Ar'Nuhûnium

... the metal stolen from the gods.

Created by Acturus Albani, who is unclogging the writer's block.

Ar'Nuhûnium, also called Dragon's Fortune in many parts of the world of Arc - Tus , is a rare and sought out metal that has many properties that cannot be found in other metals, like extreme durability, incredibly light weight and, to some degree, magic absorption and retention. Not anyone can work a lump of Dragon's Fortune into something worthwhile, and fewer still can afford it without making some sort of bargain. There are very few examples of items larger than small daggers constructed from this metal, and most of them are kept inside the vault of the highly rich as something to brag about.

The name Ar'Nuhûnium was coined in the The Kingdom of Crendameth, although the exact origin of the name has been disputed, with most books and registers from learned scholars stating that the name might be an allusion to King Ar'Nuhûn, a rather obscure myth in the continent with the same name.

Its alternative name, Dragon's Fortune, is also a point of contention, although the general consensus is that the material is so scarce people covet it like dragons covet their legendary treasures.

Properties

Material Characteristics

In it's unprocessed state, Ar'Nuhûnium ore looks like something fit for a king's treasure trove because of how colorful and shiny it is.

Once it's been purified, the material obtains a bright metallic sheen and a polished luster. Without any further processing or tampering, it serves as a rough mirror of sorts, although it lacks the sharpness that a mirror would posses.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The metal in its pure form is quite hard and rigid, with no test being able to bend it or produce a dent in its surface. It was once posited that it was harder than diamonds, but there is yet to be conclusive evidence to support this claim.

It has been demonstrated that this material, like all other metals, is an excellent conduits for heat and the stuff of lightning.

Additionally, the metal seems to exhibit a soft to moderate glow with a pale blue to white shine during the hours of the night. What causes this phenomenon has largely been attributed to magical energy intrinsic to the metal itself, but this explanation in itself has remained largely inconsistent.

This metal does not appear to rust, regardless of the conditions it is submitted to.

The properties that are of most interest are its malleability under certain conditions and its near indestructibility once it cools down. The blacksmiths that have had the opportunities to work with have marveled at the sheer versatility it can attain when it reaches a certain degree of hotness, which has been known as Gremm's Heat in Ar'Nuhûn for quite some time. Some unverified accounts claim that the weather, time of day, seasons and even the general "feel" of the place where the metal is being worked can affect the finished product.

Compounds

It is usually better to work Dragon's Fortune without combining it to any other substance, as it makes the resulting alloy brittle and unwieldy.

However, there are some master blacksmiths that are said to have discovered ways to integrate other metals into the construction of different objects. These techniques, however, were kept secret and were never taught, so when the masters perished, the secret died with them.

Geology & Geography

Dragon's Fortune is found in small, concentrated caches spread far and wide throughout the world with no discovered pattern to them as of the time of writing. These caches are found mostly underground, yet any one aboveground is not unheard of, going so far as the heights of some of the mountains in the Duchy of Estus.

Origin & Source

Ar'Nuhûnium is found primarily in kingsore, also called richrocks, which is a naturally occurring, albeit rare, ore that usually contains iron, gold and the metal itself, with chances it also containing gemstones.

Other minerals can contain the material, such as in fool's gold or in some lead ores, but in very small amounts.

Life & Expiration

According to Adib Juzhan in his Study of the Fundamental Materials of the World, Dragon's Fortune does not present any sort of decay, comparing its stability to that of a great mountain unabashed by the changes of the weather.

History & Usage

History

Dragon's Fortune is widely considered to be one of the most mysterious and alluring materials ever to exist. The promise of its awesome power in the hands of an extraordinary wielder is a common topic of legends and myths, with some historical records showing that some artifacts made out of the metal that have apparently been lost to the ages.

It's usefulness has been consistent throughout the recorded history of the world, with the more 'far out' applications till being used as thoughts experiments and hands-on applications for the more daring blacksmiths and alchemists.

Discovery

No one is sure who discovered Ar'Nuhûnium, nor the exact location and date of its discovery, but there are historical accounts describing Andor Crendameth's sword as

... one that blinded any soul foolish enough to stare at it, like the sun poised in the edge of his blade...

.

However, the person credited with discovering most of the metal's properties is Irena Gremm, a blacksmith that lived during the Age of the Sword. She established the heat point at which Ar'Nuhûnium starts presenting its fabled malleability and built a furnace to expedite the processing and purifying it.

Everyday use

The most 'common' item that can be made out of Dragon's Fortune are small, ornamental figurines that might adorn the house of someone with considerable means at their disposal. Baron Estruck, one of The Voidlord's commanders, wanted to have a full set of silverware made out of the stuff, and was nearly bankrupted by the first five spoons.

It's not unheard of that some families, be them of the highest birth or of the humblest origins, pass down heirlooms in the form of trinkets and baubles from generation to generation, sometimes resorting to sell them in times of great need in the case of the latter, or using it as a bargaining chip for the former.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Ar'Nuhûnium is very prized in the country that coined its name and many others for more than its monetary worth, as items are used in some festivals or occasions, but more than them being the center of the ritual, they enhance the experience and give it a higher sense of importance.

