Fairy Dust

Properties

Material Characteristics

The Dust resembles... well, dust, but its coloring and texture are like gold ground into a rough grit.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Given that The Dust is raw mana, it changes it's physical properties--aside from color. A handful could be cold one day, warm the next, soft as silk or rough as burlap, or even electrifying to the touch.

Compounds

Though it is raw mana, it is useless as an ingredient for spells, as it is many that whose essential composition has been changed, and only when one inhales or ingests the dust can it be broken down and infuse with the DNA, giving the user magic of their own. But Dust is useful in others ways, serving as a catalyst or fuel for mana powered machinery, though it must be broken down or dissolved.

Geology & Geography

Dust is hard to find, and most miners usually find it by accident--though some mining companies employ warlocks, as they can feel the unique energy magic gives off. So far it has been found in abundance on the eastern Island of Verte-Paysage, though this may be due to it's nearness to Krymzk, which borders the western island, and even some smaller deposits have been found in Juelmeisterkin and Torland.

Origin & Source

Fairy Dust is actually extracted from a vein of metal that resembles gold, called "Fairies Tooth," and it is extremely volatile, thus it is a serious threat for mining companies to deliver a shipment of the Tooth instead of gold. This is why the Tooth must be broken down into dust, but for machinery that requires a more powerful burst of mana, an in house ore smith carefully works the Tooth into an ingot. But particles of the Dust flake off of the tooth naturally on its own, hinting at how soft the metal is to begin with-and thus explaining it's volativity.

Life & Expiration

The half-life of the Dust can last as long as a millennia, and unfortunately the mana poisoning it brings is a serious threat, as it is incurable, and in extreme cases the Dust can radically alter the ecosystem of a locale--refer to Krymzk for an example.

History & Usage

History

Dust, and the metal it comes from, has had a shaky history. Only recently has it been viewed favorably by all walks of life, but before that it was seen as a danger, even when it was first discovered in 1005. Yet it has been used for many purposes, from mutating an individual as a rite of passage to join a guild, to powering mana related technology, and has even become a drug of sorts, giving non magic beings temporary use of mana, till the day when they're mutated beyond the point of recognition.

Discovery

It was discovered by accident in a mine in Torland--1005--though many didn't realize they were being mutated by any source of mana till a week or so later. The government of Torland tried to make it illegal, but it only prompted the power hungry to harvest the material for themselves, and over the years scientists and warlocks have tried to understand the dust.

Everyday use

As previously mentioned the Dust gives temporary use of magic, though some people take lethal amounts at once to hurry the mutations. In order to gain permanent use of magic--though mutations are still guaranteed--you must take a certain amount over a period of months. This is safer than having a mage sigil branded on your hands, as the results of doing so are unpredictable, like rapid mutation resulting in death, or spontaneous combustion.

Industrial Use

The Dust is used in many mana based devices, serving as either a catalyst or a fuel.

Manufacturing & Products

One type of fuel created from Dust is zx-87A, known commonly as "Gold Glow Tonic," and is used in mana powered chariots, and other engines that burn mana.

Hazards

Dust has drastic effects on non magic being, drastically altering their physical make up and internal organs after prolonged exposure or usage.

Environmental Impact

Just like with people, wild life and plant life can be horribly altered, and their organic structure can work differently from how it used to, effectively turning it into a new species.

Distribution

Trade & Market

So far the only company that makes a living off of Dust is The Fairy Men, as Verte-Paysage is a perfect home for illegal activity to flourish, while in other places illegal trade of the stuff can die as quickly as it started. But while The Fairy Men are supporting their home city of Boniver, in Torland, Scyllica, and Juelmeisterkin, where trade on dust is more regulated, the Dust is a vital source for the waning industrial revolution, as mana has proven to be a powerful source of energy. If trade were to stop, or if the dust were to run out, then the infrastructure of The Big Three may very well fall.

Storage

The dust is stored in special, air-tight canisters, so as not to allow a single speck to be released in the air, and getting the lid off is its own exercise in patience.

Law & Regulation

In The Big Three Countries there are multiple laws in place to regulate the trade and distribution of Fairy Dust, such as sellers--and even buyers--requiring a license before purchasing/selling, and allowing a limited quantity of Dust to leave the mine at a time.

Type

Ore/Mineral

Value

20,000 gold.

Rarity

Very Rare.

Odor

Like Stale wine in a lich's cellar.

Taste

Like Metallic Oranges, with a hint of cinnamon.

Color

It is the color of gold reflecting the light of a newborn star.

Common State

Solid... what? These don't all have to be fanciful descriptions.