Metal Lore - Fulgrum

[ScoutTheWitch]

Fulgrum

Voltedge by the Griffon’s Saddlebag

“Oi’ve never seen tha bastard so smug b’fore. Fucker pulled ‘is shortsword when it started rainin’ and ‘it me sword arm. Gave me a mad shock, oi dropped me sword, and ‘e yoinked it from tha ground. Oi’ll get that fucker back someday.” - a Veteran Mercenary

Rarity

Uncommon

Type of Material

Metal

Potential Locations

Within trees struck by lightning

Properties

Formation of Fulgurites by Chase Studio

When lightning strikes the earth, it tends to liquefy where it passes through, causing elements with a low enough melting point to meld together into a glass known as Fulgurite, often made of silica sand. However, in the rare case one is able to find Arboreal Fulgurite, a type found in the remains of trees struck by lightning, it will contain enough carbon to be used in forging a special material known as Fulgrum.

One must first separate the carbon and silica in the Arboreal Fulgurite through grinding the stone into a fine powder, then roasting it at a high temperature. The dust must then be sieved, mixed into water, and boiled in a retort flask. The carbon will deposit in the bottom of the retort flask, and the silica in whatever it’s connected to; one must keep both.

When iron is heated and slag cleaned off, the smith must add the Arboreal Fulgurite’s carbon to the liquid metal and allow it to mix in before pouring the material into ingots for forging. The silica from the Arboreal Fulgurite, or any other kind of silica rich Fulgurite, must be used as the flux in forging the material into its desired shape to achieve Fulgrum forging.

- The process for refining Arboreal Fulgurite into Fulgrum is uncommon and should be learned through roleplay. In the event one cannot but possesses at least four pieces of Arboreal Fulgurite, they may experiment with the material in metallurgy on a whim, destroying all four pieces in the process, but will be capable of discerning the process for making Fulgrum.
- The name of Fulgrum and its association with Fulgurite are assumable as common knowledge. The fact that it requires Arboreal Fulgurite and not any other kind is uncommon knowledge.
- When reforging an item of Fulgrum, they may obtain any piece of Fulgurite to use as flux through roleplay. It does not require an ore of Arboreal Fulgurite.

Lightning Sword by Yvonne Komar

Fulgrum takes on a silvery steel appearance, though gains a faint cyan tint in a pattern like Lichtenberg figures when in contact with water, which as well causes one’s hairs to stand on end when in close proximity. Other than letting out a shrill ping when striking other metal, it produces no other strange effects when used in combat. That is, until it’s wielded in the rain.

When it’s raining, Fulgrum weapons and armor will begin to crackle and spark should it not be in a leather sheath, gaining an electric blue hue and a glow the brilliance of torch light, the zapping sound of electricity able to be heard when moving.

Weapon strikes will send a jolt through the target that causes minor electrical shock, causing an uncomfortable jolt in the muscles of a victim in an unarmored location, causing a lapse in focus. Though if the area is armored in metal, a limb strike would make one drop what is in their hand or lose their footing, a strike to the torso would make them cough up blood, and a strike to the head causes a minor seizure, stunning them for [1] emote round. To a target location armored in leather however, the uncomfortable jolt will be mitigated to negligible.

Metal armor of Fulgrum will cause a reflective effect when struck, with mail causing an uncomfortable jolt to rebound onto the attacker, meanwhile plate armor will send a stronger shock, causing the attacker to drop their weapon at the cost of the wearer experiencing a minor shock which may disrupt one’s concentration.

Anything else crafted of Fulgrum such as jewelry will harmlessly spark during rainstorms and glow the soft cyan hue.

In the rare case that Fulgrum is struck by lightning, it will release a burst of electricity in a five meter radius, knocking everyone within the area unconscious, including the wielder, for the rest of the encounter.

- Mechanical or event rainstorms cause the electrical properties of Fulgrum to occur for their duration. Should combat last longer than the mechanical rainstorm, the electrical properties will only persist should both parties consent. OOCly stalling combat to avoid the electrical properties of Fulgrum is powergaming.
- Fulgrum is roughly equivalent to mid carbon steel in durability, sharpness, etc. and may be repaired by an adequate smith without loss of material. Fulgrum is magnetic.
- Even if not outside in the rain, should a rainstorm be occurring, Fulgrum will be electrified.
- Electrified Fulgrum’s effects will not cause permanent damage should the victim not wish, though Lichtenberg figure scars may manifest in struck locations at their desire.
- Electrified Fulgrum must be used combatively to produce the shocking effect. It will not shock one simply holding it.
- Metal armor is defined as plate or mail, gambeson is considered to experience the unarmored property. Leather armor is defined as any garment made of leather, though should metal be beneath the leather, the wearer will experience the effect as though they were in metal armor.
- One may not simply say that their Fulgrum was struck by lightning. It must be natural lightning which mechanically strikes a player or as a part of an Event Team event.