Post by Lord Derikai on Jul 11, 2014 13:12:31 GMT -6
This thread is full of all the ores, metals, crystals, and minerals currently discovered and have a known use. This list will be updated with each and every mineral, metal, crystal, and ore added into the rp. Any new discoveries are to be posted here after being sorted out.
Ores/Minerals/Metals:
Antimony
Color -
Ore: Silvery-grey.
Ingot: Silvery white, lustrous. Has a crystalline/starred surface.
Texture -
Ore: Bumpy, smooth.
Ingot: Very brittle, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Slightly heavy.
Ingot: Somewhat heavy.
Skill: Advanced.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Verime, Kaovina, Zephrus.
Rarity/Value: Very Uncommon/Standard.
Special qualities: The main ore is stibnite, though it can also be found in lapis lazuli. Antimony comes in two variants, though only one of which normally occurs naturally: metallic antimony (the natural one) and black antimony (the explosive variant). Black antimony is made by scratching metallic antimony with a sharp object, which gives off a white fume. If the fumes are then rapidly cooled by an ice elemental, the explosive variant of antimony is formed, which is then used in various explosives. The visual difference between black antimony and metallic antimony is the colour. Metallic antimony will be referred to as 'antimony' from here forward, with black antimony being referred to as the 'explosive variant.'
Antimony forms a very useful alloy with lead, increasing its hardness and strength. It is also used in pewter, and in hardening alloys with low tin content in lead organ pipes. The only other real uses for it are in pigments (mainly in paints and glassmaking) and in skin conditioners for bovine-, goat-, sheep-, and camel-type beastfolk. Prolonged contact with antimony dust causes skin rashes, but purely because of blocked sweat ducts, and in general antimony is non-toxic.
Asphalt
Color -
Ore: Dark grey to black, with occasional flecks of white.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Hard, rough.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Kaovina, Natura, Pyren, Necross.
Rarity/Value: Common/Above Standard.
Special qualities: Asphalt is also known as bitumen, or asphaltum, and occurs naturally around tar pits and some other areas. It can be refined into a sticky, black liquid or semi-liquid form, with a high viscosity similar to that found in cold molasses. Refined asphalt is bumpy and smooth when solid. In ore form, it is a type of sandstone rock saturated with asphalt.
Its main uses in Elemuntus consist of mortar between bricks/stones, to cement parts of carvings (such as eyes) into place, for ship caulking, for waterproofing (especially in pools and bathtubs), making statuettes of household deities, etching, flooring, damp-proofing buildings, as an adhesive (such as to keep rattles on their handles), in decorations, roofing shingles, treating of wooden fence posts, and for sealing flat roofs, baskets (so said baskets can carry water), and the wooden planks of canoes.
Asphalt can also be used in painting, but unless thoroughly diluted, it will not fully solidify and will corrupt the colours of the nearby pigments it comes into contact with. Its use as a road/travel path material has yet to be discovered. It is an oil [petroleum] product. It is not recommended to consume asphalt, as it will seal up an individual's digestive tract like glue, and will cause them to starve to death if not healed by the nature obelisk (nature and water elemental healers do not have the power necessary to heal this particular problem). Asphalt is also toxic if consumed.
Brinmite
Color -
Ore: Orange.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Dusty and coarse.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Glowing properties makes it a good light source.
Bismuth
Color -
Ore: Yellowish white to slate grey.
Ingot: Silvery white, but soon develops a pinkish tint due to oxidation. Lustrous. If allowed to oxidize as a crystal, it develops a myriad of iridescent colours from yellow to blue due to the uneven oxide layer.
Texture -
Ore: Brittle, rough.
Ingot: Brittle, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy (almost as heavy as lead, heavier than gold).
Skill: Above average.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Kaovina, Natura, Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Above Standard.
Special qualities: Bismuth has an unusually low toxicity level for a heavy metal, and has the most molecular mass out of all the non-radioactive, non-elemental metals (this last fact is unknown to those of Elemuntus). When burned in oxygen, it gives off a blue flame, while its oxide gives off yellow fumes. Its crystal form, which rarely occurs in nature, is spiraling and stair-stepped, due to its growth being faster on the outside edges than the inside ones. True bismuth crystals form when it is of a high purity and allowed to do what it will, rather than worked into something.
It has very little heat conductivity, and high electrical resistance. Bismuth is denser in liquid form than in solid form, something it shares with antimony, germanium, silicon, and gallium. The main ores of bismuth are bismuthinite and bismite, though it is most commonly a byproduct of the extraction of lead, copper, tin, molybdenum, and tungsten, as well as a major byproduct of lead refinement and a more minor product of the refinement of silver, zinc, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, and copper. It is recyclable, though recycling from most uses is difficult due to scattering.
The uses of bismuth include cosmetics (primarily in eye shadows and nail polishes); pigments (yellow and iridescent); glass; enamels; a metallurgical additive to aluminium, iron, and steel; and as a non-toxic replacement for lead in ceramic glazes, paints, and fishing sinkers. It has some use in anti-diarrhea medications, but the healers of Elemuntus are still researching this particular use for it.
Burning stone
Color -
Ore: Brown with red veins.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Hot and rough.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Used for cooking and heating things up. Burns badly if not handled properly, unless the user is a fire elemental.
Coal
Color -
Ore: Smoky black.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Very chalky.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: Has none. Incinerates instead of melts, but burns first.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/High.
Special qualities: Commonly used as fuel for furnaces. May also be fused with iron to create steel alloy.
Cofal
Color -
Ore: Purple.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Soft and coarse.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Natura.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: A purple, consumable sweet ore, which is grounded up and used as a sweetener.
Copper
Color -
Ore: Brownish-orange.
Ingot: Reddish-orange, prolonged exposure to oxygenated air causes it to develop a brown-black oxide layer. May eventually turn a green, mossy colour without polishing (this can be reversed with white vinegar).
Texture -
Ore: Soft, coarse, crystal-like.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere, but most common in Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Very Common/High.
Special qualities: Good at conducting heat, cold, and electricity. Very soft, and so not particularly useful for weaponry or armour. Copper is commonly used in decorative art, both as itself and in pigments. It is a key trace mineral in the diets of all living creatures, being vital to a certain respiratory enzyme; however, too much can lead to copper poisoning. It is 100% recyclable without any loss in quality. Known copper alloys include brass (copper+zinc), pewter (tin+copper), and bronze (copper+tin). The alloy of ~93% copper and ~7% aluminium has a pleasant golden colour, and is often used in art and decorations. Copper is also used in roofing in both Pyren and Natura, though it is allowed to oxidize in the latter region.
