adamantine

Adamantine is a very dense and sturdy metal which is found deep beneath mountains. The metal is highly prized for its weight and vivid mauve coloration. On its own, pure adamantine is extremely brittle, but it can be alloyed with other metals to create a very strong material. The exact formula of the alloy is a closely guarded secret held primarily by dwarf smiths.

Properties

Material Characteristics

Adamantine is a vivid mauve color in both its alloyed and pure forms. It is fairly nonreflective, even when polished, giving it a fairly matte look. Adamantine is extremely dense and much heavier than any other metals, even lead. It is also a natural conductor, quickly changing temperatures and transmitting electricity. It is difficult to make thin sheets of adamantine and it does not easily take an edge. Adamantine is also highly tarnish-resistant.

Compounds

Pure adamantine is hard and dense, but incredibly brittle. It flakes and cracks easily, meaning it is fairly useless for a wide variety of purposes. However, when alloyed with certain other metals in the proper ratios, it becomes incredibly strong and easily workable. The exact ratio of metals is unknown except to relatively few dwarven smiths, but it is known that tin and lead are major components. Attempts to replicate the process through trial-and-error often result in an alloy that is superficially similar to adamantine but acts similar to standard iron.

Geology & Geography

Adamatine ore is primarily found deep within the earth, over a league or more, though very rare veins are found nearer to the surface. Unlike many other metals, which are found in snaky veins, adamantine ore is typically found in long cylinders. The surrounding rock seems to have no bearing on the incidence of adamantine ore. The ore is typically found in mountainous regions, particularly those which are dormant or dead volcanoes.

History & Usage

Everyday use

Adamantine is fairly easy to work, having a fairly low melting point compared to other metals. When heated, it becomes quite soft and is easy to work and fold multiple times over. Despite its heavy weight, adamantine makes excellent armor for those strong enough to wear it. Its incredible hardness makes it highly protective, as even the sharpest and heaviest weapons have their attacks blunted. This heaviness also makes it favored for bludgeoning weapons; hammers and maces greatly benefit from the extra weight behind the blows. Because of its sturdiness and resistance to corrosion, it can be of great value in mechanisms or other constructions, eliminating the need for maintenance of them nearly completely. Its heavy weight also makes it useful to weigh items down; it can serve as an anchor without taking up much space.
Both adamantine and pure adamantine are used artistically, usually in small pieces of jewelry. It has also been used as studding on other objects. Finally, because of its tarnish-resistance, it may be used as plating, though this does not affect any other qualities of the object.

Refinement

Adamantine is parted from the other metals it is alloyed with via a variety of different methods. These processes are similar to those used for parting other noble metals, though with some key differences. The techniques for extracting pure adamantine from other metals is relatively well-known, such that virtually every region has some small amount of raw adamantine available.

Type

Metal

Color

Mauve

Boiling / Condensation Point

4086.3 K

Melting / Freezing Point

1023 K

Density

22.61 g/cm³

Common State

Solid