A readthrough of Level 8 may be required to understand sections of the article.
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Critiqued by:
River D Tinsage
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Languages:Languages:
IOTSPTS:
0
Object Number:Class:
82
ConcordArea of Effect: Object Classification System
Uncommon
RarityFrequency
Completely unnecessary
UsefulnessDuration
Exclusively at Level 8
LocationIntensity
DESCRIPTION
An image of Object 82
Object 82, commonly known as Sage Crystals, are crystals that bear a strong resemblance to quartz in both appearance and physical properties. The object has only been found at former ritual sites of the Church of the Veiled1. Sage Crystals, similarly to quartz, although brittle, are fairly hard, clocking in at a 7 on Mohs hardness scale, which is higher than jade and lower than topaz. They are also incredibly heat resistant, with a melting point of 1670°C2, and are poor at conducting electricity.
One major difference that set Sage Crystals apart from quartz is their considerably lower mass. For scale, quartz has a mass of 265 g/m² compared to Sage Crystals with a mass of 140 g/m². Another unique property of the object is its unusually high resistance towards corrosion, similar to Iridium. These differences are seemingly inexplicable considering the identical molecular structures of quartz and Sage Crystals.
Sage Crystals are commonly used in jewelry, being sold by vendors as good luck charms in the form of rings or necklaces. They are also advertised as being capable of curing diseases or reviving the dead, but these claims remain entirely unproven. Due to their association with the Church of the Veiled, the crystals could also have been bewitched; reports of the disappearance of individuals who were in possession of the crystals have piled up, but the causation is entirely speculative. Regardless, caution is advised.
Due to their similar properties to quartz, Sage Crystals are also used by wanderers in a similar manner as quartz. These include glassmaking, casting metals, creating refractory bricks, and sharpening tools.
Out of all the major groups of interest, the Backrooms Robotics uses Sage crystals the most, using them mainly in the production of semiconductor chips3. There have also been several unconfirmed projects regarding the construction of drones that can withstand extreme conditions, which intend on using the crystals for certain vital components due to their resistance towards corrosion as well as their low mass.
Notably, the Lost have also found their own uses for the crystals; some members of the Lost Legion and the Lost Suns use the material to craft tools or cut certain gems, while other members of the group tend to use it for worship or decoration. Either way, most members of the group are very receptive towards wanderers that carry them. This also applies to normal quartz as well. The reverence the Lost has towards the crystals are thought to be due to their quartz-like properties, and not because of their anomalous properties as they possess no knowledge on the crystals' composition.
It is widely speculated that Sage Crystals are creations of the Veiled, given the fact that they appear exclusively at former Church ritual sites. However, these theories struggle to create a motive as to why the Church would bother with creating these crystals.[SEE CREATION SECTION FOR MORE INFO].
CREATION
CONCLUSION
After several months of testing, the only other property discovered of Sage Crystals is their high tolerance to acids. While much speculation has been given to the object regarding its potential to be cursed, there is still no solid indication that these crystals are cursed. Regardless, it is still cautioned against wearing or touching them especially in the wild or from unidentified street vendors.
IOTSPTS:
3
Object Number:Class:
82.1
ConcordArea of Effect: Object Classification System
Uncommon
RarityFrequency
Helpful but not necessary
UsefulnessDuration
Exclusively at Level 8
LocationIntensity
DESCRIPTION
Frvyo Quartz is a sub-type of Sage Crystals. The object is identical to its generic counterpart aside from its ability to interact with Frvyo9. This is odd given that quartz is unable to interact with Frvyo safely.
The distinguishing feature of this object is similar to that of Frvyo Jade; while Frvyo Jades illuminate when an entity is detected, Frvyo Quartz release flashes of white light along with a small amount of heat at varying frequencies depending on the entity's danger or threat level10. Known frequencies are listed below in descending order:
| Frequency of flashes | Danger of Entity | Advice |
|---|---|---|
| 4 flashes per second | High Danger/Extremely Hostile | Avoid this threat at all costs |
| 2 flashes per second | Moderately High Danger/Hostile | Highly encouraged to avoid the threat |
| 1 flash per second | Moderate Danger/Minimally Hostile | Avoid this threat if possible |
| 1 flash for every 2 seconds | Moderately Low Danger/Unsafe | Threat is unsafe but approachable |
| 1 flash for every 4 seconds | Low Danger/Safe | Threat can be safely approached |
OVERHEATING
A picture of overheated Frvyo Quartz
If left activated for too long11, Frvyo Quartz will overheat. An overheated crystal is blood-red in color. If left in this state for an hour, it will explode, sending hundreds of shards flying though the air at speeds enough to pierce through the human body. Not only that, a large amount of the neurotoxin12 Frvyo gas is also released, causing everyone in the vicinity to be poisoned through inhalation. It is thus highly advised to not bring Frvyo Quartz to levels with high entity count.
RELIABILITY
Frvyo Quartz occupies a similar niche in exploration to Frvyo Jades. They are a lifesaver in isolated environments and regions thick with cover such as heavily forested or overgrown areas as well as places where the entity population is low. While in high entity population areas, such as metropolitan cities and entity nests, the crystal is very unreliable. Frvyo Quartz is also rather risky to use for long-term exploration. They are also a risk in levels where illumination is low as the brightness of the crystal can be detected easily, especially by light sensitive entities like Deathmoths and Smilers.
THEORIES
The discovery of Frvyo Quartz created a lot of speculation regarding the connection between the Church of the Veiled and Frvyo. Multiple theories have been put out that the Veiled could produce the anomalous compound. However, these theories still lack concrete evidence.
