warpstone

Warpstone is a fictional mineral that appears in the Warhammer fantasy and Warhammer 40,000 settings. It is described as a green, crystalline substance rich in volatile warp energy. Warpstone is highly valuable and sought after for its extraordinary properties, but it is also extremely dangerous to handle. Exposure to warpstone can grant potent magical or psionic effects while simultaneously causing radiation sickness, mutation, or corruption of living beings and machinery.

Origins and occurrence vary by setting, but warpstone is commonly associated with the Warp, the source of Chaos energies. In many stories, it is mined from underground veins or cavern systems, particularly by the Skaven, a subterranean rat-folk civilization. Warpstone is also described as sometimes arriving on the world as meteorites or forming in magical laboratories under controlled conditions.

Properties and hazards are central to its portrayal. The material is unstable and toxic, with dust or fumes capable of causing severe health effects, mental instability, or dangerous mutations. Its volatile nature can attract daemonic entities or disrupt technology if misused. Safe handling typically requires specialized containment and protective measures.

Uses and significance are broad within the lore. Warpstone is used as a powerful energy source for warp-powered engines and devices, as a catalyst in magical rites, and as a component in weapons and artificing. Economically and culturally, it drives rivalries and conspiracies, especially among Skaven and various technomancers, making it one of the most coveted yet perilous substances in its fictional universe.