Stars

Stars
General Information
Uses	Bottling, light leaping
First seen in	Book 1: Keeper of the Lost Cities
Specific Characteristics
Appearance	Each star is a different color.
Other	There are 6 unmapped stars. By bottling the unmapped stars (excluding Nightfall), you get different types of Quintessence.

Stars play a crucial role in elvin society and culture, producing many different shades and types of light with various effects and abilities which the elves harness. This prominence can be seen in starlight's role as one of the Prime Sources and an entire course at Foxfire, The Universe, focusing on the location, naming, studying of stars, and the bottling of starlight.

Certain stars, the Unmapped Stars (see below), produce Quintessence (the fifth Element), and for that reason are kept under extreme confidentiality.

The human constellation Cygnus (the swan) is repeatedly referenced within the series, usually as a connection to the Black Swan.

Known Stars

Known Stars

Name	Color of Light	Other Information
Achromian	Green Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her, it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine.
Alabestrine	Pure Light	Is a Solo Star and has something to do with the Lodestar Initiative.
Amaranthis	Violet Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Aquello	Unknown, most likely Aqua.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Argento	Silver Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her, it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine.
Auriferria	Gold Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her, it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine.
Azulejo	Pale Blue Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Candesia	Pale Smoky Light	It is an Unmapped Star. It has the weakest, safest quintessence, and can leap underwater.
Cobretola	Deep Orange Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Elementine	Silvery Light	It is an Unmapped Star. It has the least stable, but most powerful form of quintessence, and is used to make frissyn.
Fuschaire	Unknown, most likely Fuchsia.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Gildere	Unknown, most likely pale gold, or metallic.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Grisenna	Unknown, most likely a muddy green.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Gwynaura	Pure Light	It is a Solo Star. It was one of the stars on the Lodestar Map and inspired the name of one of the Neverseen's former sixteen hideouts.
Indigreen	Dark Blue/Indigo Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Lambentine	Unknown, most likely a dirty cream color.	Sophie was helping Dex locate Amaranthis for his Universe homework, she mentioned for Dex's benefit that this star in relation to Amaranthis is the fourth away.
Lucilliant	Icy Light	It is an Unmapped Star. It has the coldest, darkest quintessence, and can leap underground.
Marqueseire	Rosy Pink Light	It is an Unmapped Star. Most versatile form of quintessence and can break things down.
Merkariron	White Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her, it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine.
Nievello	Unknown, but most likely Navy Blue.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Orroro	Yellow Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Pallidrose	Pure Light	It is a Solo Star. It was one of the stars on the Lodestar Map and inspired the name of one of the Neverseen's former sixteen hideouts.
Peacerre	Unknown, most likely a mix of opalescent, Peach, Blue, and Green light.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Pennisi	Black Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her, it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine. It has to be bottled in a metal container.
Phosforien	Swirly Opalescent Light	It is an Unmapped Star. It's Quintessence is full of life and energy.
Rosine	Unknown, most likely a rosy red/pink light.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Rubini	Ruby-Red Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.
Sapphilene	Unknown, most likely Sapphire Blue	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Scarletina	Unknown, most likely Scarlet Light.	It is a star in the human constellation Cygnus and was used as a way for Mr. Forkle to communicate to the Black Swan from the Forbidden Cities.
Styggis	Copper Light	One of the stars Sir Astin asked Sophie to bottle. She noticed that along with the other stars assigned to her it formed two straight lines to the star Elementine.
Valkonian	Pure Light	It is a Solo Star. It was one of the stars on the Lodestar Map and inspired the name of one of the Neverseen's former sixteen hideouts.
Zelenie	Deep Green Light	One of the "rainbow" stars in that was on Dex's Universe assignment list.

