Crystal

"Hard to believe there was ever some big glowing rock in the sky like the records say. Maybe we're reading it wrong. Because the sky's a big black void, right? Even the Upper Lights can't do much. No, light comes from the earth. Life comes from the earth. We've always known that, and we're going to keep reminding everyone of that until the crystal runs dry."

-Vladren Graymantle, Varen merchant working in Obsidian City.

Crystal (Theen: regara, Torugk: orgut) is the general name for a mineral found throughout Tevhetra used as a power source. Because of impurities in the mineral lattice caused by quintessence exposure during formation, the crystals contain high amounts of potential energy, and exposure to certain sound tones causes a reaction within the crystal to slowly burn through itself, releasing light and heat. All people of Tevhetra and beyond use crystals as a source of heat, light, and energy.

Properties

Geology & Geography

Crystal can be found throughout Tevhetra's underground, though some clusters may become exposed through growth, erosion, or accident. The largest known cluster is Crystalglade, where a massive, millennia-old violet and magenta awakened cluster is able to sustain the surrounding marsh. Other major clusters exist in the Nes Varenholst underground and the Roosts.

History & Usage

History

As the existence of Slates prove, someone before the Nightfall was aware of the technological uses of crystals, but this knowledge did not appear to have been widespread. For most people, crystals were curiosities, useful for jewelry, decoration, or - as the threat of the Faceless grew - emergency explosives. When the Nightfall hit, however, crystals rapidly rose in importance as wood, most people's first choice of light and heating, grew much scarcer.
Crystal batteries were invented in Nes Varenholst about a hundred and fifty years ago, first to power small machines, but slowly giving way to more complex projects. A century ago, Aphelians deduced that crystals could harmonize with each other, creating crystal relays and heat shields that now can warm entire cities. Within the last few decades, crystalline technology had advanced to produce new slates and other computers.

Refinement

To begin the release of energy, a crystal must be awakened by having a specific tone struck against it. The pitch of the tone is determined by the crystal's size, with smaller crystals requiring higher tones. Most crystal merchants will carry a large set of tuning forks and will only awaken a crystal upon selling it to conserve energy.

Manufacturing & Products

On its own, a crystal releases light and heat and can be used raw for lighting and heating. If metal nodes are carefully attached to either end, it becomes a battery to power more complex machinery. Inert crystal is also the primary component in crystalline computers.

Hazards

If a crystal is cracked, it will start to lose energy much quicker than before, but if it's smashed, it will release all energy at once in a burst of heat and force. The size of the explosion released will correspond to the crystal's size and remaining energy reserves.

Environmental Impact

Areas where clusters break the surface become oases of light, allowing plants to grow and attracting animals.

Reusability & Recycling

Once a crystal runs out of power or is broken, it can no longer release any energy, even if the tone that activated it is played again. However, the now-powerless crystal can be used as a building material or to fill windows, depending on how much is left, smashed and used for mosaics or hard drives, or ground down into powder for glass or reinforcing metal.

Type

Ore/Mineral

Color

A wide variety, including white; pink and yellow are most common

Common State

Solid