Fantasy Metallurgy: Meteoric Iron

Or a Monograph on that wonderous substance from the Aether

Of all the metals that I have studied, it is the two mis-named sky metals that have vexed me the most.  Metallurically, of course, little could be simpler than a break down of their properties and alchemical reactivities, not to mention a discussion of common methods of working and typical employment.   However, while the origins are commonly known, it is those self same origins that makes the theurgical and metaphysic understanding of them so very difficult.  Ask any man on the street and he can tell you that Meteoric Iron comes from the stars, falling to the earth in flames.  

What more could be said?  Of course, if it were merely as simple as picking a point of origin, than we could close off all further discourse by pointing out that every other metal is dug from the ground.   It is far more accurate than it is informative, and... as I hope to show it isn't all that accurate to begin with.

Meteoric Iron remains among the very rarest of substances, its supply is utterly beyond our control, and to my knowledge no method of recreating it by simple or complex magics has ever been successfully performed, though the papers of the gnomish Electromaturg Hibblebolk were of particular interest during the course of researching this essay.  Quite simply, at times a great burning star will fall from the sky to touch the earth, and where it does, it leaves behind, only on occasion, a tiny amount of metal, or metal laden rock.   Who can say when and where a star will fall, and wether it will land or disappear utterly, and.. perchance it does... well... we've gotten a bit redundant in our rhetorical questioning haven't we?

As an investigative metallurgist, this is most vexing. I was forced to rely on purely expirementive techniques and theoretical works from ages past.

In appearance, the unworked metal is most unremarkable. I was able to acquire a large sample from the savage tribes of lizard peoples of the Jungles of Kegesh, who use it as if it were stone in decoration and weaponry, though why they make such a simple, if proliferate use was a mystery to me... sadly my source was less willing to talk to me than he was to try and eat me.  I suspect that Kegesh has been the site of numerous undocumented starfalls, or perhaps a great historical starfall that scattered remanents over the breadth of the jungle crater.

In appearance it is a lumpen, half melted looking mass of black, pitted and scarred, and often with embedded bits of more ordinary  or volcanic stone.  If worked in the slightest it demonstrates a remarkable shine, a carefully polished flat piece makes among the finest mirror's available, for a brief time.

I was able to determine that its name is not entirely a mis-nomer, the metal is in fact an alloy of some sort, containing a large portion of ordinary iron, though with a powerful, if not entirely regular, content of nickel. I have found that by blending similar quantities of the two metals, at high purity, I was able to replicate the shine and several other properties of the metal, but not all. I was able to isolate traces of other metals, but was unable to identify them, though I have reason to believe one might be adamant. It is impossible to verify as that metal is known to not form alloys with any other metal, making it impossible to compare samples against other known alloys.  The metal itself is not particularly hard, however, and any worked or polished surface will quickly be marred by scratches and scars of any number of sorts.  Over a period of a few weeks, without regular polishing, it will also acquire a dullish patina. Ironically, it is this patina that forms that gives the metal its notable resistance to corrosion, along with some protection of the surface from marring.   Over time the patina continues to harden but thickens with incredible slowness, I have compared a known sample worked over a millennia ago with my more recent samples and found that I owned no devices capable of measuring the miniscule differences, and could only see the difference with the aid of a thaumaturg's aid.  Of course, as Professor Sharnblu so astutely pointed out in his own monograph, or rather open attack upon my credentials, I have no proof that the older sample had not been polished over the intervening years.  There is no need to point out that Prof. Sharnblu's attack was otherwise lacking in any points of substance, and was the mere ravening of a hidebound ivory tower academe who's heyday was long past.

Higglebolks papers astutely noted that the metal seems to have an usually attractive nature to elemental lightning. While more common metals, including gold, may carry elemental lightning quite safely and easily, the Meteoric Iron actually seems to draw the lightning into itself, and will disperse it wildly and unpredictably.  I was able to recreate some of Higglebolks experiments with the aid of several mystically inclined apprentices hired from the local Academy Arcane, but with no greater insight to how this is so.  I suspect that its nature, that is its origins in the sky gives it a greater affinity with elements connected to the sky.

Of import is the metals unusually high melting temperature. It makes a wonderful material to use in applications involving intense heat, as its insulative properties are quite notable, I can safely say that in short term applications that a prod of Meteoric Iron will safely hold a small fire spirit at bay without warming for at least a short span. That said, prolonged exposure to extreme heat will, in fact, cause the metal to heat and glow and soften, as any other metal would.  I can point out that this is to be avoided at all costs if you intend to work with it in any capacity.  For reasons I hope will be made clear this actually seems to destroy the notable properties of the metal, rendering it not unlike any other alloy of iron.

To determine the best methods of working with, and utilization of the metal, and thus to work out its various physical properties, I first, as usual, turned to the dwarves of my acquaintance.  Imagine my surprise when the first, a Clanholder of some note, it was handed back to me with an expression of mournful sadness.  By some accounts, I was told, the lump of metal I had lacked a soul, and was therefore unworkable.  Astounded I logically turned to an elf companion, a fellow metallurgist who had assisted me in previous researches. He handed it back rather quickly, explaining that it was unclean, filth.

