Ardal-Steel

"The Ardal-steel alloy is widely used for its superior defensive qualities compared to regular steel. Ardal-steel alloy is more flexible, more heat resistant and has superior compression due to its molecular structure, allowing it to take greater impacts before penetration of an armor plate occurs. Ardal-steel can and is used in weaponry, but isn't cost effective compared to regular varieties of steel, especially Arcite."

-On Defensive Alloys in Modern Warfare. A, R, Roenma. B, Y, Bruuken. 461 Kelzyn Era

Origin:

"The first sourced recording of the Ardal-steel alloy is dated to the year 1017 Reval Era, though metallurgical scholars suspect the alloy be at least a thousand years older than that. First noted use of Ardal-steel is a largely made up story, but the alloy itself is real. Discovered and named in a little town of Ardal in the state of Marn. In practice the only notable use was in airships for a time, however once the manufacturing of the alloy spread from Marn it was quickly adopted by the Holy Knights and later the Ortashver, upon the latter's founding."

-Metal and Militant, In Search for Enryssion. Vol 6. Forgemaster F, E, Olto. 299 Kelzyn Era

Production:

"The production of Ardal-Steel begins with a cold mixing process where the iron ore is mixed with Lefelite, Qzaridol and Carno at a fifteen, one, three, three ratio. Lefelite will melt into the ore completely and the Qzaridol and Carno remnants can be peeled of with added heating for later use in other purposes. The cold mixing process requires a dark cool area with as little as possible natural sunlight and can take upwards of a standard cycle at suboptimal circumstances."

"After this the traditional steel creation process can begin. With Ardal-steel it is absolutely crucial that the mixing process does not stop for a moment until the steel can finally take its shape. Stopping before that point will lead to a mixture that is very difficult to mold into any wanted shape as the internal crystalline structures within start to take hold."

-Steel Production for 7th Class. Enhyrs State Publishing. 2870 Reval Era

Armor:

"Ardal-steel is the favored alloy for creating combat armor plating by the Holy Knights and the Ortashver. Resistances to corrosion from elements and aether decay as well as the superior impact absorption properties of Ardal-steel make it a clear favorite over other alloys, namely pure-steel and Arcite. Usage on aetherships is an ever expanding industry, however it outfitting an entire fleet in solid Ardal-steel plating would be prohibitively expensive for the time being. As such only vital structures and vessel benefit from added plating."

Weapons:

"While Ardal-steel performs well in specific roles as fill material for weapon cores, making most weapons entirely from Ardal-steel is not recommended. Firstly equipping any force of significant size with Ardal-steel weapons is simply not cost efficient, as other types of steel from pure-steel to Arcite are superior in that regard. Secondly any benefit that could be gained from making weapons from Arcite is lost due to the higher price point. Lastly the current known processes of creating practical weapons are inferior to the processes for creating armors with current tools sets."

-Metal Working, an Advanced Introduction. R, E, O, Natha. 377 Kelzyn Era