An aether crystal is a blue crystal that stores magic power from open space. Rune engines, rune helms and rune weapons burn crystals as fuel. A bigger crystal holds more power. A cracked crystal can leak raw aether.
Crystals are mined on only a few worlds.
Tarrow. Deep pits and crystal mines. The Union works them, and the Dominion claims them.
Oldmark. Crystal runs through the rock between the Old Maker ruins. Every faction digs here.
Belvair. Refineries hidden under the hills turn raw crystal into clean fuel for the Dominion.
Marrow. Crystal-fungus fields grow here. They make raw Rush, not fuel.
The Gilded Dominion controls refining. Raw crystal is cheap. Refined crystal is expensive, and only the Dominion can sell it legally. The Union wants to refine its own crystal. This is the main reason for the coming war.
When a crystal mine collapses, raw aether leaks out. Children born near these broken mines are sometimes born Ashen, with horns, tails and gold eyes. Scions are also often born near broken mines.
Rush is an illegal blue powder made from crystal dust. A user becomes strong and fast for a short time. Then the drug burns them out. Heavy users grow weak, shake and lose their memory. Some die.
Raw Rush comes from the crystal-fungus fields of Marrow.
Labs on Sump turn it into powder.
The Vesper Syndicate sells it on every world.
Dock workers, soldiers and fighters use it most. Some nobles buy it in secret.
Blue stains on the lips or fingers. Fast speech and shaking hands. Sudden strength followed by a crash. A user without Rush becomes tired and angry.
A crystal that turns black has been touched by the Vhal. Black crystal holds no power. Miners on the Dark Rim now find it more often. See Signs of the Vhal.