Redstone
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Contents
The Marvels of Redstone
Red-stone, a common substance utilized to power appliances and machines, is a dusty mineral found within the deeper depths of the earth in the form of compacted, ore-like chunks. Once broken from it's stone prison, the shattered pieces of the red-stone ore are able to be collected and then later smashed up into a fine dust to properly utilize it's capabilities. Dwarves commonly use the substance for their in-numerous creations and the mineral has proven useful in Alchemy and the progression of Science in the realms of Aegis and beyond.
While the mineral is common, knowledge of why it holds it's properties is not. There has been little to no explanation on why it is capable of conducting energy, once shaped into stable wire; and this is purely because of the fact that the wrong people have been studying it's intricacies for the time it's existed as one of man's many useful tools.
Contrary to popular belief, Red-stone and it's mineralistic structure are purely based on arcane origins. Much like the 'Golden Pools' that had been created by collections of Mages' Gold around subterranean pools of water, Red-stones are minerals that have been warped by the effects of magical energy over a large period of time. Being so close to the "floor" of the earth, the Void had expelled energy up and into the softer stone above the Bedrock, tainting the lower-layers of the earth with pockets of sporadic mana, which, overtime, had developed into the peculiar crimson-hued substance that is commonly found to this very day.
Because of the diverse nature of Red-stone, it is able to be shifted into several forms and still retain it's conductive properties. Many examples include Red-stone wiring, blocks of hardened Red-stone (which acts as a continuous power-source once properly "fueled") and appliances and extensions to the Red-stone "tool-set" that allow the capabilities of the mineral to expand even moreso; a prime example being devices called "retrievers."
Uses of Redstone and it's Capabilities
There is a wide array of things that Red-stone, in it's base form or not, can achieve. There have been advances in Alchemy with it's powdered, raw form, innovations in technology involving energy-based lighting and piston-control and many other things that a common technician would recall upon a whim.
First of all, it's prime utilization is the ability to conduct electricity via wired form. Once properly compressed and adjusted into metal wiring, there is a large variety of things able to be created; things like lamps to darker inventions such as electric-chairs. Pistons are powered by Red-stone, and even a dim light-source can be made with Red-stone. There are many things to create with this substance, but like everything else that is useful, it also has it's dangers.
The Dangers of Redstone
Being a substance wrought from decades of mana compressing into mineral form, Red-stone is prone to being unstable if handled incorrectly. One of worst things to encounter is water-tainted wiring which bunches up and clots the crimson powder within the poorly-assembled wires, and if energy is conducted through this faulty wiring, the clot is prone to burn up, explode, and possibly start hazardous fires should such unfortunate events transpire within structures made of wood.
Miners, in the event of extracting the mineral from the earth, are prone to be blinded by the oft-dusty expel of the crimson substance upon cracking it open. Red-stone is able to easily damage a man's eyes on behalf of it's unstable properties.
Other obvious dangers such as heating Red-stone and over-conducting Red-stone are also things to take note of, as the outcome of either is similar to the outcome of the first example above.
The "Red-Lines" of Red-Stone
- Redstone cannot be crafted into make-shift bombs. The event of attempting this is more prone to causing the substance to explode on the tinkerer than after anything had been somehow crafted together.
- Redstone is not a source of mana for Mages. Redstone had become Redstone because the pockets of mana compressed overtime, and thus, developed into a mineral with special properties. Essentially—Redstone is solidified mana. Experimentation with magic, however, is not barred.
- Redstone cannot be utilized for the base of any healing concoctions. It is (understandably) poisonous and only through alchemy can it's hazards be diluted.
- Redstone, Redstone wiring or any devices concocted via Redstone origins cannot be utilized to create anything advanced. Common examples of "advanced" are weapons, robots and futuristic-esque machinery like boats, automobiles and flying ships. (especially boats—the boats would probably explode if they had wiring).
