Sróman

General introduction

Sróman is a material made of linseed oil, the resin of the gódh pén and file or saw dust of táran wood as well as powdered copper. As táran and gódh pén are both endemic to the central eastern coast of Erana, the art of producing sróman is exclusively practised by the Duiniken. Nonetheless this material is another outstanding example of Duiniken craftsmanship and ingenuity, which is bested by only few other peoples in the world of Samthô. In their quest to one day reconquer their old homeland, the Duiniken have not only worked on their building skills, but also materials that can be used in weapons and armour, one of which is sróman.

Sources and harvest

Half of the materials used to produced sróman are easily available. the gódh pén is a very common tree on the coast of Nuat Duinis Talou and is probably the most successful tree withstanding the stormy, rough conditions there. Its resin is not difficult to find. Linseed oil has ever been a staple in different areas of Duiniken handicraft. It is used as a varnish for paintings and different types of wooden objects. The Duiniken brought the domesticated plant with them from their old homeland. Natural forms of linen existed in Nuat Duinis Talou before. Some got crossed into the domesticated lines, making them better adapted to Nuat Duinis Talous climate, but giving them thinner fibres. The táran tree on the other hand is very rare and only grows in the very North of Nuat Duinis Talou. The Duiniken tried to grow the tree elsewhere, but to no avail. The scarcity of the tree led to it not being felled, but rather having branches cut off. The wood is used for small exclusive woodworking, while the dust from sawing and filing goes exclusively to the production of sróman.

Also copper is hard to come by. Only the most minute amounts can be found in the hills close to Afhein. As the Duiniken to not like copper much, they do not bother to build a mine for it in the hills. The amount they need is traded from Andaperna to the West. The Duiniken mostly exchange it for pearls or silver.

Properties and use

Sróman is a flexible material unlike many others. It can be bent and returns to its original shape. It can also be cut, but dulls blades very fast. Hacking and slashing it, on the other hand is very difficult, as it tends to let objects beaten against it bounce back. This would in theory make it a good material for all kinds of armour, but since it is very heavy as well as exuding unhealthy odours, it is only used for the soles of the boots of the 'Áerenadh Hhiádh or in some shields, specialised against projectiles. There are also some bags or sheaths made out of this material or a compound of this material with others.