One of my players desperately wants to create an Adamentine battleaxe because it works as a +2 non-magical bonus even in no magic areas. But I don't like Adamentine because to me it screams: "Drow! Underdark!"
So, apart from Red Steel which is restricted to the Savage Coast, what other exotic metals and materials exist in Mystara that would be well suited to make rare weapons, armours and other items of?
Does Mystara have an equivalent to Mithril / Adamentine?
:-) Jesper
Regards
Gary
The only reference (except for the Red Steel thingies) I can think of is actually Mithril which was mentioned in the Darokin gaz.
If you dont like Mithril and the other official WotC materials, you could simply change their names and/or attributes slightly.
Mithril/Mithral could be called Truesilver, and Adamantite, could be called Truesteel for instance. Or there could be other names for them, inspired by regions which their are found. Altanite, from the Altan Tepes mountains for instance.
Also, metals from the elemental realms could be found, like Steel from the elemental plane of fire Pyresteel, Aquanite, Territium, or even Aerite... What the attributes of these metals would be is anyones guess...
Håvard
Regards
Gary
Mithril which was mentioned in the Darokin gaz
Really? Never came across that. Must look again.
If you dont like Mithril and the other official WotC materials, you could simply change their names and/or attributes slightly.
Mithril/Mithral could be called Truesilver, and Adamantite, could be called Truesteel for instance. Or there could be other names for them, inspired by regions which their are found. Altanite, from the Altan Tepes mountains for instance.
Also, metals from the elemental realms could be found, like Steel from the elemental plane of fire Pyresteel, Aquanite, Territium, or even Aerite... What the attributes of these metals would be is anyones guess...
Great names and interesting thoughts. I was toying with the idea of creating a new hard metal that only the dwarves still remembered how to forge and calling it "Jættejern" ("Jætte" in Danish meaning an Old Norse Giant and "jern" meaning iron or steel in Danish). But I lack a good translation into English (in case I get back to writing the campaign journals). "Giant Steel" somehow doesn't have a colourful fantasy ring to it... :D
I like naming the metal after the mountains in which it were found. It would also create a distinct feel when creating weapons whether the blade is made of iron ore from the northern Ylaruam or Southern Glantri or deep under Rockhome. It could even make ruling a dominion with a metal ore quite interesting suddenly, if the metal has good properties when e.g. it comes to channelling magic, electricity or some such.
:-) Jesper
I seem to remember that the Winged Warriors had wings of a strange silvery metal (must check DMR2) that I translated as being mithral.
Must check that too. It could also be that the Silver Warriors (I think they are called) that guard the Faerdorne Islands in the skies above Alfheim are made of a Mithril-like metal and the Faerdorne passed the secret on to the elves in a fairer age...?
:-) Jesper
Well here is some more info from my project:
Isiidium
Isiidium is a metal that far surpasses even adamantite in performance. Weapons from this metal are sharper than razor sharp and armor is nearly indestructible. Like red steel, normal weapons made of isiidium may hit magical creatures, even if it is not enchanted. It is extraplanar in origin- from the Plane of Rylum and a land known as Simoom (see IM2- The Wrath of Olympus). Not only is it not native to Mystara, it cannot even be forged on Mystara. Any Isiidium weapons and armor in Mystara came already forged from Rylum. Very few magic-users and other planar travelers know of Rylum, so only a few items come back to Mystara. Immortals sometimes will give them as rewards to devoted followers. Magical weapons and armor made of isiidium are incredibly rare- the Isiidi do not freely or easily let them go. Any magical isiidium item found has probably (95% chance) been enchanted after the fact on the Prime Plane. Because of this, they cannot be enchanted beyond +3, they cannot be intelligent. If the item was enchanted on the Plane of Rylum (5% chance), the item may be up to +5, be intelligent, and have talents, as a normal magic item would.
Isiidium: Cost Multiplier- x 500; Encumbrance is unaffected. Weapons are +3 to hit and +6 to damage; +3 bonus to armor class (i.e. Isiidium chain mail is AC2).
Geoff
**************
Marh Vhol - Metal of the Outer Beings
“In ancient days, of which we have scant records and half-remembered tales told by the firelight, there was a great race who ruled much of our world. They were not men as we know them, but of an entirely different race - a race touched by madness and shadows, it is said. Of their great works and mighty cities, we know nothing, save for what we have unearthed amidst the mossy ruins and worn stones that speak in mute testament to the once-awesome power of these strange, forgotten people.
