Calling Crystal
A Calling Crystal is a type of advanced sending stone, capable of interfacing with the Ethernet and with magically linked Crystal Nodes in orbit around the planet. Distinct from the original sending stones, Calling Crystals have a number of abilities unique to their design, some of which are dependent on the quality and service provider that an individual is willing to shell out for. The primary functions of a Calling Crystal are as follows:
- Calling - As an action, you may use the Crystal to establish a voice-to-voice connection with another Crystal, the ID number of which you know. You can choose to have your Crystal project the other voice to your ear alone, or you may choose to have it speak aloud at a volume of your choice, but not loud enough to cause damage or to be heard farther away than 30 feet. The connection lasts until you or the other Crystal's operator chooses to end it as a bonus action, or until you run out of minutes purchased via your Crystal Company subscription.
- Scrying - As an action, you may use the Crystal to establish a face-to-face connection with another Crystal, the ID number of which you know. Your Crystal projects the moving image of the person or people with whom you are communicating in a 1x1 foot illusion that hovers 6 inches above the surface of your Crystal. You may choose the orientation of the illusion, but it has a back and a front, and is only visible from the front. In addition, the Crystal shares your image with the other Crystal, and establishes voice-to-voice connection as with the Calling feature. Both connections last until you or the other Crystal's operator chooses to end them as a bonus action, or until you run out of minutes purchased via your Crystal Company subscription. Scrying uses up minutes at double the usual rate.
- Netting - You may use your Crystal to connect to the Ethernet. This requires an Ethernet-enabled Calling Crystal, and either a Crystal Company subscription which includes MobilEther OR a connection to an EtherNode. Once the Ethernet connection is secured, you may do anything that you could do on an Ethernet terminal from the palm of your hand (although this may be complicated by the smaller illusory display size, or the EtherSite not being configured for mobile access.)
- Gaming - You may play games on your Crystal, provided it is Gaming-enabled. Most Crystals come with CrystalCrash and LuxPop installed, but other games may require subscriptions, installation, or an Ethernet connection to play.
- Imaging - You may capture images with your Crystal. As a bonus action, hold up your Crystal and engage its Image Capture feature. The Crystal will record a snapshot of a 15x15 foot square and save the image to its memory. You can access these images at any time as a bonus action, and you may choose to display them on the surface of the Crystal, in a 1x1 foot illusion hovering 6 inches above the surface, or (with newer and more advanced Calling Crystals) project it as a full-size 15x15 foot illusion on a flat wall or screen.
I wouldn't be caught dead using one of those horrid Flightfound rocks. They're shoddy craftsmanship, and besides, their Crystal Service is full of holes. You have words dropping out of every sending. No, I recommend The Lux Corporation or nothing.
Access & Availability
These days, in the glorious Imperial Year of 3072, Calling Crystals of a dizzying variety are available to the public for a wide array of prices. One can purchase a disposable Crystal from a street vendor for a single gold piece, and a few hours of calling time from a discreet service for a few dozen silver. Alternatively, one might invest in a top-of-the-line Serpentstone brand Crystal, a high-quality magical item capable of connecting to the Ethernet, predicting the weather, and capturing frozen images to be saved or sent anywhere on the planet with the flick of a finger. That kind of capacity comes with a steep price tag, however. The newest, the Serpentstone IX, will run you a cool 300 platinum.
Discovery
Patented in Bobbingdenn in the early 2100s, the Calling Crystal existed only in theory for a time, an idea of a better sending stone tossed around as a joke among apprentice artificers studying at the craft college there. Once the first flight of the Crow's Wing became public knowledge, however, there was no stopping it. The first Crystal Node was launched in 2130, and by 2200 there was a web of interconnected Nodes covering the southern hemisphere of Berth 24/6. Suddenly, instantaneous and consistent communication across any distance, unlimited by the need to cast energy-inefficient spells or the restriction to 25 or fewer words, was a reality.
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