It's the Mana Stone resource.
The gamestar magazine wrote in May 2001:
Tausche Steine gegen Helden:
Auf den weitläufigen Kartenwerden Sie immer wieder auf neutrale Kreaturen wie Kobolde stoßen, denen Sie im Kampf begehrte Mana-Steine abluchsen. Nur mit diesen ist es möglich, über das vorgegebene Kontingent hinaus besonders starke Helden zu rekrutieren. Jeder der Haudegen beherrscht maximal vier Zaubersprüche. Neben drei allgemein zugänglichen Formeln wie Heilung oder Feuerball lernen die Recken ab Erfahrungslevel 6 auch mächtigere,
klassenspezifische Sprüche. Der Bergkönig der Allianz beschwört zum Beispiel aus dem Nichts eine Goldmine herbei. Für die magischen Kiesel erwerben Sie neben neuen Fertigkeiten auch Gegenstände, von denen vier im Rucksack der Helden Platz finden. Das können profane Heiltränke sein, aber auch Intelligenz-steigernde Kronen. Manche der Utensilien funktionieren nur zu bestimmten Tageszeiten. Die Kämpfer dürfen auch Ausrüstung austauschen, wenn sie nahe genug beieinander stehen.
Exchange Stones for Heroes:
On the large maps you'll often encounter neutral creatures like Kobolds, from wich you get Mana Stones in combat. That's the only way to recruit heroes beyond the given limit. Each of these guys can handle up to four spells. Besides the three common spells, like healing or a fireball, they learn mightier, class specific spells from level 6 on. For example the Mountain King of the Alliance can summon a goldmine. For the magical stones you can buy not only abilities, but also items, of wich four fit into the inventory of the hero. These can be simple potions, but also intelligence-increasing crowns. Some utilities only work during certain times of day. The fighters can also exchange their equipment if they stand next to each other.
If you find any spelling mistakes, you can keep them for your own^^
---------
Edit:
Those who read the text above will think "WTF the mountain king could summon a goldmine??". When you open the warcraft 3 beta mpq file and open Units/HumanAbilityStrings.txt with a text editor you will find that ability:
[AHcg]
Tip=Create |cfffed312G|rold Mine
Ubertip="Unearths a gold mine from the ground that contains 2000 gold."
Hotkey=G
Researchtip=Learn Create |cfffed312G|rold Mine
Researchubertip="Must be level 5 or higher to learn this ability. |nUnearths a gold mine from the ground that contains 2000 gold."
Researchhotkey=G
Globalmessage=
Globalsound=
Inside the HumanAbilityFunc.txt you can find these lines:
[AHcg]
Art=ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtons\BTNCreateGoldmine.tga
Researchart=ReplaceableTextures\CommandButtons\BTNCreateGoldmine.tga
Buttonpos=3,2
Researchbuttonpos=3,0
Casterart=
Targetart=
Effectart=
----------------------
Ill now post many tooltips for mana stones and other removed things, without naming the files, since it's much faster that way:
[ANgs]
Tip=E|cfffed312x|rchange %d Gold for %d Mana Stones
Hotkey=X
[ANsg]
Tip=Exchange %d Mana S|cfffed312t|rones for %d Gold
Hotkey=T
[nthg]
Name=Thieves Guild
[npix]
Name=Pixie
[AHas]
Researchtip="Learn S|cfffed312w|riftness Aura (w), Level %d"
Researchhotkey=W
[BHas]
Bufftip=Swiftness Aura
[hstt]
Name=Steam Tank
Hotkey=T
Tip=Train Steam |cfffed312T|rank
Ubertip="Heavily armored transport which Riflemen can fire from. |nCan attack buildings. |nRiflemen inside can attack land and air units."
[htws]
Name=Mage Tower
Hotkey=M
Tip=Build |cfffed312M|rage Tower
Ubertip="Spellcaster production building. Trains Priests and Sorceresses."
// Moon pool mana battery
[Ambt]
Tip=|cfffed312R|replenish Mana
Ubertip="Replenish the mana of friendly units."
Hotkey=R
(Wisp heal)
[Awhe]
Tip=Hea|cfffed312l|r
Ubertip="Heals nearby friendly wounded units."
Untip="Right-click to activate auto-casting."
Unubertip="Right-click to deactivate auto-casting."
Hotkey=L
Unhotkey=L
// Shadown Meld, Ashm, is a passive nighttime ability of all female night elves
[Ashm]
[Bbar]
Bufftip=Barkskin
[edcm]
Name=Druid of the Claw
Hotkey=C
Tip=Train Druid of the |cfffed312C|rlaw
Ubertip="Melee spellcaster. Can cast Barkskin, which is a damage shield. Can also go into Bear Form."
[ewsp]
Name=Wisp
Hotkey=W
Tip=Train |cfffed312W|risp
Ubertip="Basic worker unit. Can turn into treants which are the buildings of the Night Elves. Can Detonate to dispel magical buffs in an area. Can learn the Heal ability."
