Forging magic

Table of Contents

Introduction to Artefact Specialisation module

by Master Delphine Lefebvre

A presentation of forging magic

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What is forging magic?

Forging magic is the joining into one material of several types of magic:

Chemistry: Magic is already present in materials, and its quality relies on the selection of the right minerals.

Alchemy: The natural magic of a material is worked and transform during forging by adding other material or potions and heating and/or cooling it and making it change state.

Enchantment: Additional magic is also poured into the materials as they are worked on during forging.

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Main applications

Forging magic makes materials that are then be used in artefact creation by other Masters in fields such as rune-based magic, enchantment, or alchemy. The use of forging allows the magic to settle deeper inside the material, and so for this magic to both be more efficient, with less natural resistance against the magic, and to last longer.
However, using forging magic also allowed to skip these later steps while still having a highly magical and durable object, but for a much cheaper price. This is especially the case for basic every day objects such as horseshoes.

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Basic rules

The historical thirteen common dual alloys:

Copper alloys: bronze (copper and tin), brass (copper and zinc).

Iron alloys: steel (iron and carbon), meteroric iron (iron and nickel).

Tin alloys: pewter (tin and lead), antimony pewter (tin and antimony), bismuth pewter (tin and bismuth).

Mercury alloys: tin amalgam (mercury and tin), gold amalgalm (mercury and gold), silver amalgalm (mercury and silver).

Silver: sterling silver (silver and copper).

Gold: red gold (gold dan copper), burgundy gold (gold and iron).

Luciènide's theorem of alchemy:
The magical properties of a given alloy are equal to the sum or subtraction of the properties of their prime elements multiplied by their proportions in the alloy, as determine by their magical category in the reaction table.

The three three-state rules of alchemy and enchanting:

1. Solid elements pick up more magic than liquid elements, which pick up more magic than gas elements.
2. Solid elements have more fixed magic than liquid element, which have more fixed magic than gas elements.
3. The best state to work on when transforming the magic attached to an element is liquid.

Thomas forging equation:
It allows for the calculation of the time and temperature to use in the heating and cooling of an alloy depending on the prime elements that compose it, their proportions, and the desire magical properties in of final alloy.

The colour chart of heated iron

199°C229°C241°C249°C260°C271°C282°C302°C427°C538°C593°C649°C704°C760°C816°C871°C927°C982°C1038°C1093°C

Example of basic practicals:

Familiarising the students with the forge, the equipment available and their runic control mechanism (to control the heat of the fire, the ventilation, the shape of the moulds...), and the basic gestures.

Comparing the basic physical and magical properties of the common dual alloys and how changes in concentration of the metals could enhance or muffle runes.

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Dangers!

Heat and crush
Working in a forge implies important risk of burns and getting crushed. For this reason, blacksmiths have to permanently wear some strong safety equipment: thick leather chest plates and gloves covered in protective runes, and headgear. They protect against crush and insulate against hot temperatures to protect against burns.
Unfortunately, the equipment tends to heat up uncomfortably during work, as extra cooling magic is difficult to make work efficiently without compromising the protections, making it too expensive for the university to buy in bulk. This means that every year some first-year fool took his gear off and suffered a serious incident.

Noise
A hidden danger of working in a forge is to go deaf with the noise and to not be able to hear your teacher or colleague's safety warning during the practical. Because of this, all blacksmiths wear a earring that allows them to easily communicate with each other without shouting despite the noise.

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Faculty

Master Delphine Lefebvre: Artefact Specialisation - Forging (3rd year class), Management of a forge (3rd year class)

Master Adélaïde Jameux: subbing for Master Lefebvre when necessary.