Architectural uses include not just roofings, but also doors, doorknobs, railings, rain gutters, and wall coverings, and its useful properties aside from its recyclability are its low thermal movement, light weight, and lightning protection. Its natural oxide layer also protects the metal from further weathering outdoors. Bacteria will not grow on copper, and thus it is useful for making cooking pots, pans, and other such cutlery items; however, cookware made of copper must be lined with something to prevent acidic liquids from causing dangerous amounts of copper from leaking into the food. It also has use in jewelry, both as itself and in alloys. Thin enough copper threads can be made, by a skilled smith, that it can be woven in with cloth fibers for decorative purposes. It can also be used to preserve wood, when used in a liquid compound, particularly when treating things like dry rot. Copper is also used in colored-glass production.
Crystite
Color -
Ore: Greyish light blue.
Ingot: Sky blue.
Texture-
Ore: Coarse, but smooth.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight-
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Verime.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Often used as a metal polish or preserver.
Darya
Color -
Ore: White.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Chalky and smooth.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Natura.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Often used in medicines.
Dequatire
Color -
Ore: Light grey with blue streaks.
Ingot: Grey with blue accents.
Texture -
Ore: Rippled.
Ingot: Bumpy.
Weight -
Ore: Very heavy.
Ingot: Insanely heavy.
Skill: Standard.
Melting point: High.
Location: Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Rare/Specialty.
Special qualities: Its weight makes it very useful in tips of weapons and tools, typically of the blunt type. Warriors and high class workers go for weapons made of this material; however, this metal is very difficult, if not near impossible for non-earth elementals to carry.
False Coal
Color -
Ore: Jet black.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Chalky.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Extremely common/None.
Special qualities: Useless piece of rock that is around most ore veins. Can be thrown at others, but does minimal damage unless one uses a fairly large piece (still not really worth the effort, though).
Frost Stone
Color -
Ore: White with blue veins.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Cold and icy.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Verime.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Average.
Special qualities: Used to chill and freeze objects, but can also give frostbite to a non-fire or ice elemental if not handled properly.
Gold
Color -
Ore: Yellow-orange.
Ingot: Bright, slightly reddish, yellow.
Texture -
Ore: Bumpy, soft, and smooth. May be crystal-like, depending on source.
Ingot: Soft, extremely malleable, and very smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Very heavy (almost as heavy as lead).
Skill: High.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Pyren, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Rare/Very High.
Special qualities: Gold has been sought after and used in coinage, art, jewelry, colored-glass production, gold leafing, decoration, and ceremonial items since ancient times, due to its beauty. It is also used in some architectural items, such as statues. The value of gold is in its rarity, easy shaping, easy smelting, non-corrodability, distinct colour, and non-reactivity with other elements. Gold is also a good conductor of electricity and heat. It often occurs around silver ore, and sometimes forms a natural alloy with silver known as electrum. Gold may dissolve in alkaline solutions of cyanide, as well as in chlorine, but otherwise holds a strong resistance against corrosives (both acids and alkaloids). This metal is very dense, and also quite ductile. Gold is by far the most malleable of all metals, a single gram capable of being pounded into a sheet of one square meter with a simple hammer.
Blue gold is made by mixing molten gold with molten iron, while purple gold is made by mixing molten gold with molten aluminium; however, this is usually only done for specially-ordered jewelry. Blue gold is more brittle and thus more difficult to work with. Rose gold is made by alloying gold with ~25% copper, giving it a more distinctive reddish tint. White gold is made via alloying with nickel, and green gold (greenish-yellow colour) is made by alloying impure gold with silver. Gold can be made so thin that it appears transparent.
It is also consumable, in gold leaf or dust, but it has no flavour, provides no nutrition, and cannot be absorbed by the body, thus whatever gold is consumed leaves the body without causing any changes. The sole purpose gold would (realistically) have in food is purely decorative, as well as a way for the host to show off their wealth. Some very expensive cocktails may also contain gold, but again its only purpose is decorative. Regardless, most (in real-world history and Elemuntus) believe that gold in food has some positive property or other, due to something so beautiful and rare being unlikely to not have some kind of positive effect. Some cultures, however, believe gold to be mostly useless (the Xinthrī chief among them). Among the hume races, particularly humans, gold is used in wedding rings as a sign of eternal love.
Goltfite
Color -
Ore: Burnt-orange.
Ingot: Bright orange.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy.
Skill: Above average.
Melting point: Above average.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Rare/High.
Special qualities: Weapons made from this ore are of a higher durability and quality than iron weapons. Is called goltfie when refined.
Iron
Color -
Ore: Reddish-orange with smoky gray accents.
Ingot: Medium gray.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Average.
Location: All regions.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: A common tough ore that is used in all bladed weapons and some metal armors, also commonly used in alloys.
Lead
Color -
Ore: Dull grey.
Ingot: Bright silvery grey with a bluish-white tint, initially, but soon turns back to a dull grey.
Texture -
Ore: Smooth.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Very heavy (heaviest non-radioactive, non-elemental metal).
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Very low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Very Common/Cheap.
Special qualities: Lead is highly toxic when inhaled or swallowed (and can also be absorbed through the skin, though the rate for that is slow and only a problem for those who regularly work with it), indeed it is a neurotoxin that causes neurological damages, and stores in the brain, bones, and soft tissues. It can easily cause paralysis of the digestive system, as well. Symptoms of chronic lead poisoning include brain disorders, abdominal pains, weakness in the hands, feet, and ankles, and anemia, while high levels of chronic lead poisoning causes fertility issues in males, and reproductive issues in females. It is especially dangerous in still-growing young individuals, due to the nervous system damage it does (which those who are still growing are more susceptible to).
It is typically accidentally taken into the body through contaminated food or water, or by accidental consumption of contaminated soil, dust, or paints. Lead is readily absorbed by the bloodstream, and causes cardiovascular, neurological, immune system, and kidney issues. Lead can impair cognitive abilities in children permanently, even in extremely low levels. All but 1% of ingested lead will be excreted out of an adult, but only 37% will be excreted out of a child who had the same level of exposure in proportion to body mass. Most in Elemuntus are not fully aware of lead's toxicity, though they know to keep children away from it.
It has poor electrical and heat conductivity, as well as high corrosion resistance. Alloys with small amounts of copper, antimony, cadmium, tin, and tellurium improve corrosion resistance, while alloys with zinc and bismuth reduce it. Lead typically worsens the quality of an alloy, but small amounts of lead in steel improves the steel's ductility without degrading the quality (it is the same case with brass). It is also present in some pewter alloys. Finely powdered, highly refined lead burns with a bluish-white flame (but only powdered lead with a high purity, any other form simply melts).
Lead is very soluble, and can dissolve even in water, making it dangerous for use in piping, food containers, and other such items. The metal is very common, easy to mine, easy to work with, and easy to smelt. Lead is often found alongside silver, zinc, and especially copper, though most lead found is in an impure state and needs refining to be used. It can be used for the ballast keel of sailboats, stained glass, as a sound-deadening layer in walls, the base metal of organ pipes (with some amounts of tin used to control the tone of the instrument's various pipes), in some oil-based paints (where it produces a better white than the alternatives, other colours it is used in include yellow, red, and orange), and in pottery glazes.