[emow]
Name=Moon Well
Hotkey=M
Tip=Create |cfffed312M|roon Well
Ubertip="Basic food source for the Night Elves. Has the Replenish Mana ability."
// Koto Beast Healing Drums aura
[Ahdr]
Tip=Activate H|cfffed312e|raling Drums
Ubertip="Activate the ability to heal nearby friendly units around the Kodo Beast. |nDrains 1 mana and heals 5 hit points per second."
Untip=Deactivate H|cfffed312e|raling Drums
Unubertip="Deactivate to stop draining mana and healing units."
Hotkey=E
Unhotkey=E
[Bhdr]
Bufftip=Healing Drum Aura
// Koto Beast Speed Drums aura
[Asdr]
Tip=Activate Spee|cfffed312d|r Drums
Ubertip="Activate Speed Drums to increase movement speed of friendly units around the Kodo Beast. |nDrains 1 mana per second."
Untip=Deactivate Spee|cfffed312d|r Drums
Unubertip="Deactivate to stop draining mana and return unit speed to normal."
Hotkey=D
Unhotkey=D
[Bsdr]
Bufftip=Speed Drums Aura
[AOar]
Researchtip="Learn |cfffed312R|regeneration Aura, Level %d"
Researchhotkey=R
[BOar]
Bufftip=Regeneration Aura
[AOcs]
Tip=|cfffed312C|rall Storm
Hotkey=C
Researchtip="Learn |cfffed312C|rall Storm, Level %d"
Researchhotkey=C
[Aebd]
Tip=Activate Earth |cfffed312B|rind
Untip=Deactivate Earth |cfffed312B|rind
Hotkey=B
Unhotkey=B
[Bebd]
Bufftip=Earth Bind
[AOlb]
Tip=|cfffed312L|rightning Bolt
Hotkey=L
Researchtip="Learn |cfffed312L|rightning Bolt, Level %d"
Researchhotkey=L
[AOre]
Tip=Reincarnation
Ubertip="When killed, the Tauren Chieftain will come back to life if he has enough mana."
Researchtip=Learn |cfffed312R|reincarnation
Researchubertip="Must be level 5 or higher to learn this ability. |nWhen killed, the Tauren Chieftain will come back to life if he has enough mana."
Researchhotkey=R
Globalmessage=
Globalsound=
// headhunter tracking, no tips/hotkeys required, is passive upgrade
[Anit]
[odoc]
Name=Troll Witch Doctor
Hotkey=W
Tip=Train Troll |cfffed312W|ritch Doctor
Ubertip="Supporting spellcaster. Can initially cast Sentry Ward, an invisible detector. Can also learn Stasis Trap and Ancestral Guardian."
[okod]
Name=Kodo Beast
Hotkey=K
Tip=Train |cfffed312K|rodo Beast
Ubertip="Lumbering war beast, mounted by an orcish drummer. Has the abilities, Healing Drums, Speed Drums and Devour."
[opeo]
Name=Peon
Hotkey=P
Tip=Train |cfffed312P|reon
Ubertip="Basic worker unit. Can harvest gold and lumber, build structures, repair, and salvage unwanted buildings. |nCannot attack air units."
// Currently unused
[Roaa]
Name=Steel Artillery,Thorium Artillery,Arcanite Artillery
Tip=Upgrade to Steel |cfffed312A|rrtillery,Upgrade to Thorium |cfffed312A|rrtillery,Upgrade to Arcanite |cfffed312A|rrtillery
Ubertip="Increases the ranged attack damage of Catapults.","Further increases the ranged attack damage of Catapults.","Further increases the ranged attack damage of Catapults."
Hotkey=A,A,A
// Currently unused
[Roac]
Name=Stone Architecture,Arcanite Architecture
Tip=Upgrade to Stone |cfffed312B|ruilding Architecture,Upgrade to Arcanite |cfffed312B|ruilding Architecture
Hotkey=B,B
// Currently unused
[Romi]
Name=Improved Mining,Advanced Mining
Tip=|cfffed312I|rmproved Mining,Advanced M|cfffed312i|rning
Ubertip="HELP HELP I'M BEING REPRESSED!"
Hotkey=I,I
// Currently unused
[Rolh]
Name=Improved Lumber Harvesting,Advanced Lumber Harvesting
Tip=Improved |cfffed312L|rumber Harvesting,Advanced |cfffed312L|rumber Harvesting
Ubertip="HELP HELP I'M BEING REPRESSED!"
Hotkey=L,L
// Currently unused
[Ross]
Name=Town Watch,Town Patrol
Tip=|cfffed312T|rown Watch,|cfffed312T|rown Patrol
Hotkey=T,T
[Rowt]
Name=Wyvern Taming
Tip=Wyvern |cfffed312T|raming
Ubertip="Enables the ability to purchase Wyvern Riders."
