Elements = Colours?

[Jukashi]

I just recently noticed that each of the elements of Creation corresponds to one of the values need to portray any given colour in the spectrum visible to humans. Earth and Water are associated with White and Black respectively, determining saturation and brightness, while the other three elements are associated with Red, Green and Blue, which are the primary colours of light, and determine hue.


This could be the source of interesting plots or an inspiration for certain artifacts and other magical effects, but seems curiously untouched-upon. That seems a bit odd, to me.

 

[wordman]

Trouble is, you can't mix the colors of jade to get any color. Since jade gets its color by reflecting light, not emitting it, it's colors would mix together the way paint does, not the way light does. Mixing red and green light gives you yellow. Mixing red and green paint gives you grey. Similarly, mixing all the colors of light together gives you white, while mixing all the colors of paint together gives you black. It actually wouldn't be possible to mix the colors of jade into yellow for example, because yellow is a primary color (for paint).

 

[Ker'ion]

But what of the mythic Yellow Jade? :?


Isn't it supposed to be a Lightning based Jade?

 

[wordman]

But what of the mythic Yellow Jade? :?
Isn't it supposed to be a Lightning based Jade?

Nothing stops you from saying this is just a sixth type, rather than an alloy.


If the "primary color" theory holds, it implies the existence of cyan and magenta jade as well.

 

[Ker'ion]

that would be up to the ST.


But what elements would they cover?

 

[wordman]

But what elements would they cover?

You could invent some goofy link to the Wyld. Fair Folk are, after all, sort of similar to Primordials in some ways, both having been spawned from the formless chaos.


There could be four colors of "proto-jade", each corresponding to a grace:

• White - Ring
  
• Cyan - Staff
  
• Yellow - Cup
  
• Magenta - Sword

When Creation forms, these mix into the five colors of standard jade:

• White - remains white, becoming Earth, since the Ring represents the self-Awareness at the center of creation.
  
• Red - The terror and glory of the Sword mixes in equal parts with the desire of the Cup to form Fire.
  
• Green - The life and death of the Sword mixes in equal parts with the natural law of the Staff to form Wood.
  
• Blue - The hoi polloi of society in the Staff mixes in equal parts with the unpredictable passion of the Cup to form Air.
  
• Black - law, conflict and emotion both turbulent and calm meet when Staff, Sword and Cup mix in equal parts to form Water.

Of course, I just pulled this out of my ass. So why stop there? Why not jade in infinite colors, depending on how the proto-jade mixes? Sort of like the Greeks thought the four elements mixed in different ratios to create everything.

 

[wordman]

I threw a reference to the basic color mixing jade idea into the end of my beyond alchemy post, for those keeping score.

 

[Sheridan Boyce]

Without creating any new colors of jade or anything, you could easily make some interesting puzzles out of this concept.  Especially hard for players that don't know thing one about colors, especially fun for those that do.


I'm thinking puzzles to unlock manses, for example, where you have to insert hearthstones that would create a specific color or something along those lines.  Of course, without yellow you are somewhat limited in your choices, but after one or two puzzles like this everyone's going to get sick of it anyway.

 

[YogoIshida]

Trouble is, you can't mix the colors of jade to get any color. Since jade gets its color by reflecting light, not emitting it, it's colors would mix together the way paint does, not the way light does. Mixing red and green light gives you yellow. Mixing red and green paint gives you grey. Similarly, mixing all the colors of light together gives you white, while mixing all the colors of paint together gives you black. It actually wouldn't be possible to mix the colors of jade into yellow for example, because yellow is a primary color (for paint).

Well yeah if magic follows the rules of Physics. Oh wait it doesn't that's why we call it magic. Just because physic tells us that it is imposable, when you are dealing with magical elements they will follow their own internal logic that is perpendicular to reality's logic.  So I think he could easily make his own rules for this. I think it would be cool to own a 52 inch Jade Screen viewer.
Y I

 

[Ker'ion]

WOOT!!!


Discworld physics!

 

[DeepFlowingRiver]

You could have a killer game of Simon says with the corresponding colors to open a manse or something! Green, yellow, Red.... that takes me back!

 

[Jukashi]

Who says Jade doesn't emit light, anyway? It's a magical material. Attune it up, blow your anima and bam, glowing galore.