Rouga
Color -
Ore: Black.
Ingot: Black.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy.
Skill: Advanced.
Melting point: Extremely high.
Location: Necross, Kaovina, Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Rare/High.
Special qualities: Used in the construction of forges.
Silicon
Color -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Crystalline, metallic grey, reflective, bluish tinge.
Texture -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: High.
Location: Everywhere. Literally. Only oxygen is more common.
Rarity/Value: Extremely Common/Above Average.
Special qualities: Also known as silicium, silicon is most widely found in dusts and sands. Like water, silicon is denser as a liquid than as a solid, but unlike most substances, it does not contract when frozen, but instead expands. Aside from being found in the sand on a beach, it can be found in quartz, pyroxene, amphibole, mica, feldspar, granite, meteorites, sandstone, agate, amethyst, rock crystal, obsidian, chalcedony, flint, jasper, and opal (the list is technically longer, but would take months to read as silicon is found in 90% of the planet's crust).
It is used in many kinds of glass, as well as in clay, mortar, building stone, waterproofing, high temperature greases/waxes, explosives, caulking compounds, porcelain, steel refining, and aluminium-casting, and is also alloyed with molten cast iron. Refining silicon from sand is not truly necessary for most uses, but it is often used as a way for younger earth and fire elementals to gain experience working in the various metalworking fields. Despite the substance's abundance, it has little biological use for most creatures. Silicon does, however, have a use in plants: it increases drought and frost resistance, and boosts the plant's pest and disease fighting systems (which helps increase crop yields).
Silver
Color -
Ore: Light grey.
Ingot: White, lustrous. Black when tarnished.
Texture -
Ore: Slightly rough, soft, malleable.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Somewhat heavier than iron.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Somewhat lower than average.
Location: Zephrus, Verime, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Very Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Silver possesses the highest electrical and heat conductivity of all metals (even higher than copper), and is the most reflective substance to exist. Most silver produced isn't mined, but rather taken from the refinement processes for copper, gold, lead, nickel, and zinc. It is more common than gold is, is only slightly less malleable, and it can form the alloy known as electrum with said rarer metal. Other ores it is found in include ores containing sulfur, arsenic, antimony and/or chlorine. Silver tarnishes upon contact with ozone or hydrogen sulfide, creating an oxide layer known as silver sulfide, but this layer can be removed. Some silver compounds are dangerously explosive. Silver and oxygen combined in water sanitizes the water, eliminating any need for chlorine.
The uses for silver include use as coinage, foil, food colouring/decoration (typically only by the rich, for the same reasons as gold), jewelry, high-quality mirrors, window coatings, ornaments, decorative/ceremonial armour (such armour looks really good, but is useless in battle), vases, high-quality wind instruments, candlesticks, stained glass (in yellow and orange pigments), art, high-value tableware, and high-value utensils (hence the term silverware).
Silver is not toxic, but too much silver in the diet can lead to it being deposited in the flesh, causing the skin, eyes, and mucus membranes to turn a blue-greyish colour. This is most noticeable in the hume races. The condition does not affect one's health, but is permanent, even if silver consumption in the diet is afterwards removed. Sterling silver is made by alloying silver with ~7.5% copper. Silversmiths often don't work with hot or molten silver, and instead work on it at room temperature with various hammers.
Sulfur
Color -
Ore: Lemon yellow. Gives off a blue flame when burned (best seen in the dark), and melts into a blood-red liquid.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Dusty, coarse. Crystalline.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Pyren, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Standard.
Special qualities: Sulfur is technically a crystal, but it has many uses beyond jewelry. The smell it gives off when burned is what most people know as brimstone. It can be used by earth elementals to more easily separate various kinds of metals.
Other uses include being ground and used in balms, skin creams, and anti-parasite medications (as well as a laxative when in pure powdered form), as well as vital for creating the best quality of blackpowder (gunpowder), and is used in fertilizer (due to plants having a relatively high need for sulfur), matches, bleaching cloth, preserving dried fruit, winemaking (to kill bacteria after fermentation), as an antioxidant in food, decorative inlays in furniture, and mineral extracting (as sulfuric acid). Elemuntus does not yet do oil refining, but sulfur is one needed substance for it.
Sulfur is a vital nutrient for life, and is present in all living cells. However, too much sulfur is toxic to insect-type and arachnid-type beastfolk and their ancestors, even in amounts that wouldn't bother other beastfolk or the hume races. Indeed, only sulfur compounds are toxic to non-insect creatures. This is because too much sulfur prevents respiration in creatures without lungs, causing them to suffocate to death. Avians need more sulfur than other creatures, as it is necessary for making strong, lightweight feathers. As such, eggs of all avian species are high in sulfur.
It is often used as a fungicide and an insecticide, usually by burning it and using the fumes to kill the fungus (typically against mildew and molds) or insect infestation (typically against ticks and mites). However, the fumes sulfur gives off when burned are toxic to most living creatures, including humans and other mammals, and so one should exercise caution and common sense.
Hydrogen sulfide in particular is as toxic as cyanide, and kills in the same way. Surprise poisonings from small inhaled amounts are less likely; however, due to its highly disagreeable warning odor. However, hydrogen sulfide rapidly deadens the sense of smell, and so an individual may breathe in increasing amounts of it and be unaware until severe symptoms develop. Once severe symptoms appear, death is usually not far behind.
Tin
Color -
Ore: Black, purple, or other dark colour. Cassiterite may be silver or black.
Ingot: Silver.
Texture -
Ore: Crystal-like, smooth, soft.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Very low.
Location: Everywhere, but especially in Zephrus.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Cheap.
Special qualities: Tin's main use is in alloying with copper to produce bronze. Pewter is made with copper and tin as well, but instead has a higher tin content than copper (about ~85-99% tin). Ingots of tin, when bent, let out a crackling noise: this is due to the highly crystalline nature of the metal. It becomes a superconductor at -269ºC (-452ºF). Tin resists corrosion by water, but not by acids or alkaloids, though it does form an oxide layer to protect against further corrosion.
As an ore, tin may be found in the soil of riverbanks as well as in mines. These deposits are readily visible (outside of Necross), due to the dark colouring of the ore. This makes it one of the easiest metals to get a hold of, and requires the least effort to retrieve from the environment, though it requires some more extensive refining than normal when retrieved by this method. The main mined ore of tin is called cassiterite, which often occurs in granite deposits and quartz veins, and may also contain tourmaline, topaz, fluorite, apatite, wolframite, molybdenite, and arsenopyrite. Cassiterie is used as a crystal for jewelry and elemental use, as well as refined for the tin within it. Tin ore may also be dredged up from sea- and riverbeds, but this can cause extensive environmental damages.
