Levisite

Name possibly subject to change

Properties

Material Characteristics

• Typically mid to dark turquoise in colour. May lean more towards blue or green. 
• May contain gold flecks or veins.
• Slightly shiny metallic surface, may appear slightly iridescent in sunlight. 

Physical & Chemical Properties

• Conducts electricity & heat
• Non-flammable
• Ductile and malleable 
• Unusually magnetic due to high cobalt content

Geology & Geography

Levisite is currently almost exclusively manufactured and used by the Dusk Elves in the City of Glass.

Origin & Source

Levisite is made of a combination of gold and mithral, with some cobalt and iron content and occasionally traces of adamant to strengthen its properties.

Life & Expiration

Levisite loses its enchantment after about 100 years, depending on how much it has been used, and has to be re-enchanted. After 6 or 7 re-enchantments it will no longer hold magic, at which point it can instead be recycled into items with anti-magic or magic-insulating properties.

History & Usage

History

Levisite is a material invented by the Dusk Elves as a source of power for their new city, thousands of years ago, when they first reached the surface.

Discovery

Levisite was created by the Dusk Elves of the City of Glass during the city's advent. It has since been refined and brought into common use.
The first step towards its discovery occurred before the second schism of the drow, as a result of dark elf arcanists attempting to find a way to prevent their armour and weapons losing their enchantments in sunlight. To this end they were unsuccessful, but inadvertently created the precursor to levisite, which their descendants later further tested and refined to create it.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Levisite holds sentimental value for many drow citizens, and some own a small piece of jewellery, charm or similar object made of the metal, for good luck. An object made of levisite can be an effective arcane focus for dusk elf spellcasters.

Industrial Use

Levisite's primary use is to produce energy from sunlight, forming what we would recognise as an equivalent to solar panels. The metal generates some kind of ambient arcane energy which can be used to power basic light spells and similar enchantments across the city.

Refinement

Levisite must be smelted from its component metals. Its components are not outrageously expensive: the cost of the material is mainly due to the fact that it requires a basic enchantment in order to serve its purpose. Several foundries in the City of Glass boast trained smiths who are trained to perform these enchantments specifically.

Manufacturing & Products

The metal is very effective at collecting the energy from sunlight. It is usually formed into spires or spheres, to be fixed onto the top of buildings or in public squares where it will receive the maximum possible sunlight. These spheres are sometimes made into centrepieces, at the top of fountains or held by statues. They are used to light the city's lamps, power their transport, mill their grain, operate the drawbridges and a thousand other minor functions.

Environmental Impact

As a power source, levisite is very sustainable, as it uses only sunlight. The mining of the metals used to make levisite also have a very minor environmental impact.

Reusability & Recycling

Levisite can be melted down and re-enchanted to be used again when its original enchantment wears off. Eventually, when it will no longer hold an enchantment, it can be used as a slightly more expensive sister to cobalt, for decorative or functional metallic objects.

Distribution

Storage

Storing levisite in direct sunlight with no outlet for the energy collected can result in volatile effects. In particular, any magic cast near a piece of levisite which has a lot of pent-up energy may experience wild magic side effects.

Type

Metal

Rarity

Widely known about though uncommon in the City of Glass; virtually unheard of elsewhere in the world.

Taste

Mildly metallic and sour

Color

Dark turquoise with gold flecks, but can be pigmented with different colours

Boiling / Condensation Point

3,300°C

Melting / Freezing Point

1,400°C

Density

8,000 kg / m3

Common State

Levisite does not occur naturally. Due to its relatively high cost compared to other alloys, it is normally used in fairly thin sheets or panels.