“There was, however, one other thing that remained from those half-forgotten days. A strange, black metal, imbued with otherworldly power. Very little of it has been found, but those amounts known to exist have been hotly contested by sages, wizards, and the power-hungry. Weapons forged of this metal are said to be more durable, and deadlier against one’s foe. Blades made from it seldom lose their edge, and when wielded such weapons seem to give added prowess to their owners. Always, however, such gifts come with a price. Those who use the black metal for too long become attuned to...darker powers. Their bodies have been known to sicken and wither, and sometimes to develop an altogether unwholesome aspect. Few know for certain what transpires in the souls of those who use the black metal, but it is known that all who use it are changed somehow.
“Such is the power of this enigmatic substance, known by certain sages of old as marh vhol”.
- excerpted from “A Treatise on Rare Magical Metals”, by Rudolfo Benedetti, professor of alchemy at the Giovanni della Monte Academy of Thaumaturgical and Natural Sciences, Wendar City, Wendar, AC 988.
Trapped as they are behind dimensional and magical barriers, the Outer Beings are thought, by those who know about them, to be relatively harmless. Barring the odd incident where they may influence susceptible minds by aid of artifacts or weaknesses in the barriers containing them, it is thought that they are unable to affect the Prime Plane in any meaningful way, and that they spend their time in idleness. Sadly, this notion is incorrect.
Furious about being imprisoned all these millennia, the Outer Beings actively plot and scheme for a means to escape and wreak havoc on the Prime Plane. One means by which they do this is distributing the metal known as marh vhol to their followers, either as raw metal, or in the form of magical weapons crafted by their servitors in their various prisons. Some of the more powerful weapons are crafted by the Outer Beings themselves; these are by far the deadliest of their kind.
Marh vhol, which is a Carnifex word meaning “dark metal”, is fashioned from the basic solid matter composing the prison dimensions. These prisons, it should be noted, are not buildings or enclosed spaces per se, but entire worlds and planes of existence, from which the Outer Beings cannot leave. Thousands of servitors, accompanied by the spirits of former worshippers, labour ceaselessly to mine the fabric of the prison dimensions’ realities for the proper materials that may be used to fashion marh vhol. Once sufficient quantities are gathered, the Outer Beings will then use their powers to shape the material, to compress it down into its base elements, and to imbue with a fraction of their own strength. Occasionally, they will sacrifice some of their more powerful servitors, whose essences are then melded with the metal to strengthen it even more. In this latter case, the product is most often a finished weapon of some sort; very rarely would they make such sacrifices to craft the basic metal itself. Once finished, the product resembles a block of dense, black metal - marh vhol itself.
Often, the metal is then transported to the Prime Plane by way of bloody ceremonies conducted by worshippers, or it may be brought by summoned servitors. It is not given out freely, however; only the most loyal cabals of worshippers are granted even the tiniest amount of it. Whenever it is brought to the Prime Plane, it is most often for the purpose of crafting magical items to further the cause of the Outer Beings.
As mentioned above, in appearance marh vhol is a black metal. It is not dull; rather, it has a lustre to it reminiscent of obsidian, and there are never any imperfections in it. To the touch marh vhol is cold - holding it for prolonged periods (in game terms, more than six turns) will inflict mild frostbite damage to the possessor (1d2 damage per turn). In terms of weight, raw marh vhol is no more cumbersome than iron or steel. An additional, though less tangible, effect of marh vhol is its otherworldliness. Those tiny amounts that have been located and collected by sages an spellcasters have been shown to emanate a certain “alienness” - those exposed to it cannot help but notice its presence. It does not disturb them, but it does register its presence with them in some manner at the subconscious level, as though indicating that it does not belong there.
As mentioned above, marh vhol is brought to the Prime Plane for one purpose only - to aid in the construction of weapons and other items that will further the cause of the Outer Beings in various ways. Although this metal is not required to make such items, those items which are crafted from it - at least in part - are always among the most powerful. This is because marh vhol, no matter where in the Prime Plane it is located, or in what quantity it is found, is always attuned to the minds of the Outer Beings. Having been fashioned by them, it retains a small portion of their essence.
