Lyrite

Lyrite is a glowing blue crystal that is not native to the planet. As far as City Anijan researchers know, all Lyrite has come from outer space far beyond our skies in the form of two large meteors that made landfall several hundreds of thousands of years ago.

The crystals themselves seem to radiate a strange, somewhat benign energy, however any organic matter that makes contact with it begins to slowly dissolve or catch fire in extreme cases. The Matossa and Nphyr are the only exception to this. Valeth use the weak Lyrite energy in the air in order to see their surroundings.

This substance is the single most valued resource in Anetha due to its uses in "Magic" and the tools involved. For the Cities, Lyrite is what powers our lighting systems, running water systems, and other electrical devices.

The Lyrite Meteors
Roughly 20,000 to 35,000 years ago, two massive rocks slammed into the Southern coast of what is now Masakai and into the direct center of what is now Harik-Nadima, both coming from a grouping of asteroids within the Arenai Belt. It can be gathered that these meteors were geode-like in structure based on deep-sea studies conducted in the Sea of Stars.

About 60 years ago, a bright blue light was spotted in the sky through a Heran observatory. The light remained in the sky for roughly two days before it started showing a sort of azure vapor trail behind it while it sped off far south and out of view. Not long after this, a light earthquake shook the entire known world. This was deemed to be another Lyrite meteor and, so far, has never been located.

Characteristics and Usage
Lyrite appears similar to sapphire in many ways and has about the same hardness and texture, however, it glows blue and purple from the inside with an energy referred to as Lyr-Energy, which is named after renowned Naerigan-born scientist Henrik Merrin Lyr. Outside the cities, Lyr-Energy is called "Magic", after the Matossan order of Magians, or the "Mei-Xia".

The comparisons to fictional magic are, unfortunately, quite accurate. Lyrite, when refined and inset into an object, impart on the wielder the ability to manipulate the Lyr-Energy field it produces, known hereafter as the Lyr-Field.

These abilities are, but not limited to:
 * Firing a hardened bolt of Lyr-Energy at a target.
 * Manipulating the air pressure to simulate a telekinetic effect on objects.
 * Instant short-range teleportation up to several feet, with considerable strain on the body.
 * Manipulating the physical state of matter through temperature, such as turning water to ice or vapor, or causing wood to burst into flame, or heating metal to shape it into something else.
 * Creating small lights for use in dark areas or distracting and dazzling would-be attackers.
 * Voice amplification by touching the Lyrite implement to the throat.