orichalcum (ohr-ee-chahl-kuhm)

Note: This does not refer to the fantasy metal, but the alloy known to the Greeks as explained here.
An alloy of gold and copper, orichalcum is used in artisan preparations of magical devices such as magic mirrors and landautas.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Described by the ancient Greeks as a red metal that practically glows in the sun, in actuality (in this world at least), orichalcum is a reddish-gold metal that is unusually soft, yet flexible before meeting its breaking point.

History & Usage

Industrial Use

Because of its softness and resilience, orichalcum was prized for its use in magical applications, and the readily available materials meant that it was still useful during the rise of industrialization in the early 1700s CE.

Refinement

As orichalcum is an alloy, it requires smelted gold and copper.

Manufacturing & Products

The central plate of a magic mirror was made of orichalcum engraved with sigils and then treated with special alchemical preparations.

A more modern application is in the highly secretive construction of landautas, although it is physically impossible for their creators to expound on the subject, as they are all contracted for life by the landautas themselves.

Another application is in the production of autorisers - compartments that lift users and cargo up buildings, floor by floor. Really, any magitech that requires any kind of logic or user input uses either orichalcum or crystalline rods.

Reusability & Recycling

Once a mirror's plate has been cleansed of any remaining alchemical substances, the result can be melted down and reformed into other magical objects.

Type

Metal

Odor

Neutral

Taste

Slightly coppery

Color

Reddish gold