Kuila
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Kuila, sometimes referred to as “Living Crystals,” are a crystal structure which grow in areas with a heavy concentration of natural or Druidic energy. Far from the ravages of Descendant civilisation, in nature’s secret hoards, there is ample primal energies of nature upon which a Kuila may begin to grow.
Contents
History
Unknown
Appearance
Typically appearing in clusters, the individual spires grow from between three and six metres in length, although this varies some between the climate in which the Kuila grows, for there are substantial differences between them. All Kuila however, hold a coloured translucence and when left undisturbed will glow in situ with a faint pulsing light, akin to a heartbeat- such lends to the moniker of a ‘living crystal.’
Nature is diverse however, and Kuila reflect this. There exist five Kuila variations, each forming at locations which embody the extremes of climate within the natural world.
Sunstone Kuila
Sunstone Kuila bear a golden yellow colour to their translucent structure. They are typically found in the hot sandy deserts of the world, where mortals scarcely dare to settle. Rarely their spires may even pierce the blanket of sand concealing them, thus making them visible upon desert nights, glowing faintly amidst the dunes.
Inferno Kuila
These Kuila are a fiery red in colour and found amidst the turbulent volcanic regions of the world. Typically founds more plentifully near active volcanoes, it is not unheard of to find them near inactive volcanoes, or other deposits of magma close to the world’s heart.
Infero Kuila will grow wider and shorter, with fewer spires in its cluster, compared to the formation of its cousins. They are remarkably resistant to hear and will not crack or shatter even under immense heat.
Glacial Kuila
Found deep amongst the snows of the tundra, in glacial caves and frozen fissures, Glacial Kuila are not small task to find within the world. Unlike their less frigid counterparts, these Kuila form in stalactites and hang from the ceilings of caverns and clefts, more easily seen in situ due to their snow-white glow.
Almost an exact opposite of Inferno Kuila, the Glacial Kuila forms in longer, slimmer spires akin to icicles and can be mistaken for one another. These Kuila possess a glass-like sharpness to them and can make for dangerous tips to one’s staff.
Marina Kuila
These deepsea crystals are a vivid deep blue in colour and glow, and are not unlike the Infero variety, in that they are shorter and wider, allowing them to better distribute pressure along their surface.
Due to the deep pressures of the environment in which they grow, Marina Kuila are resistant to blunt impact and pressure. In the ocean depths far from the light of the surface, Marina Kuila are more easily spotted, but they can become obscured in the shallower reefs of the world.
Evergreen Kuila
The most common variety of Kuila. Evergreens form in long even shards nestled amongst the roots of Elder Trees, or deep within caves under forest floors. Their dim green colour illuminates to a bright emerald in situ, making them easily distinguishable in the dark or amidst flora.
Evergreen Kuila have no distinguishing quality over its cousins, making them the more mundane sort.
Rarity
Sunstone Kuila
They are typically found in the hot sandy deserts of the world, where mortals scarcely dare to settle. This variety of Kuila grows in longer, thicker spires than its cousins, but unlike them is not rooted into rock and soil. Sunstone Kuila, as perhaps suggested by their namesake, are the brightest of all.
Inferno Kuila
They can be found near pools of bubbling molten rock, or buried under surface rock or obsidian.
Glacial Kuila
Unlike their less frigid counterparts, these Kuila form in stalactites and hang from the ceilings of caverns and clefts, more easily seen in situ due to their snow-white glow.
Marina Kuila
In the depths of the ocean, amidst plunging trenches and flowing coral reefs, grow Marina Kuila.
Evergreen Kuila
Evergreens form in long even shards nestled amongst the roots of Elder Trees, or deep within caves under forest floors.
Usage
In these large spires and clusters, Kuila are unstable and quickly shatter before a hammer and chisel. When this occurs, the superstructure breaks down into a large quantity of crystalline dust, and perhaps a few chunks of crystal.
These successfully harvested chunks are much more stable than the superstructure and will survive everyday wear and tear in pockets, lockboxes and in staves etc., where the in situ clusters are fragile.
Harvesting Redlines
-The first person to touch the harvested crystal with bare skin will bind to it, assuming they are not already bound to an existing crystal.
-The environment in which the node is discovered determines the crystal found, for instance one may not harvest an inferno Kuila from a forest cluster.
-Inferno Kuila are found within regions of volcanic activity, or close to the world’s mantle.
-Marina Kuila are found in coral reefs or ocean trenches.
