Blackglass Dust

"You don’t need to see through it. You just need to know that nothing sees you." -Captain Vorin Grell, former Opulence scout commander

Blackglass Dust is a shimmering, volcanic byproduct formed when magick-laden eruptions interact with the dying echoes of life, specifically the moment of death itself. Found primarily near the smoldering craters and deep chasms of Everwealth’s volcanic regions, it is renowned for its ability to bind with shadow and obscure the presence of the one who wields it. Used in potions of concealment, shadow-walking rituals, and powerful magick alloys such as Hexsteel, Blackglass Dust is both potent and dangerous. Those who overuse it find themselves fading not just from view, but from memory, voice, and self.

Properties

Material Characteristics

In its raw form, Blackglass resembles fractured obsidian, but with a subtle shimmer of violet and deep blue along its edges. The dust is dangerously fine and floats easily in still air, clinging to skin, fabric, and shadow alike. Its presence is often marked not by what you see, but by what you no longer do.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Highly reactive to shadow magick and emotional residue, particularly fear and guilt. Absorbs light in small quantities, dulling reflections and making nearby objects appear dim. Alchemically unstable if mixed with solar-charged materials. Known to leave minor burns on unprotected skin if directly applied.

Compounds

Key ingredient in potions of invisibility and veiling elixirs though these are heavily regulated. Infused into cloaks, weapons, and armor to dampen sound and obscure visibility. Forms the core reagent in Hexsteel, granting the alloy its whispering aura and anti-light properties. Also used in rituals to silence scrying or tracking attempts.

Geology & Geography

Harvested from the cooling beds of ancient volcanic flows, particularly those touched by catastrophic events involving loss of life. The volcanic craters near the, mostly, dormant Mount Ashmaw amid The Ramshackle Islandsare prime collection sites. Dangerous to extract due to unstable terrain and toxic fumes.

Origin & Source

Formed when molten rock and concentrated death magick interact during violent eruptions. Some scholars believe the presence of recently slain life near the magma is what gives it its shadow-binding properties. Recovered in sheets or clusters, then shattered and ground down.

Life & Expiration

Alchemically stable for decades, but loses potency if exposed to direct sunlight or divine magick. Begins to flake and pale after prolonged contact with silver or consecrated surfaces.

History & Usage

History

Once considered useless slag, Blackglass was discovered to have alchemical properties during the Schism, when witches used it to vanish amidst battles. Later refined by rogue scholars of Newforge, it became the backbone of anti-light metallurgy. Its link to Hexsteel forged its place in dark alchemical history. Some Scholars attribute its magickal properties to the raw, concentrated magicks compressed beneath Gaiatia finally being released during volcanic events relieving these natural pressures, but there is little research to verify these claims, a common theme here; The origins, or implications, of such materials not understood until it is too late.

Discovery

First officially documented by the wandering scholar Lys Arvell in 12 CA after surviving a minor eruption at the Veilrift Caldera. She noted how even the ash didn’t cling to her boots near the glass, and how her shadow moved a second slower.

Everyday use

Used by spies, assassins, and scouts in powdered form to dull armor shine or scent. Mixed with ink for secret missives, or applied to arrows to hide them mid-flight. Cultists and mercenaries prize it for tools meant to "go unseen."

Cultural Significance and Usage

Associated with secrecy, treachery, and sorrow. The Hollow-Eyed, a cult of magickal seers, use it in rites to blind themselves ritually, replacing vision with shadow sense. Among the Dwarfs, it is known as "Griefglass," believed to echo the screams of ancestors if shattered.

Industrial Use

Used sparingly in forging cloaked gear or weaponry, especially those commissioned for silent operations. Newforge's Emberfall Forges produce a limited line of reinforced armor using it, but the process is hazardous and costly.

Refinement

Requires grinding under shade and low humidity. Must be handled with bone or silver tools to prevent contamination. The fine dust is stabilized in swamp oil or nightroot resin before being added to potions or metals.

Manufacturing & Products

• Invisibility Elixirs.

• Hexsteel Core Blades.

• Whispered Ink (Used in occult contracts, only able to be seen by those who have placed a drop of their own blood into the ink vial from whence it came.)

• Eclipse Lanterns (A prized form of lantern which casts a light only it's wielder can see.)

Byproducts & Sideproducts

Produces iridescent ash that resists burning, sometimes sold as pigment. Residual fumes from grinding can cause hallucinations or cold sweats. Occasionally forms “ghost flakes,” thin shards that disappear under light exposure.

Hazards

Extremely dangerous when inhaled, causes memory lapses, paranoia, and in rare cases, loss of one’s own shadow. Chronic exposure may result in a fading presence syndrome, wherein the afflicted is no longer noticed by others.

Environmental Impact

Contaminates nearby soil with necrotic residue. Prolonged exposure causes small plants to wilt or grow stunted and crooked. Rumored to attract shadow creatures or spirits to extraction sites.

Reusability & Recycling

Can be re-ground and reused if stored properly. Dust from shattered items retains some potency. However, over-refining weakens its shadow-reactive properties, turning it into little more than cursed glitter.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Sold through smuggler rings, witch covens, and select rogue Dwarfish merchants. High demand in Opulence’s underworld, though the Republic of Newforge monitors its flow closely due to its link to Hexsteel.

Storage

Kept in dark glass vials or bone boxes, sealed with wax and buried in cold ash. Exposure to daylight or strong radiant magick causes decay. Some keep it wrapped in shadow-drenched cloth from cursed ruins.

Law & Regulation

Illegal in most Everwealth provinces outside of licensed alchemical guilds. Possession without documentation is punishable by confiscation or exile. Dwarfs require specific permits to trade it and destroy unlicensed stock on discovery.

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Value

Highly valuable to rogue alchemists, spies, and elite hunters. Forbidden in most city markets, but bought in secret at high prices. Pure samples are rare; most sold in diluted packets with false filler.

Rarity

Very rare, especially in fine dust form. Few eruptions produce viable samples, and fewer still occur in areas where death magick is strong enough to create Blackglass.

Odor

Charred stone and ash with an undercurrent of sulfur and blood, faint but unforgettable.

Taste

Dry and bitter, like the soot scraped from the walls of a burnt temple. Leaves a metallic tang if inhaled.

Color

Deep black with a violet iridescence when disturbed or caught in low light. Crystalline and jagged in raw form, powdered into a glimmering dust.

Boiling / Condensation Point

Boils at 2,800°C, forming a smoky, caustic vapor that much like the volcanic ash in the sky from the Schism's disturbances of the world, lingers unnaturally in the air.

Melting / Freezing Point

Melts at approximately 1,400°C. Does not freeze; reforms in jagged splinters when cooled.

Density

Light in dust form; But chalk-like when compressed into crystalline shards.

Common State

Crystalline solid, often crushed into dust for alchemical use.