Weapons & Steel

Steel is the bones of war, and deserves a mention here. The technology has kept pace here with the thirteenth century, so there is no cast iron yet, and mills aren’t able to produce large, homogeneous sheets yet. As a result, full plate armor is not yet possible, but coats of plate and lamellar are available. For weapon manufacture, and for forging weapons, crucible steel is quite rare.  

There are two subclasses, Burlami Steel and Alusian Steel. Metal refiners and warriors argue about which is superior, and no consensus has ever been reached.

Burlami smiths are famous for their art, and they create high-level pattern welded (or wattled) steel. Sometimes called blue steel for its blue gleam, this metal is as good as modern, high-grade steel, and is famed for being very flexible, durable, and capable of holding a fine edge through much punishment.

This steel owes part of its reputation to the weapon's peerless geometry, as well as their amazing fittings and finish. The ore is mined at a series of mines in Wattenby Forest.

Alusian steel, also called black steel for its ebon glints, is also of superior quality, equivalent to Burlami steel and modern, high-grade mono steel. It only is mined from a series of iron-sand banks in the Skyline Mountains in Yrdath, Alusia. It is crucible steel, and is noted for keen edges and resistance to rust and corrosion.

The differences and comparative advantages of each steel, Burlami and Alusian, are academic. Either steel is in a class high above all the steel manufactures in and around Aorlis.

Both Alusian and Burlami steel are light, flexible, durable, and hold an edge well, and fighters from other countries admire these weapons.

Names

All exceptional swords and weapons are named. For Aorlisians, great, named weapons are accorded a sense of awe and treated with respect. Many of these weapons are ancestral, passed down through families.  

Specialty Metals

Adamantine

This is an all but indestructible material, part gemstone, part metal. It is only workable by magic, and it not well-suited for armor or weapons. When used as an alloy with other metals, it imparts amazing strength to the result.  

Cold Iron

Folklore holds that cold-forged iron implements are believed to repel, contain, or harm ghosts, fairies, witches, and/or other malevolent supernatural creatures. Only soft iron can be cold forged, because medium to high carbon iron would develop micro-fractures and weaken or shatter.  

Ellidic Bronze

According to lore, this bronze is an alloy of heavenly copper and tin. It can’t be repurposed, because no new examples have been seen in centuries. It is as good as steel and inspires terror in demons and magical creatures.  

Fermian

This material is mined from the Primum Mobile dome that covers the earth and holds up the stars. Only magic can work it, and it is not suitable for weapons or armor. If used in alloys, however, it is conductive for elemental and planetary energy.  

Glittersmelt

This non-ferrous metal is smelted from glistening or glimmerings of light reflected at dawn from shimmering lakes, or perhaps light refracted through dew drops. This metal behaves as high quality steel in all ways. As armor, it is effectively weightless. This requires specialized Glamour spells to work glittersmelt. Legend says it was invented by faeries to sidestep their susceptibility to standard iron, but there are some human mage/smiths that possess the knowledge and spells to work it.  

Nhetherium

This is steel mined in the Nhether Realms by the damned. The nhetherium is dark, as if it had been blued repeatedly. It is baneful to good-hearted, virtuous, and faithful victims. This metal is not magikal as such, but it is an excellent component for magikal items.  

Orichalc

This is the metal often associated with the ancient Prateans. On its own, it is too soft to use as a weapon or armor. It has an orange cast, and while not monatomic like gold, orichalc is undiminished by time or the elements. When alloyed with other metals, it is superior at channeling or deflecting magic, locating certain crystals and minerals, and other unusual effects. It is not magic in its own right, but it is often used as a component of such. There are no known sources for this metal anymore, and it is believed to have been mined on lost Orlinaea.  

Shadowsmelt

This metal is non-reflective, darker than dark, and it is magikally smelted by Sciomancers from shadows. It is light and all but invisible in poor lighting.   Legendary weapons (especially swords) often were created by legendary smiths, and these are easy to identify because each smith stamped his mark into the blade. These craftsmen were all potent wizards and metalworkers, or blade-mages, so their maker’s marks are each magik sigils. Good provenance multiplies a great blade’s value exponentially, and these objects are collected jealously. Indeed, it is common for the works of these men (and two women) to find homes in the personal armories of great kings or heroes. Here are their maker’s marks.  

Greygath Slatebeard

, the Old Smith, is a mythological figure who forged the weapons for King Kelthan and his twelve knights, as well those of many other mythological heroes. No verifiable example of his work exists, but he is still the hero/blacksmith/wizard template all the others are based on.  

Alsitar Darkstorm

12th century, Sciomancer who alloyed Alusian steel with shadowsmelt, Alusia

 

Berold Bluebolt

12th century, Burlam

 

Kendred Hammer Hand

13th century, modern Burlam

 

Knarl Blackrune

10th century, Burlam

 

Mournesong the Melancholy

10th century woman in Alusia

 

Sereth the Nycomancer

13th century, woman working in Fenwidden, Alusia

 

William, Duke of Battles

11th century, Burlam

 

Ystor the Gray Mage, Master of Forges

8th century Alusia

 

Armor usually comes from a workshop, not an individual, and is a more cooperative process to source, form, and assemble. The most famous such is the Royal Gwyfnedi Arms Workshop in Gwyfned City, and it is known for the famed Gwyfnedi Mail.

In the 13th century, armor is in a transitional period, and the technological advances that will make large, homogenous plates needed for the full plate armor of later eras have not yet been invented.

Armor reinforced to withstand intense missile fire is called armor of “proof.” While this makes the armor very tough to breach, it also makes it heavier, hotter, and more cumbersome.

The most common armor is stuffed linen or padded, and its use is ubiquitous across all ranks of society.

Maille is still the king of armor, and it is worn over padded armor for maximum protection.

Reinforcing the maille with gorgets, coats of plate, lamelar, and splints have become more popular. These armors aren’t used independently, but as reinforcement for maille over padding.

 

Gunpowder is in its martial infancy in Aorlis, and it has not yet become a decisive factor on the battlefield. It has enjoyed success in siege warfare, in contrast. All the huge gonnes, mortars, and bombards are decorated and given impressive names, such as the Fire Wolf, of the Tongue of Doom.

 

For traditional siege engines, most notably giant trebuchets and rams, they also are named. Wall Eater, War Wolf, and Foul Neighbor are noteworthy.

        While the subject of magikal weapons will be covered in depth elsewhere, there are certain notes to be considered here.  

Any weapon can be enchanted, but the expensive/rare ones are much more likely to be enchanted.

Often, a spirit, egregore, or bound demon can be attached to a weapon, making the object seem sentient. Intent can also be injected into a weapon, but that is a simpler thing that does not behave intelligently.

The most common spells imbued in a weapon are:

Keen, Sharpness, Epic Sharpness, or Vorpal

Durability, Epic Durability, or Indestructable

Resist rust and corrosion

Fleetness

Singing

Accuracy

There are many magical effects, and curses, that can come with weapons, but those will be addressed under “Magic.”