Mithis Metals and Gemstones¶
"Once upon a time this was the go to rune for runeforging. Mithis metals were commonly available to dwarves." — of the Master Rune of Mithis (S246)
Contested
This page is named in the open questions Witchcraft's place; Mithis metals and Heartstone pieces: Kalamite or not Mithis. The archive's tables disagree on the metals' names and Mithis saturations, and the campaign notes disagree on what the Heartstone pieces are made of; this page follows the newest sources and records the rest as earlier accounts.
When the Worldstone shattered, its dust settled into the earth, and "for a reason not entirely understood, the Mithis Particle binds itself easily to material with high elemental energy" (S419). Where it bonded to a metal or a crystal it made a new substance: "A Mithis Element is one where a Mithis particle has bonded itself to the element, in practice forming a new element with many new properties" (S419). These are the Mithis metals and gemstones, the isotopes of iron, copper, silver, gold, platinum and the rest, and the glowing stones that are their crystal kin. For an age they were the stuff of every great magical weapon and focus; after the Hollowing they were mistrusted, and after the Redemption they hold only borrowed power. The particle itself is Cosmology's; the alloys, the market and smithing as a trade are Life & Culture's. The three most important isotopes have their own pages: Adamantium, Argentium and Aurumite.
Origin and saturation¶
"It is believed deposits of mithis ores were created by large worldstone shards landing near rich metal deposits" (S419). Mithis gathers where elemental energy runs high: "Rare Ores, some Crystals, Volcanically active areas, Titan and Faerie remains and Elemental Nexuses" (S419). An Elemental Nexus is a place of concentrated elemental power; "Elemental Nexus and Mithis Node are nearly synonymous, though separate concepts and rarely one without the other", and "large Mithis Ore deposits are by definition a Mithis Node" (S419). The nodes are described with Mithis.
Not every element takes the particle equally. "In some cases, multiple Mithis particles can bond themselves to a single element, making some materials capable of higher Mithis concentrations than others. The Mithis Saturation level is the maximum number of particles that can bond to a single element" (S419). The older summary also gives each metal an elemental attunement: Fire for Aurumite and Cuprium, Earth for Adamantium, Arcane for Argentium, Ethereal for Eruminium, Material for Ferracite, Planar for Kalamite, Abyssal for Zucarium (S418).
The metals¶
| Metal | Also called | Base | Appearance and nature (S419) | Saturation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adamantium | Titansteel, Norsil | Titanium | Light grey to white; corrosion-proof, "the best known density to strength ratio of any known metal" | 8 |
| Argentium | Truesilver, Mithril | Silver | Pale bluish silver; never tarnishes, lighter than aluminium | 5 |
| Aurumite | Blood Gold, Malderil | Gold | Deep blood-red gold | 7 |
| Cuprium | Flaming Copper, Airacil | Copper | Polished red copper with a blue tint; burns blue in air | 2 |
| Kalamite | Dragonsilver, Ilumril | Platinum | Pure white with a blue, red or purple tint | 12 |
| Eruminum | Mithweave, Liaunil | Aluminium | Translucent silvery white; "exceptionally light, ductile and strong" | 4 |
| Ferrosite | Black Iron, Moril | Iron | Very dark grey | 3 |
| Zucarium | Nightmetal, Morkaril | Zinc | Matte black; "actively absorbs light around it" | 5 |
| Koboltar | Kobold's Blood, Agaruksh | Cobalt | Dark silvery; anti-Mithis | anti 4 |
| Nicktaranite | Night's Touch, Domeksh | Nickel | Dark silvery; anti-Mithis | anti 6 |
Cuprium is the fire-metal: "If sufficiently pure (around 20%+), the Mithis Energy it gives off reacts with air to produce a blue flame (color easily altered). Often used to make ever-burning lamps, firestarters, flaming weapons and more" (S419). In the Lost Mines of the Warrens, slaves dig "copper ore (Malachite), and it appears that it may have some Cuprium content" (S063, S064, S065).
