Ozolithian Mold

Ozlith, the vast empire it was, employed many resources during its expansion. The mold appeared within the molten flow of a volcano, a sort of living obsidian. In my experiments, I have attempted to unlock its secrets. The first discovery I've made is that the active mold itself is useless as far as smithing goes. It does, however, exhibit an unusual effect upon the death of the culture. When dead, the mold hardens into what we refer to as Ozolithian mold.

In this form, its stronger than iron or steel, Which explains why the Ozolithian empire used it for their structures. When shaped and sharpened into a blade, a process that takes a considerable amount of time, it is sharper than any steel blade could ever be. It came to my attention, after talking to various smiths in Mhirriah, that the mold can be persuaded to grow in specific ways. Using barricades or premade templates, Ozlith could active force the mold to grow in specific ways making the process of creating their complex structures and weapons much quicker.

Once completed the living spores would form a membrane around the surface of the material. The membrane is flesh like in feel, black, and needs to be routinely removed if it forms on a weapon. This membrane is alive and pulses in very slight ways. If planted on the ground the culture will grow and form a tree-like structure showing that this material can be and likely has been farmed by the Ozlith and later the Mhirrians. These structures grow quick, to the hardened core takes a few months to begin to form.

A very strange element of the membrane is its tendency to bleed when cut. Moisture is collected and stored in the membrane and the mold makes this fluid thick and black. Other applications of the living mold would require the study of someone else as mycology is not my field. As a final note, my king, the request to produce weaponry on such a massive scale as the standing army of Estoya would be near impossible without substantial manpower. Even on the scale of officers or the judges would prove difficult but It can be done and I will begin to put this plan in motion.

— Report from Gideon lane, the royal standard Smith of Estoyal.

It is unknown how Ozlith came across the mold. Some even believe that they invented it. Some strange experiment that went perfectly right. When the long war came Ozlith produced it in mass. During their exodus, the Mhirrians brought the mold with them, though they never could replicate the fields of growths that their ancestors possessed. The mold and its cores are used for many things like potions, rituals, smithing, architecture and more. However, the mold is rare and those who use it are usually either very powerful and wealthy or connected to those that are.The membrane is often used as is or cooked.

Type

Biomaterial

Odor

The mold has no odor but does emit a sweet smell when cooked

Taste

The mold is tasteless and absorbs the flavors of what it's cooked in.

Color

Black

Use

The mold has two forms: living and dead. When love the mold appeared as a fleshy membrane that bleeds a black fluid when cut. The membrane often features wrinkles and other imperfections. It is unclear which causes the other but these imperfections also appear identically on the core of dead mold that forms at the center of each growth.

In its dead form, the moisture is pulled out causing the core of a growth to harden. It can take months to years for the cores to form. This core requires special tools to cut and shape. Often these tools are made from the substance itself. When left alone for extended periods of time, the structures grow uncontrollably into branching and interlocking colonies that many describe as eerie or uncomfortable to look at.