Mithral

Legend holds that the rare metal, mithral, was used by Eruer in creating dwarves upon the Soulforge, a notion supported by the trace amounts found in the blood and organs of dwarves. It has a distinct silver-blue color that appears almost ethereal in bright light. Its hardness surpasses that of folded steel, making it a highly desirable material for crafting weapons and armor.
The process of extracting it from the rare veins in which it has been discovered is complex and costly. It’s worth by weight is five times that of gold.
The discovery of mithral has caused significant shifts in power dynamics wherever sources of it have been found. The great Iosseoan mining conglomerates hold a near-monopoly on the mining and extraction of the largest deposits of the metal, which has given them considerable influence and wealth. The scarcity of the ore has also led to conflicts and wars between factions vying for control of the few other known sources.
Mithral's hardness and durability make it an ideal material for crafting weapons and armor, with even the smallest amounts significantly increasing the strength and sharpness of a blade. It is also used in creating intricate jewelry and ornamental pieces, with the metal's lustrous blue sheen making it highly sought after among the wealthy elite.
The discovery of mithral brings prosperity to the regions where it can be found, but also technological advancements. However, it also leads to political and economic turmoil, with nations and factions engaging in bitter disputes over the rights to the precious metal. The presence of mithral has also resulted in the exploitation of dwarves, with some factions forcing them into slavery or indentured servitude both in order to attempt extraction of the trace elements within their bodies and in order to exploit their seeming affinity for extracting mithral ore from the ground. It has been observed and documented that dwarves make the greatest mithral miners, as if the metal seems to want to leave the ground for them, although even the greatest of dwarven scholars have no explanation for why this might be so. Those who maintain control over the mining and extraction of the metal range from the more ethical - who employ and pay dwarves handsomely for their expertise – to those who seek to capture and exploit dwarves for profit.