[3.5] Introducing a new special material

[Halae]

Alright, the idea that's kicking around in my head is for a new special metal that my players (one of whom is an artificer and will greatly enjoy crafting this) will be gaining. I'll be using the name Orichalcum (please tell me if that's already used somewhere, like in a dragon magazine), and it'll be majorly plot relevant, but I'm still trying to decide what I want it to do, and how I want it to made.

I've already figured out that it'll be an alloy made from silver, adamantine, and mithral, but I can't seem to think of a ritual or method of crafting that wouldn't just result in a pair of metals smooshed together and, following the rules in the special materials section of the srd, only the most prevalent one having its effects. I also want it to be greater than the sum of its parts, and I have an idea that I want it to be the only thing that can stop an elder evil that will be making an appreance in my game, but I can't think of anything other than that.

Ideas and help would be appreciated

[Reynard]

*Is an Exlated player/ST*

Make it be made from gold, using magic, magma, and concentrated sunlight, in a very complicated, long, and expensive process.

[arguskos]

1. This is better off in Homebrew, which deals specifically with this.

2. Orichalcum is not used in core 3.5, though it was featured in the Immortal Handbook, so your name is fine.

3. My suggestion is to do the following: Orichalcum is a combination of adamantine and mithril with a unique and secret blend of reagents and slakes that amplify the innate nature of each metal: adamantine's strength and mithril's lightness and suppleness. Give it the strength of, say, obdurium and the weight and lightness of mithril, and additionally, say that it naturally heals itself over time as a result of the unique creation process. This is just a preliminary thought though.

[Fouredged Sword]

You could just grant the evil badies DR 20/(Orichalcum). That would take a hit out of killing them.

Or maybe regeneration (Orichalcum) so that nothing but Orichalcum can kill them for good.

I could see it forged like folded steel with layers of the three base materials.

Other than that I would give it some minor effects like armor made by it counts as adamantine, but grants protection from (elder evil) as the spell "protection from evil", but as a undespelable non magical effect.

Maybe weapons made from it count as bane (elder evil).

[Volos]

*Is an Exlated player/ST*

Make it be made from gold, using magic, magma, and concentrated sunlight, in a very complicated, long, and expensive process.

This sounds a lot more exciting then "made from some alloys of the rare metals already found in D&D". And it would also stop the players from crafting it for themselves, being that this sounds as if it needs specific tools or a special ritual to craft.

[Aharon]

@Lord Wolfgang
But the OP wants the players to be able to craft it themselves...

And nothing stops you from doing that in D&D. It's homebrew, but the DMG does include a section on researching new spells. Just play that out, instead of saying something like "you spend 50000 gp and have now researched your "Create Orichalcum" spell."

Or are the rules in Exalted very precise on how to do that? I don't imagine them to have exact rules for doing the above, there's probably a lot of ST-adjucation involved. But I don't know the system, so correct me if I'm wrong.

[ZeroGear]

How about making it as hard as adamantine, as light as mythral, and the only substance that overcomes ALL versions of DR, even -/X, and deals lethal damage to regerating creatures?
Think about it: something that can overcome all resistances without needing to be enchanted will be coveted by every major power force in the world. Also, it is the only type of material that by itself can hurt anything.

The forging could require some interresting aspects:
-The flame of pure, elemental fire
-The purest water from the plane of water
-A hammer to shape the weapon made from hardened elemental earth
-A gem made of crystalited elemental air
-condensed positive and negatice energy to bind the metals together, added to the molten substance
-a blessed glove on one hand
-a cursed glove on the other hand
-a wild song of pure chaos
-and a word of pure law

This would incorporate all elements of the world into the forging process.

[Sharkman1231]

How about making it as hard as adamantine, as light as mythral, and the only substance that overcomes ALL versions of DR, even -/X, and deals lethal damage to regerating creatures?
Think about it: something that can overcome all resistances without needing to be enchanted will be coveted by every major power force in the world. Also, it is the only type of material that by itself can hurt anything.

The forging could require some interresting aspects:
-The flame of pure, elemental fire
-The purest water from the plane of water
-A hammer to shape the weapon made from hardened elemental earth
-A gem made of crystalited elemental air
-condensed positive and negatice energy to bind the metals together, added to the molten substance
-a blessed glove on one hand
-a cursed glove on the other hand
-a wild song of pure chaos
-and a word of pure law

This would incorporate all elements of the world into the forging process.

Bone of the father, unknowingly given, Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed, Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken

[Marnath]

Bone of the father, unknowingly given, Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed, Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken

I'm sorry, that is related to this discussion how exactly?

[Cheesy74]

A bit of playful fun, I assumed. Are we all being super serious here now?

[Halae]

These are some really good ideas, guys! Taking a piece of concentrated power from every part of the universe sounds like a really cool idea, and the ability to bypass damage reduction and regeneration would be a really good idea. Of course, it wouldn't be introduced until near the end so that my players can't hide behind the fighter and let him waltz through enemies. The bit about Concentrated sunlight brought on a smile from me. Healing itself is a good idea, like having it regenerate even when it's sundered (if it gets sundered, lol.)

What would be the price modifier on this thing, though? Just for comparison's sake

Spoiler

Show

To summarize:

-Bypasses all damage reduction
-Causes lethal damage to regenerating creatures
-Hardness 22
-Adamantine's ability to shear through lesser materials
-Weighs half as much as normal, and thus full-plate counts as medium armor
-Grants DR/orichalcum when worn as armor (2 for light, 4 for medium, 6 for heavy, before weight modification)
-Regenerates damage at a rate of 1 per minute and if destroyed the largest piece will recreate whatever was destroyed over the next 2d6 days

Also, now I'm trying to think of how they would find out how to make this metal. Perhaps once they learn of the elder eil, stories will constantlyspeak of metal equipment of a strange orange color?

I'm also trying to stat out the ritual to make this. They'll have to do about 6 quests to get all the materials they need (visit every elemental plane). after that... I think it shall require the aid of a creature with divine ranks, who has to to the actual forging. They'll have to do one of a few things for that - either convince a god to help them defeat this creature, contact a divine proxy, or become gods themselves. Considering this is eberron, that last one might be a bit unlikely, though I suppose we could forge it in the silver flame...

[Kylarra]

Or are the rules in Exalted very precise on how to do that? I don't imagine them to have exact rules for doing the above, there's probably a lot of ST-adjucation involved. But I don't know the system, so correct me if I'm wrong.

There are rules for smelting orichalchum, yes. It involves gold, magical mirrors, magma and sunlight.

[arguskos]

I'm also trying to stat out the ritual to make this. They'll have to do about 6 quests to get all the materials they need (visit every elemental plane).

Nitpick: There's 16 Elemental Planes, 2 Energy Planes, and if you count the Plane of Time, there's that one too.

Anyways! As for the price... who cares? Ignore it. The price doesn't matter, as this is practically an artifact-level material. Make it a plot item, make it so they only get enough to make one item really, and roll from there. If you absolutely NEED a price, make it something like +100,000 or something insane, to represent the effort required and the mechanical abilities.

[Andion Isurand]

My favorite material is Oerthblood metal as described in Dragon 351... worth checking out if you're not familiar with it.