The uses of tin include use in cutlery, tableware (both as a cheap alternative to other metals), corrosion-resistant plating on steel (tin-plated steel containers are very good for food storage, though expensive due to the price of steel), candlesticks, as a foil for many kinds of foods (though aluminum is used more often for this), whistles, toning in the pipes of a pipe organ (mixed with lead), and decorations. Tin-plated steel may also be pierced many times to produce works of art that are also functional, such as lanterns, though these items tend to be expensive due to the price of steel. Glass for windows is made by floating molten glass on top of molten tin, producing a flat surface.
Zinc
Color -
Ore: Dull grey.
Ingot: Silvery grey.
Texture -
Ore:
Ingot:
Weight -
Ore:
Ingot:
Skill:
Melting point:
Location: Kaovina, Zephrus (present in all regions, but only worth mining in those two mentioned).
Rarity/Value:
Special qualities:
Alloys
Bronze
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Metallic brown.
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Made by mixing molten copper (which the primary metal) with molten tin, and sometimes arsenic, lead, nickel, phosphorus, aluminium, manganese, bismuth, and/or silicon. This produces a metal much harder than pure copper alone. The most common copper-to-tin ratio is ~88% copper and ~12% tin, though other ratios may also be common depending on location. Different ratios make the bronze have a slightly different colour, and some ratios hold a good shine better than others. Bronze resists corrosion (especially saltwater corrosion) better than steel, and is also denser, but is weaker and softer. It is often used for decorative purposes, artwork, some kinds of musical instruments (primarily bells and cymbals), and for weaker, cheaper weaponry and armour.
Pewter
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Silver. Lower grades (which contain lead) have a bluish tint and tarnish faster the higher the lead content (with oxidation giving these pewters a darker silver-grey colour).
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Malleable, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Pewter is an alloy made from ~85-99% tin, with the other metal usually being copper, but may also be antimony, bismuth, lead, and/or silver. There are three main kinds of pewter – fine pewter (99% tin, 1% copper), which is used to make tableware; trifle pewter (95% tin, 4% lead, 1% copper), which is used for holloware; and ley pewter (85% tin, 15% lead), which is used for items that do not come into contact with food. Other kinds tend to vary between the regions, as do the uses of said other kinds. Some of these other kinds include 94% tin, 1% copper, 5% antimony (most common in Natura); 92% tin, 2% copper, 6% antimony (most common in Kaovina); and 97.5% tin, 1% copper, 1.5% antimony (most common in Zephrus). The last one is slightly softer than the other mentioned kinds of pewter.
The most common uses for pewter, aside from what has already been mentioned, include pottery and glass-making, with other uses being lamps, candlesticks, statuettes, figurines, pendants, jewelry, and as a base metal for some silver-plated items. There are other uses for pewter, but these are the most common.
Steel
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Shiny, silver.
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Smooth, hard.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Somewhat heavy.
Skill: Advanced, though dual-phase is Master-level.
Melting point: Moderate or Very High depending on type.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Very high.
Special qualities: Iron ore heated to purity, then fused with up to ~2.1% carbon (other inclusions may be manganese, chromium, tungsten, nickel, molybdenum, boron, titanium, vanadium, niobium, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, as well as traces of oxygen, nitrogen, and copper, though this all varies depending on the type of steel). Weaponry and armour made from steel are of much better quality than iron, but are also heavier and much more expensive. There are many kinds of steel, with some kinds being better than others when used for certain things. The main kind of steel used in Elemuntus is stainless steel (steel containing a minimum of ~11% chromium, and also some nickle).
Other kinds of steel include low-alloy steel (contains up to ~10% molybdenum, manganese, chromium, and/or nickel), high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel (typically contains more manganese), dual-phase steel (specially heat treated for increased strength), carbon steel (contains only iron and carbon), tool steel (contains high amounts of tungsten, rouga, and/or cobalt), maraging steel (high nickle content, but carbon content is ~0.01%), and manganese steel (contains ~12–14% manganese).
Carbon steel is mostly used for building supports and other infrastructure, such as bridges and mine support beams, as well as for making steel wool and some kinds of weaponry that aren't expected to come into contact with water or water elementals. Stainless steel is the only kind of steel to be found in Aqulea, and is used all over Elemuntus for weaponry, armour, expensive cutlery, expensive cookware, watches, high-quality nails/bolts/screws, ships, and some medical instruments.
Tool steel is used for tools that will be used in forging other metals with moderate to high melting points, though in Pyren it is also used for fire elemental weaponry and armour. Low-alloy steel is used for thicker beam supports in both buildings and mines, as is HSLA and dual-phase steel (which are also used in bridges that are over deep gorges, crevices, and canyons). HSLA steel is also used for high-quality woodcutting axes and battle-axes. Manganese steel is used for extremely high-quality armour, especially in Kaovina, as well as in building fortifications.
The high price of steel comes from both its value and its difficulty to forge, as well as the length of time it takes to make. It takes a lot of skill to combine the various metals required to make it properly with the techniques currently available in Elemuntus. Poorly-forged steel has little use, and is usually melted back down so that earth elementals can separate the various metals again for better use.
Gems/Crystals:
Elemental crystals – Crystals made of a certain element common to the region, they are always very rare to find, but are very noticeable crystals: from their jagged shape and lustrous appearance, to their vibrations when near a living being. They are always one of two colors, and only master smiths have the skill to properly craft these crystals into legendary weapons:
Gilpher – A bright-yellow quartz found in Pryen.
Sage – A brownish gem that, when cut and enchanted, can improve the durability of a weapon or armor. Can also be ground and mixed with both the plant namesake and cofal to create an adrenal potion, which can be used to increase the someone's skill for a short period of time (a few posts' worth). This crystal is named after the herb, due to the fact that it gives off a similar scent when cut.
Theltin – A type of gem that changes color every hour. Colors appear to be ones that appear in rainbows.
Jolt Crystal – An extremely rare, cloudy yellow crystal that emits a small jolt of electricity, found only in Necross mines. Very valuable.
Power Gems – Elemental gems that are more commonly available compared to the elemental crystals.
-Earth
Jasper
Peridot
Smoky quartz
Topaz
-Fire
Citrine
Fire opal
Pyrite (also known as fool's gold)
Ruby
Tiger eye
-Ice
White or transparent quartz
-Nature
Amber
Fossil stone
Green tourmaline
Jet
Moss agate
Pearl
-Shadow
Black tourmaline
Obsidian
Onyx
-Water
Aquamarine
Turquoise
-Wind
Amethyst
Pink quartz
Sapphire
Serafinite
Ores/Minerals/Metals:
Antimony
Color -
Ore: Silvery-grey.
Ingot: Silvery white, lustrous. Has a crystalline/starred surface.
Texture -
Ore: Bumpy, smooth.
Ingot: Very brittle, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Slightly heavy.
Ingot: Somewhat heavy.
Skill: Advanced.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Verime, Kaovina, Zephrus.
Rarity/Value: Very Uncommon/Standard.
