Muníka Crystals

Muníka is a Gaervar word deriving from munih meaning "magic", hence the plural being mímuníka, not muníkas.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Mímuníka are dull, grey crystals. When observed under bright light, it may appear as though there are swirling clouds inside.
Muníka crystals can be imbued with magic which changes their appearence depending on what kind of magical energy they contain. However, all mímuníka retain the apparent swirling inside.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Mímuníka are hard crystals. When in its raw state, muníka crystals are cold to the touch and do not get warm, even when placed in a fire. This is due to the fact that the crystals absorb energy and store it. Bigger muníka crystals can store more energy than smaller ones.
Mímuníka are most used by dragon riders and other magic users as the crystals are exellent stores of magical energy, particularly elemental magic. Fire magic will turn the crystals red, orange or yellow; ice magic turns them blue; earth magic typically turns them green but brown or grey has been known to occur; and air magic can turn them yellow, purple, white or sometimes light blue. Non-elemental magic will simply turn the mímuníka white.
The intensity of the colour is dependent on how much energy is stored. For example a red fire muníka with little energy may appear light pink but adding more energy will make it appear more like a ruby.

Origin & Source

Mímuníka can be found most commonly in the mines of Kíathandí where the conditions are optimal for growing the crystals. Other places include the mines at the centre of the Risau mountains and in underground caverns under Eslaetír.

History & Usage

History

Muníka was originally found in the mines in the Risau mountains by Gaenan miners. It was originally only used in rare and expensive jewlery as it was difficult to mine. Over a century later, an alchemist was experimenting with a shard of muníka to see if it had any hidden properties. When he tried to cast a spell on it he found that his magic had been absorbed by the crystal.
Over time he continued to cast more and more spells on it to see if anything would happen but each time the magic was simply absorbed. Eventually he tried simply siphoning pure magical energy into the crystal and found that the more he added, the brighter it seemed to become.
Amazed by his findings, the alchemist took the crystal to the king of Gaenel. Soon mímuníka was repurposed from simple jewlery to functional items that could be used for protection and as extra magic reserves.

Everyday use

Muníka crystals are most commonly used by the various factions of dragon riders as well as magicians. Some of the nobility who can afford them use them in jewlery for protection spells and wards.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Mímuníka hold religious significance as they are seen as the representation of Ólundae, the goddess of magic.

Industrial Use

The muníka crystals are typically cut to be fitted into charms, jewlery, weapons or armour before being imbued with magic as energised crystals are less volatile.

Refinement

The mímuníka can be used immediately after being extracted.

Hazards

Pouring too much magic into these crystals may cause them to become unstable and explode, causing razor sharp shards to rip through anything in their path at high speeds as well as releasing all of the stored energy in one sudden burst, often incinerating anything nearby.
Siphoning off too much of a person's magic at one time may cause them to loose control and end up allowing the crystals to take all of their energy, draining them of their life and killing them instantly.
Filling a muníka with the wrong type of magical energy can cause it to become corrupted and "go dark" meaning it will no longer take any energy and the energy inside cannot be reached. In some extreme cases a darkened crystal may explode. For example, a crystal that has fire magic in it should never have ice magic added to it but it may take small amounts of neutral magic

Reusability & Recycling

The crystals can be filled with energy over and over again as long as the same type of energy is used unless it is completely drained, in which case it can be used for any type of magic.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Muníka crystals are very expensive as most of them have been mined at this point. The dragon riders possess most of them with the rest spread amoung the wealthy.

Type

Ore/Mineral

Common State

Large solid crystals