Sempiternal Ice
The hardest wood known looks like tinted glass and it’s obtained from trees that appear to be ice sculptures in the middle of a snow field.
When the Ice Nest tree has just died, it's easy to cut it and are manipulate the wood to build all kinds of objects (even sheets or threads) decorated or not. But that last only a couple of years, while the wood is still warm.
If the tree falls first, it's impossible to extract and manipulate the wood unless you expose it to extreme temperatures. The usage options are less in this cases.
In either case, once the wood gets cold again, it'll be centuries before is possible to manipulate it properly.
The wood is originally transparent, but sooner or later it acquires a brown or reddish tone that depends on so many variables that most people thinks that is random.
By applying resins from the Ice Nests or other well selected trees, you can extend the life of the built objects for indefinite time.
Properties
Geology & Geography
The Ice Nests can be find in several worlds but only in very cold areas.
Some varieties can only survive if the temperatures never reach the 20 ºC, while the rest may simply fall into an hibernation stage during the "warm" seasons. The former produces better sempiternal ice, and the latter will often result in glass wood, which is not as durable or strong, but looks exactly the same.
History & Usage
Everyday use
In several worlds, this wood is used to build safety boxes, buildings, and vehicles.
Conquerors from the Eighth World of Grista had found the way to use it for weapons and armors.
Due to the extensive demand of the material, there is a natural reserve in Ogha destined to make sure that the Ice Nests are preserved. That's an unusual practice in said world, because they always use ecosystem friendly methods to extract any resources.
Reusability & Recycling
When damaged beyond repair, this wood can be used as combustible (in pieces or dust) for magical induced fires, it produces a bright white light and an intense heat. Some cultures believe that the smoke has healing properties for the body and/or the spirit, but scientist had only confirmed that some fungus or bacteria can be killed with it.
Distribution
Trade & Market
Given the difficulties of working with it as well as its durability and strengh, the products built with it are very expensive. In some Unaware worlds, it's close to impossible to get, a luxury for the rich and the powerful, in others is not even known. The Enlightened won't have such a hard time to find a seller, but paying for the wood is still difficult.
Type
Wood
Rarity
Rare
Odor
Petricor
Taste
Snow
Color
Transparent (but with a tint of brown, carnelian, rosewood pink or crepe pink)
Common State
Solid
-
I like it!
Why is not easy to extract the material from fallen trees?
Because once they died they lose their natural heat and become too though/solid. There are a few ways to break the material in that state, but it's very difficult to reach the temperature to make it possible to shape them.