Dune Stones

Dune stones, called so for their tendency to rise to the surface dear desert sand dunes, are a form of light and smooth, often also elliptical, stone. Most often found in the guildhalls of the Mages, they are known for their milky surface to grow over with other colors, varying depending on the magic, as they are exposed to greater forms of magic. While not a precise tool, Mages are known for using them to get a rough estimate of the degree of power that another may have.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Always formed into a smooth sphere, the texture of the stone is always perfectly smooth. Feeling as if coated in a waxy and slick surface coating, the stone is usually colored a pure milky white, traces of darker whites swirled throughout the surface. When filled with aura, a different color will fill it though, until completely filled by direct level 9 magic, traces of the milky white swirls will remain.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Having a perfectly smooth surface, the surface of the stone often perfectly smooth. Due to the unique formation of dune stones, they are often found in nearly perfect spheres or elliptical orbs. They are also known for being difficult to break or dent and impossible to shape, making them majorly useless to most other than Mages. The strange material from which it is formed is also known for being impervious to all forms of Magical attack.

Geology & Geography

While they are found all over the world, it can be hard to uncover them when they are buried in solid stone. As their name suggests, dune stones are easiest to find in desert dunes where the ever-shifting surface layer of sand gradually reveals them to the sky. They are formed mostly deep towards the center of the earth, as a large number are uncovered the deeper down that it gets.

Origin & Source

Impossible to recreate or control, they come from inside of the Earth. How they were formed remains mostly unknown as they are still being discovered. Iron Magic Mages have begun to theorize that, since they come from the earth yet are untouchable by all forms of Magic, they are made from pure Magic, far more powerful than the Magic found in Mages.

History & Usage

History

First used before The Nomadic Restructuring by tribes to gauge the worthiness of warriors; the lack of trade between people lead to it mostly being used in the deserts of both North and South, the lack of technology preventing its discovery elsewhere in the world. From there, the Nomadic Restructuring led to the rise of the Mage's Guild and more common usage of dune stones around the world.

Everyday use

Not common in the general public, dune stones are a very common trade among the Kylin Pass and Mages. They are often worked into structures and areas around Mages, Mages also tend to keep several nearby incase they need them. Most often used to get a more concrete level of power from newer Mages, Mages who have Mastered Magic will often keep more on them than other Mages, especially those who are still learning.

Industrial Use

Its strong foundations and rounded texture, while not making it a good material to build with, does lend to dune stones being easily built into designs within buildings. They are strong, allowing them to be placed anywhere within the structure of a building with on fractions peaking out. Due to its small size, dune stones are also often made to be part of larger decorations within the guildhalls of the Mage's Guild.

Reusability & Recycling

Indestructible, dune stones can be reused forever. Their color will revert when released from the hold of Magic and, even as grime may cover the surface, the stone itself will never stop working. This has led to Mages only ever having to own a few in case of losses.

Distribution

Trade & Market

When found by ordinary people, they will often be directly sold to Mages. There is also a small market between Mages for trading stones of different sizes for different uses.

Type

Stone

Value

Worthless to everyone but Mages, who will pay several silver coins to get their hands on one.

Rarity

Once rare, now growing in common value as there are an approximated count of 400 thousand stones(of varying sizes) in the market.

Color

Milky white without Magic, though Magic can drastically alter the color.

Density

100 kg/cm³

Common State

It is always found in a solid state, no form of liquid or gas has ever been discovered.