Danu
2007-01-18, 11:41 AM
Orichalcum
Orichalcum is a legendary magical alloy created from gold and copper that combines the beautiful sheen of gold with the hardiness of copper to form a metal that is greater then both. The process for creating true orichalcum is known only to the greatest of mage-smiths, a secret guarded with great jealousy. While some kings might boast weapons forged of the silvery mithral or the rare black adamantine, only the greatest of emperors might lay claim to weapons made of this beautiful golden metal.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is made chiefly of an alloy between gold and copper, mixed with some magical reagents. After the item made of this exotic metal is complete but still red-hot, it is emerged in nearly frozen water. The copper quickly oxidizes and becomes a black patina on the surface of the metal. After a carefully maintained acid wash, the patina is removed and the item is scrubbed to a beautiful golden hue.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifSlashing and piercing weapons made of orichalcum have an unusually fine edges that never need to be sharpened, granting such weapons a +1 nonmagical enhancement bonus on damage rolls. Spells and effects that increase the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon are enhanced by 1 point. For example, a keen orichalcum halberd would have a critical threat range of 18-20, a keen orichalcum longsword would have a critical threat range of 16-20. A keen orichalcum scimitar would have a critical threat range of 14-20. An orichalcum weapon is so hard that it has the natural ability to bypass the hardness of items, and ignores the hardness of any material with a hardness of 15 or less. (Orichalcum has no effect on harder metals, such as adamantine, unless it is further treated with refora. See below for information on refora.)
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is a wonderfully fluid and flexible material, which lends itself to the creation of armor extraordinarily well. Spell failure chances for any armor made from orichalcum are decreased by 5%, the maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and the armor check penalties are lessened by 2 (to a minimum of 0).
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum has the same weight as steel. It has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 15. Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from orichalcum. An arrow could be made of orichalcum, but a quarterstaff could not. Orichalcum is so difficult to make correctly that the material is extremely costly. For this reason, all orichalcum items are inherently masterwork.
{table]Type of Item|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +100 gp
Light armor|+8,000 gp
Medium armor| +13,000 gp
Heavy armor| +18,000 gp
Weapon| +5,000 gp
[/table]
Blackfire
Blackfire is a strange material, and quite possibly one of the rarest materials ever known. The secret to creating the material is thought to have been granted to ancient azer by a celestial being for use in their battles against enemies also native to the Elemental Plane of Fire (such as salamanders and efreeti), but since modern azer are no longer able to produce the unusual material, they cannot credit this claim. For this reason, all blackfire weapons currently in existence are thought to be the products of ancient azer lines, since the hilts of such items are frequently designed with names or phrases from the unique azer dialect of Ignan.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifBlackfire is named aptly; it appears to be black fire caught in the form of a weapon, constantly shifting and moving with the wind. The ore is actually relatively cool to the touch, capable of being wielded with ungloved hands.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA nonmagical blackfire weapon has the same properties as a steel weapon of the same type; it has the same hardness, weight, and hit points. Blackfire weapons bypass the damage reduction of any creature with the cold subtype, as if it were constructed of the appropriate metal or had the appropriate alignment. In addition, blackfire weapons that deal fire damage ignore fire resistance, deal 1/2 damage to creatures ordinarily immune to fire, and deal double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire. When a blackfire weapon is sundered, whatever properties containing the material are dissolved and the weapon is forever destroyed. Blackfire weapons are inherently masterwork, however, and they take magical properties unusually well.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor every +1 enhancement bonus on the weapon, a blackfire weapon's hardness and hit points are increased by 2. A magical blackfire weapon deals all of its damage as fire damage, including any bonus dealt by a high strength score or a special ability (such as smite evil). Blackfire weapons cannot be imbued with any special abilties that would deal cold damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor example, a +1 blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 points of fire damage. A +1 flaming blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 +1d6 points of fire damage. A +1 spell-storing blackfire longsword with a scorching ray stored would deal 1d8+1 plus 4d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. In all cases, the weapon ignores fire resistance, deals 1/2 that damage to creatures immune to fire, and deals double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn most cases, a blackfire weapon will be found in the hands of a notable azer warrior; an heirloom dating back literally thousands of years. In some rare cases, the weapons might be discovered in the hands of salamander and efreeti warriors who have stolen or looted the weapons from their ancient enemies. Azers of the appropriate lineage might pay a handsome reward... or ransom... for the return of their ancestral weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhile the azer no longer possess the ability to forge the weapons, they are capable of altering the hilts of the weapons (a practice no other race can manage) in order to suit their desires. In some very rare cases, they might reward heroic non-azer with these weapons, specifically re-tooled with images and words describing the deed this hero accomplished to earn such a prize.
