Wasted Crystal

The wasted crystals are a magical crystal, often tainted, found throughout the Nevisent Wastes on the continent of Nevisent. Strewn throughout the wasteland of Nevisent, the crystals are unique to this area of Karenth.
They accumulate in nodes, or groups of crystals, where they grow based on the available materials and conditions. Like most crystals, wasted crystals form through similar geological processes, with one major exception. That exception is the need for magics which created the wasteland in the first place. The tainted and raw magics nurture and initiate the growth of crystals, a process which takes days, weeks, or even years to accomplish. Nodes tend to be clusters of 8-15 crystals, but the numbers can differ.
The size of crystals vary throughout based on the relevant conditions. They can be anywhere from microscopic to a few crystals which tower like skyscrapers over the land. Most of the crystals do not excede 12 inches (30.5 cm), and more commonly are in the 4-6 inch range (10-15 cm).
Coloration of the crystals run the range of the spectrum and beyond, from clear, blue, red, orange, greens, purples, white, black, and some even exhibit colors in the ultraviolet, infrared, some produce x-rays, and all have color in the magical spectrum.
All the crystals are magical, as they are created from the raw and tainted magics released when the wasteland was created an eon ago. Some of the magic is very faint, and other magic is so powerful it is visible to the naked eye. The size of the crystal does not determine the intensity of the magical energy.
The magic can be used in the powering of certain magic items, but takes a great deal of study and research to make this happen.
The Nethen used these crystals in their study of magic. They found a particular type of crystal, rare yet nearly stable, purple in color, which they would use to power the Karenthian Batteries. Not all purple crystals work for this purpose, and and expeditions would traverse the Nevisent Wastes looking for the crystals.