Mystic Crystal

"What I had discovered was exciting, to say the least. I had just discovered a brand new mineral that no one except me had seen before. It lay embedded in geodes of crystal, simply yearning for me to look over it with scientific discovery."

Professor Darius Vupple, 52 AL

Magic is in the air!

Mystic crystal is an exceedingly rare mineral found in hovering boulders across the Seven Skies. It was discovered by Professor Daris Vupple in 52 AL and has since been adapted for military, vehicular, and life-preserving ventures. It also has some mystical and magical properties that have yet to be fully explored.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The following research notes have been taken from Prof. Darius Vupple with permission.

"Jagged crystal, light pinkish purple in colour. Found in large wandering forms of rock that seem to float in the sky. Most of team has reported that it is found in small geodes. Crystals are difficult to extract from said geodes. Edges are somewhat smooth but have the occasional spike or two."

Physical & Chemical Properties

The following excerpt has been taken from a letter by Prof. Charles Pleck with permission.

"As I told you in my previous letter, my collague Professor Darius Vupple and I have been researching a curious minerial we have dubbed mystical crystal. We have analysed...the properties of this crystal, which will be in the final section of this letter. "
"...[I will now move] onto the properties of the crystal. It is quite sturdy, given its solid appearance. We have yet to place it on any sort of periodic table and its chemical properties are certainly a mystery to us. I am sure however that the Haven Wing University will begin analysis of this crystal in due time. It is suprisingly warm to the touch, albiet in very little amounts. It does not appear to be flammable or damaged by our conventional tools. It seems like diamond more than anything, really. It reflects light in such a way that it beams out light that is the same colour as itself in a more transparent fashion. It is also quite difficult to break. I have many a time attempted to break this crystal through a majority of means back at my laboratory but I have made no successes. "

Geology & Geography

Mystic crystal is found in floating masses of rock called hovering boulders. These rocks can be found dispersed across the entire Seven Skies but are very rare.

Origin & Source

Mystic crystal is painstakingly extracted from hovering boulders. First, the boulder is crushed into smaller geodes. Then, fire is used to melt away the rock surronding the crystals of the geode. Shards, which are used for devices that require small amounts of mystic crystal, are procured accidentally when mystic crystals sometimes shatter in the melting process.

History & Usage

History

Mystic crystal was first discovered in 52 AL by Professor Darius Vupple. He was, at the time, working at the Haven's Wing University documenting the many new features of the Seven Skies. Upon its discovery, it was immediately given to the Militia for testing in new military apparatus. The first of these was a new artillery device known at the time as Patent #332 Mystic Crystal Artillery Utilization Appartus and later dubbed the crystal cannon by then Chief of Engineering Robert McDoyalson. This would be then installed in all Militia Thundering Eagles by 56 AL as per McDoyalson's orders.

In 63 AL, Professor Johann Virlo discovered that the crystals could be turned into shards accidentally during the melting process of mystic crystal extraction. These shards would be put to use in 64 AL by businessman Erik Fergerson to create the first mystic crystal gun which, instead of ammunition, fired a bright beam that would disintegrate most basic materials. The gunman however was required to wear a mystical talisman, also procured by Fergerson. This launched his company, Fergerson's Construction Co., into popularity.

In 69 AL, a woman named Mary Appleby (lee. Elias) was crushed by debris during an attack on her hometown of Plightford by pirates. Appleby was a very wealthy woman as her husband, Orland Appleby was the co-owner of the New Haven Skyship Company, one of the largest manufacturers of Thundering Eagles. She owned a Fergerson talisman which carried mystic crystal shards inside of it. Upon being crushed, the container holding the shards was also broken, leading to the shards spilling over Mrs Appleby's dead body. Upon contact, a marvellous interaction occurred leading to the preservation of Appleby's life through some strange magic. She was kept alive in her mutilated state and was found by Militia sent there to defend the town. She was kept alive and was reportedly quite jovial within a jar where the bottom had a mystic crystal attached to it. She became the first person to be preserved by the seemingly life-preserving powers that defeated even death. She passed away five years later when it was found that the crystal had been detached from her jar. It was therefore deduced that, to be kept alive through mystical rejuvenation, a steady supply of mystical energy from mystic crystals was also needed.

Unsuprinsingly, many other influential and rich people attempted to end their own lives to be brought back through mystical rejuvenation since it was seen as a path to eternal life. However, because this power was so misunderstood, many people failed and took their own lives. However, some people, such as the current ruler of the New Haven region Queen Malya (who managed to activate the crystal's power in 77 AL), succeeded.