Eruminum "is spun into thread to make tailored Mithis items" (S419). Zucarium, the Nightmetal, drinks light. Koboltar and Nicktaranite are its opposites: they are "Anti-Mithis" isotopes (S419), and the Sancturi holy substance Witchbane was "formerly known as anti-Mithis" (S325); see Hollow Magic.
Kalamite is the divine metal. The pieces of the Mithis Heartstone are Kalamite objects: the Arcane Eye, the Chestplate of the Rising Sun, whose "base metal is a shiny dark grey metal that reflects with a purple tint in the light", the Axe of the High King, the Spear of Radiance, the Orb of Dominion and the Helm of Truth (S182). The heart of Pravustiratel, taken by Necatus when he killed her, is "a crystal made of Kalamite" (S143). The Heartstone pieces are Artifacts'.
Gap
The older summary lists a Stannite, with Mithis 2 and a low melting point, and nothing else (S418). No source says what its base metal is or what it looks like.
The gemstones¶
The crystal forms of Mithis "are indistinguishable from the gemstone" except for their light (S419):
| Stone | Also called | Crystal | Light | Saturation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astral Diamond | Sunstones, Sulmaril | Coloured diamond | "A radiant glow with glowing smoky tendrils" | 10,000 |
| Dragon Ruby or Sapphire | Moonstones, Lumaril | Corundum | "A strong smoky glow" | 2,000 |
| Fiery Emerald or Aquamarine | Elfstones, Lothmaril | Beryl | "A constant wispy glow" | 500 |
| Star Topaz | Lightstones, Dawnstones, Telmaril | Topaz | "Often have a pale glow" | 120 |
Each glow "is easily enhanced by the right cut" (S419). The older archive's Mithyst, the Mithis quartz, was "quite common" at low concentration and could "look like any quartz crystal, from clear crystal to amethysts, citrine, rose quartz, onyx and agate" (S384, S419). Hollowed gems turn up in the deep places of the Fifth Age: four hollowed rubies and a large hollowed emerald in a dark elven outpost (S165).
Bleeding and the forges¶
"Smelting and forging Mithis ores can be very dangerous due to the magical energy it contains. As Mithis metals are heated, most begin rapidly releasing their stored up energy (This is known as Conduction, or it's Conductive Point). This energy needs to be quickly channeled away from the forge and dispersed or a Mithis explosion could result in the destruction of the forge and anyone nearby" (S419). Smiths therefore bleed the metal, heating it "to near melting" and siphoning off the built-up energy, then work it for perhaps half an hour before bleeding it again (S419). Aurumite smelters wrap their crucibles in Conductive Clay, a sand of silicon carbide mixed with "a Mithis Conducting Agent (usually caster blood)", which is stripped off and replaced as it fills with energy and laid aside "so that the Mithis Energy they have absorbed can slowly dissipate safely" (S419, S417).
"Most Mithis Ores and Alloy require extreme temperatures, some of which are not attainable with typical fuels and fires" (S419). The archive ranks the forges that can reach them, from the primitive wood fire through the wizard's forge, the magma forge and the coal forge, to forges no ordinary smith commands: the Abyssal Forge burning abyssal fire, the Light Forge burning magnesium, the Elemental Forge of "pure elemental fire" and the Dragon Forge fuelled by dragon oil, beyond which lies only "Dragon's Fire" (S419). On the Isles of Sorrow a party smelted Ferracite from iron by carrying three thousand pounds of slag to a volcano's magma forge (S453).
Mithis metals after the corruption¶
The corruption of Mithis by the archdemon changed the metals' place in the world. Some were spared. An Arcane Mage who tried to cleanse Mithis sources "notes that dragons, most titans and the metal, adamantium appear to be unaffected" (S142), and in the deep caverns of the Fifth Age "Cuprium & Adamantine & Aurumite are NOT CORRUPTED" while the reddish-gold armour beside them was hollowed (S165). Asmodeus, searching secretly for the remaining Heartstone pieces, "initiated a crusade to collect all non-mithis metals. His stated goal is to infuse all metal with Irathus and arm his Demonic Army" (S132). The Sancturi melted surrendered Mithis into the Vigils.
