Makanium

Sample of orange Makanium

**Makanium**, also known as **Makager**, is a rare magical crystal which can be used either as a magical battery for devices or as a conduit for magical charge. Makanium is commonly found in the mountainous regions of Sahul in veins of **Makanite**.

Makanium has been known to the general public for generations and has historically been used in jewellery for Sahulan nobles, but it is only now that it has become wildly sought after when its magical properties were discovered by Professor Wrin.

## Etymology

Makanium is named after the goddess of war, Maka, who is believed to have created the crystals during a contest with the god of magic Gamelon.

## Description

Makanium crystals are shaped like bulky arrowheads, with the bigger ones looking almost like crystal daggers. It is noted that these crystals have no characteristic odour and are slightly cold to the touch. The crystals can be found in two different coloured variations, green and orange.

## Properties

The two types of makanium share a few unique properties: They react only with other crystals of their own colour, they can regrow from a layer of makanite, sometimes called the makanium root, and they can slowly spread on their own.

There have been historical examples across Sahul of makanium growing and spreading. Some valleys where makanium has been found reported that it infested the valley within a hundred years time. Mines have reported makanium growing back, even though the mine was dry for a decade. Scholars believe that this happens because makanium ''sprouts'' itself within the ground in which it grows. Many uncertainties remain about this process.

However there are also properties unique to each colour of makanium.

### Green

When magic enters green makanium it travels from one end to the other. When turned into dust the green makanium can become be used to form invocations. Once the magic passes through these invocations it becomes charges as if a magic user had cast a spell and once it leaves the makanium circuit it releases itself as the spell that the invocations channelled.

### Orange

Orange makanium is used as a type of magical battery for mana, which can be charged by people with magical abilities. This charge is stored up in the crystal and can eventually be released with the help of a green makanium connection. The mana will then bleed from the orange crystal into the green crystal and travel through it until it finds its way out.

## Dangers

Makanium's ability to grow back makes makanium mining a lucrative job and makanium sources have become prime targets for conquest. However makanium mining is not without dangers. Of course the risk of war is one, but the most dangerous factor about makanium is makanium itself.

When exposed to large amounts of makanium many ailments can developed. The most infamous of these is called Makanium Plague which in can drive even the most steadfast individual mad from prolonged exposure to makanium while others developed horrible mutations. But no matter the way the sickness develops, in the end all struck by makanium Plague die a slow and painful death.

## History

When makanium was first discovered in 5,500 BD, it was considered a rare but mostly useless material. It became traditionally seen as an symbol of status with nobles made jewellery out of it. Some cultures also started to see it as a gift from the Azen and used it to craft their sacred artefacts.

However this all changed in the year 1400 AD when professor Wrin discovered that makanium could be used to conduct and store mana and now most artefacts made with makanium are hunted down to be grounded into dust for industrial application.

The discovery of a way to use makanium as a magic conduit has kick started an technological revolution in Sahul, the Makanium Revolution. These scientists are using the properties of the two types of makanium to create several impressive magical devices such as self lighting torches, magic shooting turrets, and, according to some rumours, even life-extending devices. Everyday more and more discoveries are made about the usage of makanium which has many scholars and artificers excited. However there are some who believe this experimentation goes to far and could soon lead the world to a new disaster at the same scale as the Event Horizon.