I haven't even used any for healing auras yet: I guess I view them as "wasted" if I don't have a level 10 enchantment recipe, which at level 35 I still don't. I have used two in +100 damage and another in level 10 melee armour but decided that was profligate enough for now! I haven't been keeping count of how many I've acquired but I'd guess probably 10 in total (would've been 12 had I mindread Beatrice). Unless there're some I don't know of, I guess the main reason is that I'm too impatient to reload at the seams so I've been considering one gem from a malachite seam to be "lucky": nothing quite like aiming low!
Anyway, I think I'm done with the Fjords now, unless I've missed something. Which is certainly possible: I mean the moment I left Broken Valley I realised I hadn't finished Sosostra's fortune telling (mainly as I mistook the flying for becoming a dragon rather than Bellegar's mischief) and neglected to go back to wind Lovis up. Talking of Lovis tower, I wonder why Carlin is no longer available, what with being somewhat undead and above the level of deathfog you'd think he'd enjoy the company. Probably other stuff too, when I reloaded I immediately discovered various books lying around Broken Valley Village that I'd completely failed to see in all the time I was hanging around.
But I dealt with Raze (more of that elsewhere) and babysitting Zandalor was either much easier at a high level or I was unusually lucky. I left Svadilfari to last as I didn't want to lose his merchant Timpuk; as it is, I snuck off via the battle tower so I didn't have to enter combat with him but I suspect his annoyance is permanent.
I think I may cheat the flying bit of the HoE as I didn't really enjoy that bit and just end up losing my sense of direction!
