Damestear

**Damestear** (pronounced **Dame's Tear**) is a rare magical meteorite named after the Cannorian moon goddess, The Dame, as it was believed that damestear came from the Moon, though that theory was disproved in the mid 18th century.

Damestear's applications are varied, but at its core it is an alternative source of magic: instead of a mage spending their own personal 'mana' (magical energy) to cast spells or power objects, the magic stored in damestear can be used instead. When used by mages it can empower and prolong their spellcasting abilities, and when used in artificery acts as power source, ingredient and catalyst to its many inventions and formulae.

## Properties

* Absorbs magical energy cast onto it, to a certain point dependant on the quality and size - too much and it explodes
* Glows depending on magical energy stored
* Emits magical energy (radiation), slowly reducing stored energy over time
* Stored magical energy can be extracted and used to cast spells without the need of a mage and power artificery devices

### Effects

#### On Mages

Consumption or drawing the energy of nearby damestear amplifies the mages' spellcasting ability moreso than any other source, even the full moon. The consumption of it also helps stave off magical fatigue, which allows a mage to cast stronger and more spells for a longer duration.

Highly addictive to mages, the more potent damestear is the more addictive it is. There are some cases where a mage was tempted with just the sight of the damestear, and tried to drain its magical energies leading to overdose and death.

Black damestear, the opposite of damestear that nullifies magic, on the other hand is repulsive to mages the stronger it is. High concentration of black damestear makes mages feel queasy and sickly - and once it enters a mage's bloodstream proper (e.g. via a bullet) it can negatively effect or prevent spellcasting entirely for a certain duration.

#### On Non-Mages

Individuals with no magical potential or very little magical potential have no problems in mining and dealing with damestear. Like some other crystals, damestear is toxic, so while it is able to be consumed in small doses it is not advised

#### On Item Enchantment

Damestear provides the magical energy needed to prolong the spell's effects on an enchanted object. While it is not required, it allows objects to be enchanted for incredibly long periods of time without its effects weakening, as well as allowing stronger spells to be cast on the object.

If an enchanted item's damestear is destroyed (e.g. a damestear gem is fractured) then the item's enchantment will begin to decay.

At best it will run out, and at worst it will have unintended consequences depending on how the spells weaved on an object interact and expire (e.g. an enchanted armour with fire resistance might have been achieved with a reactive ice spell that does the opposite cold to any form of heat - but if its damestear is damaged then that cold might become too strong, freezing the armour onto its wearer)

#### On Artificery

Artificery is simply the continuation of item enchantment but under the guise of scientific formulae and schematics rather than rituals. The main differences between the two is that artificery deals with a lot of moving parts, with many individually enchanted items working together - whereas traditional enchantment is very singular and specific to the item.

While traditional enchantment also uses damestear as a power source, it is widely used across all of artificery to cut out the need of an actual mage in the creation and operation of such tools and inventions. Runes and etchings on damestear and damestear-alloys is also highly prevalent in artificery - and it is common to see damestear crystals have entire equations etched onto them to influence how they work.

## Variants

### Damestear Meteorite

Damestear meteorites are not made purely of damestear but is similar to a pallasite, but consists of equal parts damestear crystals and meteoric silver, which itself is a rare metal. The components that make up the meteorite looks to be the origins of its relation with the moon goddess The Dame, who's primary metal is silver.

### Damestear Crystals

The most popular form of damestear is its crystalline form, and is usually what most people refer to when talking about damestear. These crystals grow bright teal-blue, which its brightness marking the potency and how much "magic" is stored within. A shard of incredibly potent damestear is known to glow bright white, whereas a damestear that is drained of all magic is a dull, dark turquoise. Damestear crystals can be "recharged" by transferring magic from a spell to the crystal, though depending on the spell the crystal may break.

The main usage of the crystals is to absorb and store magical energy for future use in spells, keep spells active and artificery. Larger crystals can store more magic, but the clarity of the crystal also influences it (see Pure Damestear).

#### Pure Damestear

Like emeralds, damestear is prone to inclusion (imperfections inside the crystal) which affects the efficiency of the damestear. Pure damestear are those crystals that are deemed high enough quality with little to no perfection, just as a diamond would.

### Powderized Damestear

Due to its likelihood of inclusion, damestear is a relatively brittle crystal (as crystals go) and is easily scratched and destroyed - making it a vulnerable part of any weapon or device and likely to be targeted. This however makes it easy to crumble into a fine powder. The more potent the damestear is (i.e. the more it glows) the more brittle it is.

This is largely seen as an intermediary stage in the process, and powderized damestear is then mixed with other substances. It is, however, inhalable, but is discouraged by the Magisterium due to its inherent danger in overdose for a mage and damage to the internal systems.

### Liquified Damestear

Damestear is unable to enter liquid state and instead breaks down if higher temperatures are reached. Liquified damestear is in instead the powderized form of damestear mixed with a liquid - usually water and other liquids that help with damestear's foul taste, quickening digestion so that the damestear can take its effect, and preventing internal damage if the powder is not fine enough.

