Null Silver

Properties

Material Characteristics

Naturally occurs in cubic, coppery crystals called box ore that form under the topsoil of Variska Palana. Once refined and polished, it looks indistinguishable from silver until it rusts. It is not, however, a metal but a reactive crystal, making it more brittle than the metal it mimics. It isn't strong enough on its own to make a suitable weapon and anything made of pure null silver is both fragile and expensive.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Null silver is prized for its ability to absorb and nullify magic. This is only a property of the pure element, which is extremely difficult to refine. Pure null silver can be differentiated from normal silver by its lighter weight, lower melting point and coarse, grey rust that is protective rather than corrosive. If mixed with molten iron, it is extremely reactive, known to explode and reach temperatures far beyond that of the forge they were mixed in. For this reason, null silver goods must be coated using the same magic that refines the substance and only during the refinement process.

Origin & Source

Box ore is actually very common. With a little digging and sifting, any average person could find it accumulating under some mountainous topsoil. The highest concentrations exist inside Variska Palana but any somewhat rocky soil will contain the ore.

History & Usage

Refinement

Box ore is crushed and dissolved into a heated solution of caustic salts. The murky red solution is then siphoned into a tank where new crystals form as it cools. Those crystals are extracted, washed and baked to remove water, coming out white and hard enough to cut glass. They are then crushed, mixed with salt and heated to melting in a vessel into which are placed objects made of iron or steel and a specially cut diamond rod. Magical energy is then passed through the rod, into the molten salt until pure null silver adheres to the objects in the bottom of the vessel. The remaining salt is then allowed to cool before being broken away and the objects polished to a shine.

Manufacturing & Products

Null Silver is primarily used to coat weapons and amulets to nullify magical effects.

Byproducts & Sideproducts

The refinement process does release toxic gases that are dangerous in enclosed spaces and the caustic slurry that is left over must be neutralized and kept out of the local water supply. The intermediary white crystals can also be ground to desired coarseness to make abrasives like sandpaper much more affordably than going through full refinement.

Hazards

Reacts in molten iron, often exploding and reaching extremely high temperatures. Cannot be traditionally forged.

Type

Elemental / Molecular

Odor

Metallic

Taste

Metallic

Color

Silver to dull grey

Common State

Box Ore