Further research, however, found that there are tribes of elves who make use of the stuff, much as the lizard folk did, though with more sophistication and hold it to be a sacred metal.  These elves held that it was a gift from the gods of the sky, the night stars, and that chains of it imprisoned the moon in their legends.  Likewise, I found a dwarven smith whom I had worked with before, who cheerfully explained the best methods for working the stuff.

As I had noted before, the metal is somewhat soft. To be sure it is malleable, though requiring a great deal of effort in the process. Meteoric Iron is worked on the anvil with the biggest, heaviest hammer one can control and simply battered into shape cold.  Further refinement of shape is best done with tools of adamant by the process of cutting away and polishing out any material that is not wanted.  The strength required to forge it is notable, and the mightiest of blows will not easily damage weapons or armor under normal usage in battle. The metal flexes enough to give under impact slightly, absorbing the blows and springing back into shape with a merely cosmetic scar.  All in all quite remarkable, I thought.  It seems there is some difficulty with combining smaller pieces together, as they can not be heated and the force required to take advantage of it malleability is extreme... those who would work it regularly use powerful winches and heavy weights to press the smaller pieces together, much like a wire puller uses with lesser metals on a larger scale.  Of course, were one to logically follow, it only makes sense that meteoric iron makes a fine wire, able to be drawn quite thin and highly flexible and resistant to breakage.  

Of course, this makes it a popular metal for legendary heroes for armor, should they find a dragon's claw pierces their armor, it can be repaired, unlike adamant for example... one merely needs to find a strong enough smith with a large enough hammer to whack the rent closed.

Noting the odd relationship to fire and lightning both, I undertook esoteric, dangerous and admittedly unreliable aetheric researches to clear up the mysteries of its origins.  While we have yet to determine the full nature of the stars or the sky's contents, I was able to determine that meteors were, in all probability, erroneous bits of earth that had somehow come to be misplaced in the bowl of the sky and were summarily ejected. These, of course, are the more common meteors. The starfalls that produced meteoric iron were not, as I first believed, misplaced earth at all, for the substance had all the wrong elemental attunements when exposed to an aetheric charge.  I believe it is truly from the sky, that is Star metal, formed in the Gems of the Night. I have not the time to address the truths and errors of the star worshiping elvish beliefs, but meteoric iron has properties similar to, yet anathemic to, moon metals, such as silver.  By carefully cross referencing these alchemical and aetheric reactions I have been able to determine that my theory is correct. This, of course, would eliminate Professor Sharnblu's dogmatic paper on the subject, wherein he repeats the old chestnut of lost earth in the bowl of the sky without a single shred of critical thought on the subject.

Being an addendum to the already published monograph upon its second publication.

Of course, gentle readers, I must apologize for allowing the unfortunate and unwanted venom of Prof. Sharnblu to taint the preceeding work and more importantly the rather unprofessional result of having left out two key peices of information on the nature of the metal in question.

While I have, on numerous occasions, put my personage at great risk in the course of research, I was forced to admit that tempting the wrath of the fey was something I was simply unprepared to face.  However, by all known accounts, Meteroic Iron, and those who bear it in the presence of the fey is anathema to them.  Alternating stories suggest that the fickle creatures are either unusually antagonistic to bearers or fearfully deferent, leaving them alone as they apply their trickery and vexing natures to companions to the exclusion of the bearer.  Despite exhaustive research and generous allowances for even the hint of Meteoric Irons presence, I was unable to find a single historic or even mythic tale of a person possessing even minute amounts of the stuff ever visiting, for good or ill, the fey realms.  I should also note that no species of fey may be found, to date, in the Jungles of Kegesh... though they might be found in nearly every other land.  

On a more personal note, my own laboritories have been, as all such places inevitably are, occasionally plagued with boggins in the night. While such creatures are elusive and difficult to spot, their antics can wreak havoc on the orderly nature of a well maintained laboritory.  However, since acquiring my samples my work has been unmolested, my vials and samples continue to remain arranged as I had left them and I must say I have found it simply much easier to work, though I confess to missing the rituals of our private war between orderliness and chaos.

As A theurgical aside, I should be compelled to point out that all species of the Fey are spiritually tied to the moon, many worship it, if such creatures could be said to worship.  Adding to the theories of spiritual antagonism between moon and stars, alongside my theory that 'Meteoric' Iron is actual a star-stuff, I have heard reports of a man suffering from lycanthropy who drinks powdered metal shavings in water once a month to stave off his transformations. As the reader is well aware, the beast men are said to be cursed by the moon.

A much more verifiable comment upon the properties of the metal may be found in that it is simply much heavier than an equililent amount of a normal terrestrial volume of iron.  Like all metals (caveat: So called Star metal floats, but that is beyond this Monograph) it sinks in water, which lends some credence to my theory that it is not a product of the sky as its spiritual properties would have it float despite the weight.