Levin Stones

The Levin stone are the second wonder of this age though far more mysterious in their origins and creation. Soon after the creation of Steam Power and the advancement of Star Light to aid in that creation Levin stones began appearing or more precisely The Bonded appeared to offer the crystals and explain their many uses to a populace that was all too cautious of something that could hurl lightning if applied properly. Luckily curiosity won out and the Levin stones now power much of the lighting in the First Ring and the Second Ring, though who is making these wondrous purple crystals remains a mystery.

"Don't hold the thing with your bare hands, the Levin stone is lightning in a bottle!" - Engineer instructing an apprentice on the proper care of a Levin Stone.

Appearance

Depending on the application they are being used for Levin stones which are gem like can be anywhere from the size of your fist to nearly as big as a grown man though at present the largest in existence is located at the assumed headquarters for their creators and sits in their main foyer. The crystal there takes up most of the foyer and is basically the size of a family dwelling, though safely contained behind refined glass the arcs of electricity that play off the clear protective layer make everyone who walks near it very nervous. The stones fully charged are a purple bluish colour and slowly fade to red as they become drained of energy.

History

The Bonded are the originators of all Levin stones within Arbor and as such control the supply and pricing of the stones. At first there existed no demand for the stones why would there be but very soon with the invention of lightbulbs and other electrical marvels the Levin stones began to see use across the city as a means of powering much of the city. At present the stones can be recharged though only by the Bonded and only at their headquarters so they own a monopoly on that as well.
It did not take long though once the stones were in use for someone to put them to use as weapons and the city through the The Silver Council was the first to commision these devices dubbed Lightning Cannons. Once these were complete smaller devices soon made their way into the hands of any and all who wanted them though lacking the range of Steam Pistol's and related weaponry they can be tuned to subdue targets so certain groups use them as a preference.
The levin stones and their production have never been restricted in their entire existence though it is possible that laws have just not caught up with them quite yet as they are newer than even steam technology. Irregardless it's the Levin stones that now light the streets of Arbor and until something better comes along the only source for them remains the Bonded

Discovery

We move into the realm of rumors for the moment but, the most credible stories say that like most things fantastical the Levin Stones are a product of The Great Tree specifically Great Tree Sap. Thus it's discovery lining up nicely to the creation of Star Light so perhaps the Bonded and The Pipemen are at least somewhat intertwined. The truth is whatever process was used to create the Levin stones and their discovery remains a mystery. Mages from the Collegiate Arcanum have tried analyzing samples and even their divinations have failed to produce any results that have made any sense.

Components

From what is known so far Great Tree Sap makes up some portion of the structure of an individual Levin Stone though nothing else is known.

Usage

Primarily the Levin stones are used as an electrical power generator though this is not strictly true and more precisely function as incredibly energy dense batteries that can last for months on end without needing a single recharge. In smaller forms you can find the Levin stones inside small hand weapons called Levin Pistols, inside grenades to act as a stunning device or to power something small like a child's toy or similar piece of mechanical engineering. When you start moving up to the bigger stones more power can be contained, drawn from and utilised so you can energize things like all the lighting in the city or some very dangerous cannons that sit on the city's walls.

Hazards

The stones themselves don't have a concept of off so must be handled with extreme care as skin contact can release a nasty shock depending on the size of the stone. Some stones particularly the smaller variety are embedded with rubber rings that provide a small spot to hold on to without getting a nasty shock. Breaking a Levin stone is also ill advised as the release of energy can be quite tremendous depending on the size of the crystal, enough to completely vaporize any organic matter should the crystal be of sufficient size.

Lifespan

Each stone lasts about 3 months on average use, however the Cannons on the outer walls of the city have a much shorter lifespan due to the huge power draws that they pull when firing. The exact amount of shots is a state secret of course but suffice to say it is not many.

Type

Metamaterial

Odor

A slight whiff of ozone is given off periodically

Taste

Shocking

Color

soft purple to blue