Mount Barrlam
Mount Barrlam is an active volcano, located off the coast of @Miranthor, in the Ashen Gulf. It is known for its unique and highly sought after lava rock, which can be processed into a magically conductive material known as Arcanite, a valuable resource that can amplify and channel magic. A Barrlam eruption is a breathtaking sight, as the magma within the volcano has an iridescent shine, and the smoke plumes from the volcano are a rainbow of beautiful colours.
Arcanite is rare and expensive due to the method by which the lava rock is processed into arcanite. As the lava cools after an eruption, it loses the vast majority of its arcane properties. To maintain these properties, a stabilizing material (ideally adamantine, but mithral can also be used, though this provides a less potent result) needs to be melted into the lava while it is still hot enough to do so. The substance then needs to be cooled rapidly, so it can solidify before loss of potency. The procedure is difficult and dangerous, and needs to be done with precise timing, measurements, and temperatures.
Mithral processed Arcanite can be used in place of material components for spellcasting, with twice the efficiency (half cost). It can also be used to make spellcasting focuses. Adamantine process Arcanite is twice as efficient as its mithral alternative, with the added benefit of amplifying magical potency. The results of this vary depending on how well the lava rock has been processed, and none have perfected the procedure to the degree of the Barrlam Tortles, native to the island named for the volcano.
Vendors in Miranthor, particularly in Glila, will sell beautiful irredescent crystals claiming that it is Arcanite, but this is usually unprocessed Barrlam lava rock that has lost the vast majority of its magical properties. Crystalized "Arcanite" is usually just Barrlam lava rock that has been reheated and refined to take on beautiful crystal shapes. Mithral processed Arcanite is usually smooth, while Adamantine processed Arcanite closely resembles raw lava rock, though far less porous.
Barrlam Tortles
The people native to the island of Mount Barrlam are easy to spot, owing to the iridescent sheen of their shells, similar to the Barrlam lava. Barrlam tortle shells have long been infused with some of the magical properties found in Barrlam lava, making them innate spellcasters and exceptional arcanists. They are revered for their ability to work with Arcanite, and while they are not officially a state and therefore not a member of the Traders' Union, they do have a treaty with the Union that states the Union will come to the tortles’ aid if anyone outside of their collective attempts to seize any of their land or threatens their autonomy. In exchange, the tortles allow the Union to have a small refinery outpost on the island, where arcanists monitor the geothermal activity of the island, and move quickly to process lava flows into Arcanite.
While the Barrlam tortles enjoy a significant level of autonomy with the Traders' Union, this doesn’t come without its costs. Due to the cost and rarity of Arcanite, and how difficult it its to source for oneself, Barrlam tortle shells are valued on the black market for their own magical properties. They are in constant danger of being poached by pirates, and their dead must be guarded before, during, and after burial ceremonies to prevent corpses from being stolen and their shells removed. The Traders' Union has had a long running propaganda campaign condemning these acts, and has stipulations in its treaty with the tortles to provide aid in the face of this violence. Nevetheless, the Barrlam tortle shell trade is still active, and the shells still sell for exceptionally high prices, with many people believing the shells are even more valuable than pure Arcanite.
Comments