{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +200 gp
Light weapon|+3,000 gp
One-handed weapon| +12,000 gp
Two-handed weapon| +25,000 gp
[/table]
Ocanthicite
Ocanthicite, also commonly called 'black ice' is a strange material native to the 4th layer of Acheron, Ocanthus. Ocanthicite is only discovered in the shape of a weapon, and all of these weapons share a common history; they are the natural byproducts of a peculiar race of outsiders native to Acheron. A black ice weapon is naturally formed by creatures with the 'Ocanthicite' subtype, who may create weapons of this substance as a standard action. When one of these creatures is destroyed, there is a chance that their weapon might survive.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDespite its origin, ocanthicite may be rendered into a metal and reforged into weapons and armor that suit the individual wielder. The process of smelting the ore is difficult, however, requiring a creature with the cold subtype for handling the ore, but requiring temperatures in excess of three thousand degrees Fahrenheit to actually melt the ore into a workable form. For this reason, the metal is usually given to experienced frost giants and glacier dwarves for production.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAny item made of ocanthicite is supernaturally cold. Any creature touching or being struck by an ocanthicite item is dealt 1d6 points of cold damage and 2 points of Wisdom damage each round it remains in contact with the ore. A successful DC 12 Will save negates the Wisdom damage. Creatures with the Cold subtype are unaffected by the Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAn ocanthicite weapon deals this damage to any creature it strikes, while ocanthicite armor deals this damage to any creature that dons it. Creatures with at least 6 points of cold resistance may ignore the cold damage, but only creatures with the Cold subtype may ignore the 2 points of Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite responds especially well to magical enhancements (such as frost and icy burst) that increase it's ability to deal cold damage. It costs 10% less to apply such enhancements to an ocanthicite weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite has hardness 10 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness.
{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition|+55 gp
Light weapon|+1,500 gp
One-handed weapon|+6,000 gp
Two-handed weapon|+13,500 gp
Other items|+750 gp/ pound
[/table]
Refora
Initially considered a waste mineral, refora is infrequently discovered as a blue-green clay in deposits of silver and nickel, along with platinum. It's unique properties were discovered when a dwarven engineer began to use the clay as a buffer in crates use to transport other metals. When forged, the clay caused these metals to take on a strangely beautiful ice-blue patina, and faintly enhanced the ore's ability to handle stress.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAfter long years of experimentation with the ore, it was discovered that certain quantities of this clay, when alloyed with other metals, could produce a strain of material stronger then the original. By itself, however, refora produces a unspectacular (though attractive) blue metal that is simply too pliable and useless as anything other then a decorative item, having a hardness of 1, and 3 hit points per inch of thickness. Some dwarves fashion decorative items and vessels (cups, chalices, or containers for holy water) from refora, although such items must be treated with care, due to their fragility.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhen alloyed with another metal, however, refora really starts to shine. Refora can be used in the forging of any other metal, including rare metals such as adamantine and mithral. In most metals it gives the item a strange watery-blue coloration that shines beautifully in light. It also serves to enhance the innate hardness and hit points of any material it is alloyed with, depending on how much refora is used in the process.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn addition, if a metal has a special feature based off its hardness, such as adamatine's ability to bypass the hardness of any metal with a hardness of 20 or less, refora naturally enhances this based on the amount used. For example, adamantine worked with 5 pounds of refora has a hardness of 26, and 55 hit points per inch of thickness. It therefore ignores the hardness of any material that has a hardness of 26 or less.