In game terms, there are no precise rules governing the use of marh vhol in the creation of magic weapons and other items, since each item created with it tends to be unique. Occasionally, the steel used to forge weapons and armour is mixed with tiny quantities of marh vhol in order to equip larger numbers of Outer Being worshippers. Generally, only one part marh vhol is required per twenty parts of mundane metals is required to accomplish this. If this is the case, all weapons created in this manner will acquire an additional damage bonus of +2, on top of any other bonuses that might be in place (magical or otherwise). Likewise, metal armour created in this manner reduces all damage received by the wearer by one. It should be noted that such bonuses not magical per se; they are properties of a metal that does not “belong” on the Prime Plane.
Those few non-worshippers who have managed to secure varying amounts of marh vhol have conducted numerous experiments concerning its origins and nature, as well as its possible uses. Although only a select few have managed to discover anything concerning the metal’s origin, all concerned do tend to agree that it is not of the Prime Plane, and that there could be inherent dangers in meddling too much with it. Incautious researchers have disappeared, or been found dead, as a result of acquiring too much of it, or of delving too deeply into the mystery of the metal. The various cabals of Outer Being worshippers throughout the Known World are always on the lookout for errant pieces of marh vhol, and they will do anything within their power to recover them for their masters.
Despite the dangers inherent in the metal, many scholars who come across it are not easily dissuaded from pursuing further knowledge, either out of curiosity or greed. Certain rulers also know of marh vhol, and eagerly seek out as much as possible in order to equip their elite forces with it, or combine it with red steel in order to produce, as certain alchemists believe it would, a “super-metal” of unrivalled potential. Whatever the motive, the growing thirst for marh vhol will only serve to spread chaos and dissent among the nations of Mystara, which can only aid the cause of the Outer Beings. Indeed, there are some scholars - those who know too much - who believe that this is their plan.
Maybe mithril mining is limited to this region alone in the whole planet (what about Thunderdelve dwarves unknowingly mining an ancient mithril meteorite crashed upon Mystara eons ago?)
Given the fact that Thunderdelve was once a thriving commercial community, we may say that mithril weapons and armours exist throughout Mystara, even if they are very rare. When Thunderdelve fell to monsters, mithril objects became even rarer.
Another rare metal for weapons and armours is the iron from Ylari mountains. From GAZ2 we know it is very rich in carbonium (a mine of natural steel?) and very appreciated in the Known World.
Really? Never came across that. Must look again.
Mithril is mentioned ever so briefly in the section on Darokinian jewelry.
There is also the anti-magical ore discovered by Ezechiel Naramis of Glantri fame. (Discovered in the Silver Sierras). I came up with some tentative 3E stats for it somewhere, and of course, I made some use of it in my brief Great Crater gazetteer.
Mithril is mentioned ever so briefly in the section on Darokinian jewelry.
There is also the anti-magical ore discovered by Ezechiel Naramis of Glantri fame. (Discovered in the Silver Sierras). I came up with some tentative 3E stats for it somewhere, and of course, I made some use of it in my brief Great Crater gazetteer.
Another mention of Mithril in the Darokin gaz is from the Adventure ideas section, where the party comes across a refugee from the lands of the Black Eagle Baron who has stolen a Mithril dagger. Apparently the Black Eagle has discovered an ore of this exotic metal somewhere within Karameikos.
Håvard
I also have Ylari steel, the better one of the Known World.
And Worldshield Ore has powerful anti-magic proprieties.
Black Steel is from 5 Shires, where BlackDaggers are smithed and are very poverful, with strange macigal effects.
I also use Ironwood from Alfheim, a strange, biological metal, taken from great, magical trees. Ironwood weapons glow lightly in orc presence.
Also orcs have their magical metal: Blue Steel. It is used in a very famous knife (the Blue Knife, of course), with great religious and prophetic value (shamanic spells of goblinoid races are very strong in blue steel).
And shadowelves use particular Soul Crystals.I know crystals are not metal, but we are speacking about strange materials, not metals, right?
I also use Ironwood from Alfheim, a strange, biological metal, taken from great, magical trees. Ironwood weapons glow lightly in orc presence.
I don't recall for certain, but doesn't Gaz5 make mention of special swords and arrows constructed from wood from the Trees of Life?
I don't recall for certain, but doesn't Gaz5 make mention of special swords and arrows constructed from wood from the Trees of Life?
Yes, you got it!
