Orichalcum
The outermost wall was coated with brass, the second with tin, and the third, which was the wall of the citadel, flashed with the red light of orichalcum.Orichalcum is an extremely rare metal alloy developed in an ancient human society known as the Atlantians and was considered to be worth five times its weight in gold. Orichalcum was discovered to have the ability to store and channel mana. It was imported to the Fae worlds where all the races began using it for all manner of creations. The alloy can be cast into many types of artifacts by expert metalsmiths. However, if it is overheated it breaks down and critical elements in it burn off causing it to lose its ability to control mana. The Niya-Yur hero Athren had a small shield of Orichalcum which stories claim he used to defeat wizards. The shield would absorb all the power of spells cast at Athren which he then channeled into his sword creating powerful blasts of energy stronger than what he could create alone. Orichalcum coins have been minted in small batches of a few hundred by rulers as gifts or offerings to the gods. Orichalcum may be a noble metal such as platinum. Many stories exist of raw orichalcum mines. However, most verified records and learned scholars agree that it is actually a type of bronze or brass alloy which includes at least two additional metals. In 14,788 a twenty-pound ingot was recovered from the ruins of an imperial summer palace in northern Duianna. It was purchased by Vin-Lathun-San of Yalthum for 860 pounds of gold at auction. Vin-Lathun-San took the ingot back to Yalthum and had a set of custom jewelry items made from it which he gifted to the Yalthum royal family and the Duianna Regents of Aelargo. Vin-Lathun-San reserved a small portion of the metal for analysis. He hired the best scientists and metalsmiths of the day on Niya-Yur and tasked them with discovering the secret of the alloy's making. More than nineteen ounces of orichalcum was destroyed in their experiments over the next twenty-six years. Vin-Lathun-San died without unlocking the secret of making the alloy. Vin-Lathun-San's daughter Oan-Lathun-Nar became head of the Lathun House and declared the effort a lost cause closing the labs. Lathun house is rumored to still have over a pound perhaps as much as three pounds of orichalcum hidden with its other treasures. House Lathun occasionally produces a small orichalcum trinket for a gift to nobles and heads of state. House Lathun's orichalcum is the only known, significant amount of the rare metal in existence. The final report from Vin-Lathun-San's scientists was eventually stolen, sold, and later made public. The report included thousands of experiments using magic and mundane methods. The research determined orichalcum is an alloy of 65% copper, 25% zinc, 5% tin, 5% nickel, and trace amounts of unidentified elements.
Properties
Material Characteristics
A metal that has the color of rusted gold
Physical & Chemical Properties
a semi-malleable metal that can be worked like gold and platinum. If it is overheated during smelting it will begin to spark with popping sounds and bright flashes. If properly handled it can absorb a number of spells equal in level and quantity to its weight in grams (this effect can be enhanced up to a factor of three by creating loops, e.g. fine wire loops wrapped and braided into a continuous looping knot ring.)
Origin & Source
Original ore created in Ancient Minoan Civilization of Terra
History & Usage
Everyday use
Magic users desire any orichalcum artifact to use as power vesels
Reusability & Recycling
Skilled metalsmiths who are warned about not exceeding the melting point by more than five hundred degrees can re-cast orichalcum artifacts into any form other precious metals such as silver, gold, or platinum would be used for.
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Ori
Type
Metal
Color
A dark reddish gold
Boiling / Condensation Point
5222.2 °F
Melting / Freezing Point
2222.5° F
Density
0.5222 lb/cu in
Common State
solid
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