Aer

Aer is the magical element that allowed the creation of Flying Ships and Floating Cities.

Properties

Material Characteristics

In its natural state, Aer appears like a dense blue gas which has a faint sugary smell and taste.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Aer feel generally warmer to the touch than the air around it. It clinges to metal, particularly to Electrum. While clinging to metal, aer makes it extremely light, lighter than air, causing it to raise and float. When in contact with arcane energy or lightnings, it glows purple and becomes denser. If this interaction lasts too long, Aer turns white and becomes inert and unusable.

Geology & Geography

Aer seems to be omnipresent beneath the surface of the planet, once you reach a depth of around 100 meters. When it was first discovered, people built many extraction plants in regions where digging was easier. Nowadays, most of it is collected from the holes when the floating cities were lifted from the ground.

Life & Expiration

Aer is stable, although it disperses if left in the open air without any metal to cling to. If struck by lightnings, it quickly becomes inert. Contact with arcane magic that lasts more than one minute, has the same effect.

History & Usage

History

Aer was discovered 200 years ago during the expansion of a gnomish mine. Witnesses account stated that the miners started feeling dizzy and then their equipement began to float around them. After that, gnomes began experimenting with it, at first as a component for air- and flying-related spells, then by attaching it to metal objects. During this period, other races looked for Aer underneath the ground of their nations. Dwarves were the second to find it, and used it to produce Aer Armors, then humans manged to create the first flying ship and elves built the oldest floating city.

Industrial Use

Aer can be used as it is, and does not need refinement, but it requires specific containers to store it.

Byproducts & Sideproducts

The only byproduct of Aer is the inert white gas released when it is overused, and people are still trying to understand if it can be used in any way.

Hazards

Large quantity of Aer in a closed space causes dizzyness and fainting. Extracting Aer is not particularly dangerous in and of itself, but descending on the planet's surface is deadly for most people. For this reason, extraction is done at a distance, using magical contraptions or long electrum chains dangling from the bottom of the floating cities.

Environmental Impact

It is not known if Aer has directly negative effect on the environment, but The Mist that shrouds the ground grew taller the more Aer was used.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Aer can be bought in any major floating cities and few brave (many would say foolish) adventurers try to scavenge it from the ground.

Storage

Aer needs to be stored in sealed container, otherwise it will slowly disperse in the surrounding air. The ideal containers are made of lead, as it is impervious to many spells. This containers need to be able to be plugged onto ships' and cities' engines. The links are usually made by metal tubes with progressively higher electrum content, which allows Aer to flow away from the container, following that gradient. Usually the containers are outfitted with a glass portion which allows to evaluate the quantity of stored Aer. On fast ships that rely on magically condensed Aer for big bursts of speed, there are specialized containers outfitted with a crystal on the top to allow the passage of focused arcane energy.

Type

Elemental / Molecular

Odor

Sugary

Taste

Sweet

Color

Naturally blue, purple when it's condensed, white when it's exhaust

Common State

Gaseous