Deep within the earth of Emynea, particularly within the confines of
Skaney, a peculiar mineral can be mined. Physically, they are similar to quartz but hidden within these simple minerals is raw, untapped elemental energy. The specific element differs by color and none in the
Kingdom of Accia are sure how they form. Their knowledge is limited to where these crystals are found and their potential utility, powering enchantments and material magic or amplifying racial magic and true magic. Ancient technologies, their designs a mystery to modern Emyneans, and large spells which cannot be powered by a single person rely on these as a power source. In fact, many enchantments are created so that one only needs to place an appropriate crystal onto a platform or into a slot, allowing anyone to operate them.
Thanks to their portability and the power they provide, the kingdom has allocated many resources to keep crystal mines flowing. It has also led to many mages setting up in
Flumen Pontem and
Sesli Plato to conduct research,
Centrum seeming almost modern thanks to the enchantments these crystals power. Scholars and historians have uncovered countless ancient technologies which are powered by these crystals, imitations integrated into Centrum. Most are still experimental and not widely distributed throughout the rest of Emynea.
There is one particular snag the kingdom faces in the mining of these crystals:
Ostmen dwarves. Dwarves are among the indigenous peoples of
Skaney, known for their magnetic and chaos racial magic. They have their own mines and tunnels throughout the mesa, residing amid the roots of
Yggdrasil. They are particularly possessive of elemental crystals let alone the ores they also mine amid their earthen home. Accian miners and dwarves clash often when they cross each others' paths.
Origins
These crystals are found throughout the interior of
Skaney,
Flumen Pontem and the
Cryptic Karst of the
Tenebrous Chain. Scholars within the
Kingdom of Accia have many theories ass to the origin and formation of these minerals but have no solid proof.
Ostmen claim elemental crystals are the
bones of their ancestors, meant for them alone, but the
Kingdom of Accia does not take these claims seriously. They assume it is
pagan nonsense, having little respect for a people who still worship an
Erlithmanil and his aspects. The kingdom believes those above the mesa too simple and backwards to make proper use of these crystals, unaware of the grandiosity of their capital
Yggdrasil. While
Centrum is near modern thanks to their uses of these crystals, lighting their streets and powering public works, Yggdrasil has fully modern technology. However, they have their own mixture of magic fueled technologies and traditional infrastructures. Most of their technology is purely for convenience or entertainment, the rest of their city remaining no different than any other city in Emynea. Their use of elemental crystals does not separate them from nature, simply making their lives more convenient.
Characteristics
Resembling simple quartz in a variety of hues, one can guess the elemental charge by their color. These crystals are surprisingly brittle and will completely crumble once the energy runs dry. Raw elemental energy is stored within, highly concentrated with one to two elements. This concentration of energy can be hazardous and the crystals need to be handled with care. If the energy of these crystals is released but not given a proper conduit, it will backfire and explode! They are easily activated by kinetic energy or impact and are similarly
explosive when cracked open. Miners must be cautious in their endeavors, a break or crack in any crystal known to set off chain reactions. For this reason, particularly massive crystals are deemed too hazardous to attempt to extract as they cannot be broken up into smaller pieces. The exact nature of these explosions differs by element. The crystals also tend to grow stronger the longer they remain in the earth, some miners going so far as to leave weaker crystals in the ground to gestate. Otherwise, elemental crystals do not decay or weather away, essentially ageless, but will crumble apart once the energy has been released.
This was a really nice article. I think I would limit the size of the images and supress the right hand column which would provide a shorter format and feel.