Paragonis leaned back onto the counter, sipping a bit at his ale. "Although the specifics concerning the stones are rather arcane, the High Council, and most of us wizards, believe the stones to contain within them an ancient curse for which the Ancients were, at least in part, responsible for. They can indeed be turned into darts of a sort, whether actual darts or the large kind that Thalassana lobs at other armies with their gigantic siege engines, and they do indeed spread a sort of poison. Still, despite the danger, the curse itself can be used for more than simply war, and in fact could be used for good, or so we believe."
He shrugged the staff from the strap on his back into his hands, gesturing at a crystal at the top.
"Much of our magic, after all, comes from minerals and objects that would otherwise be deadly or poisonous, but when carefully used in the right sort of way can be quite beneficial to everyone. The High Council hopes to use these magic stones in the same way, and bring rich blessings to all lands, from Fairfields and Thalassana to Orod Khazad in the northeast. Of course, all this is assuming that we do get to the stones, and they haven't been lost or stolen by some fool brigand who thinks he knows what he's dealing with and doesn't. Pity the man who leaps before looking!"