Thaumium

Thaumium (Boshaari : silima ; Mewei : tvrdi; Hiderid Common : arcanite) is the scientific name given to a specific type of quartz (SiO2) which has been exposed to arcane thaumic scalar radiation over an incredibly long period of time and become imbued with scalar particles called thaumions (Θ). Thaumions "leak out" from the quartz' crystalline lattices over a very period of time, giving off a purple iridescent hue.
Thaumium is used as a mediator or catalyst in fusion power plants, biothaumic amplifiers, and other technology collectively refered to as Magitek. Thaumium's true value, however, lies in the fabrication of Dive Drive, where the unique piezothaumic properties of specially refined thaumium are used to generate nullfield bubbles that have the ability to dive into Hyperspace and enable interplanetary travel.
Thaumium is a rare material, which can only form in the crust of worlds subjected to intense arcane fields. Across Tau Elpis, the single largest deposits are all located on the inhospitable ice world Zindra. As one of the most expensive minerals across the system, its trading price forms the basis of the Hiderid Thaumium Exchange index. Because of its high scarcity, Thaumium is really only used where no other economic alternative, however inefficient, exists.

Historical Sourcing

There have been other early sources of thaumium. Following the Great Jump, there was once plenty of leftover thaumium on the Embassy Ark, which was used to power very early colonial efforts to settle onto the inner worlds of Tau Elpis. However, most of what could be salvaged had dried up by the 56th cycle with few natural deposits found. As the economies of nascent colonies relied on fusion power and space travel to function, and had not built much of a long-term industrial capacity yet, deep concerns amongst the population led to small-scale corporate skirmishes known today as the Thaumium War.
Observations of the world Zindra had always suggested heavy thaumium deposits, which along with other factors, triggered the start of the Hestian Rush into the outer orbits of Tau Elpis. A "Thaumium Fever" developed and many mines opened on Zindra, many of which still in operation as corporate colonies. This eventually allowed Thaumium to become more available across the inner worlds.
Well into the 151st cycle, fears about the level of Thaumium left in the Zindra deposits have inspired risky but potentially lucrative and novel ways to capture thaumions. A joint Boshaari-Hhrot venture aims to investigate possible deposits in the Rust Clouds, at the furthest edge of the system.

Spellweaving

Spellweaving is the art of channeling arcanic energy from the thaumium within a caster's body to create useful spell effects. Biothaumic amplifiers enable spellweaving, and spellfoci enhance spell potency, as the background arcane field is too weak across Tau Elpis to support free spellweaving.
Contrary to social media trends, spellcasters do not need to supplement Thaumium in their diets.

Attunement

Thaumium can exist in inert or excited ('attuned') states. In its inert state, the crystal 'stores' thaumic energy but would take lifetimes to yield any useful amount of its trapped thaumions; by contrast attuned thaumium readily releases thaumic energy. Typically, inert thaumium is transported to manufacturing sites and assembled into magitek devices, such as dive-drives, and later attuned when ready for use.
Puzzlingly, only organic, sentient, spellcasting lifeforms seem to possess the ability to attune thaumium; every attempt at creating mechanical attunement means has failed for reasons scientists and spellweavers alike do not quite understand.

Type

Metaphysical