Hotkey=T
[Ronv]
Name=Tracking
Tip=Research T|cfffed312r|racking
Ubertip="Increases the sight radius of a Headhunter by 40 at night."
Hotkey=R
[Acpe]
Tip=|cfffed312C|rorpse Explosion
Ubertip="Causes a target corpse to explode, causing area effect damage."
Hotkey=C
[Amto]
Tip=|cfffed312F|rling Corpse
Ubertip="Flings a corpse at a target enemy unit. Particularly effective against buildings."
Hotkey=F
// Frost Nova
[AUfn]
Tip=Frost |cfffed312N|rova
Ubertip="Blasts units around the Lich with a wave of frost."
Hotkey=N
Researchtip="Learn Frost |cfffed312N|rova, Level %d"
Researchubertip="Blasts units around the Lich with a wave of frost. |nLevel 1: 50 damage, 5 seconds of coldness. |nLevel 2: 75 damage, 10 seconds of coldness. |nLevel 3: 100 damage, 15 seconds of coldness."
Researchhotkey=N
[unec]
Name=Necromancer
Tip=Train |cfffed312N|recromancer
Ubertip="Offensive caster. Can initially cast Raise Dead from corpses. Can also learn Unholy Frenzy, and Corpse Explosion."
Hotkey=N
[umtw]
Name=Meat Wagon
Tip=Train |cfffed312M|reat Wagon
Ubertip="Corpse storage machine. Researching Fling Corpse allows it to effectively attack buildings. |nCannot attack air units."
Hotkey=M
[ugsp]
Name=Gargoyle Spire
Tip=Summon Gargoyle |cfffed312S|rpire
Ubertip="Enables the production of Gargoyles from the Crypt. Also contains the Stone Form upgrade."
Hotkey=S
[uslh]
Name=Slaughterhouse
Tip=Summon Slaughter|cfffed312h|rouse
Ubertip="Produces Abominations. Also contains the upgrades, Abomination Explosion and Fling Corpse."
Hotkey=H
[uspd]
Name=Spiderling
[ugrv]
Name=Graveyard
Tip=Summon Gra|cfffed312v|reyard
Ubertip="The new building that everyone seemed to want."
Hotkey=V
// Currently unused
[Ruab]
Name=Abomination Merger
Tip=Research |cfffed312A|rbomination Merger
Ubertip="Enables Ghouls to merge into Abominations. Select three Ghouls and activate the ability to create an Abomination."
Hotkey=A
[Rump]
Name=Fling Corpse
Tip=Research |cfffed312F|rling Corpse
Ubertip="Enables the Meat Wagon to fling corpses. Effective against buildings."
Hotkey=F
[Ruax]
Name=Abomination Explosion
Tip=Research Abomination |cfffed312E|rxplosion
Ubertip="Abominations with this upgrade deal damage to all nearby units when the Abomination dies."
Hotkey=E
[mdpb]
Name=Medusa Pebble
Hotkey=P
Tip=Purchase Medusa |cfffed312P|rebble
Ubertip="Turns the targeted enemy non-hero unit into stone when used. A unit turned to stone by the Medusa Pebble is removed from the game permanently."
Description=Turns target unit to stone.
[ktrm]
Name=Kel-Thuzad's Heart
Description=The heart of Kel-Thuzad.
[frmr]
Name=Frostmourne
Description=PLACEHOLDER
// upkeep tax brackets
UpkeepUsage=30,60,10000
UpkeepGoldTax=0,0.3,0.6
UpkeepLumberTax=0,0,0
UpkeepManaStonesTax=0,0,0
// max wisps that can be added to a single ancient
MaxWisps=5
// Currently unused
[Rhaa]
Name=Steel Artillery,Thorium Artillery,Arcanite Artillery
Tip=Upgrade to Steel |cfffed312A|rrtillery,Upgrade to Thorium |cfffed312A|rrtillery,Upgrade to Arcanite |cfffed312A|rrtillery
Ubertip="Increases the ranged attack damage of Mortar teams.","Further increases the ranged attack damage of Mortar teams.","Further increases the ranged attack damage of Mortar teams."
Hotkey=A,A,A
// Currently unused
[Rhmi]
Name=Improved Gold Mining,Advanced Gold Mining
Tip=|cfffed312I|rmproved Gold Mining,Advanced Gold M|cfffed312i|rning
Hotkey=I,I
// Currently unused
[Rhss]
Name=Town Watch,Town Patrol
Tip=|cfffed312T|rown Watch,|cfffed312T|rown Patrol
Hotkey=T,T
[Rhsr]
Name=Scattershot Rockets
Tip=|cfffed312S|rcattershot Rockets
Ubertip="Provides Mortar Teams with an area of effect anti-personnel attack."
Hotkey=S