be a lot more reserved in private - likely due to being allowed to speak in public.
