Swordsteel

Swordsteel is a valuable precious metal that is commonly used for high-quality body armor and weapons. While it has only started to see widespread use in the last few hundred years due to ever-advancing metallurgy and smithing techniques, it has made a considerable impact on warfare due to its natural resistance to harm. Previously, its toughness was not noted except in ornate weapons and armor, due to steel being cheaper and easier to work with for only a weight and toughness tradeoff. This has changed dramatically in the last centuries with the advent of firearms, and swordsteel has become useful for any budding knights to use as it can render one nearly immune to musket fire. Few men have ever crafted a full suit of swordsteel due to its rarity, so even the most wealthy only use it for a cuirass at most.

Properties

Origin & Source

Swordsteel is an steel alloy that is extremely rare naturally, almost non-existent. However, due to recent metallurgy improvements, smiths have managed to imitate naturally occurring swordsteel and produce it themselves, despite it being difficult to work with.

History & Usage

History

Swordsteel's usefulness has changed rapidly over the millennia. The first instance of swordsteel goes back centuries, where its use was largely aesthetic and serving as a symbol of wealth, treated by many ancient cultures as a 'step up' from gold. There, it was almost entirely used for things like jewelry, ceremonial weapons, and even statues. The earliest known combat uses are from similarly ancient weapons that originate a few centuries beyond the earliest aesthetic uses, where it was used by many rich kings for spears, which served as powerful symbols for wealth and dominion.
Later, swordsteel's use for weapons began to wane as plate armor became more common, and traditional steel became a much more practical choice for a knight, or any such opponent who may end up facing off against someone with steel plate armor. It's aesthetic use did not increase sharply during this period.
In most recent history swordsteel has become the go-to metal for anyone looking to resist bullets. It's price has risen dramatically and smiths are dire to create it for themselves, many warriors will bankrupt themselves to afford even a breastplate of swordsteel.

Everyday use

Swordsteel today is nearly always used for armor and specific weapons. For armor, it is almost always used for lightweight cuirasses and helmets, as to protect the the most vital parts of the body. They are also used for occasionally for weapons, typically spears and knives, but rarely swords. It is worth noting that swordsteel is almost never used for any other weapons due to its lack of weight. It also sees limited use in jewelry and other aesthetic applications.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Swordsteel is rare, and as such it is a luxury material for only the wealthy. In terms of price it is similar to silver, while refined smithing have left it more commonly available, it's still difficult and expensive for even a master to produce and forge reliably, so a large amount of swordsteel is still mined from the earth. It's rarity and practical use is such that wearing a swordsteel breastplate in shadier streets is actually ill-advised, as it makes one a target for thieves.

Type

Metal

Rarity

Extremely rare naturally, roughly similar to platinum

Color

Grey

Melting / Freezing Point

1400°C

Density

6.42 g/cm3

Common State

Solid