Lycanite crystals
Lycanite is a rare and powerful type of crystal rock composed of condenced Wild Mana.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Lycanite crystals come in a variety of forms. Some are as big as a watermelon, while other are no bigger than a single pea. Regardless of size however, they all share a similar aspect when first extracted: Sharp-edged, semi-transluscent, and pulsing gently with a faint blue glow in low light and in the dark.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Lycanite crystals remain stable when handled with care and left in a cool, dark environment. They are, however, very sensitive to direct hits and heat exposure. Any kind of strong enough hit directly onto the crystal will cause it to rapidaly destabilize and explode. Such an explosion from an apple-sized crystal is enough to bring down a house, or sink a ship. Moderate heat, around 300°c, will cause the crystal to slowly melt away, releasing a gas called lycanite gas. Higher temperatures around 500°c, causes the crystal to explode after a short delay. Above 1000°c, there is no delay before the explosion.
Compounds
Despite not containing anymore mana, depleated Lycanite crystals as still valuable for various uses. Most often, they are crushed into a fine grey powder, which has many uses, such as creating Lycanite gas when burned, mixed with molten metal destined to be forged into Talismans, or used in various alchemic recipes.
Geology & Geography
Lycanite crystals are relatively abundant throughout the known world and can be found on all continents. However, their distributions on land is extremely unequal. The crystals tend to appear in large, singular deposits, far appart from one another. These deposits most often take the form of a narrow vertical string, with their top-most section often appearing on the surface as, which constitutes the most reliable method of discovery. Crystals on the surface tend to be small and severely depleted of wild mana. Many deposits reach hundreds of metres down and require very deep mines to access. In fact, the deepest mine in the world in located in The Fork region of Eastern Arros, and is a Lycanite mine. Other notable deposits are located around the world, such as in the Salsian Highland in northern Enaskia, the Dragon Mountains in north-western Arros, the Tomboraani Plateau in Mahador and the island of Is'Qhaloa in Samaria, to name a few.
Life & Expiration
Lycanite seems to not decay as long as it remains burried in the ground. If naturaly exposed on the surface, it will start to slowly decay and leak wild mana into the surounding environment. When dug up and left in a stable enviroment, they can still last a decade before decay starts to be noticable, and a few more until is fully decays. A decaying Crystal retains its physical form, but is discoloured. This lack of colour lack is an indication that the wild mana it once contained has left, leaving behind a brittle and weak grey coloured crystal. Inside a Cerbat, or a Battan, the crystal's wild mana is consumed with each use, and thus decays much more rapidaly. In most case, a single crystal lasts about a week inside such weapons with regular use.
History & Usage
History
The first mentions of lycanite comes from the mage communities of the First Age, ad they tried to figure out the nature of both the crystal, and its wierd relation to their own magic abilities. There was a lot of skepticism and aprehension surounding the material and it was thus ignored or outright avoided during the First Age. This attitude continued after The Long Winter and into the first half of the Second Age, until it was discovered that adding it to the metals forged into Talismans boosted its effects. This, combined with its much older, but fast growing usage by alchemist to boost the effects of their potions began to change the general attitude around the crystal. Subsequent funding by The Esnian Empire. amongst other countries, combined with an explosion of Magiteck in Osian saw Lycanite rise to one of the most valuable material in Hysal today.
Everyday use
The most well known use of Lycanite is as a powersource to both Battans, were they are used to give pseudo-electric shocks to Mages, as well as Cerbats, were they amplify the strenght of a mage's magic. In either case, and especialy for battans, the crystal inside does not last long, which require both sparce use and a constant source of Lycanite.
Industrial Use
Large Lycanite crystals can be heated and melted to produce Lycanite gas. This non-inflammable gas is much lighter than air and can be used to give lift to airships, but it is toxic to humans. Smaller crystals are instead crushed by large steel rollers into a fine powder, which can be used in the crafting of Talismans or alchemist recipes. In many cases, the powder has to be heated in a rotary drum to reduce the amount of mana it contains, especialy for the crafting of Talismans. The powder also produces some lycanite gas when heated, but much less than full crystals.
Hazards
For Humans
Lycanite crystals can be safely manipulated by human workers. Of course, they have to do so with immense caution to avoid any risk of the crystal becoming instable and exploding. Lycanite gas, however, is very toxic to human, especialy in high doses, as it can cause eye, skin and throat irritation that can lead to temporary blindness, rashes and suffucation.For Mages
The effects are reversed against mages. While the gas is inofensive for them, even a light contact with a Lycanite crystal results in a great amount of pain, described as a mix between a very strong cramp and a stabbing sensation, concentrated on the area of contact and radiating outwards throughout the whole body, and amplified inside their cores. This is likely caused by the mage's core either rejecting the crystal's wild mana or being overcharged by it. The pain seems to be worse for Elemental Mages, but it is still crippling for Soulbound Mages.Reusability & Recycling
After a lycanite crystal is depleted of its Wild Mana, they are generaly discarted back into nature, where they quickly degrade and decompose. However, in the past, and some say this is still the case, depleted/innert lycanite crystals were used to craft Soulstones, used to store the magic nexus of Elemental Mages's soul.
Distribution
Trade & Market
Because of the hazards that come from mishandling such crystals, as well as their relative rarety, Lycanite is usualy not sold to the general public. Still, mages, scholars, alchemists, or really anybody with enough money and connections can relatively easily get their hands on small quantities of Lycanite. However, most of its extraction and usage is tightly controled ans usualy at the benefit of governments and other political or profit-seeking organisations, such as mercenaries. In contrast, Lycanite powder is relatively easy to come by, and can be found in most alchemic shops in any large cities.
Storage
Lycanite Crystals are usually shipped in bulk abord ships or Winged ships. Inside, each large enough crystal is wrapped individualy in a few layers of cloth to prevent them from hitting each other and cuasing an explosion. When they arrived at destination, they are kept in their cloth and stored individualy in wooden or metal boxes, before being surrounded by wool, cotton or any other cushioning material.
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