Strange Metal
Strange metal is an indestructible material. When formed, only a skilled strangesmith can alter or harvest the material. Obviously, its military and industrial applications are enormous.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Strange metal often appears as a pastel blue, with swirls of pastel pink mixed in. This perplexes scientists, as both the pink and blue sections of the metal are chemically identical. There is no explanation why the metal has two different colors. For people who care about this, it is infuriating. For everyone else, it's a fun fact or quirk of science.
Physical & Chemical Properties
The fact that strangemetal is literally unalterable outside of a specific magical process leads to interesting physical interactions. Once strangemetal is cast, it will hold its shape no matter what forces are applied. Even with a millimeter of the material, it will never bend, nor break, but instead perfectly transfer any kinetic energy through it. This typically ends poorly for whatever ground the strangemetal is attached or anchored to.
This also means that a person wearing armor made of strangemetal is not perfectly safe. Without proper cushioning, for example, a strange breastplate can actually be far more dangerous to the wearer. Where a steel breastplate will crumple with enough force, likely maiming them but leaving them alive, a strange breastplate will transfer that energy directly into the wearer with perfect efficiency. According to Yogozei scientists and Entente battlefield reports, the first soldiers armed with cushioned strange armor were often reduced to a bloody pulp inside perfectly salvageable armor.
Compounds
Due to it's weight, strange metal is often alloyed with lighter metals such as aluminum for practical purposes. When skillfully threaded, the alloy has resiliency on par with unaltered strange metal.
Geology & Geography
Strangemetal "deposits" are only found in ancient ruins, typically in the form of machinery with an unknown purpose. Strange metal can be found in 3 main hot spots across the continent: The Ichei deserts, The Bonescape in Onmyoji, and the Sorutei Peninsula. Icheo has no Strangesmiths, and is largely ignorant of the wealth of strange deposits surrounding their valley. The natives of Sorutai have used their arcane weaponry to fend of outsiders since even the Zin-Jidai, so their resources are untapped. Only the Onmyoji know how to work and exploit strange metal. Even for them, it a laborious and time-consuming process.
It can also be found in many of the old Silver empire's grandest structures, such as the Singwoomi and Heristahl Towers, the Knightwatch Bridge between Norponte and the Mainland, Bastion's Arch.
Origin & Source
While most people assume that strange metal is a product of the old Silver empire, lost to time like Silver-era concrete or Acrosian fire, this is not the case. Archeologists report that the ruins which contain strange metal deposits are far older than even the early Silver Empire. Whoever made them, how they made them, or why are all lost to history.
Some, however, suspect the denizens of Sorutae to be the true creators of this technology. They say that strange metal is behind their advanced weaponry and isolation.
History & Usage
History
While the Silver Empire found many instances of strange metal, and managed to use them in several massive projects, they actually lacked the ability to work or manipulate the metal. In cases like the Knightwatch Bridge, the Empire took chunks of strange metal as they found them and used them as crude building blocks, whereas the Archwae Arch, along with the Singwoomi and Heristahl Towers, were simply found as is and built upon.
It was only in 680 that Yogozei mage-smiths invented a method for manipulating the metal. Even this achievement could not win them from the First Dragonsback War, which would rage for another 19 years; it was too little, too late. Even as they lost the war, Yogozai denied their opponents the secret of Strangesmithing. To this day, Yogozai's successor state, the Onmyoji League, maintains a tight monopoly on strange metal exploitation. The Cataract Lock and Dam in Aeshi is the only purpose-built structure man and dragonkind has ever made form raw material.
Outside of Onmyoji, only Norponte has strangesmiths - three novices to be exact. While others have attempted to defect, taking their secrets with them, Onmyoji's elite Diamond Guard has done a remarkable job stopping defectors, or eliminating them after they escape.
Refinement
As the metal is otherwise unalterable, even the extraction of strange metal requires a strangesmith. Extraction is slow and dangerous work, usually deep underground, and Onmyoji knows not to work their strangesmiths too hard. More than one novice strangesmith has attempted to flee the country, after all.
Manufacturing & Products
Due to its indestructibility, strange metal is used primarily in either elite weaponry such as among the Diamond Guards, or in massive building projects like the Cataract Lock and Dam in Onmyoji's capital.
Hazards
The metal is a known to cause bodily cancer, and people leaving near strange deposits experience higher rates of tumor development. Diamond Guards, clad in strange alloy armor, suffer disproportionate rates of cancer. Interestingly, strangesmiths have high resistance to the harmful effects of strangemetal. It is unknown if strangesmiths gain resistance through exposure, or if strange resistance is a sign of strangesmithing aptitude.
Environmental Impact
In addition to bodily tumors, strange metal attracts metaphysical demons known as The Cancerous. Cancers are known to congregate around large deposits of strange metal, so much so that cancer and Cancer Cult prevalence can actually be a tool for finding strange deposits.
Strange metal in small amounts also increases the magical potency of plants and animals, due to interesting mutations. In high concentrations, however, strange deposits have lethal effects on wildlife. Vast strange metal deposits are thought to be the source of Icheo's two plateaus, for example.
Distribution
Law & Regulation
Since, outside of Onmyoji, understanding of strange metal is virtually non-existent, there are no widespread regulations on strange metal.
Sm
Type
Elemental / Molecular
Color
Pastel pink and blue, swirled together
Melting / Freezing Point
Only skilled plastiomancers can coax strange metal to a malliable fluid state. It is otherwise unalterable.
Common State
Strangemetal is only known to exist in solid form.
Related Locations
Related Species
Related Professions
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