Etherglass

Etherglass was once the cornerstone of an advanced magical civilization, renowned for its vibrant, multi-colored brilliance and its integral role in sorcery. It served as the material foundation of the great central city, enabling sorcerers to wield unparalleled magic and traverse realities. Before the Shattering, it was likely used for communication, storage of knowledge, and the creation of magnificent structures.

During the Shattering, all Etherglass turned black and exploded into dust, becoming the deadly shifting sands of the Black Desert. This event obliterated the old world and erased most memories of what came before.

Despite its destruction, Etherglass dust still holds residual magical properties. While, it is believed that no true shard of Etherglass larger than a thumb survived the Shattering, artificial shards can be made. When mixed with blood, it forms ragged crystals capable of storing volatile, raw energy. These crystals are brittle and will not last for more than a few days unless stored carefully in a dry setting. Sorcerers can drain the power from the blood shards, but doing so releases their energy and turns the shard to fine dust again.

Very recently, a group of adventures discovered that the process for making pure Etherglass seemingly involved the industrial-scale sacrifice of living creatures.