Enc.:	IS: metal.hard, +5 total	-	XP: 300*	GP: 5k*
Miscellaneous Magic	-	<8Magic Items8>	-	DMG

* per stone

There are 14 sorts of useful ioun stones. These magical stones
always float in the air and must be within 3' of their owner to be efficacious.
The new possessor of the 'stones must hold each and then release
it, so it takes up a circling orbit, whirling and trailing, circling at 1' to
3' radius of his or her head. Thereafter, they must be grasped || netted to
separate them from their owner. The owner may voluntarily seize and
stow the stones (at night, for example) to keep them safe. He or she would
of course lose the benefits during that time. From 1-10 ioun stones will be
found. Dice for the property of each stone, a duplication indicating a stone
which is burned out and useless:

<max.>

Dice Roll	Color of Stone	Shape	Use	Notes
1	pale blue	rhomboid	adds 1 point to strength (18 max.)	-
2	scarlet & blue	sphere	adds 1 point to intelligence (18 max.)	-
3	incandescent blue	sphere	adds 1 point to wisdom (18 max.)	-
4	deep red	sphere	adds 1 point to dexterity (18 max.)	ADQ: A red sphere Ioun stone adds +1  to dexterity (18 maximum). Can it  raise a Half-Orc's dexterity above the  racial maximum?  ADA: Yes, but only while being used.  These things are very powerful and will  increase ability scores above racial  maximums.  (Polyhedron #15)
5	pink	rhomboid	adds 1 point to constitution (18 max.)	-
6	pink & green	sphere	adds 1 point to charisma (18 max.)	-
7	pale green	prism	adds 1 level of xperience	Q: Does the pale green prism ioun stone bestow a level to its user permanently? Does it immediately ?burn out? when so used? A: No, to both questions. The stone must trail and circle the user to be effective. It does not ?burn out? upon use, and the level is lost when the stone is not operating. Any spells gained from the increase in level are forgotten if the stone is removed; such spells must be restudied before being cast, even if the stone?s effects are restarted later (see the DMG, page 147). (147.103)
8	clear	spindle	sustains person without food or water	-
9	iridescent	spindle	sustains person without air	-
10	pearly white	spindle	regenerates 1 h.p. of damage	Q: Will the white spindle ioun stone, which provides regeneration, continue to work if the user dies? Can the user regrow limbs? A: The user can regenerate from injuries causing his death, but only if the stone is allowed to trail and circle the user's body. While the stone is functioning, the user can also regrow lost limbs or organs (see the DMG, page 147). (147.103)
11	pale lavender	ellipsoid	absorbs spells up to 4th level*	-
12	lavender & green	ellipsoid	absorbs spells up to 8th level**	-
13	vibrant purple	prism	stores 2-12 levels of spells	-
14	dusty rose	prism	gives + 1 protection	-
15-20	dull gray	any	burned out, "dead" stone***	-

*After absorbing 10-40 spell levels the stone burns out and turns to dull gray, forever useless.

**After absorbing 20-80 spell levels the stone burns out and turns dull gray, forever useless.

***Adds 10 points to psionic strength total, 50 maximum points.

Whenever ioun stones are exposed to attack, they are treated as armor
class -4 and take 10 hit points of damage to destroy.

They save as if they were of hard metal, +3.
<edit above>
<note the +5 above: this is incl. the standard +2 for being a magic item>
 

by Jack Vance

-
Question: Could an elf or dwarf who has reached the highest level
possible use an Ioun Stone to gain further levels?
Answer: No.
Ioun Stones do not contain powerful enough magic.
None of the six stones which have the power to increase ability
scores can make them better than the mathematical maximum
of 18. Although no similar limit is specified for the power of the
pale green stone which “adds 1 level of experience,” it is un-
reasonable to assume that this stone can exceed the prescribed
maximum (in this case, a maximum number of levels) when the
others can’t.
(Correction: Ability score increases may enable demi-humans to attain higher levels. See Character Race Tables II.)

    <"Also some of the spells and magic items found in the game were inspired from one or another of Jack Vance’s works ....

    Ah, and who can forget the Ioun Stones magical items.
    Before actually publishing the latter, I consulted with the creator, of course, to get permission. ....

    Anyway, later on when I got in touch about the Ioun Stones, permission was graciously given, and so a new and unique set of magical items was added to the AD&D game.
    Indeed, what mage did not long for those 14 different colors and shapes to be circling his head?
    Mordenkainen, my own chief spellcaster PC, went on many a harrowing expedition searching for them, eventually wound up with an even dozen.
    What did the creator of the concept for these marvelous magical stones ask in return for adding them to the game?
    Only what I was planning to do in any event, mention his books in the work.
    Not only is Jack Vance a great author, but he is a very nice guy too."
        - Gary Gygax, Jack Vance and the D&D game">
 

Quote:
And finally, an Ioun stone, would that stay floating over your head while you sleep? If not, and you say have an Ioun stone that raises your level, and your a cleric, could you then after sleeping and you go to pray for your spells, use the Ioun stone then and get the ability to get more spells for being a higher level?

Thanks Gary.
 

Ioun stones always orbit the possessor's cranium. When that individual is asleep they circle above.

Trust that covers it 

Cheers,
Gary

Quote:
Originally posted by Larcen
2) How do you pronounce Gygax, Ioun, Iuz, Tarrasque, Lich, and Tiamat? I pronounce them GUY-gax, Yoon, Yuz, tar-ASK, litch, and TEE-a-matt.

2. GUY-gax is how my family pronounces the name, but in proper Swiss it is pronounced GHE-gox.
As for Ioun, I say Eeun but Yoon sounds fine,
and so too Eeuse, but Yuz is okay,
We almost agree on the pronunciation of Terrasque--err-ASK TO YOUR tar-ASK,
WE HARMONIZE ON litch (many prefer lick),
and Tiamat as TEE-a-matt.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gutboy Barrelhouse
Hail, Good Colonel:
My question is about the provenance of IOUN stones. As far as I've seen, the earliest appearance of IOUN stones in Mr. Vance's work is in Rhialto the Marvellous, which bears a copyright date of 1984 - and IOUN stones predate this in D&D.
Did IOUN stones start in D&D and were later borrowed by Vance?
Or was Rhialto written before the copyright date I have?

Cheers,
GBBH

Ioun stones are absolutely the creation of author Jack Vance, and they were used in the AD&D game by his express permission--which he generously gave to me. Of course had the fabulous items in question been created by me, I would have gladly permitted Jack to use them in his writing, but that is not the case 

Cheers,
Gary

In JV's story, IOUN stones are mined from the cores of dead stars. I like to make mine similarly hard to acquire.
- Xabloyan, IOUN stones (Dragonsfoot)