Dark Crystal

Some Scrapjack captains believe there is a spirit in a ship. A ghost in the machine, living in parts no AI or human can really reach.

— Captain Mao Tanner, Scrapjack

Dark Crystals, also called a ship’s keystone, is a specialized data crystal designed to hold a ship’s keycodes. These digital markers, specialized blockchains, and other algorithms are used to indicate the unique identity of a ship. No two are alike.

A Delicate Sort of Device

A ship's Dark Crystal is derived from the same technology and theory behind ordinary data crystals. These keystones use five dimensional methods of data storage with tri-spin quantum processing and industrial-level power cell. In typical ship design, these power cells are used to charge both the processing in the crystal and the external anti-tampering device.

The crystal itself is actually a dark obsidian hue, a side effect of the process the shipmongers go through to make the item. Another feature is the anti-tampering mechanisms. These are legendary steps well known among ship captains, especially Scrapjack captains.

Shipmongers go to extreme lengths to allow a ship to protect its identity. A piece of data that is arguably one of the most valuable pieces of data that exists. Any attempts to tamper, change, or access a ship's Dark Crystal causes an immediate chain reaction. This results in a detonation that will consume ship and crew. The destruction is not limited to physical space. A wave of malicious code is injected into any AIs attempting the hack or are unlucky to be on the connection at that moment.

Item type

Electronic / Cybernetic

Weight

0.5 kg ( 1 ounce )

Dimensions

0.6 meters ( 2 ft )