Metals
Keywords:
METAL_INFO, METALS, DARK-MITHRIL, SHADOWFORGED, SILVERED-STEEL, TITANIUM, GOLDIRON, DARKSTEEL, ADAMANTIUM, ADAMANTINE, MITHRIL, PLATINUM
(*) Dark-mithril:A mithril that has been forged with traces of obsidian in it. This gives it a black, almost corrupted look, and leaves it more brittle and less durable than normal mithril (though still better than most steel). However, the benefit of doing this is that the obsidian in the metal tends to make the edge extremely sharp-- it maintains some qualities of mithril, and gains an important quality of obsidian, which is that it can hold the sharpest edge of any metal material known to mortals. It is said that an axe made of dark-mithril can cut through both of a giant's legs in one swipe.
The downside of this, aside from reduced durability, is that all but the most skilled blacksmiths will fail and simply corrupt the mitrhil, leaving it to be little more than a metallic rocky substance which isn't useful for much of anything, and tends to look quite ugly as well.
(*) Shadowforged metal: A metal made through an intense and almost entirelly magical processed. It is named such because it was first developed by the shadows in the village of Shadia. It is rumored to actually cut and injure the soul as much as the body, and seems to exist equally in the ethereal world as much as the material one, which is appropriate given who first created this method of forging. Most shadowforged metal is steel, but the technique can be used on any metal, but it is most commonly mithril or Adamantium, as the process is expensive and fairly secretive amongst those that know it...
It is the lighest of any known mortal metals (even moreso than aluminum or mithril), and as all known pieces of it are masterwork material due to the complexity of its making, it is known quite sturdy and sharp, though its actual quality isn't well-known.
(*) Silvered steel: A steel and silver alloy created through alchemical means. It loses some of its durability and sharpness, but gains the ability to damage demons and lycanthropes beyond normal metals. Well-forged, most wouldn't notice the difference until they face one of the aforementioned creatures.
(*) Titanium: A silvery, hard, and light metal, titanium is rarely used due to its difficulty in forging-- even exceeding mithril in that matter. It is harder than most steel, and holds a better edge, but steel can be made to be of a much higher quality, if heavier. It is extremely resistant to acid, almost as much so as platinum, and maintains a miniscule coating of tarnish (almost invisible) which prevents it from being chemically effected in most situations.
(*) Goldiron: A special iron that is found only on Thathoth. It is found under the mountains Ten-oh and Devana. As mount Devana is unstable, most of the iron comes from Ten-oh, mined by the Kobold people. It is gold in color, but has the same properties as steel (although it has the same effects as iron on fey and angellic creatures), for whatever reason-- due to some impurities that give it its color. It doesn't rust, and is resistant to acids and, after it's forged, resistant to heat, making its forging process a very involved and delicate one-- let it cool too much, and the merely is nearly impossible to reforge.
(*) Darksteel: A special iron-based metal. Its creation is a long process, by which special dyes are created through rare herbs, and the dyes are forged into the iron under the light ofa full moon. Such a process makes the steel inherently expensive to create, but when finished, the product is usually worth it. Darksteel armor nearly absorbs electrical energy, and the edges on darksteel weapons shock those they strike. Also, it can be forged to be harder and yet more flexible than normal steel, but not so durable as mithril or sharp as adamantium. After three days, its surface will turn to a dark purple color, yet any sharpened edge will maintain steel's usual silvery color.
(*) Adamantine: A heavy metal, as heavy as lead, it is blackish purple in color. It is one of the highest quality materials mortals can find and forge, and is closely associated with the dwarven race. Adamantine has a distinctly magical nature to it, and is found either deep under the ground surrounded by difficult stone (making dwarves one of the few races that can manage to mine it safely) or, as the lore goes, one mile underneath where a mortal ascended into godhood.
Adamantine is easilly enchanted, ultra-hard, and holds an edge which can only be surpassed by obsidian. Forged correctly, it is nearly impossible to break, but forged by inexperienced hands, it is brittle and easilly shattered.
(*) Mithril: A rare, famous metal, which is closely associated with the elf race. In its purest form it is an extremely white and shiny colored metal, though certain dyes or impurities can be added during forging to alter the color without ruining its qualities.
It is extremely light, yet harder than steel. It can be sharpened to be sharper than steel, but due to its hardness, it is difficult to sharpen, much as it is difficult to forge, and most edges tend to be equal to the highest quality steel even on quality weapons. As such, armors recieve most of the benefits of using mithril-- light weight, durability, and ability to stop weapons.
(*) Platinum: Platinum is a heavy, greyish-white colored metal, which is knwon for its resistance to corrosion and acid, as well as its rarity. It's not worth as much as gold, but it's more rare than the yellowy metal. It isn't as hard as steel, but it's harder than silver and gold. For the most part, use is restricted to jewelry due to its rarity and cost.
(*) Gold: Gold is a shiny yellow colored metal, which despite having no real use aside from jewelry and the like, has been highly sought after and is extremely rare. It has no known purpose aside from as money or jewelry.
(*) Silver: Silver is a shiny metal, that's softer than steel, but harder than gold,. and has its own color named after it. It conducts electricity better than any other metal aside from darksteel, and heat better than any metal period, making it a popular metal to put on the edges or tips of lightning and fire enchanted weapons and wands.
It is not hard enough to be suitable for weaponry, however there is an alchemical process which applies it to steel, giving Silvered Steel (see the appropriate section on that). The reason anyone would want to do this is that silver is considered a holy metal, and damages unnatural beings such as lycanthropes and demons.
Coined, it is also used as currency-- the lowest currency any adventurer would recieve in the wild. Copper is used as a lower currency for the common people.