General
Communication crystals have a limited number of charges with a maximum of 2000 and can be bought in three flavors, 500 charges, 1000 charges and 2000 charges from a jeweler. Currently they cost about 80 gp for 500 charges, 150 gp for 1000 charges and 300 gp for 2000 charges.

Sending
Each crystal can broadcast a message to several crystals. To link a crystal to send to another crystal, use the sender crystal and target the receiving crystal. Com crystals can only be linked to other com crystals. To turn on a crystal, use the crystal and target itself. It will turn red. Do the same thing to turn the crystal off (it will turn green again). When a crystal is on, it will send anything that is said around it to all crystals it is linked to. Each message sent to a crystal will cost a charge (ex: a crystal linked to 3 other crystals will use 3 charges each time something is spoken around it). If a crystal is on and inside a backpack or container, it will still send messages.

Receiving
When someone sends a message, the receiver crystal will bark their name and their message if on the ground. If the crystal is contained by a player, the player will see the message as a system message at the bottom of their screen. Receiving a message does not use any charges on the receiving crystal.

Recharging
To recharge a crystal, use the crystal and target a gemstone. The crystal will destroy the gemstone and regain some charges. Different types of gemstones recharge different amounts of charges (generally, the more expensive the gemstone, the more charges it gives). Crystals can hold a max of 2000 charges, and any extra charging beyond 2000 will just be wasted.

Editor’s Note: Regrettably, size limitations required that I trim the methods for obtaining these numbers from this study. I hated to do this as the process was very scientific and very thorough and probably should have served as an example to all who wish to submit information to the UOSS. Even though the exact process doesn’t appear here, you can rest assured that Elowyn has done a lot of homework on this topic!

Recharge Study
The following tables list the number of charges regained by a completely spent Communication Crystal using each of the accessible gem types. When charging with the diamond, the message reported was, “You completely recharge the crystal”. When charging with the ruby, the messages “This crystal is out of charges” and “You cannot use this crystal on that” were received. Every other charging trial had the message, “You recharge the crystal”.

Application Study

Ghost Communication: An application for the crystal is to translate the mysterious wailing of ghost forms when they try to speak. One must need to be specially trained in the art of contacting the nether world before proceeding to converse with the ghost. With a communication crystal on hand, all one has to do is activate it and allow the ghost to wail at it. The nether language will be translated for you.

Intercom System: Many homeowners have vendors. One application study perform was to place the crystal in an active state on a vendor and take the other crystal into the house. Thus many vendor owners like to hide by their vendors and make it look like they are talking! Alas, for some, hiding by the vendor is a waste of time when much more important matters need to be tended. So, instead of hiding, one may use this communication crystal system to talk through the vendor.

Community Watch Program: If you belong to a small community, you know your neighbors and can trust them very well, set up a community watch program. Buy a crystal for each household and link them up to each other. This sets up a network. Whenever a rotten pk terrorizes the neighborhood or that orc war party spawns, send a couple warnings to thy neighbors, drum up a war party for yourself, and clean up your neighborhood.

This can also be used during times of war noting that guild warfare will be operational in the future. The general can set up a command center and have a couple of lieutenants with command crystals. Thus the general can coordinate a large-scale military operation through the inexpensive use of communication crystals.

PA System
A common problem with any player-run event where there are a large number of people in any one area is that the lecturers or main speakers cannot be heard by any except those standing or sitting right in front. Say one has a wedding, it is likely -only- those sitting in the front pews would hear the bride and groom’s vows and the droning preacher. For the rest, silence.

My solution is this: Communication Crystals, which happen to be very underrated devices. Think of them as a magical PA system which consist of microphones and speakers. First, one must consider the size of the expectant crowd, and the dimensions of the room. Figure how many crystal “speakers” you’ll need, keeping in mind a very large crowd will require people to be huddled around the receiver-crystals. Next, get microphones for those who need to be heard. Link the microphones with each of the speakers [double click the mic, then click on each of the speakers in turn]. One will likely only need just one microphone: if each of the lecturers can hear one another, the one mic should suffice. Keep in mind that the crystals which function as speakers must sit on the ground (or in a trapped chest) to be heard by more than one person. The speakers need not be on to receive, and do not use a charge to function in receive mode. Also, make sure that the lecturer has a supply of gems to keep his microphone charged… for each link he transmits to, with every phrase, it will take one charge (ie. saying “hi” into a microphone linked to ten speakers will take ten charges out of a maximum of 2000). Also, remember a red crystal is in transmit mode, and a green one is turned off. Double click the crystal, then click on the crystal itself to “make it hot.”

Home Security
Crystals make an excellent home security system. Leave a crystal turned on in your home, and it will transmit anything anyone says up to a whole screen away! Not only that, you can keep your receiver crystal in the bank, and still hear what’s going on! Even while you’re in the home, this can be convenient, to hear what people are saying outside, such as ‘knock-knock.’