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifCrystals grown or discovered in areas rich with deposits of heavy metals might also be alloyed with refora, although the process is slightly different. Before crystal items are crafted, they are coated with refora and heated until the crystal itself becomes white-hot. If the crystal has a sufficient metal concentration, the refora bonds with the crystal, enhancing it in the same fashion it enhances metal. But finding crystals with a high enough level of metal can be very difficult. Mundane crystal cannot be enhanced with refora, only 5% of deep crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora, and only 15% of the crysteel crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA weapon modified by refora always counts as the base metal's type for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. A cold iron refora weapon is treated as cold iron, and a alchemical silver weapon is treated as silver. Some creatures might exist, however, that are vulnerable to weapons augmented by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDue to its rarity, refora has a significant cost. 1 pound of the material costs 1000 gold. As stated above, the effects of refora change depending on how much of the material is used in the alloy process. The material is only forged in the following quantities; a refora item will never be forged using 6 pounds of the material, for example, since there is no appreciable difference except in the following amounts. Refora is used only 1, 3, 5 or 10 pound increments, depending on the desired cost range.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifRefora also modifies the difficulty in making items. Adding refora to the item increases the Craft DC by 2 for every pound of refora used. For example, a steel longsword that used 5 pounds of refora would have a Craft DC of 25. The masterwork component of any item made of refora is not affected by this increase, only the item itself is.
{table]Amount Used|Cost Modifier|Craft DC Modifier|Hardness / Hit points per inch modifiers
1 lb.|+1,000 gp|+2|+2/ +3 hp/inch
3 lbs.|+3,000 gp|+6|+4/ +10 hp/inch
5 lbs.|+5,000 gp|+10|+6/ +15 hp/inch
10 lbs.|+10,000 gp|+20|+8/ +20 hp/inch
[/table]
-----------------------------
Thoughts, questions, and comments are always welcome and encouraged.
Orichalcum is a legendary magical alloy created from gold and copper that combines the beautiful sheen of gold with the hardiness of copper to form a metal that is greater then both. The process for creating true orichalcum is known only to the greatest of mage-smiths, a secret guarded with great jealousy. While some kings might boast weapons forged of the silvery mithral or the rare black adamantine, only the greatest of emperors might lay claim to weapons made of this beautiful golden metal.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is made chiefly of an alloy between gold and copper, mixed with some magical reagents. After the item made of this exotic metal is complete but still red-hot, it is emerged in nearly frozen water. The copper quickly oxidizes and becomes a black patina on the surface of the metal. After a carefully maintained acid wash, the patina is removed and the item is scrubbed to a beautiful golden hue.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifSlashing and piercing weapons made of orichalcum have an unusually fine edges that never need to be sharpened, granting such weapons a +1 nonmagical enhancement bonus on damage rolls. Spells and effects that increase the critical threat range of a slashing or piercing weapon are enhanced by 1 point. For example, a keen orichalcum halberd would have a critical threat range of 18-20, a keen orichalcum longsword would have a critical threat range of 16-20. A keen orichalcum scimitar would have a critical threat range of 14-20. An orichalcum weapon is so hard that it has the natural ability to bypass the hardness of items, and ignores the hardness of any material with a hardness of 15 or less. (Orichalcum has no effect on harder metals, such as adamantine, unless it is further treated with refora. See below for information on refora.)
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum is a wonderfully fluid and flexible material, which lends itself to the creation of armor extraordinarily well. Spell failure chances for any armor made from orichalcum are decreased by 5%, the maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and the armor check penalties are lessened by 2 (to a minimum of 0).
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOrichalcum has the same weight as steel. It has 30 hit points per inch of thickness and a hardness of 15. Only weapons, armor, and shields normally made of metal can be fashioned from orichalcum. An arrow could be made of orichalcum, but a quarterstaff could not. Orichalcum is so difficult to make correctly that the material is extremely costly. For this reason, all orichalcum items are inherently masterwork.
