Aeos Crystals

While the origin of the Aeos crystals is contested, their application and the technological advancement brought about by their cultivation is anything but. Aeos crystals are used in a number of ways and have been instrumental in keeping the gears of industry and the spark of civilization alive across the Shattered Realm, both before and after The Tear. The process of turning Aeos crystals into functioning tech is referred to as Carving. Carving is a multistep process of not only shaping the crystal in order to improve it's power and capacity but also imbuing the crystal with various magics to modify the crystals capabilities. ___ ### Types of Aeos Crystals There are currently six discovered and utilized types of Aeos crystal, each categorized by their natural colours, formations, and capabilities. ##### Detondrin Natural Detondrin crystals are meaty red in colour and form in sharp, jagged shapes. They are usually quite brittle and require delicate handling to prevent breaking. When carved and polished, they take on a deep crimson red colour. When crushed or broken, Detondrin crystals generate large amounts of energy; usually in a violent and explosive manner. If crushed or grinded away slowly, the release of energy can result in a constant, but limited power source under the right conditions. Detondrin is most commonly used as fuel for Fragment thrusters, that are capable of navigating small Fragments across the Void at rapid speeds. Other common applications are explosives and ammunition for firearms. ##### Gyonnyx Gyonnyx crystals form with a dull jade colour and form in hexagonal "stalks". They are relatively soft, making carving them a fairly easy process, which in turn shows off their true emerald colour. Gyonnyx crystals seem to draw most kinds of energy from any nearby sources into themselves. What the crystals do with that energy is unknown, as any attempts to harness, or even measure the stored energy have been unsuccessful. Still, this absorption quality in itself has it's own applications. Gyonnyx crystals are often used to absorb, dampen, or nullify energy. This energy can be used to shield sensitive equipment from interference, such as in a radio or telecommunications system. Gyonnyx crystals are used to protect small areas from magical interference, or used as shielding against Detondrin explosions. ##### Hulcronium When Hulcronium crystals form, they aren't dissimilar to large rocks, slate in colour. However when Hulcronium crystals are carved, they become jet black. Hulcronium crystals exhibit powerful magnetic properties and, when carved, can easily be used to form various electromagnetic fields. While it took some time for this discovery to be utilized in meaningful ways, many modern innovations have only been brought about by harnessing the power of Hulcronium crystals. This property is most commonly used in tandem with other Aeos crystals in systems that capture raw energy output and convert it into mechanical, electrical, or even sometimes magical, energy generation. ##### Phoelsum Phoelsum crystals are naturally a greyish-blue in colour. The crystals are commonly formed as small nodules in areas with high levels of electrical activity. When carved, they are a deep ocean blue in colour. Their unique properties are theorized to by caused when electrical charges interact with a cluster of Phoelsum crystal nodules, causing the crystal lattice to become polarized. This polarization allows the crystal to transmit energy from one crystal within a cluster to another. Phoelsum crystals are not only formed, but carved in sets. When properly carved, anything that happens to one crystal in a set, happens to the others, even over great distances. This effect is commonly used for devices such as radios or telegraphs. For example, two Phoelsum crystals could be used to create a telegraph system, allowing people to communicate over long distances. ##### Syndralline Raw Syndralline crystals are pale lavender in colour and form in dense, sparkling, jagged clusters. When carved, they appear to have an impossible depth to their violet colour. Syndralline crystals are formed by taking smaller, or even previously broken pieces of other Syndralline crystals, and exposing them to high moisture content in low pressure environments. It is unclear where the first Syndralline crystals came from. A common legend is that due to how the Syndralline crystals are formed, they have a memory of their previous growths, and that this capacity for memory grants them the unique storage properties they poses. This legend is not based however on any known facts or studies of the crystals. Syndralline crystals are used to as a basic storage for many things. They can contain information, images, or even songs or energy for later use. When carved to work with other crystals, this internal storage can be used in many ways. Famously, Syndralline crystals were once used in the creation of the Warforged people. They were carved in incredibly specific formations to create a very basic form of Artificial Intelligence. The Warforged no longer use these crystals in their construction however, and the carving method to produce these advanced storage banks has been lost. ##### Udendriate Udendriate crystals form in blocky chunks of orange-brown. They are relatively hard compared to other Aeos crystals, making the golden chatoyancy within a challenge to reveal unless carved. Seemingly opposite in properties to Gyonnyx crystals, Udendriate crystals seem amplify and distribute any energy that is channelled into them into a field around them. The range and power of this amplification depends on many factors, including the size and quality of the crystal. Udendriate crystals are used to emit magical fields of energy around them, taking in the energy of a spell and distributing it to an area. For example, Udendriate crystals are used aboard skiffs to generate fields of breathable air and gravity. They are also used to generate small fields of force used to propel hovercraft vehicles. ___ ### Size of Aeos Crystals Aeos crystals are not only formed, but carved in a number of sizes, based on their intended applications. The following are standard sizes and corresponding prices for the Aeos Crystals you may find in your travels. **Jewel Size** - Too small for practical use. Rarely used. - Most commonly used as cheap jewellery or toys. - 1/2 standard price **Standard Size** - Handheld - Used for most commercial applications, including as [[Adventuring Gear#Spellcasting Components|Spellcasting Components]] - Standard price **Industrial Size** - Usually around the size of a watermelon or basketball - Used in machinery and vehicles - x4 standard price **Bulk Size** - Unwieldy in size, usually requires two people to carry - Used for Skiffs - x16 standard price **Freight Size** - Requires machinery to carry - Used for Fragments - x32 standard price