Mage-Glass

Mage-Glass is the main export and primary source of income for the city of Skyhome. They are the only place in the empire that has access and territorial rights to the mines in the Narbe.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Raw mage glass is found in chunks with a crystalline structure and obvious cleavage similar to gypsum. These chunks can regularly be as large as a person's head and even larger pieces, though rare, are not unheard of. Impurities tend to be collected within the raw chunks visibly though the mage-glass is otherwise clear.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Mage-glass is cool to the touch and extremely durable, in fact the only way imperial citizens have to break solid mage glass is with forged Mage-Glass tools. It can be forged and worked like iron and the properly purified and forged mage-glass is all but indestructible. Color is added to decorative pieces with intentional impurities, though this lowers the over all material strength.

Geology & Geography

Mage-Glass is mined only in the Krystal Narbe, and is in fact where the cliff takes it's name. It is seemingly plentiful here but due to the difficult nature of mining it and very specific locality it is a rare commodity in the Empire and nearly unseen outside of it.

History & Usage

Everyday use

Mage-Glass is commonly used to make armor and weapons for high-ranking military officers, though it is scarce enough to prevent the empire from outfitting all of their soldiers with it. It is also used in many decorative pieces commissioned by the Noble caste and is a popular luxury material for jewelry or decorative armor.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Culturally known as the Blessing of Tsoren, the Smith, Mage-glass is a material that commands respect from the citizens of the Empire

Refinement

In order to be fully purified the Mage-glass needs to be almost entirely melted down and reformed, this is a very labor intensive process that only a few forges in the empire have the ability to perform. However it can be worked at lower forging temperatures if a particularly pure raw piece is found or if the piece being made does not require the full durability purified Mage-glass provides.

Environmental Impact

So far there have been no observable ill effects of the mining and production of mage glass. The scholars of Skyhome have been adamant that their mining plans be followed however, for fear of destabilizing the Narbe to potentially the point of collapse. This is debated among scholars elsewhere in the empire and some have accused it of being an excuse to drive artificial scarcity. This accusation is firmly denied by Skyhome.

Reusability & Recycling

forged mage glass can be reforged at any time simply by re-heating and working it.

Type

Ore/Mineral

Color

Crytal clear, though impurities can impart color.

Melting / Freezing Point

aprox. 1500 C/2700 F

Common State

Crystaline Solid