Liquified damestear are usually referred to as 'mana potions' and ingested by mages to amplify their magical abilities or temporary withold spellcasting fatigue. However unlike crystal damestear, the liquid damestear no longer glows as its base state and instead is ranges from blues, turqouises and teals. Only the strongest of liquid damestear potions glow.

### Damestear Alloys

While damestear cannot be melted, their powderized form can be integrated into other materials like metals. And while powderization sacrifices damestear's capabilities in storing magical energy, it does not lose its capability to allow magic to conduct through it, similarly to how copper would conduct electricity.

As such any sort of object required to work with magic, such as an enchanted sword or wiring for an artificer invention uses some form of damestear alloy. This not only includes objects comprised mostly of damestear alloy, like the precursor spellblades made of precursor steel, but also more commonly objects with damestear ornamentation and lining like enchanted armours to arcane copper, a damestear-copper alloy used in late 19th century artificery.

### Aerated Damestear

A recent discovery made only in the late 19th century, this type of damestear exists natively only in the Feyrealm, where damestear instead is diffused as a gas in the air and the astral rather than a solid. It is said that this high concentrated of damestearized air is responsible for the many magical mutations that turn things into Fey.

### Black Damestear

Where damestear stores and provides magic, black damestear takes and destroys - effectively negating magic. To a non-mage black damestear looks like a black crystal, or if powderized, a shinier version of gunpowder. But to a mage the strongest of black damestear is described as looking into a pitch-black nothingness, a void.

### Organic Damestear

Found in the Senidmot Crater, organic damestear, or "Shegibey" as the local Mengi call it, is the remnant of Eztarthul the Astral Terror and Zenidir Zentirizar "The Shadowslayer" fighting to the death. Found only in the crater, the damestear doesn't have any different magical effects but is found in large to small chunks that look identical to parts of a dragon, earning it the name. Pieces resembling bone or scales are not uncommon, and recent closer investigations have revealed a "tissue-like" appearance on the inside as well.

### Prismatic Damestear

Prismatic Damestear is a type of Damestear created by the Day Of Ashen Skies. Prismatic Damestear was formed from the magic absorbing powers of regular Damestear, intaking Wild Magic in place of plain Magic. It is infrequently found in small amounts across Aelantir, with the exception of Amadia, which is a hotspot for Prismatic Damestear due to the abundance of Wild Magic and the amounts of derelict Precursor Damestear mines within the region.

Functioning in a similar manner to regular Damestear, Prismatic Damestear serves as a conduit and bank for Wild Magic, being able to channel its chaotic nature. This is used by Amadian natives to a large extent in a variety of methods.

It is to note that Prismatic Damestear is considered volatile and highly unstable, and can be easily broken, releasing an explosion of magic that can damage nearby surroundings. Alongside this, the magical radioactive properties of Prismatic Damestear are enhanced and morphed, allowing for the Wild Magic to change its environment over time through prolonged exposure.

## History & Application

### Meteorite Origins

Damestear comes to Halann in the forms of meteorites which fall from the Astral. While the meteorites have been recorded to fall at any time or place, there have been a noted higher frequency of damestear showers during the tenth month of the year, the aptly named Tearfall.

In the mid-18th century astrologists and astromancers long-term project spanning two hundred years officially discovered and identified the Oracle's Eye Comet as a periodic comet that causes the Tearfall meteor showers to occur.

The meteorites come in all manner of sizes, whether on their own or in meteor showers. They have been regarded as one of the mystical astral phenomena shared across many cultures and histories of the world.

There have been rare occurences of forced meteorite falls, requiring incredibly powerful magic, preparation and luck. The most successful of which was by the Magisterium which performedthe 'Skyfall' ritual on the the artificial island of Adráil in 1576. The deposit, known as the Celestial Damestear, is regarded as one of the largest damestear deposits on their entire planet.

Damestear can also be found underground, deposited by ancient meteorites such as the mine on Moonisle. Such deposits are incredibly rare, but when they are often they often yield a significant amount of damestear. Most deposits are usually close to the surface, but some have even been found within the Serpentspine Mountains itself.

The first major purveyors of damestear was the Damerian Republic, which discovered the deposit on Moonisle and mined it to sell on to the rest of the ancient world.

### Item Enchantment and Magical Objects

For much of history damestear was used as the core component of imbuing objects with magic. While other forms of enchantment do exist, using damestear was the most common and easiest way to do so.

### Black Damestear

The Horned Ogres of Haless had long produced a blackened type of Damestear they called Korashi. The secret to creating this unique material is closely guarded by the reclusive Oni, and very few samples had ever left their temples until the rise of the Command. Extorting the Oni for Korashi, the Command was able to manufacture enough to enslave mages for warfare, aiding their conquests of Haless. It wasn't until 1617 that the Gommo gained access to it thanks to the Command's failed siege of Tianlou. Using it, artificers were able to create many anti-magic inventions such as black damestear cuffs which prevent the casting of magic, korashi drills for looting the high temples, or projectiles capable of piercing magical shields and wards.

