Quartz
Quartz is one of the most abundant minerals in Ermarian.
It is most commonly known as a white stone or a crystal formation which colour varies from colorless to black. Due to it's inner structure quartz can conduct large amounts of magical energy, making it ideal for magical applications. Quartz is a major export of Avernum.
Varieties
Depending on how it was formed, quartz has many different forms. Some have the traditional crystalline form while other types appear to be Many semi-precious gemstones are in fact a type of quartz, such as;
- Agate
- Amethyst
- Citrine
- Jasper
- Onyx
- Rock Crystal- this is considered to be quartz in it's pure form.
- Rose Quartz
- Smoky Quartz
Magically Grown Quartz
Due to its applications in teleportation, very large crystals are needed for larger portals. However, finding usable quartz formations of the right size is extremely rare. This is why a technique to grow quartz by magic was developed. Quartz created by this method has the advantage of being perfectly calibrated for the task it is grown for.
Uses
Decoration
Quartz is often in decorative accent on jewellery, clothing and other things such as furniture and tiles.
Magic
The ability of quartz to store magical energy make it a valuable tool in magical work. The type of magic a piece of quartz is used for depends on the cut and variety of quartz used; for example shaped and polished smoky quartz is used as a base for smoky crystals. This talent quartz has is so powerful that even natural crystal formations can cause powerful magic effects, such as the quartz crystals of the Crystal cave and cases of shades spontaneously forming in areas with large amounts of quartz formations.
To learn more about the use quartz with magic, see crystals.
Quartz in Vahnatai Society
The use of Quartz in Vahnatai society is extensive. Not only is it used as a basis for their crystal magic, it is also used as a material for furniture and their buildings.