A precious or semi-precious stone, cut and polished for use as an ornament. Gems were used as clue objects throughout Knightmare's run, usually for bribery or payment. Some were said to have magical properties, and carrying a gem could be either helpful or harmful to a quest. The majority of gemstones seen in the programme were either red or green.

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Red gems appeared in every season (22 times in total), and one was found on the very first clue table. Indeed, it was the first clue object ever used - dungeoneer David offered it to Lillith in exchange for passage through her domain, calling it a ruby. It was similarly used by Team 4 of Series 2, who found one in the Hall of Folly and gave it to Olaf. (He didn't know what a ruby was, but was happy to accept it once they explained it was worth lots of money!)

For a while after that, red gems were implied to have a more sinister nature. Team 13 of Series 2 were advised by Granitas that "The bloodstone will only lead to bloodshed", and duly left it behind. This warning was repeated by Golgarach to Team 3 of Series 3 ("The blood red stone will bring you grief") and Oakley to Team 8 of Series 4 ("The bloodstone leads to bloodshed"). Red gems found in Level 1 were also rejected by Team 6 and Team 12 of Series 3.


Team 3 of Series 5 found a ruby in Level 3, with a scroll saying "The key to my dungeon is the jewel in my crown". Elita needed the ruby for one of her rituals, but they dithered for so long before handing it over that she left without helping them, which - according to Treguard - sealed their fate in the Corridor of Blades. In a way, the bloodstone really did lead to bloodshed on this occasion!

When Team 4 of Series 5 asked Julius Scaramonger for a green gem with which to bribe Elita, he tried to sell them a red one instead. This time it was called a firestone, and he claimed it would "help keep you warm on the path". They refused it, using the excuse that it was too hot.

Team 6 of Series 5 found red gems in both Levels 1 and 2, and picked up the latter, but died before they had any opportunity to use it. The next team also found two, using the first to bribe Skarkill (though he demanded a jar of honey in addition). Elita then revealed that firestones were a favourite food of Smirkenorff, and he wouldn't fly them to Level 3 unless they found one. Aesandre had encased a firestone in a block of ice, but a dodgy spell bought from Julius Scaramonger left them unable to release it.


Matt, the first dungeoneer of Series 6, met Sylvester Hands in Level 2 and swapped a red gem for some witch amber and the password. Team 2 of Series 6 had less success when they offered a red gem to Heggatty: "What would Heggatty want with a firestone?" She withheld the password they needed to survive the Dreadnort, and Treguard pointed out their error of failing to heed a clue scroll: "You were warned to be an amber gambler, but you chose the red stone and not the yellow!"

Team 4 of Series 6 persuaded Julius Scaramonger to accept a firestone as a birthday present for his mother. He was keen to buy Lord Fear's ring of power instead, and wasn't impressed by the gem: "It doesn't look valuable! What would I do with a red stone at this time of year? I couldn't offload a red stone. No, it's of no use to me." He eventually traded it for a spell scroll, remarking "I hope she does like this - you're gonna cost me a fortune to get this set into a ring!"

After this, firestones were exclusively used as a source of energy for Smirkenorff. Elita tasked Team 3 of Series 6 with stealing one from Ariadne's new lair, saying that the dragon wasn't well "and it's the only thing that makes him better", but the team never made it that far. She later asked Team 6 of Series 6 if they had any firestones, concerned that Smirky had been off his food for days. Aware that Elita was responsible for feeding him the gems, the Opposition had her locked in a chest, leaving Smirkenorff too weak to take on Lord Fear's red dragon in the season finale.
Firestones were the only form of payment accepted by Smirkenorff in Series 7 - Team 2 acquired one from Sidriss ("Not much good unless you're a dragon!"), Team 4 and Team 7 earned them from Grimaldine, and Team 5 found one in the Firebomb Room. Team 3, who had already enjoyed a free flight to Level 2, ignored a red gem found in the dwarf tunnel.

The last firestone was discovered by Team 5 of Series 8, with a scroll saying "Music to wake him. Fire to feed him." (This was the only time that an oblong red gem was shown in close-up.) A "ravenously hungry" Smirkenorff granted them a SPEED spell in exchange for it.

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A colourless crystal or diamond (simply described as a "jewel") appeared only twice in the programme, both in Series 2. The first was found in Level 3 by Team 3, and taking it proved to be a fatal mistake, as they needed the magic shield instead (to get past Medusa). The second was found in Level 1 by the infamous Team 6, who also decided to take it. We'll never know if it would have come in handy later on, as they were killed by Lillith for not having an ice pack to cure her "headache". They tried to offer her the gem even as she was sending Akash to his doom!


