Blackwater Sand

Perfectly Dark

Almost entirely natural, blackwater sand is a special type of sand found on the coast of Rifthaven. The sand only requires a small amount of heat before it melts into glass, which is called blackwater ice for its cool temperature.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The grains are large for sand, appearing more like tiny beads than sand. They are a deep black color, most likely volcanic in nature. They are strangely soft, able to be flattened with only a hit from a steel hammer. Their melting point is much lower than that of normal sand, making it incredibly easy to liquidize for the creation of its derived product.
As glass, blackwater ice is faintly transparent and eerily smooth. The glass holds blurry reflections and none have discovered a way to make it clearer. Like the sand that makes it, the glass is completely black, especially from a distance. A closer inspection reveals that it is transparent, although very dark and hard to see through.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The sand is neutral in warmth, usually about the same temperature as the ground. It sparkles in certain lighting and looks almost like tiny glass beads. Thanks to the method of its creation, the glass is strangely cold to the touch and perfectly smooth. Light passing through is darkened by almost 75%. The distortion of reflections prevents the glass from being used as a mirror.

Geology & Geography

Blackwater sand is found on the northern coasts of Rifthaven in select areas. It is believed to come from volcanoes out in the ocean. Most of the sand is found in the domain of Warlady Vientretta, one of the northern warlords.

History & Usage

Discovery

Blackwater sand was found on the western shore of Narthica in the early 1200s. Flamers experimented with it and discovered that it made a beautiful black-toned glass, and with the help of some Icers, they created what is now known as blackwater ice.

Everyday use

Blackwater sand is used for little else other than glass. The glass itself is mostly used as decoration in the homes of nobles and warlords. Some Gifteds use it as a weapon because glass cannot be detected by Metalicitors. Some Rifthaven warlords use it as paneling for prison cells because of the disconcerting darkness and transparency of the material.

It seems almost to defy nature, this glass. It is melted and cooled, yet retains the cold. It never gets warm again. It allows light and images through, but dark and faint. It reflects an onlooker's face, yet distorts the picture. It is a mystery and the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

— A rather poetic warlord describing blackwater ice to a friend

Type

Organic

Taste

I would not recommend eating this

Color

Black

Melting / Freezing Point

200°F

Creation of Blackwater Ice

The steps to create blackwater ice are simple but difficult. First, the sand is collected and brought to a facility, where it is poured into vats and heated over fires created by Flamers. Once the sand melts into liquid, it is laid into molds and allowed to cool for several minutes. Icers then come and freeze the sheets or objects until they are completely hardened. After several hours, the glass is carefully removed from the molds, cleaned and polished, and then decorated, wrapped, and sent out to those who have ordered it from the producers.