Isurian Steel
From Mizahar Lore
 Harder than Stone, Lighter than Air |
Contents |
General Description
Isurian Steel is considered by those skilled in arts of metalsmithing and blacksmithing, to be one of the most desirable metals in existence while also being one of the most difficult to obtain and impossible to work. Its name comes from the fact that it is the product of Isur craftsmanship and found only in the mountains that make up the Isurian Kingdom of Sultros. It is said that before the Valterrian, Isurian Steel could also be found and produced in the Old Kingdom yet it is unknown if those mines still exist. Isurian Steel is notable for its great strength and light weight and items made from it are known to accept magecrafting procedures quite well.
Form and Composition
Isurian Steel is actually a composite of materials normally used to produce steel along with other unique, extremely rare metals mined by the isur. The process of smelting the ore and producing workable steel is viewed by the isur as something of a religious undertaking. As such, the faith and devotion of the isur adds a tangible element to the steel that can be worked a molded along with the steel itself in the forging of an item. Because of this, only an isur is capable of smelting ore into Isurian Steel.
Isurian Steel is extremely hard even in its unworked form. It is dull grey in color and rather lightweight. When used to forge an item and then polished, the steel shines with a brightness similar to that of silver though still somewhat less.
Properties
Isurian Steel is twice as strong (hardness) as normal steel and half the weight. This makes it extremely versatile in its crafting potential. It is impervious to rust, maintains its strength regardless of elevation, temperature or other extreme conditions. While it has been noted that Isurian Steel blades have the capability of breaking the blades of lesser weapons or even cleaving through armor as if it weren't there, such properties are highly conditional. In most cases, the weapons mentioned were imparted with Izentor, Izurdin's gnosis. They were also wielded by the impressively strong isur for whom such weapons are usually designed for.
Due to the unique process involved in its creation, Isurian Steel items may ONLY be produced by an Isur competent in Blacksmithing. Smelting of ore to create Isurian Steel may only be done by an Isur who is an expert in metalsmithing. Non-isur who attempt to forge items with Isurian Steel, assuming they have the strength of body and tools to do so, will find that the end result is no different from simple iron. It takes the arm of an Isur to work Isurian Steel.
Value and Availability
Isurian Steel is not as valuable monetarily as say gold or silver so it can be had at a somewhat lesser cost. The problem is that the primary producers of Isurian Steel and items made from it are the Isur. The Isur are by their very nature, isolationists. While this has eased over time, the Isur are still not that interested in giving away their precious steel to anyone. Unworked steel is virtually impossible to procure from the Isur by anyone other than another Isur. What Isurian Steel goods are available to outsiders via trading and border posts within and around the Kingdom are limited to tools and utensils with the occasional bit of clothing, shield, small or tiny weapon and rarely light or medium armor with bits of Isurian Steel included in the overall construction. The desire for wealth often pales in comparison to the isur's desire to protect their steel from falling into inferior hands thus throwing mizas around in hopes of acquiring true Isurian Steel items is generally pointless.
Items in the Price List that have the option of being crafted using Isurian Steel, are 5x the listed cost of said items. They can only be purchased with Storyteller/Founder approval regardless of it being as part of a Starting Package or purchased somewhere in-thread. Note that the only real shops that carry Isurian Steel goods in any real quantity, are located in and around the Kingdom of Sultros. Almost never are Isurian Steel items found for sale in any other place. This is true even of the the largest cities no matter if they have isurian smiths living and working in them. Most cities have but a handful of Isurian Steel items in them at all and even fewer for sale.
Outside of Sultros, one may acquire items marketed as Isurian Steel yet these are almost always items that have been imparted upon with the first mark of Izentor which increases their overall strength and durability. The are however NOT true Isurian Steel.
Magic and Isurian Steel
The observed ability of Isurian Steel items to take well to Magecrafting seems to be tied to the very nature of the steel itself. While the steel doesn't allow anything extra to be added with magecrafting, crafters do find it easier to view an item's aura when it is crafted from Isurian Steel.
