This is yet another page taken from separate book, it seems. This one is not annotated however.
As a man who has worked forges from Sourda to Cryn, I can attest to the variety in the blacksmithing craft. Every land has a different technique, and each smith within these lands has a different style. Needless to say, they all have their specialties and unique uses, but some materials appear much more versatile than others.
That being said, I have created below a list of materials that I have discovered upon my travels. I do not pretend to know every material, but these are the ones I have come into contact with the most throughout my travels. I shall detail Caengrad's materials first, and Kniscaen materials secondly.
The first, and - in my opinion - least useful material, is Oerdian Iron.
It is common, exceedingly so. In its homeland, it is used for many things, from the nails that hold signs to the wall, to weapons of war.
It possesses no magical qualities that I can see, except perhaps a tendency towards elemental ice magic, as I have met many an Ice Mage who prefers this Iron.
But in my experience it is too brittle for long-term use.
Next, I must mention the metal of my home country. Sourdan Steel.
I may be biased of course, but I do much prefer working with this Steel than the Iron of the North. It lasts much longer, and can be sharpened for a much finer edge. It is ideal for the blades of rapiers and other thin swords.
As with the last, this metal has no magical properties, it seems.
I should next mention the Westerner's Titanium.
When I first used this exotic and rare material, I was amazed. I was but a young smith then, in my early twenties, but the metal was light, strong, and beautiful to look at. I have seen weapons of all kinds made of this material, from daggers - weighing practically nothing - to giant's greathammers – reaching up to 25 feet long, which weigh no more than a Sourdan Steel claymore.
Finally, Caengrad's last, and potentially its finest, is Elven Silver.
Of course, elves from all countries use silver, but the silver found in the Free Lands is much finer.
It has the durability of Sourdan Steel, yet much lighter – and there is no finer material for hunting monsters and demons. As you may know, Silver is toxic to all beasts.
Now, we look to Kniscae. They do not have as much of a variety as Canegrad – understandably, due to the size of the island – yet they have much to offer.
Kniscaen bronze is both common and powerful. It is widely used for all metalwork, especially in Wellgold. It is equal to Elven Silver in durability, yet is noticeably heftier – which may explain the tendency towards axes and hammers on the island.
The Isle of Cryn offers the best overall metal in my opinion. The dwarves, with their great volcanic forge, have forged many wonders out of their famed Wolframite. Adding the blood of the owner during forging can even create a magical bond between the blade and the user, allowing it to be summoned into the hand from any distance.
In terms of usability, I have never known a Wolframite blade to break, and the edge has never been anything less than perfection.
There are several, much more rare materials I would like to address.
Firstly, Arondite.
The Mystic Knights of Wellgold are all gifted blades of Arondite – and you can see why. No Arondite blade that I have ever seen has needed sharpening, or any degree of care. I'd even go as far as to say the metal is indestructible.
The next, much more famous material, is Vorpal.
Ever since the first Vorpal Blade was forged, legends have circulated about their power. The material itself is a highly magical substance – able to sustain magical energies remarkably well. I, myself, have owned a Vorpal sword, and can attest to their ability to hold a magical enchantment.
In physical terms, I am sure Vorpal is unbreakable.
However, finding any amount of Vorpal not already forged into a blade is incredibly unlikely.
The last material I shall talk about is Dragonfeather.
For those unfamiliar with Dragonbirds, they are colossal cousins of the phoenix, whose feathers are worth extortionate amounts of money at any marketplace. The Dragonbird sheds its feathers, and grows young from these egg-like feathers – which are impervious to all threats, physical and magical. Once the young have hatched, the egg softens over a week-long period, eventually becoming liquid.
Smiths have often used this liquid to forge weapons within this one week timeframe, and the resulting weapons are nothing short of legendary.
They are unbreakable, and more importantly they repel all magic. They may break illusions, block hexes, and slice through magical protections without much effort.
Alas, any other materials have evaded me, although I am sure others exist.
Upon their discovery, I shall use them, and I shall perhaps create another edition for this book.
At the base of this page, are two letters, perhaps the brand of the blacksmith who wrote this book.
A.S
YOU ARE READING
Unclaimed Diary
Short StoryA collection of short pieces of literature found in an unmarked diary. (This is a lore book for Eldritch)