That's the ironwood I was speacking about ;)
Mithril is explicitly cited in "Thunderdelve Mountain" adventure.
Maybe mithril mining is limited to this region alone in the whole planet (what about Thunderdelve dwarves unknowingly mining an ancient mithril meteorite crashed upon Mystara eons ago?)
Given the fact that Thunderdelve was once a thriving commercial community, we may say that mithril weapons and armours exist throughout Mystara, even if they are very rare. When Thunderdelve fell to monsters, mithril objects became even rarer.
I know that Thunderdelve is an old D&D adventure but it was never my impression that it was set in Mystara. If so, where is it located??
:-) Jesper
I know that Thunderdelve is an old D&D adventure but it was never my impression that it was set in Mystara. If so, where is it located??
It's not explicitly set there, from what I recall (XS2 is one of the few modules I don't yet own), though several of the other modules were the same way, and retroactively placed there. I think the standard assumption that is generally made is that since it was part of the BECMI rules, and most of the other modules are set on Mystara, that Thunderdelve Mountain is as well (especially since the monsters introduced therein, such as the Fyrsnaca/Red Worms, later became part of Mystara's creature community).
As for where it is located, we have been discussing a possible location for it in this thread.
I seem to remember that the Winged Warriors had wings of a strange silvery metal (must check DMR2) that I translated as being mithral.
I was nearly right - they are made from a 'polished, silvery metal'.
Regards
Gary
So, apart from Red Steel which is restricted to the Savage Coast, what other exotic metals and materials exist in Mystara that would be well suited to make rare weapons, armours and other items of?
From Savage Coast:
Red Steel isn't limited to the 'Coast. It can be traded freely east beyond the City States (they recieve Red Steel in trade for their Cinnabryl, which they don't need... yet), and Inheritors would be hard pressed to prevent the trading beyond the Haze.
Glass Steel chainmail and weapons from the Winged Elves of the Arm of the Immortals might make their way into some traders' hands, but would be much more rare in the Known World.
Cinnabryl could be formed into anything that one could make out of gold (a mace-head), and might have strange effects, being magically radioactive.
Vermeil, the glowing dust of the Savage Coast might be usefull to someone in the Known World (Glantri?), but is pretty useless on the 'Coast.
From Glantri: KoM:
Urthellis (aka craterdust) is found in New Kolland after WotI: Costing 5000gp per ounce in Glantri, it decreases magical item creation time by 25%
Bluestar, a magical blue gemstone is also found in New Kolland has no specified effects.
From whole-cloth:
Someone once mentioned Blackore, a dense magical metal that Blackmoor used to use in their reactors (the reactors would eventually turn the Blackore into lead). Of course, most of the Blackore on Mystara was either used up or removed by Immortals in the Great Rain of Fire. Perhaps some Blackmoor robots use Blackore tipped projectiles (a la our depleted uranium bullets).
BTW, mithril might have a Middle-Earth feel, but so should Mystara in general (it's essentially real world cultures thrust into Middle-Earth physics).
Morgianti is a soul-drinking metal, and in some respects, it's alive and *hungry*. Weapons made of it are extremely rare because the process for making it are virtually unknown but there are suspicions that it involves trafficking with the denizens of various unpleasant planes.
Morgianti can be sensed by anyone, within 1ft for every 2in of length. So a 6in dagger can be sensed by anyone within 3ft, and a 2ft shortsword can be sensed up to 12ft away. The sensation is akin to a crawling or prickling along your spine. Imagine the sensation you get when someone runs their nails down a chalkboard and you've got the general gist.
For anyone who is sensitive to the flows of magic, this range is doubled and the sensation is much worse. There are recorded instances of some mages being physically ill when near one of these items.
Unusually, these weapons cannot be sensed whilst scabbarded. It's almost as though the items are sleeping in the darkness *brrr*
When slain by a Morgianti weapon, the PC cannot be resurrected or raised or reincarnated. They are gone, dead, deceased. Their soul has been utterly and irrevocably destroyed to feed the weapon.
Needless to say, my players hate the stuff. And unfortunately for them, it's very difficult to unmake these things, requiring high level priests and/or mages to co-operate with a very skilled smith.
Have you ever considered what an impact aluminium might make on a fantasy world? Strikes me that a world full of powerful magical alchemists might be able to get aluminium out of bauxite.