Starfire Iron
When stars fall from the sky across Trorune and strike the ground as pebbles to several hundred pound or multi-ton boulders they sometimes bring with them a unique and valuable substance: Starfire Iron. A metal that any smith would give his right hand for a few kilos worth as a single weapon made of Starfire Steel or its other alloys could set a smith for life several times over as weapons forged from Starfire Steel are often the weapons of kings, tyrants, conquerors, and noble families alike with names that hold places in song and scripture.
Starfire Iron is unique as it comes as far as working metals are concerned. It has the ability to bind to other metals present across Kalbela and the other continents of Trorune. The iron, when in its molten liquid form, can be released from a falling meteor or leech into the ground and stone, absorbing and binding to the carbon from the earth, creating the standard alloy of Starfire Steel, this is the most common alloy that a smith will gain access to. But the molten metal can also leech into veins of silver, gold, mithril, or adamantine and bind to them instantly, creating highly sought after alloys of the two precious metals.
Should a meteorite remain intact after impact and is allowed to cool, pure Starfire Iron could possibly be recovered from the rock's core, which is a smith's cornucopia of opportunity to more readily forge a blade of unique properties as other metals can be more readily combined with other metals than if found as metal alloy.
No Metalsmith completely agrees with how to forge bladed weapons of Starfire origins; ask an Elven smith and they may believe a blade must be quenched in the icy waters of a sacred grove under a full moon, an eclipse, or a constellation of renown; a Dwarven smith will believe the metal must be heated and smelted by a volcano's fire before being quenched in oil blessed by Moradin, the Dwarf Father; while a Dragonborn smith will insist the blade should be heated by a Dragonborn's, or better so, a true dragon's, fire and then be quenched in dragon blood to enhance the blade with the dragon's essence to bring the blade to its full potential; while a Human smith may simply smelt and forge a blade with little more than a normal forge and smelter. What matters, and seems to be the case in all respects, is that blades, no matter how large or small, all come out of a forge and history often follows their journeys and deeds for eternity.
Properties
Origin & Source
Starfire Iron, in its natural state, is derived from meteorites. All other states are alloy metals.
History & Usage
Everyday use
Starfire Iron is specifically used in weapon-smithing.
Industrial Use
Starfire Iron can be melted down in its pure state to make the following primary alloys; it will also create these alloys if the molten iron metal binds with other metals in their natural state:
- Starfire Steel: is formed when molten Starfire Iron binds with carbon sources in the ground and during the smelting and forging processes.
- Mithril Starfire Steel: is formed when molten Starfire Iron binds with a source of mithril in the ground or during the smelting and forging processes.
- Silver Starfire Steel: is formed when molten Starfire Iron binds with a source of silver in the ground or during the smelting and forging processes.
- Adamantine Starfire Steel: is formed when molten Starfire Iron binds with a source of adamantine in the ground or during the smelting and forging processes.
- Gold Starfire Steel: is formed when molten Starfire Iron binds with a source of gold in the ground or during the smelting and forging processes.
Manufacturing & Products
Starfire Iron and its primary and secondary alloys are typically used to fashion weapons such as swords, daggers, axes, glaives, halberds, scimitars, rapiers, and other similar armaments. No other weapon-type or armor thus far has been successful in being created and the massive loss of recoverable and usable steel has informed past, present, and future smiths to not pursue such endeavors.
Environmental Impact
Destruction from Meteoric Impact Events are the primary environmental hazards, but most Impact Events are from small meteorite strikes and thus largely localized in small areas.
Reusability & Recycling
Blades made from Starfire Alloys can be melted down and reforged. However, the process to do so is even more difficult than the original weapon's forging and will result in a large loss of needed and usable material unless it is supplemented with additional Starfire Iron or other Starfire Alloys to compensate for the loss. But because of the rarity of the iron and its subsequent alloys this process is rarely considered, let alone pursued.
Most Starfire Blades that are acquired through spoils of war are simply taken and sometimes renamed to better suit their new owners, but this too is an uncommon practice as most tales of victory want the world to know the weapon's provinance and history to better bolster their own legend.
Type
Metal
Rarity
Exceedingly Rare
Melting / Freezing Point
~1700-1800 °F
Common State
Solid
Related Professions