Special qualities: The main ore is stibnite, though it can also be found in lapis lazuli. Antimony comes in two variants, though only one of which normally occurs naturally: metallic antimony (the natural one) and black antimony (the explosive variant). Black antimony is made by scratching metallic antimony with a sharp object, which gives off a white fume. If the fumes are then rapidly cooled by an ice elemental, the explosive variant of antimony is formed, which is then used in various explosives. The visual difference between black antimony and metallic antimony is the colour. Metallic antimony will be referred to as 'antimony' from here forward, with black antimony being referred to as the 'explosive variant.'
Antimony forms a very useful alloy with lead, increasing its hardness and strength. It is also used in pewter, and in hardening alloys with low tin content in lead organ pipes. The only other real uses for it are in pigments (mainly in paints and glassmaking) and in skin conditioners for bovine-, goat-, sheep-, and camel-type beastfolk. Prolonged contact with antimony dust causes skin rashes, but purely because of blocked sweat ducts, and in general antimony is non-toxic.
Asphalt
Color -
Ore: Dark grey to black, with occasional flecks of white.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Hard, rough.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Kaovina, Natura, Pyren, Necross.
Rarity/Value: Common/Above Standard.
Special qualities: Asphalt is also known as bitumen, or asphaltum, and occurs naturally around tar pits and some other areas. It can be refined into a sticky, black liquid or semi-liquid form, with a high viscosity similar to that found in cold molasses. Refined asphalt is bumpy and smooth when solid. In ore form, it is a type of sandstone rock saturated with asphalt.
Its main uses in Elemuntus consist of mortar between bricks/stones, to cement parts of carvings (such as eyes) into place, for ship caulking, for waterproofing (especially in pools and bathtubs), making statuettes of household deities, etching, flooring, damp-proofing buildings, as an adhesive (such as to keep rattles on their handles), in decorations, roofing shingles, treating of wooden fence posts, and for sealing flat roofs, baskets (so said baskets can carry water), and the wooden planks of canoes.
Asphalt can also be used in painting, but unless thoroughly diluted, it will not fully solidify and will corrupt the colours of the nearby pigments it comes into contact with. Its use as a road/travel path material has yet to be discovered. It is an oil [petroleum] product. It is not recommended to consume asphalt, as it will seal up an individual's digestive tract like glue, and will cause them to starve to death if not healed by the nature obelisk (nature and water elemental healers do not have the power necessary to heal this particular problem). Asphalt is also toxic if consumed.
Brinmite
Color -
Ore: Orange.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Dusty and coarse.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Glowing properties makes it a good light source.
Bismuth
Color -
Ore: Yellowish white to slate grey.
Ingot: Silvery white, but soon develops a pinkish tint due to oxidation. Lustrous. If allowed to oxidize as a crystal, it develops a myriad of iridescent colours from yellow to blue due to the uneven oxide layer.
Texture -
Ore: Brittle, rough.
Ingot: Brittle, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy (almost as heavy as lead, heavier than gold).
Skill: Above average.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Kaovina, Natura, Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Above Standard.
Special qualities: Bismuth has an unusually low toxicity level for a heavy metal, and has the most molecular mass out of all the non-radioactive, non-elemental metals (this last fact is unknown to those of Elemuntus). When burned in oxygen, it gives off a blue flame, while its oxide gives off yellow fumes. Its crystal form, which rarely occurs in nature, is spiraling and stair-stepped, due to its growth being faster on the outside edges than the inside ones. True bismuth crystals form when it is of a high purity and allowed to do what it will, rather than worked into something.
It has very little heat conductivity, and high electrical resistance. Bismuth is denser in liquid form than in solid form, something it shares with antimony, germanium, silicon, and gallium. The main ores of bismuth are bismuthinite and bismite, though it is most commonly a byproduct of the extraction of lead, copper, tin, molybdenum, and tungsten, as well as a major byproduct of lead refinement and a more minor product of the refinement of silver, zinc, antimony, tungsten, molybdenum, tin, and copper. It is recyclable, though recycling from most uses is difficult due to scattering.
The uses of bismuth include cosmetics (primarily in eye shadows and nail polishes); pigments (yellow and iridescent); glass; enamels; a metallurgical additive to aluminium, iron, and steel; and as a non-toxic replacement for lead in ceramic glazes, paints, and fishing sinkers. It has some use in anti-diarrhea medications, but the healers of Elemuntus are still researching this particular use for it.
Burning stone
Color -
Ore: Brown with red veins.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Hot and rough.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Used for cooking and heating things up. Burns badly if not handled properly, unless the user is a fire elemental.
Coal
Color -
Ore: Smoky black.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Very chalky.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: Has none. Incinerates instead of melts, but burns first.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/High.
Special qualities: Commonly used as fuel for furnaces. May also be fused with iron to create steel alloy.
Cofal
Color -
Ore: Purple.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Soft and coarse.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Natura.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: A purple, consumable sweet ore, which is grounded up and used as a sweetener.
Copper
Color -
Ore: Brownish-orange.
Ingot: Reddish-orange, prolonged exposure to oxygenated air causes it to develop a brown-black oxide layer. May eventually turn a green, mossy colour without polishing (this can be reversed with white vinegar).
Texture -
Ore: Soft, coarse, crystal-like.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere, but most common in Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Very Common/High.
Special qualities: Good at conducting heat, cold, and electricity. Very soft, and so not particularly useful for weaponry or armour. Copper is commonly used in decorative art, both as itself and in pigments. It is a key trace mineral in the diets of all living creatures, being vital to a certain respiratory enzyme; however, too much can lead to copper poisoning. It is 100% recyclable without any loss in quality. Known copper alloys include brass (copper+zinc), pewter (tin+copper), and bronze (copper+tin). The alloy of ~93% copper and ~7% aluminium has a pleasant golden colour, and is often used in art and decorations. Copper is also used in roofing in both Pyren and Natura, though it is allowed to oxidize in the latter region.
Architectural uses include not just roofings, but also doors, doorknobs, railings, rain gutters, and wall coverings, and its useful properties aside from its recyclability are its low thermal movement, light weight, and lightning protection. Its natural oxide layer also protects the metal from further weathering outdoors. Bacteria will not grow on copper, and thus it is useful for making cooking pots, pans, and other such cutlery items; however, cookware made of copper must be lined with something to prevent acidic liquids from causing dangerous amounts of copper from leaking into the food. It also has use in jewelry, both as itself and in alloys. Thin enough copper threads can be made, by a skilled smith, that it can be woven in with cloth fibers for decorative purposes. It can also be used to preserve wood, when used in a liquid compound, particularly when treating things like dry rot. Copper is also used in colored-glass production.
Crystite
Color -
Ore: Greyish light blue.
Ingot: Sky blue.
Texture-
Ore: Coarse, but smooth.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight-
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Verime.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Often used as a metal polish or preserver.
Darya
Color -
Ore: White.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Chalky and smooth.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Average.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Natura.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Often used in medicines.
Dequatire
Color -
Ore: Light grey with blue streaks.
Ingot: Grey with blue accents.
Texture -
Ore: Rippled.
