Reivan Ash

The volcanic ash that gives the ashlands their common name is a unique phenomenon, unseen anywhere else in Arenia.
The vast majority of the volcanic ash in that region is just that - mundane volcanic ash, fragments and particles of stone, mineral, and obsidian, no different from the tephra expelled by any other volcanoes. However, an appreciable fraction of the ash mass comprises faintly magical metal particles. The concentration of these particles increases with proximity to the Mother's Shield, and in particular to Reivasa, the Great Mother, becoming particularly sparse in the far eastern reaches of the Wastes. Veins exist in the mountains of an ore composed of a mixture of iron and this magical substance. This element is what gives the ash such dangerously abrasive properties when blown in ash storms.
Reivan ash also interferes with magic, making scrying and teleportation within the ashlands difficult and unreliable.

History & Usage

Cultural Significance and Usage

Reivan ash is harvested by the Reivan Clans throughout the Wastes, and is extensively used in the production of the concrete that is the foundation of Reivan construction. It is also used in the the Crucible of Rannock Reivasa for the production of alloys including Reivan steel. The unique properties of the ash makes these materials incredible strong.
Both the harvesting of ash, and the materials produced from it, are of incredible cultural import in Reivan society. The industrial output that originates from the ash forms the basis of the Reivan economy, and is its primary export.

Type

Ore/Mineral