Gemworld

The Gemworld is one of the magical realms of the fictional DC Universe. It was the setting of the Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld comic book series.

The dimension where the Gemworld is located was originally owned by the Lords of Chaos. However, thousands of years ago, when magic began to drop in level on Earth due to a change in the alignment of the stars (due to a star going nova) the sorceress Citrina went there and struck a deal with the Lords of Chaos so she would be allowed to create a realm there for those wizards who wanted to emigrate from Earth. This deal was kept a secret from most of Gemworld's inhabitants. The Gemworld proper is a continent that floats in the sky, with a "Sun" that orbits around it, obviously reflecting ancient beliefs of Earth being flat. It contains a variety of terrains, and it was settled by cultures from all around the world. Magical creatures such as faeries also live there.

The Gemworld's level of technolgy is medieval, and it is divided into Twelve Royal Houses, each represented by a birthstone; the Houses take turns ruling the Gemworld. By tradition, all members of each House's Royal Family are named after the House' gemstone (so, for example, Queen Emerald had two daughters, both named Princess Emerald.)

All of Gemworld's inhabitants can use magic, thought most only at a very pedestrian level (fishermen use spells to help them fish, for example.) However, each realm contains a vein of the appropriate birthstone, and its fragments are mined to make their Royal Family's jewelry. These jewels increase their magic powers enormously.

Time moves at a different rate in Gemworld; a Gemworlder raised on Earth will change into an older form if brought back after several years, only to change back to normal if returned to Earth. The reverse is also true- a human raised on Gemworld will de-age on Earth.

Thirteen years ago, the evil Dark Opal, ruler of the Dark Opal House, killed the King and Queen of the House of Amethyst (which was the rightful ruling House at the time) and set himself up as permanent ruler. However, the infant Princess Amethyst was taken to Earth by Citrina, to be raised there. Thirteen years later, Amethyst returned (transformed into a 20-year-old woman by Gemworld's magical nature) and led a rebellion that eventually killed Dark Opal and restored freedom to Gemworld.

However, sometime later, during the war between Order and Chaos, the Lords of Chaos decided to reclaim Gemworld, and sent the Lord called The Child to do so. Amethyst was only able to stop him by merging with him, and then merging both of them with the Gemworld itself, effectively trapping them both.

The Gemworld still exists and is ocassionally seen in the DC Universe.