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Green gems were not seen until Series 3, but appeared in every series after that (14 times in total). These were generally implied to be of Elven origin and did not appear to be harmful.
The wood elf Velda gifted the first green gem to Team 10 of Series 3, as thanks for saving her from goblins: "This beryl is an elvenstone - one that is highly valued by all denizens of the dungeon and catacombs beyond." Dungeoneer Julie was herself surrounded by goblins soon afterwards, and was famously advised to "Say hello to the goblins and ask them if they'd like a present" - which she did, to no avail! (If Velda was correct about the gem's universal appeal, we can only assume the goblins later prised it from Julie's cold dead hands.) Another green gem was possibly seen in the final clue room of the series, but wasn't shown in close-up due to the quest being abandoned as they reached the table.

Team 2 of Series 4 agreed to obtain a certain green gem for Malice, who claimed it was "of little value to anyone except myself" and that she was unable to retrieve it in person "due to a temporary misunderstanding with other factions". Unlike later teams, they successfully found the desired object in Level 3 and summoned Malice to redeem their pact, earning a HERO spell in return.


Team 4 of Series 5 made use of two green gems during their winning quest, in both cases to secure a favour from Elita. Motley revealed that the cavern elf liked "green stones", and might be persuaded to release him from the pillory if they could find one. Julius Scaramonger was reluctant to provide a green stone, insisting that "All Elvish goods are trouble", but changed his mind when offered a bag of silver. The gem clearly appealed to Elita, who tried to make them hand it over for free (claiming that "it's completely useless except to elves") but eventually earned it with a promise to free Motley. The team then learned both the Causeway code (from Elita) and the password (from Motley). Remembering the green gem's value, they picked up another one in Level 3 and tempted Elita once again, this time swapping it for a sphinx bone.

Three more green gems were found on clue tables by Team 7 and Team 9 of Series 5 and Team 4 of Series 6, but none of these were taken.
For Series 7 only, the round green gems were replaced by an oblong variety. Team 1 found two of these, giving the first to Marta in exchange for a spyglass, and the second to Grimaldine as payment for rowing the boat through the Sewers of Goth. He called it an arkenstone, explaining that it came from his world (Cornwall, presumably) and would restore his powers that had been drained by "the vibrations from this unnatural place". Team 6 also found two of the gems, leaving the first but taking the second. Treguard remarked that the arkenstone was "much desired by Celts, or elves, for that matter", and it was gratefully received by Grimaldine, who then provided the combination for the Death of Spears. (Note that both the green Elfstone and the Arkenstone have their origins in Tolkien.)

The round version of the green gem made a comeback when Team 2 of Series 8 came across two of them. The first was left on the Level 2 clue table, while the second was given to them by Maldame in exchange for the word key to Marblehead. She explained that "Doors open for it, for iron and steel cannot abide it" (possibly denoting it as another elvenstone, as the elf-maid Ellie in KMVR mentions an aversion to iron), and Daniel was seen holding it up in front of the Eyeshield to open the castle's portcullises.


"Elf gems" also appears to be an Elvish exclamation (rather like "elf boots"), used by Pickle in his amusement at Team 6 of Series 5 managing to capture Elita's voice.

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Red and green gems are available from the Level 1 clue room in the first Knightmare gamebook, Can You Beat The Challenge, and either may be offered to Lillith as a bribe. She gladly accepts the ruby, rewarding the dungeoneer with safe passage and a spell. However, the player must recall an earlier hint from Folly that the combination of green and blue is "simply deathly", and avoid giving her an emerald to wear with her blue dress. In the Labyrinths of Fear gamebook, an emerald found in Cedric's room may be gifted to Lillith with similarly unfortunate consequences. The phantom gipsies' treasure in The Future King includes emeralds, but these cannot be taken.

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Another, fictitious, gemstone made an appearance when Team 10 of Series 2 encountered Gumboil demanding a password. Julian's companion Folly managed to bribe him with a "sorcerer's stone", claiming that "these rare and valuable stones are completely invisible to all but the cleverest people, and I have heard that really thick cloth-heads can't even feel them". Both Gumboil and Olaf fell for the trick, remarking that the stone was "very beautiful" and allowing them to pass.

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A pair of gemstones were found on the clue table in the Knightmare VR pilot. These were round, flat and pinkish, resembling pebbles. Dungeoneer Arthur wanted to take them, but was overruled by his advisor.





Finally, an unseen gem or "crystal" was chosen from the Level 2 clue objects in the 2013 episode of Knightmare filmed for YouTube's Geek Week. The team thought it might be useful for bribery, but the final edit did not show them putting it to use before their quest ended.

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