Map of the unmapped stars; illustration by Felia Hanakata

Unmapped Stars & Quintessence

Five stars produce Quintessence, the highly volatile and potentially dangerous Fifth Element. For this reason, the Council keeps the location and existence of these stars a tightly kept secret, keeping them from being on any maps (hence the name "unmapped stars.") Only the Council (and former councillors) are allowed to know of the five stars' location. The Council has banned all others from knowing the stars' locations or bottling their light and vigorously enforces this law, holding Tribunals for any transgressions. While it is not illegal to know the existence of the five stars, it is not an openly discussed subject - most elves have never heard of them. Despite the Council's enforcement, some members of the Black Swan's operatives and leadership know the location, including Sophie Foster. There also is a highly confidential 6th star called Nightfall.

Each star produces a different variant of Quintessence, except Nightfall. The stars each have different properties and capabilities. Each variant has a unique color and texture.

The Quintessence variants can be used to light leap instead of sunlight, enabling the user to reach areas underground or underwater. However, the experience is usually tiring and draining as opposed to typical Light Leaping and can lead to light poisoning.

Elementine

• Elementine's location can be found on a star map created by Sir Astin, one of Mr. Forkle's secret identities. It can be bottled using a stellarscope, like any other star; however, the scope gets extremely hot, as Sophie discovered in Keeper of the Lost Cities, and it is illegal to bottle it. Elementine in its bottled form is Quintessence, which is light in its truest form. Quintessence is very powerful and is being used to make frissyn, the only substance known to be able to stop Everblaze. It was also mentioned that its alchemy symbol is a Q with an X going through it. Quintessence is said to glow with a "blindingly bright silver beam." In Everblaze, Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor use the light from a bottle of Quintessence to light leap. Additionally, in Legacy, it's stated that the quintessence from Elementine is the most powerful, but least stable. This makes it ideal for substances that are all somewhat explosive and all-consuming, like frissyn.  

Marquiseire

• Marquiseire glows with rosy light. When used to light leap, it is a pink glittery beam of light. In Everblaze, Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor use the light from a bottle of Marquiseire's light to light leap. In Legacy, this star's quintessence is described as abrasive, good for when something needs to be broken down on a cellular level. It's also shimmery and reflective, making it the most versatile, although Mr. Forkle believes elves have only begun to scratch the surface of its potentials.

Phosforien

• Phosforien glows with a swirly opalescent light. In Everblaze, Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor use the light from a bottle of Phosforien's light to light leap. In Legacy this star's quintessence is described as the most colorful and vibrant, full of both life and energy. This made it perfect for the Black Swan's DNA tests.

Lucilliant

• Lucilliant glows with an icy light. In Everblaze, Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor use the light from a bottle of Lucilliant's light to light leap underground. In Legacy Lucilliant's quintessence is described as the most balanced, cold, and dark. It's valuable when something needs to be preserved.

Candesia

• Candesia allows elves to light leap underwater. It has a dull, smoky glow and is very pale. In Everblaze, Sophie, Keefe, and Sandor use the light from a bottle of Candesia's light to light leap underwater. In Legacy, it's explained that Candesia's quintessence is the weakest of the five, described as smokey and sluggish, making it the safest. It's often used for subtle shifts and changes, although there are no concrete examples.

Unnamed Sixth Star

• The 6th unmapped star is unnamed as of yet. It has a faint green glow. In Stellarlune, Vespera tells Sophie the stones at Elysian absorb the seventh element. She also explains that the sixth unmapped star produces the seventh element. The star is only visible for 12 days every few millennia when Nightfall occurs. The Council has kept it very hushed up because of the seventh element's power. It has something to do with Stellarlune. Vespera's and Lady Gisela's Nightfalls are named after this event.

Unmapped Stars

Name	Description	What Quintessence	Ability
Elementine	Silvery light.	Least stable, but most powerful form of quintessence	Used to make frissyn
Marquiseire	Shimmering, rosy light.	Most versatile form of quintessence	Breaks things down.
Phosforien	Opalscent light.	Quintessence is full of life and energy.	Optimal for DNA tests.
Lucilliant	Icy light.	Coldest, darkest quintessence.	Can leap underground.
Candesia	Pale light.	Weakest, safest quintessence.	Can leap underwater
Unnamed	Faint green light.	Not quintessence, but the 7th element	Charges up Elysian rocks