Fierte's Steel
I started my apprenticeship at the Fiery Forge in Dellane when I was 11. I worked hard, and became a journeyman at the age of 18. I set out on the road, working in small villages that didn't have a blacksmith, but always looking for a place to settle down.
Eventually I did, in a small town called Eswich. Mostly halflings, some humans and elves. They had a silversmith that did exquisite work, but their blacksmith was a drunk. I set up my own shop and started working while I planned my Master piece - there were advantages to being in the guild, even in a small town. While I was thinking about it, there was a bit of a bother with the old blacksmith. We had a trial, and I won, but it made me decide to make a Hammer of Bonae for my Master piece. Turned out beautiful, and I donated it to the church after being accepted to the guild.
Well, I was fairly well known by then. A pretty well known judge ended up with my hammer, and I was getting requests, more than I could handle. I got my own apprentices, hired a couple of journeymen, and built up the shop all out of proportion to the town. Made good money at it, too.
Look, what I'm saying is I thought I knew what I was about, all right? So when I came here, I thought I'd be an equal. But I have never seen the types of metal the Master Smith was dealing with. Hells, most of them I'd never even heard of. But he carefully smelted his ores, then took the resulting ingots to the forge and started to work. I was mesmerized watching him, and the 30 inch, slightly curved and one sided blade he produced was a thing of beauty. When he had treated it and it cooled, he tested it by thrusting it into a stump, then bending it nearly sideways until it touched a rod he had set up. When it sprang back straight, he pronounced it ready.
He let me try it, and I couldn't even get the metal to alloy. When he let me try it with an ingot he made, I couldn't straighten it for shit, and it was brittle as cast iron. So here I sit, watching him, learning like an apprentice. Because Fierte's steel is a wonder, and I will conquer it.
Properties
Material Characteristics
An ingot of Fierte's Steel is dark grey with medium reflectivity. Silhouettes should be reflected, but not clearly enough to make out any details. Worked steel will be similar in color, although when annealed and heat treated it can be brought to a much greater shine. Weapons and armor made from the Steel will have the color and luster of warm water pearls.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Compounds
Geology & Geography
Origin & Source
History & Usage
Everyday use
The Steel is the finest metal for weapons and armor in existence. As armor, it is similar to Mithral, flexible and lighter than normal steel. As a weapon, it is flexible and durable, but holds an edge comparable to obsidian.
What makes it superior to other metals, however, is its ability to take an enchantment. While some standard steel weapons and armor can take minor enchantments, every item of legend has been created with Fierte's steel. An enchantment of any sort is vastly more likely to take on a Fierte's Steel item, and so the Steel is highly prized by every Mages Guild.
In game terms, this means that a magic item made from Fierte's Steel can be enchanted at half the listed cost and time. With no enchantment, it functions as Mithral armor, or a +1 weapon.
The twist in the story quote and the smith's passion for learning to work the material kept me reading the rest of the article too!
Thanks! I always start with something up there that I think of as a person who wanders the world collecting stories and spreading them around. It really helps me to define how everything interacts with the rest of the world, and it's the part I like doing the most.