Ingot: Bumpy.
Weight -
Ore: Very heavy.
Ingot: Insanely heavy.
Skill: Standard.
Melting point: High.
Location: Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Rare/Specialty.
Special qualities: Its weight makes it very useful in tips of weapons and tools, typically of the blunt type. Warriors and high class workers go for weapons made of this material; however, this metal is very difficult, if not near impossible for non-earth elementals to carry.
False Coal
Color -
Ore: Jet black.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Chalky.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: N/A.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Extremely common/None.
Special qualities: Useless piece of rock that is around most ore veins. Can be thrown at others, but does minimal damage unless one uses a fairly large piece (still not really worth the effort, though).
Frost Stone
Color -
Ore: White with blue veins.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Cold and icy.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: N/A
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: N/A.
Location: Verime.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Average.
Special qualities: Used to chill and freeze objects, but can also give frostbite to a non-fire or ice elemental if not handled properly.
Gold
Color -
Ore: Yellow-orange.
Ingot: Bright, slightly reddish, yellow.
Texture -
Ore: Bumpy, soft, and smooth. May be crystal-like, depending on source.
Ingot: Soft, extremely malleable, and very smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Very heavy (almost as heavy as lead).
Skill: High.
Melting point: Average.
Location: Pyren, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Rare/Very High.
Special qualities: Gold has been sought after and used in coinage, art, jewelry, colored-glass production, gold leafing, decoration, and ceremonial items since ancient times, due to its beauty. It is also used in some architectural items, such as statues. The value of gold is in its rarity, easy shaping, easy smelting, non-corrodability, distinct colour, and non-reactivity with other elements. Gold is also a good conductor of electricity and heat. It often occurs around silver ore, and sometimes forms a natural alloy with silver known as electrum. Gold may dissolve in alkaline solutions of cyanide, as well as in chlorine, but otherwise holds a strong resistance against corrosives (both acids and alkaloids). This metal is very dense, and also quite ductile. Gold is by far the most malleable of all metals, a single gram capable of being pounded into a sheet of one square meter with a simple hammer.
Blue gold is made by mixing molten gold with molten iron, while purple gold is made by mixing molten gold with molten aluminium; however, this is usually only done for specially-ordered jewelry. Blue gold is more brittle and thus more difficult to work with. Rose gold is made by alloying gold with ~25% copper, giving it a more distinctive reddish tint. White gold is made via alloying with nickel, and green gold (greenish-yellow colour) is made by alloying impure gold with silver. Gold can be made so thin that it appears transparent.
It is also consumable, in gold leaf or dust, but it has no flavour, provides no nutrition, and cannot be absorbed by the body, thus whatever gold is consumed leaves the body without causing any changes. The sole purpose gold would (realistically) have in food is purely decorative, as well as a way for the host to show off their wealth. Some very expensive cocktails may also contain gold, but again its only purpose is decorative. Regardless, most (in real-world history and Elemuntus) believe that gold in food has some positive property or other, due to something so beautiful and rare being unlikely to not have some kind of positive effect. Some cultures, however, believe gold to be mostly useless (the Xinthrī chief among them). Among the hume races, particularly humans, gold is used in wedding rings as a sign of eternal love.
Goltfite
Color -
Ore: Burnt-orange.
Ingot: Bright orange.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy.
Skill: Above average.
Melting point: Above average.
Location: Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Rare/High.
Special qualities: Weapons made from this ore are of a higher durability and quality than iron weapons. Is called goltfie when refined.
Iron
Color -
Ore: Reddish-orange with smoky gray accents.
Ingot: Medium gray.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Average.
Location: All regions.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: A common tough ore that is used in all bladed weapons and some metal armors, also commonly used in alloys.
Lead
Color -
Ore: Dull grey.
Ingot: Bright silvery grey with a bluish-white tint, initially, but soon turns back to a dull grey.
Texture -
Ore: Smooth.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Very heavy (heaviest non-radioactive, non-elemental metal).
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Very low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Very Common/Cheap.
Special qualities: Lead is highly toxic when inhaled or swallowed (and can also be absorbed through the skin, though the rate for that is slow and only a problem for those who regularly work with it), indeed it is a neurotoxin that causes neurological damages, and stores in the brain, bones, and soft tissues. It can easily cause paralysis of the digestive system, as well. Symptoms of chronic lead poisoning include brain disorders, abdominal pains, weakness in the hands, feet, and ankles, and anemia, while high levels of chronic lead poisoning causes fertility issues in males, and reproductive issues in females. It is especially dangerous in still-growing young individuals, due to the nervous system damage it does (which those who are still growing are more susceptible to).
It is typically accidentally taken into the body through contaminated food or water, or by accidental consumption of contaminated soil, dust, or paints. Lead is readily absorbed by the bloodstream, and causes cardiovascular, neurological, immune system, and kidney issues. Lead can impair cognitive abilities in children permanently, even in extremely low levels. All but 1% of ingested lead will be excreted out of an adult, but only 37% will be excreted out of a child who had the same level of exposure in proportion to body mass. Most in Elemuntus are not fully aware of lead's toxicity, though they know to keep children away from it.
It has poor electrical and heat conductivity, as well as high corrosion resistance. Alloys with small amounts of copper, antimony, cadmium, tin, and tellurium improve corrosion resistance, while alloys with zinc and bismuth reduce it. Lead typically worsens the quality of an alloy, but small amounts of lead in steel improves the steel's ductility without degrading the quality (it is the same case with brass). It is also present in some pewter alloys. Finely powdered, highly refined lead burns with a bluish-white flame (but only powdered lead with a high purity, any other form simply melts).
Lead is very soluble, and can dissolve even in water, making it dangerous for use in piping, food containers, and other such items. The metal is very common, easy to mine, easy to work with, and easy to smelt. Lead is often found alongside silver, zinc, and especially copper, though most lead found is in an impure state and needs refining to be used. It can be used for the ballast keel of sailboats, stained glass, as a sound-deadening layer in walls, the base metal of organ pipes (with some amounts of tin used to control the tone of the instrument's various pipes), in some oil-based paints (where it produces a better white than the alternatives, other colours it is used in include yellow, red, and orange), and in pottery glazes.
Rouga
Color -
Ore: Black.
Ingot: Black.
Texture -
Ore: Rough.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Heavy.
Ingot: Heavy.
Skill: Advanced.
Melting point: Extremely high.
Location: Necross, Kaovina, Pyren.
Rarity/Value: Rare/High.
Special qualities: Used in the construction of forges.
Silicon
Color -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Crystalline, metallic grey, reflective, bluish tinge.
Texture -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: Varies.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: High.
Location: Everywhere. Literally. Only oxygen is more common.
Rarity/Value: Extremely Common/Above Average.
