Wood or Metal?
Ironwood in Malgrave is unique in Malgrave. From all outward appearances, it is a tree like any other. Due to the effects of
Planar Fluxes, these trees have absorbed energies from the Elemental Plane of Earth, taking in properties that make them as hard as metal. It does still burn, but the temperatures have to be extreme, making it a terrible source of fuel for fire. It can be carved and used for various tools and implements, but it is incredibly difficult to do so without ruining the tools used.
The Living Woods
The only place to find ironwood trees in deep in
Svantyne where the forest meets the base of the
Irongate Mountains. This mostly gives access exclusively to the dwarves brave enough to venture out of their tunnels to take any. The guardian of the Living Woods is unforgiving to those that come to plunder from the forest. Whether it be
The Silent One or any of the numerous awakened plants and dangerous beasts, few can make it deep enough into the forest to gather any of this rare material.
Uses
In most cases with ironwood, it is most commonly used as a weapon. Clubs and quarterstaffs are the easiest, since it can't be sharpened into a blade despite the metallic-like qualities it has. Many people seek it out for the haft of polearms so that they last longer, but the weight makes them more difficult to wield. There are those that have made bows with them, creating some of the most powerful ranged weapons in Malgrave. The draw poundage is so high that few can even use them, but those that can will usually dominate a battlefield. There are some druids, who also tend to have more freedom to roam Svantyne, that can use their abilities to shape the wood into armor that is just as protective as platemail.
The dwarves that dwell in the Irongate Mountains will use what they can gather to make their carts for the sturdiness and also the protection from creatures of the Underdark. Since they are much harder to break, an encounter with a deadly creature is a lot less likely to destroy valuable supplies and cargo.
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