Skystone

Skystone is a rare and powerful mineral that has revolutionized the age of exploration in Tanaria. Found deep within the craters of long-extinct celestial impacts, this glowing stone is the key to defying gravity, powering airships, and fueling the dreams of adventurers and traders alike. Its otherworldly properties make it one of the most sought-after resources, with kingdoms vying for control over its deposits.
Skystone is believed to have formed from fragments of stars or celestial bodies that crashed into Tanaria during the Calamity Era. The mineral is unique in both appearance and function: its surface shimmers with an iridescent glow, shifting colors between deep blues, purples, and silvers. Faint veins of energy course through it, sparking faintly when touched. When refined, Skystone takes on a translucent quality, making it almost gem-like in appearance.
Skystone’s ability to float is not due to a lack of physical density but rather the anti-gravitational field it generates. This field interacts with the surrounding gravitational force, effectively neutralizing the stone’s weight and allowing it to hover or lift heavier objects.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Skystone is a celestial mineral celebrated for its stunning appearance and unique physical and magical properties. In its raw state, it exhibits an iridescent surface that shifts between hues of blue, purple, and silver, with glowing veins of energy coursing through its jagged, crystalline structure. Embedded within meteorite-like rock, raw Skystone feels coarse to the touch, and its surface emits a faint ozone-like smell reminiscent of lightning. When refined, Skystone transforms into a smooth, gem-like material with a translucent quality and a soft inner glow, typically light blue or violet. The refined state is tasteless and odorless, its magical properties fully stabilized.
Skystone's anti-gravitational properties are its most defining characteristic. In its raw state, the stone is moderately dense, comparable to aluminum, with a density of 4.0 g/cm³. However, even in this form, its natural energy partially offsets its weight, reducing its apparent mass. Once refined, Skystone’s activated anti-gravitational field negates its physical density entirely, enabling it to float freely and lift heavy objects with ease. This unique interaction between its physical and magical properties makes Skystone a cornerstone of Skyship technology and other magical engineering feats.
Skystone’s thermal properties are equally remarkable. It has an exceptionally high melting point of 3,200°F (1,760°C) and can only be liquefied under intense heat and magical stabilization. Its boiling point is even more extreme at 5,200°F (2,870°C), and when cooled, it re-solidifies at 4,800°F (2,650°C) into its crystalline structure. These features, combined with its durability and resistance to heat, pressure, and arcane stress, make refined Skystone an ideal material for constructing airships, magical devices, and floating architecture.
In addition to its physical resilience, Skystone is an excellent conductor of magic. Its refined form enhances arcane energy flow, making it invaluable for enchanting and powering advanced magical technologies. This property, paired with its ability to emit light and energy, underscores its significance in both industrial and mystical applications.
Elementally, Skystone is designated with the abbreviation “Sk” and has a fictional proton number of 117, placing it among Tanaria’s exotic materials. Its atomic weight of 293 AMU contributes to its dense structure, though its anti-gravity field renders this weight irrelevant when refined. Skystone is found in solid form, and its ability to float in defiance of gravity further reinforces its iconic role in shaping the skies of Tanaria.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Skystone is a crystalline mineral of celestial origin, defined by its unique physical and magical properties. In its raw state, it has an iridescent surface with shifting hues of blue, purple, and silver, and jagged edges embedded in meteorite-like rock. Glowing veins of magical energy pulse within, radiating a faint ethereal light. Its anti-gravitational field partially offsets its weight, allowing it to feel lighter than its moderate density of 4.0 g/cm³ suggests. When refined, it becomes translucent and smooth, fully activating its anti-gravity properties to float freely and lift massive objects. Skystone is an exceptional conductor of magic, amplifying and stabilizing arcane energy, making it invaluable in airships, weaponry, and enchanted tools.

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293 AMU

Type

Ore/Mineral

Odor

When raw, Skystone emits a faint ozone-like smell, reminiscent of the aftermath of a lightning strike.

Taste

Skystone, in its raw form, has a metallic and slightly acrid taste, though tasting it is discouraged due to its magical properties.

Color

Iridescent hues of deep blue, purple, and silver that shimmer and shift depending on the angle of light.

Boiling / Condensation Point

5,200°F (2,870°C) / 4,800°F (2,650°C)

Melting / Freezing Point

3,200°F (1,760°C )/ 2,800°F (1,540°C)

Density

Raw Skystone: Physically dense (4.0 g/cm³, similar to aluminum), but its natural anti-gravitational energy offsets a portion of its weight, causing it to "feel" lighter than it should.

Common State

Found as crystalline clusters embedded in meteorite impact sites or deep subterranean veins. Typically mixed with other minerals and surrounded by unstable magical fields.