Discovery

As mentioned in the previous section, mystic crystal was first discovered in 52 AL by Prof. Darius Vupple who, on the evening of the 7^th of January 52 AL, managed to crack open a hovering boulder using a cannon on his Thundering Eagle The Optimistic Discovery. A majority of the rock was launched away but some debris from the incident was scattered across the deck of the Discovery. Upon inspection, Vupple found small crystals embedded in what he described as geodes of crystal:

"What I had discovered was exciting, to say the least. I had just discovered a brand new mineral that no one except me had seen before. It lay embedded in geodes of crystal, simply yearning for me to look over it with scientific discovery." (excerpt from Vupple's book The Optimistic Discovery of Adventure)

Vupple then showed his discovery to his colleagues, who shared the same enthusiasm for the subject as he did. Soon, it reached the ears of the Militia, who demanded Vupple show them the mineral for them to use in military gear. Vupple refused but his colleagues gave a sample anyway along with a transcript of how it was extracted. These laid the path for the crystal cannon, a devastatingly powerful weapon.

Everyday use

While mystic crystal is not used commonly amongst the population of the Seven Skies, it has some uses in military appartus and vehicular transport. In the former, it is a key component of the crystal cannon as well as the mystic rifle and the accompanying mystic talisman procured by Fergerson's. It is also used in some armour suits as a last resort to revive a fallen warrior. In the latter, it is a secondary resource fuel in Oppliechmer-McDoyalson Thundering Eagle models.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Upon rejecting the Militia's demand to procure the mystic crystal, Vupple was stripped of all his work as well as his employment at Haven's Wing University. In response, he set up his own guild known as the Finders of the Crystal, a small illegal group of scientists who research the properties of mystic crystals for the good of the people rather than the military. This group was based on the wandering island known as Rovelsten which was eventually discovered by the Militia. They promptly dissolved the illegal group, arresting and killing all its members. However, the residents of Rovelsten have not particularly forgotten this incident. Even more bizarre is a religious organization called The Salvation Helmsmen of the Crystal that has popped up due to the Finders locating themselves in Rovelsten.

Because mystic crystal is so rare, it has become somewhat of a status symbol. People of immense wealth or status will parade around wearing mystic crystal necklaces or other jewellery to proclaim their fame. Even more prestigious are the crystal shard necklaces as shards of mystic crystal are rarer than the entire mineral. If you spot someone wearing a mystic crystal necklace, they are most likely some kind of wealthy, up-themselves person and you should avoid them at all costs.

Refinement

Mystic crystal goes through a two-step extraction and refinery process.

1. The hovering boulders containing the mystic crystal are cracked open using special cannons called stonecrackers that all fire simultaneously at the rock. Most times, the boulder will be pushed away due to the power needed to break the crystal. However, debris is caught in collection pools located on the decks of Thundering Eagles used to extract mystic crystal. These are sorted through for geodes and the rest is discarded.
2. Under a large amount of heat generated by crystal refinery furnaces, the rocks are melted away from the crystal. This is to ensure that the crystal is the only thing extracted with no remnants of rock left within it. Because the crystals have a higher melting point than the rock they come in, this system works. The final crystals are then extracted from the furnace, cooled, and delivered to clients.

At times during the second process, a crystal may fracture into several shards. These are taken out immediately and placed in water to cool. They are then placed in special shard containers and delivered.

Byproducts & Sideproducts

Because of the refinery process, magma rock is created in the furnances that occasionally clog them up. This however has been the only recorded byproduct of the refinery process of mystic crystal.

Hazards

There have been little recorded incidents involving the hazardous effects of mystic crystal. However, there is one case that was particularly noteworthy.

In 64 AL, just before the creation of the mystic rifle, a scientist by the name of Dr. Levi Anderson was working on behalf of Fergerson to study the detrimental effects of the mystic crystal to be used in weaponry. During an experiment, Anderson fired a beam of light into the crystal, causing it to shoot a beam of light at another crytal. Instead of doing the same however, the second crystal reflected this beam of light back at Anderson. It melted a clear hole through his skull which killed him. This, to date, has been the only death caused by mystic crystal experimentation.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Trade of mystic crystal is controlled by the Governance and enforced by the Militia. It can only be purchased from approved wholesalers and cannot be sold unless a wholesaler goes through an application process to become a certified mystic crystal trader. This is the reason it is such a luxury and expensive mineral.

Law & Regulation

"The Governance has decreed that all purchase and selling of mystic crystal must be conducted between a customer of verified background, whereby the Governance sees the individual fit for ownership of such a device, and a wholesaler approved by the Governance to procure such product legally. Wholesalers must apply to the Guild of Merchants to be considered for the selling of mystic crystal. A sale of mystic crystal that occurs between a verified customer and a non-approved wholesaler, a non-verified customer and an approved wholesaler, or a non-verified customer and a non-approved wholesaler shall be considered illegal. As punishment, all parties involved in this matter that are conscious that their purchase or selling was illegal will be sentenced to death by hanging." (Decree of the Passing of the Regulation of Mystic Crystal Act, 63 AL)

MyC

Features of Mystic Crystal (Documented)

Type

Ore/Mineral

Rarity

Incredibly Rare

Odor

Odorless

Taste

N/A

Color

Bright pinkish purple hue

Boiling / Condensation Point

Unknown

Melting / Freezing Point

Unknown

Common State

Solid