'...the experiment performed last year by Michelson and Morley, in which the movement of the Earth with respect to the Ether was successfully measured, has only compounded the problem by adding yet another member to the list of so-called 'fundamental' elements. The seemingly unending proliferation of this 'element zoo' is one of the most pressing questions in natural philosphy and thaumatics...'

How may times have you read a book in which a famous hero's sword is treasured and valued, not because it is magic, or because of its powers, but just because the hero wielded it. The 'Sword of Enthar' the great warrior may just be a normal steel broadsword; but because he used it, it will be prized and treasured.

The magic in my roleplay system is based around gemstones. It started off with the fact that wizards could use gems to regain lost mana: essentially, the gems were nothing more than glorified potions of mana. Since then I've managed to expand the uses of gems considerably and make them much more integral to the magic system; however, I still feel there is a lot more that I could do with them if I could only think of it! Basically, I'm asking for any ideas and suggestions that people have on how to make the gems and magic more interlinked.