This, of course, has interested thieves' guilds throughout the years, staging grand heists to steal said items with varying degrees of success. Such is the case of the Moon Circlet, a diadem that was used in the Night of the Moonlance festivals and has since been replaced with a silver-and-iron one.

Following up with this, some of the festivals or rituals that include some item that is made out of Dragon's Fortune are.

• Day of the Sundisc, a Crendamite ceremony that involves a small, flat disc worn as a pendant with an encrusted orange topaz carried out in the city of Solaris. It is one of the only known pieces of jewelry made out of the metal.

• Night of the Moonlance, another Crendamite ceremony that is performed chiefly in the Shadowfort that used to include the aforementioned Moon Circlet.

• The First Hunt, an occasion in the Kingdom of Al Ramalwhil where the current ruler declares the start of the year by hunting down and killing an animal using a small knife made out of Dragon's Fortune.

• Waterstars, a phenomenon near the cost of Valhindle where, one night every year, tiny motes of the metal can be seen riding the ocean currents.

• Bellchime, a Hikenist celebration in the Yōken Empire where a single, small bell made out of the metal is rung four times, accompanied by other bells. It is said that the Dragon's Fortune bell is far lower than the volume produced by all others. Those who hear it are believed to be blessed to find true love.

Industrial Use

Because of how rare it is, there is no large-scale production of any one item made out of Ar'Nuhûnium, and there is no common alloy that can be created and enhance its properties.

Refinement

Ar'Nuhûnium, in its natural state, is useful only as a decoration. A lengthy, problematic and costly set of steps is required to obtain the metal in a usable form, starting with the extraction of the ore when discovered. This can usually be done without any need for equipment more specialized than a regular pickaxe, but it will require a good amount of patience and raw strength, as kingsore is a very hard mineral.

Once it has been mined, the ore must then be carried to a specialized furnace, called a Gremm Furnace, one that uses runes to crush, separate and heat the mineral in that order. It is first grounded to a powdery substance, afterwards using magnetism to sort out the different metals and, once the other materials have been removed, are purified using the fire runes.

Here, however, is where the complications begin. While the gold is not attracted to the magnetic runes, iron and Dragon's Fortune are, and it is difficult to spot the differences between them with the naked eye. This makes magic the only viable resource, and that, in itself, is a process that lasts a full six hours at the least.

Even when sorted, simply heating up the grounded ore is not enough to fully purify the metal, because trace amounts of other metals or substances can still be found through magic examination. This prompts the people attempting to purify the ore to repeat the heating process multiple times and to use certain acids and potions to strip the resulting metal of the remaining impurities. That, in turn, is another problem, because these concoctions are prepared under very specific conditions and uses rare ingredients.

The process is complete once the metal has it characteristic luster and is submitted to a simple test, where the resulting product is isolated in a glass container and taken out at night. If it presents the soft blue glow the metal is famed for, the metal is ready for use. Otherwise, further purifying is needed.

Byproducts & Sideproducts

When extracting Dragon's Fortune from kingsore, iron and gold are usually obtained in amalgams that can be later separated via alchemical means or through magical transmutation. In rare occasions, some gemstones can be obtained from the mineral itself before any processing is done.

There have been reports that kingsore contains low amounts of æther, yet these claims have largely been panned by scholars, claiming that the æther would dissipate when near a humanoid body.

Hazards

No adverse effects have been conclusively linked to the refinement or handling of kingsore. There has been a claim that people who have successfully crafted large items using this material seem slightly off, as if they've permanently lost a bit of color or energy.

Environmental Impact

Minimal, as there is not enough of it to mount a large-scale mining operation that could harm the enviroment.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Kingsore is an exotic item to sell, therefore making it a somewhat odd trade good. Most times people will stumble upon it by accident and don't really know what they found, so they'll sell it for much less than its actual price.

Once the ore has been secured by someone who knows what it is, the odds of them selling it at an inflated price increase exponentially.

Blacksmiths and certain jewelers will not part with the refined material unless they find a way to work it into something they can sell, although most times they will part with it if their need is great.

Storage

Most processed Ar'Nuhûnium is stored in vaults under heavy locks because of how valuable it is, but it can be stored with no fear of it being contaminated by anything. As it doesn't rust, the greater fear would be thieves that attempt to get their hands on it.

Law & Regulation

In no part of the world is Dragon's Fortune heavily regulated other than Filmente, where all pieces of kingsore are to be turned into the Autocracy Tresurery, and any hoarding is heavily punished.

Type

Metal

Value

A pound of Dragon's Fortune costs around 750 gold pieces at the cheapest, and can easily go up to 1000.

Rarity

Very rare (less than 1% of all metal in the world).

Odor

Odorless unless it comes into contact with fire, where it smells of petrichor.

Taste

Metallic.

Color

Lustrous gray or light blue, depending on how contaminated it is.

Boiling / Condensation Point

Unknown. It is said that there is no magic or craft able to produce enough heat to boil a single ounce of Dragon's Fortune.

Melting / Freezing Point

Unknown. It is estimated that only incredible sources of heat, such as those produced by volcanoes or dragons, can turn Ar'Nuhunium into a liquid.

Density

It has been observed that an ounce of the metal can displace up to a sixth of a fluid ounce of water.

Common State

Solid.

Related Locations

• Arc - Tus

Related Technologies

• Gremm Furnace