Nullmetal

"When the surface of this metal crumbles into dust, it becomes a secondary weapon we can use. I've figured out a method to forge blades in such a way that the dust will stick to it. Just coat your sword in this dust. One scratch and the fight becomes yours." ~Kalama

Properties

Material Characteristics

Nullmetal is a solid, metallic substance with a dark blue tint. It's typically quite smooth, even freshly mined. When held up to the sun, it can been seen through.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Nullmetal is found in solid states underground. It is cool and smooth to the touch.

Geology & Geography

Nullmetal is found deep within caverns of the Earth Country, but only below sea level. The closer to the center of the country, the more concentrated the nullmetal is.

Life & Expiration

Once exposed to the air and sunlight, the surface of the nullmetal begins to crumble into dust. If let unattended, the nullmetal will completely crumble away in about eight to ten days, depending on its size.

History & Usage

History

Nearly a hundred years after its discovery, people noticed the metal's extreme temperature resistances. This prompted them to create armor out of it. The process for creating full armor with the nullmetal seemed near impossible to the smiths of the Earth Country. Making the pieces too big and thick made the metal too weak. Instead, they settled for thin plating over their other armor for supplemental benefits.
After almost a hundred more years, once the Earth Country and Kingdom of Fire's relations began mending after the Burning Age, the Earth Country began to trade with the Kingdom of Fire to see if their blacksmiths could do better with the nullmetal. The smiths at the Magmacore Forge, being the best smiths in the world, studied the metal for years but finally figured out the way to successfully craft full armor pieces without allowing the nullmetal to become too brittle for combat usage.
During this time, people started to notice when they were around the dust of nullmetal, they began to have trouble controlling or conjuring their elements. They soon realized that when they dust entered their body, through small cuts or from accidentally breathing it in, it disrupted their powers.
It was a woman by the name of Kalama, the greatest blacksmith the Kingdom of Fire had ever seen, that developed a way to incorporate the dust onto the weapons, to use the nullifying properties offensively. She is also the one that coined the name that has seemed to have stuck since then.

Discovery

Nullmetal was discovered underground about two hundred and fifty years ago by workers erected the Royal Family's estate. While digging for the foundation and the underground rooms and tunnels of the estate, they found the shiny blue metals. Intrigued by their discovery, they took them to the surface and presented them to the Royal Family as a gift. They accepted, however, in over a weeks time, the nullmetals had crumbled.

Everyday use

The most common use for nullmetal is to be crafted into armor with exceptional resistance to heat and cold. It is also forged into weapons. These weapons, when coated in the dust of nullmetal, act as elemental suppressants for Elemental-users when they enter the body through wounds or inhalation.

Hazards

During the refining and forging process of nullmetal into armor, the dust it creates causes a disruption in an Elemental-user's powers. This is not known to have any lasting effects.

Distribution

Trade & Market

The miners of the Earth Country excavate nullmetal only on the night of a full moon, making this material a bit of a luxury. It is most commonly sold to the Kingdom of Fire, where the blacksmiths of the Magmacore Forge turns it into fine weapons and armor.

Storage

The nullmetal must be stored in dark areas up until the time it is ready to be forged into armor or weapons, lest they crumble away into dust.

Law & Regulation

The only regulation nullmetal is on the time in which it can be mined: under a full moon. This is because a religious belief of the people in the Earth Country.

Type

Metal

Taste

Metallic

Color

Dark blue

Common State

Solid