Aeons past, there were weapons, armour and items of extreme power and renown. Potent properties were imbued into the material itself through the use of sockets and gems of varying forms of enhancement. Alas, knowledge of this art faded as the years passed, and those who knew the art of socketing became fewer and fewer. For centuries this knowledge was lost, until one skillful craftsman named Selenar stumbled across long-lost manuscripts. Through diligent study he learned to harness the innate elemental power of gemstones and runes and infuse that into a multitude of items. Many forms of weapons and items, as well as the vast majority of armour, could be enhanced and granted abilities that were once only the stuff of legends. Players visit Selanar to have a socket installed on their item for a fee. They can then provide him with jewels or runes to be secured into the item. Due to the intricate nature of the socket, players are not able to install or change the jewel themselves, though Selanar can replace them for a small fee. While the effects of sockets are stackable, there is a limit to how many of each jewel can be worn before the power overloads the sockets and vaporises the jewels. Unlike using gear that already has specific stats, the access to endless customization that socketed enhancements allows for lets a player build a character's armour or weapon from scratch. Using gems and sockets lets players have a hand in designing the benefits and drawbacks of their gear from the bottom up, without being limited by the 'typical' gear choices of their class. The limits to socket types helps prevent characters from becoming overpowered, while the literal endless sets of combinations allows them to create unique enhancements and abilities of their choosing. - from the publisher's blurb