Inkana

Properties

Material Characteristics

Inkana looks like a thick, liquid substance that stains a surface once its absorbed into it. On first sight, it appears black but when it catches the light its highlights are a deep purple colour. 
When inkana has expired, it will clump and resemble slime, flowing in clumps of ink. In this form, it loses its purple lustre and is greyer in colour.

Physical & Chemical Properties

When exposed to high temperatures, inkana will produce pink sparks when it hits its boiling point. This is the release of ether back into the atmosphere, now given enough energy to escape the compound. The rest evaporates as normal. 
Inkana can be preserved for about 2 weeks when frozen. It should be stored carefully in this state, as it becomes brittle and can shatter easily.

Life & Expiration

Inkana retains its magical properties for half a year. By this time, its aether, along with its unusual side effects, are completely dissipated. This expired product is useless to most, nicknamed "mage sludge" by commoners.

History & Usage

History

It had a vital role for Mages and their Mage Ascension ceremony, passing on knowledge and encouragement to the new generation. This practise has become near impossible amongst Wiccan or any vagrant mages, with the material tightly controlled by wizards.

Everyday use

Its commonly used by wizards, giving magical power to their spellbooks and allowing knowledge to be stored within their tomes. If someone writes a text other than a spell, it can store vivid images, thoughts and emotions in its pages. These texts are very rare, since wizards have a monopoly on its distribution.

Cultural Significance and Usage

This material has a potent cultural importance in wizard communities. The Institute of Wizards has a ritual where an apprentice first learns how to produce inkana, upon their graduation to the title of Wizard. For them, it distinguishes a prestigious wizard in the pursuit of knowledge from a vagrant mage, using their powers without aim of discipline.
In ancient times (and still a rumoured practises by mages today), parents would paint a pattern on their child's forehead with inkana when they mature into an adult. This was said to confer their wisdom onto the next generation, as well as their unconditional love for them and all life.

Environmental Impact

Inkana that hasn't expired can cause harm to wildlife. If an animal drinks the inkana, there's a chance they could mutate into beasts. When a travelling group of wizards leaked their supply into a local lake, there was an epidemic of animals mutating into beasts, where locals had no defence against them. Now, transportation of inkana can only be in small vials at a time, so it doesn't cause environmental chaos.

Distribution

Trade & Market

An exotic compound that only makes appearance on the black market or in Wiccan stalls. Putting inkana in public circulation was banned to rein in unregulated or excessive use of magic. Though, even if it were freely for sale, The Institute of Wizards would rather keep their tools closely guarded.

Storage

The ink is stored in glass vessels that have to be tightly sealed. This prevents the inkana batch from expiring and the aether inside it from returning to the air. This usually is done with corks, or a band put around a cloth on top of the container.

Law & Regulation

Inkana is banned from public sale and circulation, especially in Camelan. The ink can't be mass-produced either, with only just enough for wizards to write their tomes existing each month. To circumvent this, most wizards make their own batches of Inkana.

Type

Composite

Value

500 G - 1250 G

Rarity

Rare

Odor

Coffee, antique books

Taste

Alkaline, soapy (not recommended)

Color

Black, shades of purple in sunlight

Boiling / Condensation Point

550 °C

Melting / Freezing Point

-12 °C

Common State

Liquid