In the Fifth Age the metals are spent. "The mithis metals of bygone ages are now channeling objects, but no longer hold magical energy of their own. Some can be charged with energy and are capable of holding it, but all such energy is transient and will deplete over time or with use" (S014). Since the Redemption, "Mithis metals and objects can still exist, but must be transplanted from (and energized on) the Mithis Plane", and Riftmetals from the Rift are counted among the uncommon sources of magic (S112).
Adamant¶
Depleted Mithis metal leaves something behind. "A fourth special category of focus is known as Adamant (also known as sovereign matter). Sovereign matter can be used as a focus and is found in remnants of depleted mithis metals and astral shards are composed of them" (S013). Fel wizards, who once worked through the Mithis Plane, "now require the use of a Focus to affect things which are not yet corrupted ... such as Adamant objects or Demonic or Astral pacts" (S014). Sovereign matter is described with the Astral Shards; Fel Magic is Magic's.
The metals of the Demonlands¶
The Fourth Age encounter notes for the Krag'Durn name four metals worked in a demon engineer's machine hall, whose inner wall is "green metal (Felcore)" braced with "white tubes" of Aetherium (S360):
- Aetherium: "Soul-metal : white and light grey flat metal (looks like wispy living clouds). No glow, but seems to twist when you look at it and feels like it moves to the touch."
- Felcore Mithril, Felcore Admant and Felcore Aurumite: "Fel-inflused mithis metals. Common/slang name is Demonite. Green-tinted metal with a slight glow." Felcore is told with Fel Magic.
- Umbrachalcum: "Cursed-metal, made from Cuprium. Absorbs all light. Wisps of dark seem to be pulled into the metal."
- Infernaxum: "A fiery, molten metal, made from Cuprium."
Dread Metal¶
Among the treasures of the Curse of Seth'Arax lay a hundred pounds of "Aquitanian Divine Black Metal - Dread Metal" (S178), noted in the following session as "Divine, Energy Absorbent, Light, Very Strong and Flexible. Excellent for Armor. Could make a weapon, but doesnt seem like it would hold a very sharp edge, maybe better for a maul, hammer or shield" (S179). The Aquitanians are told with the Humans.
Gap
No source says what Aetherium, Umbrachalcum or Infernaxum are made from beyond the lines above, who makes them, or how Dread Metal relates to the Mithis metals.
Earlier accounts¶
The 2014 compendium knows fewer metals under other names, its Mithis content given as a percentage, where "100% represents complete saturation" (S384, S372): Ferrium, Mithus or White Iron, "almost identical to iron, though does not rust", with a "very pale white" glow; Aurumite, Blood Gold or Blood of Kalar; Argentium, Mithril or Truesilver; Adamantium, "gold colored, with a greenish tint"; Kalmite or Dragonsteel, "dark platinum/silver, with a purplish tint"; and the stones Maban or Mithyst ("Tears of Kalar, Stone of the Stars"), Phirus ("Moonstone, Stone of the Moon") and Maril ("Eyes of Kalar, Sunstone, Stone of the Sun"), the last "extremely concentrated" and giving "its own constant or pulsating pale, bright light" (S384). "The most common forms found are Mithus, Mithyst and Mithril (in that order). Many smiths discard trace amounts of Mithus found while smelting Iron as a waste impurity" (S384). The newest Mithis article keeps this list appended after its own (S419); the TER5 overview gives the same list with concentrations in "units per cubic mm (ppu)" (S429), and adds that the Blue Mountains of Dru'Bazan hold "several known deposits of Ferrium, and two known deposits of Argentium and one of Adamantium" (S429, S384).
The 2016 summary calls the iron isotope Ferracite and Eruminum Eruminium, and gives different saturations: Kalamite 15, Adamantium 9, Aurumite 8, Zucarium 7, Argentium 6, and Koboltar and Nicktaranite as negative values (S418). The refactor notes describe the Heartstone pieces as "NOT made of Mithis. They OWN the Mithis", resembling "a meteorite made up many metals including iron, copper, silver, gold, platinum and nickel" (S132); the later session notes make them Kalamite (S182).
Comparative tables of the metals from the archive: Mithis Metals Table.1