Beryllium

Overview

In its base form Beryllium doesn't interact with Mana at all and cannot be charged. Mana will pass right through it. Beryllium similary doesn't interact with Aether in any meaningful way. It can be manipulated with aether, but nowhere near the extent of other elements. Beryllium is the only chemical element that is classified as Mana Null in its base form.

Beryllium in its natural form is useless to mages. The only way to conjure Beryllium is in the form of brittle gray sheets that almost immediately fall apart into dust, which in addition to being toxic, also shuts off the ability to channel mana and cast magic in humans. Beryllium is difficult to remove from the body without large amounts of aether and advanced knowledge of Metal Magic.

Beryllium Crystals

Beryllium is able to form a type of crystal called a Beryl, composed of Beryllium, Aluminum, Silicon, and Oxygen. Many mana detectors are made of a type of colorless Beryl called Goshenite and filled with noble gases such as Neon and Argon. The mana will pass right through the goshenite, and then when the noble gas is exposed to mana, it will start to glow. While cheaper mana detectors are made with normal glass instead, this will absorb and distort most types of mana and aether as it passes through, preventing a truly accurate measurement. The Beryllium content in goshenite overrides the other elements that make up the mineral, preventing interaction with any form of magic.

This is not true of all Beryls though. While Goshenite is invisible to mana, other beryls will not only store mana, but it will strengthen specific types of mana. Emerald can strengthen Air Magic. Aquamarine can strengthen Water Magic. Heliodors strengthen Fire Magic. There are rare Red Beryls that can strengthen Life and Death Magic.

While non-goshenite beryls do interact with mana, they still do not interact with aether. Because of this, beryls are not considered to be forms of Aethercite. Due to the sometimes unpredicable nature of aether, this makes beryls very valuable to younger mages, who use them to get a feel for casting magic with only mana.

Atomic Number:
Phase of Matter:

Conjuring Cost:
Manipulation Cost:
Mana Types:

4
Solid

1 MP
<1 MP
-NONE-

---

---

---

Coins

Cassel uses small beryl gems as the centerpiece in their coinage, which are also called Beryls as the most common term. Officially, they are known as Celuri or Celurian Coins. These small silver coins characterized by the small gem protruding slightly from the center of one side, the color of which determines the value. The other side has the face of the Cassel Monarch, indicating the time period the coin is from.

The gem in the center of coins are used to tell if it is genuine or a fake. The coins are charged with aether and in all cases the beryls in the center should glow black, regardless of the color of crystal used. This black glow seemingly sucks the light out of its surroundings. This interaction with Aether should be impossible, and no one is quite sure how the Bank of Cassel does this.

---

Arrows and Bullets

Due to Beryllium's ability to shut off the ability to cast magic in humans in large enough amounts, it is a popular anti-mage weapon. There are arrows that have a spindly head that punctures and then breaks off in the skin. There are also lead bullets that are coated in beryllium shells. The beryllium shell breaks apart on entering the body which becomes difficult to remove. In addition to the massive damage caused by the lead ball or spike, the mage's ability to self heal is now shut off, meaning a second mage is required, taking them out of the battle as well.

---

---

Chemical Elements

Topics
Chemical Elements	Beryllium Helium Hydrogen Lithium
Notable Compounds