{table]Type of Item|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +100 gp
Light armor|+8,000 gp
Medium armor| +13,000 gp
Heavy armor| +18,000 gp
Weapon| +5,000 gp
[/table]
Blackfire
Blackfire is a strange material, and quite possibly one of the rarest materials ever known. The secret to creating the material is thought to have been granted to ancient azer by a celestial being for use in their battles against enemies also native to the Elemental Plane of Fire (such as salamanders and efreeti), but since modern azer are no longer able to produce the unusual material, they cannot credit this claim. For this reason, all blackfire weapons currently in existence are thought to be the products of ancient azer lines, since the hilts of such items are frequently designed with names or phrases from the unique azer dialect of Ignan.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifBlackfire is named aptly; it appears to be black fire caught in the form of a weapon, constantly shifting and moving with the wind. The ore is actually relatively cool to the touch, capable of being wielded with ungloved hands.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA nonmagical blackfire weapon has the same properties as a steel weapon of the same type; it has the same hardness, weight, and hit points. Blackfire weapons bypass the damage reduction of any creature with the cold subtype, as if it were constructed of the appropriate metal or had the appropriate alignment. In addition, blackfire weapons that deal fire damage ignore fire resistance, deal 1/2 damage to creatures ordinarily immune to fire, and deal double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire. When a blackfire weapon is sundered, whatever properties containing the material are dissolved and the weapon is forever destroyed. Blackfire weapons are inherently masterwork, however, and they take magical properties unusually well.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor every +1 enhancement bonus on the weapon, a blackfire weapon's hardness and hit points are increased by 2. A magical blackfire weapon deals all of its damage as fire damage, including any bonus dealt by a high strength score or a special ability (such as smite evil). Blackfire weapons cannot be imbued with any special abilties that would deal cold damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFor example, a +1 blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 points of fire damage. A +1 flaming blackfire longsword deals 1d8+1 +1d6 points of fire damage. A +1 spell-storing blackfire longsword with a scorching ray stored would deal 1d8+1 plus 4d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. In all cases, the weapon ignores fire resistance, deals 1/2 that damage to creatures immune to fire, and deals double damage to creatures vulnerable to fire.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn most cases, a blackfire weapon will be found in the hands of a notable azer warrior; an heirloom dating back literally thousands of years. In some rare cases, the weapons might be discovered in the hands of salamander and efreeti warriors who have stolen or looted the weapons from their ancient enemies. Azers of the appropriate lineage might pay a handsome reward... or ransom... for the return of their ancestral weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhile the azer no longer possess the ability to forge the weapons, they are capable of altering the hilts of the weapons (a practice no other race can manage) in order to suit their desires. In some very rare cases, they might reward heroic non-azer with these weapons, specifically re-tooled with images and words describing the deed this hero accomplished to earn such a prize.
{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition| +200 gp
Light weapon|+3,000 gp
One-handed weapon| +12,000 gp
Two-handed weapon| +25,000 gp
[/table]
Ocanthicite
Ocanthicite, also commonly called 'black ice' is a strange material native to the 4th layer of Acheron, Ocanthus. Ocanthicite is only discovered in the shape of a weapon, and all of these weapons share a common history; they are the natural byproducts of a peculiar race of outsiders native to Acheron. A black ice weapon is naturally formed by creatures with the 'Ocanthicite' subtype, who may create weapons of this substance as a standard action. When one of these creatures is destroyed, there is a chance that their weapon might survive.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDespite its origin, ocanthicite may be rendered into a metal and reforged into weapons and armor that suit the individual wielder. The process of smelting the ore is difficult, however, requiring a creature with the cold subtype for handling the ore, but requiring temperatures in excess of three thousand degrees Fahrenheit to actually melt the ore into a workable form. For this reason, the metal is usually given to experienced frost giants and glacier dwarves for production.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAny item made of ocanthicite is supernaturally cold. Any creature touching or being struck by an ocanthicite item is dealt 1d6 points of cold damage and 2 points of Wisdom damage each round it remains in contact with the ore. A successful DC 12 Will save negates the Wisdom damage. Creatures with the Cold subtype are unaffected by the Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAn ocanthicite weapon deals this damage to any creature it strikes, while ocanthicite armor deals this damage to any creature that dons it. Creatures with at least 6 points of cold resistance may ignore the cold damage, but only creatures with the Cold subtype may ignore the 2 points of Wisdom damage.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite responds especially well to magical enhancements (such as frost and icy burst) that increase it's ability to deal cold damage. It costs 10% less to apply such enhancements to an ocanthicite weapon.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifOcanthicite has hardness 10 and 20 hit points per inch of thickness.
