Galvaris Crystal

The fine white crystal naturally gives off a faint glow.

In the deepest caverns of the tunnels that snake their way under the ground, the galvanis crystals are common. Their light, and the fact that the caverns they are found in typically have springs and water pools in them, mean they're a welcome sight for those exploring deep in the earth.

Properties

Material Characteristics

This fine crystal glows in long growths with a hexagonal cross section. They can vary from the size of a little finger to the size of a tree trunk. It can be brittle and the smaller growths are easy to snap off with a little force.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The fine, translucent crystal gives of a faint, white light. It is warm to the touch and surprisinly light.

Geology & Geography

Found only in deep caves and caverns along the presence of clear, fresh water.

History & Usage

History

Used for generations by cave explorers as a sign for a resting spot and, in a pinch, an emergency light source if torches and spells had run out. Cavers would often carry a fist sized chunk of the crystal somewhere for the direst of times.
Twenty years ago, the Arcane Engineers of Gharall discovered that they could tune the crystals and reflect thier light back on itself to increase its brightness a hundred fold, leading to the development of the Arclight

Everyday use

Used now in the Arclight almost exclusivly. Amost every citizen of the empire has at least one of these devices.

Cultural Significance and Usage

The crystals are now mined and jealously fought for by the Gharall Empire, who need a constant supply of it to fuel their expansion.

Refinement

The methods of the Arcane Engineers its very delicate and requires both finely made tools to accuretly cut and create the facets in the crystal and the infusion of spells to increase the output of the light. To be used, a constant source of arcane energy is required.

Manufacturing & Products

The arclight, though ubiquitous in the Empire is still made by hand, however, refinement of the process means that a competent Arcane Engineer can produce one in around two hours if they have the materials to hand and the workshop necessary.

Byproducts & Sideproducts

Galvanis dust, the byproduct of the gem cutting process, is a mild hallucenegenic when inhaled. The effect is very weak and lasts only seconds, so it was only ever generally a hazard to the gem cutter.
However, when the arcanely empowered crystal is being used to create an arc light, the dust is also increased in potency, the dust, called Bright is a popular narcotic in the seedier parts of the empire.

Type

Mineral

Color

Cloudy white

Common State

A crystallised solid