Adalstan: the Nobel Stone

Alchemy and magic have produced a number of compounds and items that grant useful side effects. One such item was the infusing of metal and marble. In the classical sense, marble has always been prised for its semi-translucent properties to allow light to penetrate slightly and scatter out giving a wax-like glow that feels more natural. This and its softness combine to make it a top choice for sculptures and buildings around the world. 
It has also held up well to shattering with its natural hardening over time. Yet, time and the wars of this world have lost many priceless monuments and statues to distant memories.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The base marble has a white, pinkish, reddish look to it with a fine-grained semitranslucent look that is magnified with the metal infusion.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The shelf life of the stone after the infusion is about 3 weeks, 24 days. During this time the marble's natural carving capacity is maintained. Over the next 11 weeks, 88 days the metal in the stone matures and hardens. During the hardening, small surface cracks mend themselves as it fuses. Touching the stone during the hardening will reveal the stone is warm to the touch. At the end of the Hardening, the stone cools and is slightly colder to the touch than normal marble. At this point, you are left with a much more radiant marble product that is 10 times more resilient to damage than normal marble.

Geology & Geography

Historically 90% of Adalstan is based on Pembuvast Marble that is mined from the Kirkmis Highlands regions of the Thanaa Mountains. The mithril used is Dwarven 99.999999% pure mithril from the Dwarven mines near the Rash Be'el Lake in the Valas Mountains. In theory however any marble and mithril should be capable of being made into Adalstan.

History & Usage

History

Kirkmis Highlands of the Thanaa Mountains

Discovery

As this material was created thousands of years ago, the ages of man have lost sight of its origins. Further, the process of its creation was lost during the rule of the Wizard Kings and their ban on knowledge and the arcane. That aside, the resurgence of the gnomish race and their knowledge; claims that Adalstanunn was created by a gnomish inventor Verona Untersmibnith. Since the root of its name is based on the archaic gnomish words for "Nobel" = "Adal" and "Stone" = "Stanunn" this has been accepted by modern historians.

Everyday use

Normal Use for Adalstan is in statues and carving of details in buildings. Due to the cost of the material and its manufacturing widespread use of it as a building material tends to be in detail work using normal marble for filler. The very vain and rich will make status using this material.

Cultural Significance and Usage

Since the age of antiquity, Adalstan has been the preferred method for carving statues of political and religious figures. Its durability allows the artwork to have more fulfilling life details without the risk of pieces breaking off. Hair or fingers outstretched are possible and resilient in the final work of art.

Refinement

There are two core components in Adalstan. The first is a high-grade marble, and the second is a highly refined mithril. The perfect mixture of these elements is one fifth a coin weight (14 Grains or 0.9072g) of Mithril to 1 cubic foot of the stone. 
The magical alchemical method to merging the metal into the marble is held tightly by the gnomish manufacturers that produce this stone. The process of infusement requires more metal as the thickness of the stone is increased. It is indicated that making Adalstan is done at the slab level when an even distribution can occur. Once the stone is carved and shaped it can not be properly infused.

Reusability & Recycling

As the product ages, the metal-infused in it hardens to give the material its desired resilience. While plundered stone that has hardened can be cut, it becomes very difficult to carve details after the infusement has had time to settle. With the proper tools, you could turn a slab into tiles or other flat and square objects. There are many dwarven stone smiths that have converted bulk building material from reclaimed slabs of Adalstan. It is also possible to melt Adalstan with certain acids to reclaim mithril which is the bane of the art community, as the finished work is worth so much more than the base components (Historically and Culturally).

Type

Composite

Value

A bust made from Adalstan would cost in materials the equivalent of 5 full suits of plate mail armor.

Rarity

Very Rare

Color

Based on Source Marble, traditionally shades of white, pinkish, reddish.

Density

Hardened Adalstan is 1.8 ounces per cubic inch.