The process of turning Damestear into its black counterpart is called "nullification". This process refers to creating a "magical dead-zone", in Haless this was originally done by the Oni draining the mana stored within the damestear into the Spirit Plane. By channeling the mana from the damestear into another plane it creates an anti-mana effect stored within the crystal. On a large scale this process was thought to be impossible in Cannor until the Blackpowder Rebellion, when the Ravelians, in league with the rebellious Blackpowder Barons, gained accessed the large amounts of confiscated Damestear and nullified large sums of it, before doing shutting down the Anbennarian damestear industry itself to create more black damestear armaments. This caused the international price of Damestear to inflate, which also caused colonial interest in Aelantir to spike to meet market demands.

They promptly implemented the black damestear powders into their bulletcrafting process, creating Black Damestear-infused bullets. These projectiles proved the perfect counter to mages, penetrating any magical ward or abjurative protection casted against them. Post-Rebellion scholars cite the mass production of these bullets as one of the primary factors contributing to Blackpowder Baron victory in the war. By the late 19th century Black Damestear-infused bullets became standard across modern armies.

Not all Black Damestear is the same. The most expensive and pure variants are capable of disabling spellcasting abilities from hours to days if introduced to a mage's bloodstream. This particular disabling property revolutionized warfare in the 19th century, as mages, particularly war wizards, could no longer travel the battlefield with impunity as they had for centuries before. By the late Age of Artificers, experiments permanently remove a mage's magical powers with an extremely potent brand of Black Damestear saw extreme success.

### Modern Discoveries

In the late 19th century and beyond scientists and artificers began to prove that damestear was in fact a chemical element and that mana, also known as magic, or magical energy had a distinct relationship with the element.

## Regional Names

Damestear can be encountered all across Halann, and every major region has its own name for the material.

* Haless - Tamphora, from Shamakhadi Tam (Soul) + Phora (Stone), spread throughout Rahen due to the influence of the Nadimraj, and into Yanshen by the Harimari Empire.
* Odheongu - Jongoseo, from Odheongun Jongsi (Spirit) + Oseo (Crystal).
* Shuvüüshudi - Choogodh, from Shuvüüsh Choog (Demon) + Zodh (Star).
* Triunic Lakes - Kholsonaar, from Khamgunai Kholson (Frozen) + Naar (Light).
* Forbidden Plains - Hurgodoth, from Centaur Hurgot (Fast) + Doth (Colour).
* Maghargma - Petuklerd, from Ogrish Petug (Burning) + Klerd (Stone).
* Azjakuma - Teimarji, from Oni Teimba (Fallen) + Jarshi (Star).
* North Sarhal - Matremit, from Kheteratan Mat (Mother) + Remit (Tear).
* Noruin - Vebuke, from Boek Veb (Ruined) + Tuke (Shard).
* Ynn - Uzgalkas, from Dolindhan Uzgal (Ascended) + Kas (Rain).
* Eordand - Sidmherd, from Eordan Sid (Fey) + Mherd (Gem).
* Alecand - Keyanilián, from Andic Keyan (Blue) + Ilián (Sun).
* Taychend - Akesarak, from Yodhanpir Akesa (Sky) + Raka (Blood).
* Southern Haraf - K'il'uil Kseldos, from Kooras K'il'uil (Blood) + Kseldos (Name of a local god)
* Dwarovar - Azhalngiv, from Dwarven Gib (Gift) + Azhaln (Halanna)

## Damestear Market

While fairly rare in Cannor, the rediscovery of Aelantir gave rise to a mass collection of Aelantiri damestear that the ruinborn elves had kept in a pure form for idols and jewelry. The market for Damestear grew rapidly, as much of the abundant Aelantiri damestear was imported to Cannor, especially with the onset of Artificery which used Damestear as a magical source.

Damestear reached an all-time high with the advent of the mass nullification processes to convert it into Black Damestear in the 19th century, with many states buying up large amounts to specifically convert it into Black Damestear bullets to counter both traditional mages but also magical protection generated through artificery (such as Personal Mageshields).

With the conquest of Anbennar and its return to a more magocratic state, the market became highly regulated within Cannor, with the Empire ranging from heavy tariffs to outright confiscation and hoarding by the imperial government. This was said to prevent the proliferation of Black Damestear which threatened magical rule, which eventually led to the empire's end when the rebels of the Blackpowder Rebellion managed to get their hands on the confiscated damestear and converted it into black damestear bullets. The rebels eventually took control of the wider market and nullified large amounts of it, causing the price of Damestear to inflate, leading to a new age of colonial ventures in Aelantir to meet demand.

*(Chronicler's Note: The rise of gunpowder and magic-penetrating bullets meant that the art of wizardry changed over time: causing the art of abjuration, which dealt in protective spells, to slowly decline. By the 1700s, offensive schools evolved from devastating spells with long cast times to weaker and quicker spells for better maneuverability to negate exposure to bulletfire. -J)*

## OOC

* It's warpstone, redstone, lyrium etc of the Anbennar setting.
* Cubic crystal structure which means it can be *cubes* or octahedrons