Special qualities: Also known as silicium, silicon is most widely found in dusts and sands. Like water, silicon is denser as a liquid than as a solid, but unlike most substances, it does not contract when frozen, but instead expands. Aside from being found in the sand on a beach, it can be found in quartz, pyroxene, amphibole, mica, feldspar, granite, meteorites, sandstone, agate, amethyst, rock crystal, obsidian, chalcedony, flint, jasper, and opal (the list is technically longer, but would take months to read as silicon is found in 90% of the planet's crust).
It is used in many kinds of glass, as well as in clay, mortar, building stone, waterproofing, high temperature greases/waxes, explosives, caulking compounds, porcelain, steel refining, and aluminium-casting, and is also alloyed with molten cast iron. Refining silicon from sand is not truly necessary for most uses, but it is often used as a way for younger earth and fire elementals to gain experience working in the various metalworking fields. Despite the substance's abundance, it has little biological use for most creatures. Silicon does, however, have a use in plants: it increases drought and frost resistance, and boosts the plant's pest and disease fighting systems (which helps increase crop yields).
Silver
Color -
Ore: Light grey.
Ingot: White, lustrous. Black when tarnished.
Texture -
Ore: Slightly rough, soft, malleable.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Average.
Ingot: Somewhat heavier than iron.
Skill: Moderate.
Melting point: Somewhat lower than average.
Location: Zephrus, Verime, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Very Uncommon/High.
Special qualities: Silver possesses the highest electrical and heat conductivity of all metals (even higher than copper), and is the most reflective substance to exist. Most silver produced isn't mined, but rather taken from the refinement processes for copper, gold, lead, nickel, and zinc. It is more common than gold is, is only slightly less malleable, and it can form the alloy known as electrum with said rarer metal. Other ores it is found in include ores containing sulfur, arsenic, antimony and/or chlorine. Silver tarnishes upon contact with ozone or hydrogen sulfide, creating an oxide layer known as silver sulfide, but this layer can be removed. Some silver compounds are dangerously explosive. Silver and oxygen combined in water sanitizes the water, eliminating any need for chlorine.
The uses for silver include use as coinage, foil, food colouring/decoration (typically only by the rich, for the same reasons as gold), jewelry, high-quality mirrors, window coatings, ornaments, decorative/ceremonial armour (such armour looks really good, but is useless in battle), vases, high-quality wind instruments, candlesticks, stained glass (in yellow and orange pigments), art, high-value tableware, and high-value utensils (hence the term silverware).
Silver is not toxic, but too much silver in the diet can lead to it being deposited in the flesh, causing the skin, eyes, and mucus membranes to turn a blue-greyish colour. This is most noticeable in the hume races. The condition does not affect one's health, but is permanent, even if silver consumption in the diet is afterwards removed. Sterling silver is made by alloying silver with ~7.5% copper. Silversmiths often don't work with hot or molten silver, and instead work on it at room temperature with various hammers.
Sulfur
Color -
Ore: Lemon yellow. Gives off a blue flame when burned (best seen in the dark), and melts into a blood-red liquid.
Ingot: N/A.
Texture -
Ore: Dusty, coarse. Crystalline.
Ingot: N/A.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: N/A.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Pyren, Kaovina.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Standard.
Special qualities: Sulfur is technically a crystal, but it has many uses beyond jewelry. The smell it gives off when burned is what most people know as brimstone. It can be used by earth elementals to more easily separate various kinds of metals.
Other uses include being ground and used in balms, skin creams, and anti-parasite medications (as well as a laxative when in pure powdered form), as well as vital for creating the best quality of blackpowder (gunpowder), and is used in fertilizer (due to plants having a relatively high need for sulfur), matches, bleaching cloth, preserving dried fruit, winemaking (to kill bacteria after fermentation), as an antioxidant in food, decorative inlays in furniture, and mineral extracting (as sulfuric acid). Elemuntus does not yet do oil refining, but sulfur is one needed substance for it.
Sulfur is a vital nutrient for life, and is present in all living cells. However, too much sulfur is toxic to insect-type and arachnid-type beastfolk and their ancestors, even in amounts that wouldn't bother other beastfolk or the hume races. Indeed, only sulfur compounds are toxic to non-insect creatures. This is because too much sulfur prevents respiration in creatures without lungs, causing them to suffocate to death. Avians need more sulfur than other creatures, as it is necessary for making strong, lightweight feathers. As such, eggs of all avian species are high in sulfur.
It is often used as a fungicide and an insecticide, usually by burning it and using the fumes to kill the fungus (typically against mildew and molds) or insect infestation (typically against ticks and mites). However, the fumes sulfur gives off when burned are toxic to most living creatures, including humans and other mammals, and so one should exercise caution and common sense.
Hydrogen sulfide in particular is as toxic as cyanide, and kills in the same way. Surprise poisonings from small inhaled amounts are less likely; however, due to its highly disagreeable warning odor. However, hydrogen sulfide rapidly deadens the sense of smell, and so an individual may breathe in increasing amounts of it and be unaware until severe symptoms develop. Once severe symptoms appear, death is usually not far behind.
Tin
Color -
Ore: Black, purple, or other dark colour. Cassiterite may be silver or black.
Ingot: Silver.
Texture -
Ore: Crystal-like, smooth, soft.
Ingot: Smooth, soft, malleable.
Weight -
Ore: Light.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Very low.
Location: Everywhere, but especially in Zephrus.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Cheap.
Special qualities: Tin's main use is in alloying with copper to produce bronze. Pewter is made with copper and tin as well, but instead has a higher tin content than copper (about ~85-99% tin). Ingots of tin, when bent, let out a crackling noise: this is due to the highly crystalline nature of the metal. It becomes a superconductor at -269ºC (-452ºF). Tin resists corrosion by water, but not by acids or alkaloids, though it does form an oxide layer to protect against further corrosion.
As an ore, tin may be found in the soil of riverbanks as well as in mines. These deposits are readily visible (outside of Necross), due to the dark colouring of the ore. This makes it one of the easiest metals to get a hold of, and requires the least effort to retrieve from the environment, though it requires some more extensive refining than normal when retrieved by this method. The main mined ore of tin is called cassiterite, which often occurs in granite deposits and quartz veins, and may also contain tourmaline, topaz, fluorite, apatite, wolframite, molybdenite, and arsenopyrite. Cassiterie is used as a crystal for jewelry and elemental use, as well as refined for the tin within it. Tin ore may also be dredged up from sea- and riverbeds, but this can cause extensive environmental damages.
The uses of tin include use in cutlery, tableware (both as a cheap alternative to other metals), corrosion-resistant plating on steel (tin-plated steel containers are very good for food storage, though expensive due to the price of steel), candlesticks, as a foil for many kinds of foods (though aluminum is used more often for this), whistles, toning in the pipes of a pipe organ (mixed with lead), and decorations. Tin-plated steel may also be pierced many times to produce works of art that are also functional, such as lanterns, though these items tend to be expensive due to the price of steel. Glass for windows is made by floating molten glass on top of molten tin, producing a flat surface.
Zinc
Color -
Ore: Dull grey.
Ingot: Silvery grey.
