Metasubstances

Metasubstances, sometimes called Exotic Elements or collectively referred to as Exotic Matter, are bizarre, high-energy forms of matter created when extremely dense atoms combine with small amounts of antimatter particles. Under certain conditions, the energy released in the ensuing reaction will merge with the remnants of the atom and condense into a mysterious fourth type of subatomic particle, known as a meton. The exact nature of metons is a complete mystery to most civilizations, but they behave in a similar fashion to neutrons, conglomerating with protons at the nucleus of Metasubstance atoms. Metasubstance atoms only contain protons and metons, but remain neutrally charged despite the absence of negative particles. Their lack of an electrical field makes Metasubstance atoms extremely unstable in their raw state, so it is commonly accepted that Metasubstances can only be created in laboratories, and are not naturally-occurring.

Despite this presumption, Metasubstances have been discovered in nature, taking on a strange crystalline form that stabilizes their atoms and allows them to be safely harvested. The process by which Metasubstances crystallize is also believed to be artificial, but whatever civilization(s) this process was invented by is unclear.

Through the combined scientific efforts of numerous civilizations, only eleven different Metasubstances have come into existence, which are ranked from Tier 1 to Tier 6 depending on the number of protons and metons they contain. Higher-tier Metasubstances tend to be more unstable than lower-tier ones, and likewise are significantly harder to create and control. The list of all known Metasubstances is as follows.

Tier 1: Achium, Povadium, Yhxalan’s Ash

Tier 2: Lavernium, Molbuvium

Tier 3: Desidium

Tier 4: Revonium, Llevvkk

Tier 5: Ockium

Tier 6: Ether Bile, Xubuxoxcy