-Sunstone Kuila are found in arid deserts, but non-sandy deserts are also possible.
-Glacial Kuila are found within the frigid wastes, glaciers or arctic regions of the world.
-Evergreen Kuilas are found in densely forested areas of the world, including Druid Groves if no other suitable place is available.
-To harvest them, one need only cut the cluster with a chisel and take the stable chunks which come free.
-This destroys the spire, resulting in a large quantity of dust. The spire will regrow over time.
-The dust may be harvested freely from any node site without ST supervision. Kuila dust items do not require ST signatures.
Applications (RAW FORM)
Crystals
Kuila first and foremost are a crystal which is a major conductor of natural or Druidic energy. Just as they glow in situ, so they also glow in the possession of a Druid utilising their Gifts, adopting a brightness scaling with the energy being used. For instance, a newly-Attuned Druid Communing for the first time will cause a Kuila to give off a faint flickering light, while a centuries-old Druid Powersharing with many others to purge blight will give off a healthy, but soft glow.
This connection is far deeper than one might imagine however, as Kuila will bond to the souls of mortals, chiefly those of Descendants, but Wonks, Kha and Hou-Zi are capable for bonding as well. The first of such folk to touch a Kuila will be bound to it, establishing a very small, weak connection with the living crystal. To Druids this allows one to begin establishing a small reservoir of Druidic energy, to be later drawn upon to supplement their own, like a battery. To those not Attuned however, they will find this connection will not blossom and they are unable to use this battery-like quality. Even those Druids who come to bond with a Kuila will require months of meditation and Communion with it, before it can be used in such a way.
When a Druid draws upon a Kuila’s reservoir to stave off the exhaustion associated with casting, it grants four (4) emotes’ worth of energy, effectively allowing a Druid a ‘free’ spell or at least a partly ‘free’ spell. This may be used once during a combat scenario, after which the Kuila will need refueling through meditation and Communion, or allowed to regenerate on its own over an IRL week.
Dust
One might be bemused at the destruction of Kuila clusters into thousands of granules of dust, but this dust has its own uses among Druids also. The dust itself also conducts Druidic energy, and while it cannot form a reservoir, it will still glow when touched by a casting Druid. When pulverised and mixed into resins for woodwork, metals for smithing, or inks for tattooing, it will keep this property and produce a soft glow when the resulting work is touched by a casting Druid.
The dust will however, only glow the colour of the cluster from which it came. If one were to mix red Kuila dust with a yellow resin, the result would be a dim red glow. However when pulverised, one may combine several coloured dusts together and add to their preferred resin, metal or ink to create a variety of secondary and tertiary colours. Unfortunately this produces a less brilliant glow than the primary red, green, blue, white and yellow.
Raw Form Redlines
-Kuila crystals take on a soft glow, the colour of the crystal, when in direct skin-contact with a casting Druid. This includes the passive Communion of a T5 Druid, if the Druid wishes.
-Any Kuila larger than an orange loses its reservoir.
-Only Druids may access this reservoir of energy.
-A Druid may only bind to one (1) crystal. If they wish to have another, they must smash the first.
-Druids may not access the reservoir of Kuila they are not bonded with.
-The direct blood child of a Kuila’s original bondee may bond to the Kuila if the original bondee has died, as their soul closely resembles that of the original bondee. For example, if a Druid is bonded to a Kuila and dies, their child by blood may bond to the Kuila after meditation, but not that Druid’s parent or sister etc.
-This reservoir of Druidic energy may be used only once per combat encounter.
-Drawing upon the battery of Druidic energy within grants for up to four (4) emotes of energy, allowing for a free spell, or a discounted energy cost to Druidic abilities.
-After this has been used, it must be recharged out of combat through a Druid meditating and Communing with it, or passively after one IRL week.
-Kuila are crystals and as such can be faceted, polished etc. as other precious stones may be.
-A Kuila can be destroyed with a heavy blow from a hammer. With the exception of Marina Kuila, they are not particularly durable over mundane crystals. A Glacial Kuila is unable to puncture platemail for instance.
-Kuila dust can be pulverised and mixed with resins, molten metal, paints, tattoo inks, glass etc., to create glowing works. All of which do not require ST approval/signing.
-Like Kuila crystals, these only glow when touched by a casting Druid.
-A T5 Druid may choose to have their tattoos etc. glow with their passive Communion, if they wish.
-If Kuila dust of differing colours are mixed to produce secondary or tertiary colours, they are less bright than the original five colours.
