Ruster Secretions

I was there when my brother first discovered it. And he may have discovered it, but he never would have done anything with it without me. We certainly wouldn't have a steady supply of it.

It was early in the morning, and he was just firing up the forge. I was making us some breakfast, and had just gotten some mushrooms and eggs ready for frying. We didn't expect much different than any other day - he'd be making nails that day to cover our tribute, and I'd be scheduling and delivering. We hadn't even started to eat, though, when someone started to pound on the door something fierce. I opened it, and it was one of those warriors that had been through here before. They had bought some weapons from us before heading out - I didn't expect them back.

The man has a hilt with an inch of jagged blade sticking out, and he promptly threw it at my brother. It bounced of his head, and we're lucky it was the pommel that hit him, though he didn't think so. Another one came in behind him, this one a caster with hands glowing with tiny flames. They started going on about our shoddy workmanship, and it getting a friend killed. They threw the remains of a few more weapons in our general direction, then the caster came up to me and put one of those burning fingers right in my face. He demanded their money back, and I felt I should oblige.

When I opened the money box, the warrior grabbed it and dumped it all in his bag. Then he took a sword off the counter - one made for the Thane as part of the tribute - looked at it, and belted it to his waist. Greggor rubbed his head and started to grab for the sword, but the warrior had its tip at his throat before I could blink. We both backed off, and they left.

We figured out right quick what had happened - they'd run into a ruster out there, and were taking it out on us. Greggor was livid - he grabbed his stone maul and left. I spent the rest of the day figuring out how we were going to keep our shop, when Greggor came back. His face was black with soot, and most of his beard was missing - singed right off. He told me he pounded that ruster into oblivion, and his maul was coated in some rancid stuff. He made a fire to burn it off, and after the blood had cooked a bit, the flames suddenly shot up and he lost that beard he loved so much.

Me being the curious sort, I went and got that ruster, and we started experimenting. Now, we can get the hottest forge in the country - I'd bet the world. We can do things with metal that you couldn't dream of. Turned things around for us - I thought we'd lost it all, but we're the biggest smithy around, now.

— Narder Steelforge
Steelforge smithy, Geton Towne

Properties

Material Characteristics

The secretion is a clear, thick liquid that comes from glands found beneath the plates of a rust monster. It feels oily, and leaves a faint burning sensation when touched.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The secretion is an incredibly powerful oxidizer. It is powerful enough to cause rapid oxidation of any ferrous metal it contacts. It also is powerful enough to greatly increase the intensity of any fire. Temperatures of a fire boosted by some of the secretion can burn twice as hot as a normal fire, although they expend the corresponding fuel rapidly.

Origin & Source

The common rust monster, or "ruster" has many small glands between their armored plates. As the plates move, the glands are squozen and the secretion is pushed out. The secretion flows out to the rest of the body, leaving the rust monster covered in the substance.

Life & Expiration

The secretion will dry up if left exposed to oxygen for very long. Time depends on exposed surface area. If sealed in a glass vial and stoppered with wax, it can be stored in a cool dark place for years.

Type

Organic

Odor

Musky

Taste

Rancid, acidic

Common State

Liquid