Attunement Crystals

The crystals resemble quartz and are roughly rhombus-shaped. They glow from within with a color reflecting the stored elemental energy. When this energy is depleted - for example, after a powerful display of magic - the crystals lose their light and take on a dull, smokey gray color.

They absorb any elemental energy that is pushed in their direction. Therefore, they are not affected by Ground wielding like mundane minerals would be. Likewise, Body wielding does not affect them as it would bones or teeth.

These crystals are found on every sapient being on Miragia. Typically, they grow on the vertebrae and dorsal side of the uppermost rib. Among the Merfolk, these crystals often grow on the rays of dorsal fins.   They are well-connected to the vascular and nervous systems of the person in question. They grow throughout childhood and adolescence, nourished by minerals in the blood stream. The exact chemical composition depends on the individual's metabolism and the available diet, which explains the differences in attunement between species, ethnicities, or family members.

Attunement crystals are rather hard and resilient, but not immune to mechanical or chemical damage. These damages typically co-occur with traumatic injuries to the being on which they grow, such as a crushing blow with a blunt weapon or exposure to acid. In many cases, the being will die from those injuries anyway. If they survive, the crystals may heal over time. But since their growth slows down significantly at the beginning of adulthood, this can take several decades.   The crystals' ability to store energy depends heavily on their connection to a living nervous system. A being that is attuned to a particular current taps into it whenever it reads the flow, much like seeing or hearing the mundane world. This perception, which typically happens without conscious effort, recharges the attunement crystals. Therefore, the energy will start to dissipate when this individual dies or the surrounding nerves are damaged. It is also likely that a person will use their last energy reserves in a desperate attempt to save themselves.   Dead or severed crystals can still be used as energy storage by skilled wielders. However, in this state, they will lose their charge in less than a day.

The crystals themselves do not enable element reading or wielding, but merely store the related energy from their surroundings. By doing so, however, they allow beings to release more of that energy at once and influence the natural currents to a greater degree.

Showcasing one's attunement

Vividly glowing crystals signify high magical potential, and also show that a person is in good health. Therefore, people like to present them to each other.   Living in the polar regions, the shapeshifting species are used to wearing warm clothing or having fur that covers their crystals. Still, they like to wear shoulder-free garments in well-heated rooms.   The Elves live in warmer climates, and Air or Energy wielders have additional ways to conserve body heat. Therefore, they can afford to wear clothing that reveals their glowing spine crystals. These openings on the garment are often decorated with contrasting trims, embroidery, or sewn-on beads.   However, most Elves feel offended by shapeshifter immigrants or visitors flaunting their crystals in a similar way. Even if the shoulder crystals are low on energy in the Elven lands, their mere presence is considered an insult to the Elves' perceived privilege. Consequently, Werewolves on Vinalur tend to wear high-collared shirts or shawls around their shoulders. Fauns typically grow out the fur on their necks and shoulders before traveling there, whereas many Vampires actually delight in antagonizing the Elves.  

Retrieval of dead crystals

The crystals can be retrieved from dead bodies with relative ease. Reasons for doing so can vary wildly.  

• Elves consider them gifts from their Divine Parents, and see it as wasteful to dispose of them. Therefore, they salvage as many as possible and use them to construct magical artefacts. Those often remain with the deceased person's family, augmenting their innate magical potential. Some, however, are sold or traded, especially if the being in question was considered unworthy of having them.
• Werewolves donate all four shoulder crystals to their clan as a whole. They are added to the ancestral shrine to honor the clan's legacy.
• Fauns remove the best-looking crystal and hand it over to the deceased person's family. This crystal will usually be put on display as a way to remember them. Some families dedicate a house shrine to such crystals, while widowed spouses often wear them on an ornate necklace.
• Vampires collect crystals both for added power and as trophies. They often make a decadent display of those from enemies that they killed, for example in a luxurious chandelier. These decorations are often used to quickly recharge a Vampire's own crystals before or after they wield magic.

Removal from living beings

Technically, attunement crystals can also be removed from living beings, but keeping those alive and well is very challenging.   Surgical procedures have a high risk of causing massive blood loss and lasting nerve damage. Additionally, most crystals are firmly attached to the spine, and harming the vertebrae can permanently paralyze the being below that point. A skilled Water wielder may be able to limit the blood loss, but in most cases, Body wielding is required to protect the being in question.   Therefore, this is only done when the health and survival of the individual are irrelevant. The magic of prisoners or slaves is suppressed by elemental seals or similar artefacts instead.