Alchemy has a rather odd effect when Isurian Steel is involved in related projects. Attempting to duplicate, add to or otherwise tamper with Isurian Steel in its unworked form will not produce results. However, using finished Isurian Steel items in the process will allow the Alchemist some better yet mixed results. Attempting to copy the properties of an IS item to another object or substance will increase the overall quality of the target. It will indeed be stronger and lighter than normal steel however it will also gain some negative properties related to steel and lesser metals. These negative properties cannot be filtered out or removed. They include rust (no matter if the end result was metal or cloth or other, it will rust), decreased hardness in cold temperatures as well as increased conductivity (don't go out in a storm).
Glyphing works on Isurian Steel with usual results while Animation tends to leave animated items employing the steel as a part of their construction with sluggish movements and increased weight.
Unfinished and Repurposed
Isurian Steel cannot be melted down and repurposed. Once melted (the requires some very high heat), the steel loses all of its properties and becomes worthless slag.
There is no such thing as an unfinished item forged from Isurian Steel. Isur are well known for their patience and this is never more apparent then when they are crafting. When an Isur begins a project of creation, they do not stop until it is complete. They may pause for rest or to work on a separate piece of the same project yet their focus is on completing their goal. If for some odd reason an item is left unfinished (death of the creator for example), it would take another isur of equal skill as the original to finish the item.
Uses
Isurian Steel is highly prized for its unique qualities, especially when used in weapons and armor. IS weapons are stronger than most any other blade and lighter. IS armor is lightweight, in some cases almost weightless and its extreme durability can protect the wearer from otherwise killing blows. When woven into clothing, Isurian Steel offers amazing protection and great flexibility (Isurian Steel wire and thread does not weaken and break like lesser metals) while IS tools and utensils will last forever with but minor maintenance.
One will never find Isurian Steel used only as decoration, for that is the purpose of other metals. To the Isur, when they forge something from Isurian Steel, they do so for a purpose that transcends mere adornment, they do so for function. Isurian Steel weapons are meant to harm, armor is meant to defend, clothing is meant for comfort and protection while tools and utensils are meant to do work. Ornamentation is what gold, silver and other shiny metals are for. In fact, any Isur who would use Isurian Steel solely for decoration is considered by their peers to be an inferior smith and any items that use IS solely for decoration are seen by isur as being low quality. This is not to say that the Isur have ugly weapons and other items. In fact, the isur craft some of the most beautiful works of art using Isurian Steel that have ever been seen by the mortal eye. It is only that Isurian Steel is too precious to not be used for a purpose other than appearance. The Isur often use gold, silver, copper, brass and bronze in their work with Isurian Steel. A sword may have a blade of Isurian Steel, a hilt of dire bear bone, a golden cross-guard with a gem-studded pommel; such a sword would be viewed as an acceptable work of art in any isur's eyes. However, a sword with a normal steel blade, Isurian Steel cross-guard and pommel with a hilt of dire bear bone would be considered inferior due to the more decorative parts of the sword being Isurian Steel rather than the blade; the blade being the source of the sword's purpose afterall.
Final Notes
Isurian Steel is RARE outside of Sultros. Even in Sultros it is only found in regular availability among Izurdin's Hammer and a few shops and forges located in the various clan cities. The border and trading posts in and around the Kingdom also carry small supplies of IS items. Other than for those previously mentioned locations, it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY (in other words, nearly impossible) that one may find any IS items for sale in any other city or region. These are items rewarded in quests, crafted through threadwork by isurian smiths or attained through great deeds (be they good or evil in nature).
HELP DESK APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR ALL ISURIAN STEEL WEAPONS OF SIZE MEDIUM AND LARGER AND HEAVY ARMOR. THIS HOLDS TRUE FOR PURCHASES AS WELL AS QUEST REWARDS OR ANY OTHER METHOD OF ACQUIRING SUCH ISURIAN STEEL ITEMS. HELP DESK APPROVAL ALSO REQUIRED FOR ANY ACQUISITION OF RAW, UNWORKED ISURIAN STEEL. ISURIAN TOOLS AND USTENSILS DO NOT REQUIRE HELP DESK APPROVAL UNLESS THEY ARE ESPECIALLY UNIQUE OR LARGER THAN WHAT A NORMAL HUMAN COULD CARRY IN THEIR HANDS.