Schutz Crystal

Magic storms would have leveled many budding settlements including our own if not for the protective properties of these Schutz Crystals.

— Glasem Stonetome, Mage of Oazė

Overview

These crystals are used to produce a barrier, commonly called a Schutz Fields, that will passively protect a settlement from the occurrence of Magic Fields and Magic Storms. The barrier is in fact a kind of Magic Deadzone, though the effect is concentrated at the barrier's edge. The barrier produced by the crystals can be overcharged to provide a stronger barrier during a siege or particularly dangerous phenomena. The crystal will need to be supervised by an experienced mage else the crystal could overload and explode.
Schutz crystals are also used to protect sailing ships, usually the larger kind, from magic fields and magic storms. Magic cyclones are particularly dreadful for any sailor to contemplate. The crystals in these cases tend to be smaller, sometimes fragments, and cannot produce a barrier as strong as a city. However, when one has a trained group of mages a strong shield can be erected and sustained as long as the mages have strength. There is a tale of a ship, named Foxglove according to certain reliable accounts, that visited the Azumanami Thalassocracy that is said to have broken a magic cyclone with a powerful Schutz Field.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Shutz crystals are white when drained of magical energy. They take on the color of a specific magic when storing energy. For example, fire spells can cause the crystal to turn a reddish/yellowish pearlescent color. The crystals are smooth to the touch, and can be turned into any shape depending on the skill of the craftsman. Many cities who can afford to do so have chosen irregular shapes for their Schutz Crystals so that it will be harder for any invader or infiltrator to identify the source of the city's defensive barrier (though this defensive measure is somewhat negated by the crystal's location, housing structure, and visible security).

Physical & Chemical Properties

Besides being able to store vast quantities of arcane energy, the crystals are highly conductive of heat. As such, they are icy cold to the touch. They are also comparatively fragile compared to most other crystals, so much so that special care needs to be exercised in transporting the material. Shattering a Shutz crystal will release any stored arcane energy within it. Magic Storms are a known side-effect to shattering a fully charged crystal.
Magical spells are largely ineffective at destroying Schutz Crystals due to the crystal's wont to store magical energy. The crystals can be overloaded, much to the mortal danger of anyone nearby.

Type

Ore/Mineral

Odor

None

Color

Depends

Note(s) from the Archivists:

I saw a crystal that was charged with all kinds of magic. It was probably the most colorful thing I ever saw in my life. - Archivist Edward