Dragnite

Dragnite is a crystalline substance that contains large amounts of unique energy that is often used as a power source.
== Overview ==
Left behind at the impact site after a Sould fires a Soul Blast, leftover Dragnite energy rapidly crystallises around the impact site. Once crystallised, Dragnite can either be harnessed as a crystalline power source by technologically advanced species via a specially built reactor, or be shattered and refined by crushing it into a powder and mixing it with other components to be used as a power source similar to that of crude oil, but much more potent, by less advanced species. Powdered Dragnite characteristically burns very hot for a long time in a bright turquoise flame when mixed into a liquid form and produces a similar coloured discharge when weaponized in crystalline form or mixed into gunpowder.
Dragnite is often found in quantity where Soul Blasts were used in large quantities, such as on Dragoia (Planet) and Androgia. But can also be found wherever a rogue Soul Blast impacted, this can include moons, asteroids, non-habitable planets, the hulls of derelict ships, and even floating in the void of space (typically broken off an asteroid or ship). Soul Blasts that hit starship shields and don't penetrate will disperse and send small Dragnite crystals in an unpredictable spread allowing for very small volumes to be found all over a solar system a Soul Blast hit a shield in.
== Uses ==
Powdered Dragnite is most often used as a liquid fuel source by mixing the Dragnite powder with any type of oil or other flammable liquid to power vehicles or power plants through closed steam based turbine generators, it is highly efficient in this form to the point where it generates more heat than can often be used as well as some raw Dragnite energy. This incredibly hot burning relies on large Dragnite infused Iron/DragonKin Base Metal alloy fins protruding from the engine to vent excess heat into the air along with excess Dragnite energy transmitted through the Dragnite in these fins, cooling the Dragnite-enhanced flame by siphoning some of the energy away. Should these fins be excessively damaged and unable to vent enough excess heat and Dragnite energy, the Dragnite fuel supply will reach ignition point and detonate, often taking the entire vehicle with it. To ensure the liquid Dragnite fuel supply does not detonate accidentally, it is kept on the other side of the turbine from the Radiator. Such cooling fins are also present with Dragnite reactors, but are primarily used to regulate energy flow by dispersing excess Dragnite energy and heat away from the reactor.
Powdered Dragnite is also known to greatly increase weapon power when mixed into explosive powders. These mixes are typically very low for infantry weapons, as too high a proportion of powdered Dragnite will make the weapon's recoil unmanageable even for a DragonKin female and risk catastrophic weapon failure. However, some large vehicle weapons have an almost 1/100 ratio of Dragnite to Gunpowder, which gives them not only vastly increased firepower compared to standard munitions, but also a distinct turquoise muzzle flash. Higher ratios of Dragnite to Gunpowder are extremely rare as they usually warp the mountings of any cannon using them with their heavy recoil and the barrel of such cannon due to the extreme heat if fired too frequently.
In it's crystalline form Dragnite is used in vehicle reactors and can rival the power provided by Soul Crystal power cores alongside some drawbacks. Crystalline Dragnite can also be used as a heavy, but potent and long-lived, power core for powerful energy weapons. It's raw crystalline form can be "compressed" by finding a large sturdy crystal and carefully charging it with the raw Dragnite energy of several other crystals, to provide excessively heavy, but incredibly long lasting power cores capable of powering powerful weapons such as the mighty Dralkyria Lance for thousands if not millions of firings. "Compressing" Dragnite is a slow and laborious process with a progressively higher failure rate the higher the compression, with the compression required for a non-replicable power core for a powerful infantry sized weapon typically being too expensive to justify.
== Compared To Soul Crystals ==
Dragnite's potential uses as a power source make it a viable alternative to Soul Crystals, although it does suffer a few downsides and upsides in comparison.
=== Downsides ===
* Weight: Dragnite is considerably heavier than a Soul Crystal of identical shape and size.
* Lifespan: Dragnite reactors will drain a typical Dragnite crystal considerably faster than a Soul Crystal reactor will drain a Soul Crystal for the same energy output. This pairs badly with the high weight of Dragnite crystals. However, with sufficient compression, this can be mitigated.
* Construction: To transfer or use Dragnite energy, Dragnite must be infused into the energy grid. As a result, most species tend to run hybrid energy grids when using a Dragnite reactor, having Dragnite flow to systems requiring a heavy energy use such as engines, weapons and shields, directly, while running other systems of a straight electricity feed which is generated near to the reactor by a convertor.
* Durability: While not innately explosive in it's crystalline form, Dragnite can be easily damaged by incoming energy weapons fire unlike Soul Crystals (which dissipate and absorb some of the charge). However, a Dragnite crystal in a reactor can and will explode if too much energy builds up in the reactor (such as losing the radiator(s)).
* Radiator: Only direct-crystal power cores can be used safely without a radiator, as such a system only draws what's needed from the crystal as and when needed. Reactors however will always consume some Dragnite energy to keep the reaction going, requiring a radiator to dissipate any excess energy from the often un-even draw of a reactor from a crystal. On starships, the presence of the radiator is usually not a tactical weakness due to it's location often being hard to get a shot at without first doing heavy damage anyway and the coldness of space preventing the need to be exposed, but on purely atmospheric vehicles the radiator is often a vulnerable spot.
=== Upsides ===
* Energy Weapons: Dragnite based energy weapons are typically more simplistic and forgiving in nature than other energy weapons, allowing for rather crude construction methods and/or heavy damage to not impact their hitting power much, with refinement of the firing chamber usually resulting in better accuracy.
* Power Transfer: Dragnite based energy systems can near perform near lossless short-distance wireless power transfer between Dragnite infused metal cones often referred to as pylons. The size of the transmission pylons determines the range at which Dragnite energy can be transferred.
* Warmth: Due to all but direct-crystal power draw providing excess heat, large vehicles or structures with a Dragnite power supply can utilise some of the excess heat to provide warmth via internally mounted small-scale radiators.
* Overload: Even if forced to overload, a Dragnite crystal will emit a more stable and contained explosion than that of a Soul Crystal forced to overload. The destructive power is extreme, but the range of the blast is limited in comparison to a Soul Crystal overload. Much like the forced overloading of Soul Crystals, Dragnite crystal forced overloads are often outright forbidden due to their crippling collateral damage and high expense. Forcing an overload is also extremely impractical, as even a massive Dragnite reactor will lose containment and breach explosively in a much lesser explosion long before every crystal inside it overloads. Direct crystal feeds can't strictly be overloaded, but with a sufficiently refined firing matrix, can mimic the effects, such as the "Final Flame" of the Dralkyria Lance.
Category:Minerals
Category:General
Category:Soul Dragons