Texture -
Ore:
Ingot:
Weight -
Ore:
Ingot:
Skill:
Melting point:
Location: Kaovina, Zephrus (present in all regions, but only worth mining in those two mentioned).
Rarity/Value:
Special qualities:
Alloys
Bronze
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Metallic brown.
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Smooth.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Average.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Made by mixing molten copper (which the primary metal) with molten tin, and sometimes arsenic, lead, nickel, phosphorus, aluminium, manganese, bismuth, and/or silicon. This produces a metal much harder than pure copper alone. The most common copper-to-tin ratio is ~88% copper and ~12% tin, though other ratios may also be common depending on location. Different ratios make the bronze have a slightly different colour, and some ratios hold a good shine better than others. Bronze resists corrosion (especially saltwater corrosion) better than steel, and is also denser, but is weaker and softer. It is often used for decorative purposes, artwork, some kinds of musical instruments (primarily bells and cymbals), and for weaker, cheaper weaponry and armour.
Pewter
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Silver. Lower grades (which contain lead) have a bluish tint and tarnish faster the higher the lead content (with oxidation giving these pewters a darker silver-grey colour).
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Malleable, smooth.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Light.
Skill: Basic.
Melting point: Low.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Common/Average.
Special qualities: Pewter is an alloy made from ~85-99% tin, with the other metal usually being copper, but may also be antimony, bismuth, lead, and/or silver. There are three main kinds of pewter – fine pewter (99% tin, 1% copper), which is used to make tableware; trifle pewter (95% tin, 4% lead, 1% copper), which is used for holloware; and ley pewter (85% tin, 15% lead), which is used for items that do not come into contact with food. Other kinds tend to vary between the regions, as do the uses of said other kinds. Some of these other kinds include 94% tin, 1% copper, 5% antimony (most common in Natura); 92% tin, 2% copper, 6% antimony (most common in Kaovina); and 97.5% tin, 1% copper, 1.5% antimony (most common in Zephrus). The last one is slightly softer than the other mentioned kinds of pewter.
The most common uses for pewter, aside from what has already been mentioned, include pottery and glass-making, with other uses being lamps, candlesticks, statuettes, figurines, pendants, jewelry, and as a base metal for some silver-plated items. There are other uses for pewter, but these are the most common.
Steel
Color -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Shiny, silver.
Texture -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Smooth, hard.
Weight -
Ore: N/A.
Ingot: Somewhat heavy.
Skill: Advanced, though dual-phase is Master-level.
Melting point: Moderate or Very High depending on type.
Location: Everywhere.
Rarity/Value: Uncommon/Very high.
Special qualities: Iron ore heated to purity, then fused with up to ~2.1% carbon (other inclusions may be manganese, chromium, tungsten, nickel, molybdenum, boron, titanium, vanadium, niobium, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon, as well as traces of oxygen, nitrogen, and copper, though this all varies depending on the type of steel). Weaponry and armour made from steel are of much better quality than iron, but are also heavier and much more expensive. There are many kinds of steel, with some kinds being better than others when used for certain things. The main kind of steel used in Elemuntus is stainless steel (steel containing a minimum of ~11% chromium, and also some nickle).
Other kinds of steel include low-alloy steel (contains up to ~10% molybdenum, manganese, chromium, and/or nickel), high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steel (typically contains more manganese), dual-phase steel (specially heat treated for increased strength), carbon steel (contains only iron and carbon), tool steel (contains high amounts of tungsten, rouga, and/or cobalt), maraging steel (high nickle content, but carbon content is ~0.01%), and manganese steel (contains ~12–14% manganese).
Carbon steel is mostly used for building supports and other infrastructure, such as bridges and mine support beams, as well as for making steel wool and some kinds of weaponry that aren't expected to come into contact with water or water elementals. Stainless steel is the only kind of steel to be found in Aqulea, and is used all over Elemuntus for weaponry, armour, expensive cutlery, expensive cookware, watches, high-quality nails/bolts/screws, ships, and some medical instruments.
Tool steel is used for tools that will be used in forging other metals with moderate to high melting points, though in Pyren it is also used for fire elemental weaponry and armour. Low-alloy steel is used for thicker beam supports in both buildings and mines, as is HSLA and dual-phase steel (which are also used in bridges that are over deep gorges, crevices, and canyons). HSLA steel is also used for high-quality woodcutting axes and battle-axes. Manganese steel is used for extremely high-quality armour, especially in Kaovina, as well as in building fortifications.
The high price of steel comes from both its value and its difficulty to forge, as well as the length of time it takes to make. It takes a lot of skill to combine the various metals required to make it properly with the techniques currently available in Elemuntus. Poorly-forged steel has little use, and is usually melted back down so that earth elementals can separate the various metals again for better use.
Gems/Crystals:
Elemental crystals – Crystals made of a certain element common to the region, they are always very rare to find, but are very noticeable crystals: from their jagged shape and lustrous appearance, to their vibrations when near a living being. They are always one of two colors, and only master smiths have the skill to properly craft these crystals into legendary weapons:
- Fire crystal – Redish-orange/yellowish-orange; always found in Pryen, and warm to the touch.
- Water crystal – Crystal-blue/aquamarine; always found in Aqulea. Smooth, and cool to the touch, these float in the water.
- Wind crystal – Sky-blue/light-green; always found in Zephrus and emits a constant small breeze.
- Earth crystal – Orangish-brown/greyish-brown; always found in Kaovina and is smooth, but extremely heavy.
- Ice crystal – Light-blue/bluish-white; always found in Verime and cold to the touch. These vary between smooth and coarse, and float in water.
- Nature crystal – Dark-green/brownish-green; always found in Natura.
- Shadow crystal – Blackish-violet/light-purple; always found in Necross and are cool to the touch.
Gilpher – A bright-yellow quartz found in Pryen.
Sage – A brownish gem that, when cut and enchanted, can improve the durability of a weapon or armor. Can also be ground and mixed with both the plant namesake and cofal to create an adrenal potion, which can be used to increase the someone's skill for a short period of time (a few posts' worth). This crystal is named after the herb, due to the fact that it gives off a similar scent when cut.
Theltin – A type of gem that changes color every hour. Colors appear to be ones that appear in rainbows.
Jolt Crystal – An extremely rare, cloudy yellow crystal that emits a small jolt of electricity, found only in Necross mines. Very valuable.
Power Gems – Elemental gems that are more commonly available compared to the elemental crystals.
-Earth
Jasper
Peridot
Smoky quartz
Topaz
-Fire
Citrine
Fire opal
Pyrite (also known as fool's gold)
Ruby
Tiger eye
-Ice
White or transparent quartz
-Nature
Amber
Fossil stone
Green tourmaline
Jet
Moss agate
Pearl
-Shadow
Black tourmaline
Obsidian
Onyx
-Water
Aquamarine
Turquoise
-Wind
Amethyst
Pink quartz
Sapphire
Serafinite