Force crystal

Force crystals are magical devices for storing mechanical work. They provide a high power and energy density, making them essential for compact mechanical devices such as wingpacks. Their main drawback is that they can only be used once, so the cost of creating them makes them an expensive energy source.

The actual mechanism behind this is a form of reversible transmutation. The process for creating a force crystal involves converting work into heat. Unlike ordinary friction, this magical process creates a transmutation residue, which is then imbued into the crystal. The transmutation residue gives the crystal the ability to perform the reverse reaction. This is much like the operation of a heat engine, except that a force crystal is 100% efficient and does not require a cold reservoir; some force crystals are able to draw energy from ambient heat at room temperature. Also, unlike a heat engine, the crystal is expended in the process. In this sense, the crystal is really a form of "fuel" rather than an engine, but the amount of transmutation residue it can store gives it an effective energy density far beyond that of any chemical fuel.

Force crystals also form a key component in power arrows.

Go to index.