{table]Weapon Type|Item Cost Modifier
Ammunition|+55 gp
Light weapon|+1,500 gp
One-handed weapon|+6,000 gp
Two-handed weapon|+13,500 gp
Other items|+750 gp/ pound
[/table]
Refora
Initially considered a waste mineral, refora is infrequently discovered as a blue-green clay in deposits of silver and nickel, along with platinum. It's unique properties were discovered when a dwarven engineer began to use the clay as a buffer in crates use to transport other metals. When forged, the clay caused these metals to take on a strangely beautiful ice-blue patina, and faintly enhanced the ore's ability to handle stress.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifAfter long years of experimentation with the ore, it was discovered that certain quantities of this clay, when alloyed with other metals, could produce a strain of material stronger then the original. By itself, however, refora produces a unspectacular (though attractive) blue metal that is simply too pliable and useless as anything other then a decorative item, having a hardness of 1, and 3 hit points per inch of thickness. Some dwarves fashion decorative items and vessels (cups, chalices, or containers for holy water) from refora, although such items must be treated with care, due to their fragility.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhen alloyed with another metal, however, refora really starts to shine. Refora can be used in the forging of any other metal, including rare metals such as adamantine and mithral. In most metals it gives the item a strange watery-blue coloration that shines beautifully in light. It also serves to enhance the innate hardness and hit points of any material it is alloyed with, depending on how much refora is used in the process.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIn addition, if a metal has a special feature based off its hardness, such as adamatine's ability to bypass the hardness of any metal with a hardness of 20 or less, refora naturally enhances this based on the amount used. For example, adamantine worked with 5 pounds of refora has a hardness of 26, and 55 hit points per inch of thickness. It therefore ignores the hardness of any material that has a hardness of 26 or less.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifCrystals grown or discovered in areas rich with deposits of heavy metals might also be alloyed with refora, although the process is slightly different. Before crystal items are crafted, they are coated with refora and heated until the crystal itself becomes white-hot. If the crystal has a sufficient metal concentration, the refora bonds with the crystal, enhancing it in the same fashion it enhances metal. But finding crystals with a high enough level of metal can be very difficult. Mundane crystal cannot be enhanced with refora, only 5% of deep crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora, and only 15% of the crysteel crystals discovered may be enhanced by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA weapon modified by refora always counts as the base metal's type for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. A cold iron refora weapon is treated as cold iron, and a alchemical silver weapon is treated as silver. Some creatures might exist, however, that are vulnerable to weapons augmented by refora.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifDue to its rarity, refora has a significant cost. 1 pound of the material costs 1000 gold. As stated above, the effects of refora change depending on how much of the material is used in the alloy process. The material is only forged in the following quantities; a refora item will never be forged using 6 pounds of the material, for example, since there is no appreciable difference except in the following amounts. Refora is used only 1, 3, 5 or 10 pound increments, depending on the desired cost range.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifRefora also modifies the difficulty in making items. Adding refora to the item increases the Craft DC by 2 for every pound of refora used. For example, a steel longsword that used 5 pounds of refora would have a Craft DC of 25. The masterwork component of any item made of refora is not affected by this increase, only the item itself is.
{table]Amount Used|Cost Modifier|Craft DC Modifier|Hardness / Hit points per inch modifiers
1 lb.|+1,000 gp|+2|+2/ +3 hp/inch
3 lbs.|+3,000 gp|+6|+4/ +10 hp/inch
5 lbs.|+5,000 gp|+10|+6/ +15 hp/inch
10 lbs.|+10,000 gp|+20|+8/ +20 hp/inch
[/table]
-----------------------------
Thoughts, questions, and comments are always welcome and encouraged.