Magicite

Magicite is not a specific type of matter, but rather a form that matter can take, like a solid, liquid, or gas. Specifically, it is a type of solid state that is influenced by and interacts with extraplanar and arcane energies. In the world of Granthea, Magicite is the physical component for all spells greater than cantrip level. In the Empire, it is strictly regulated and tracked to ensure that all magical activity occurs within the Empire and Magoc's standards.

Manifestation

Magicite is a type of metallic or mineral structure that forms in and around areas of Magical Convergence (aka a Ley Nexus). Magicite can be chemically similar to any matter except that its structure is rearranged to form a duodeccahedral crystal structure not normally found in nature. This produces crystals with the five-sided faces as seen in the accompanying image. Magicite can be made of any material from simple sand to gold nuggets and diamonds. It is believed that when a magical convergence begins to form around an area, mineral and metal matter in the ground is restructured locally to fit this pattern. The matter then becomes entangled with energy from the Lay Nexus, and is capable of releasing incredible energy when activated with the correct spells.
There are special spells for transmuting bulk "spent" magicite (tiny grains or irregular crystals, metal shavings, and pebbles) into regular crystals. These spells are negligible in cost because of how reactive the matter has become to magic. However the bulk matter only can form itself into a regular and perfect crystal pattern with like matter. For instance a bag of quartz and emerald bulk magicite can be transmuted only into some configuration of perfect magicite crystals of emerald and quartz separately, not combined in any way or transmuted into different matter or other non-perfect-crystal shapes. The size can be controlled by the user. The spells cannot be used on unspent magicite, which is for all intents and purposes magically inert until the stored magic is spent.
These properties have lent magicite extremely well to use as a currency as it cannot be transmuted into other materials to flood the economy. Fennein and Kolthis both use magicite currency. The Empire considers Magicite too dangerous to be given to people to use as money and so uses regular metal currency, however the Magocracy's Magicite Allowances have made magicite into a kind of de facto currency for mages. Although its trade between mages is legally forbidden an informal economy has developed around the trade of some services for magicite, and these transgressions are generally enforced, although to varying degrees.
Quartz or sand magicite is preferred by the Verdonese Magocracy for its light weight and ubiquity, but it will use and distribute any kind of magicite it can get its hands on. Verdonese magicite crystals are a half a cubic inch in volume, and when a Verdonese mage pulls components out of a bag it often looks like a handful of d12s of varying crystal or metal materials.
Charged Magicite is the term for Magicite that has been imbued with magical energies via Ley Phenomena. The amount of energy that can be stored in a given quantity of Magicite is given by the following equation: 

M=mc^1/4

where [I]c[/I] is the Mass-Energy Equivalence constant. This is known as the Magic-Mass-Energy equivalence principle.

Localization

Magicite is found only in areas that are or in the past have been sites of a Magical Convergence (aka Ley Nexus). Its veins are anywhere from 10 to 2,000 feet long and similarly varied in height. They are normally formed along a central plane extending down into the ground and along the central axis of the convergence at formation. Branches or lesser axes are usually found, generally branching from the Convergence's center but frequently off-center as well. Magicite veins are often found to have at least one axis of symmetry perpendicular to the central plane.

Zinc Magicite Crystal by AMES lab

Type

Metaphysical, Arcane