Hyacinem

Pure sorcery, crystallized

I've seen lots of fools trying to sell blue rocks. The genuine sellers, you won't find them in the streets, or even in the black markets. They know the power of what they've got, and they don't have to go 'round telling nobody.

— Calidorus Silo, self-claimed Godsblood dealer

An incredibly rare blue crystal, Hyacinem is a dangerous thing in many ways. In the Empire, even knowing of its existence can get you vanished. In the Trade Union, if you are not harrassed by paid thugs, the wealthy will buy up the clothes on your back just to try and take the crystal from your pockets. None of that is even mentioning the actual power it possesses: a bolstering of sorcerous potential that can easily backfire.

Sorcery

Hyacinem crystal is the only proven external way to improve one's sorcery. Of course, anyone can improve through extensive training, but simply holding even a small piece of hyacinem in your hand makes once-difficult tasks simple. The larger the crystal, the more of a boost it can provide, but also, the more volatile it becomes.

Augmented Ability

Official studies of the effects of Hyacinem are incredibly rare outside of the Sorcerous Academy, who are loathe to let a non-academic read the unredacted versions of their papers. However, rumors do abound about the effects, and the ones listed here most closely match the pieces of information found in the available Academic resources.

Scope

The sorcerer can affect much larger, drastic changes on the world around them. Rumors exist of Skybloods able to turn air into a solid form.

Scale

The sorcerer can affect a much larger area around themselves. Rumors exist of a Mindblood being able to be heard across an entire island.

Abstraction

The sorcerer can use their sorcery in more abstract ways. Rumors exist of a Lightblood who was capable of returning the dead to life.

Of course, due to the nature of these stories, they are all unsubstantiated. They are likely exaggerated, and warped by constant retelling.

Losing Control

One of the documented effects of hyacinem the Academy is willing to share is the negative side of using it. Any amount of sorcery accomplished with the help of hyacinem has a change to weaken the crystal structure. This can change many things, including eventually causing the crystal to shatter incredibly violently, but primarily it disorts the user's sorcery. A weakened hyacinem crystal could easily cause the sorcerery to have unintended, catastrophic effects, if the sorcerer's will is not strong enough to contain the variation.

Legality

Even in places where owning hyacinem is not illegal, practically or otherwise, hyacinem is often associated with criminal dealings. This is primarily due to the heavy restrictions placed upon it, as well as the incredible cost it can be sold for. Of course, this only causes the major powers to attempt to crack down more heavily on hyacinem possession, which in turn spurs more and more criminal activity.

In the Empire

Officially, Hyacinem is not recognized by the Empire to exist. Practically, however, possession of any Hyacinem crystal is illegal. Anyone found by Imperial officers to be owning Hyacinem in any amount is jailed for unrelated reasons, usually indefinitely. Any "abberant crystals" discovered during mining expeditions is to be turned over to House Avisong immediately for "study", and is not to be logged anywhere.

In the Trade Union

Possession of any Hyacinem crystal the size of a fingernail or larger, or quantities of crystal exceeding 5 grams, is illegal on any of the free worlds. Crystals discovered by clans during mining should be turned over to the Trade Union HQ, and any clan found to be hoarding, selling, or facilitating the trade of Hyacinem crystals will be tried and, upon being found guilty, banished. Individuals, however, are allowed to sell crystals, presuming that they are legally-registered crystals in the first place.

On Nokte

Any quantity of Hyacinem crystals on Nokte need to be reported instantly to the Midnight Oathbreakers, as they draw far too much attention to Nokte and must be overseen directly. If the owner of the crystals is not part of the organization, it is common for the Oathbreakers to confiscate the crystals, to "ensure the safety of Nokte". The Oathbreakers also are closely involved with the trade of hyacinem, and godsblood, in most, if not all, of the black markets across the Blue.

Secrets

This article contains secrets, which are unknown by most or all of the people of the Wilde Blue.
View Secrets

by Amazon

Appearance

In its natural state, hyacinem appears to be just a dull, opaque quartz crystal. In the presence of sorcery, it begins to glow a faint blue. Some say that they can hear a faint noise as well, though reports vary incredibly widely on what this noise sounds like exactly. When sorcery is performed using hyacinem, the crystal glows vibrantly.

Larger pieces enhance ability more than smaller ones. So why, then, does thousands of tiny pieces provide a larger boost than a single piece of similar mass?

— From the journal of Felicius Thrasea, missing since 56 RA

Godsblood

One of the uses of hyacinem is to grind it down into a fine, blue, shimmering dust. When ingested, this powder, dubbed 'godsblood' gives the sorcerer temporary power far beyond what they could achieve even holding a similar amount of hyacinem in their hand. Unfortunately, it also has the side effect of often driving its users insane.

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