Blackiron

Blackiron
Materials
Official Name	Blackiron
Common Nicknames	Smoke Iron, Eroiron
Category	Iron Family Metallurgy
Origin	Southwynd Eronidas
Uses	Weapons, Armor, Utility
Rarity	Common
Accessibility	All Classes

Blackiron is an alloy of Iron created by the Eronidas of Ashaven to fulfill a growing need for a more sustainable material in a time when their population could not devote themselves to the creation of Blacksteel, then at a premium. While they later regained the ability to create Blacksteel in large quantities, they kept with their homegrown material, which has since spread to other Eronidas and groups across Aloria, where it is seen as a step between Iron and Blacksteel. Blackiron remains popular in Southwynd as a primary metal.

History

Blackiron owes its creation to the harsh society of the early Ashaven Eronidas. Crashing into Southwynd, and taking shelter in the ruins of their ships, these Eronidas initially relied on the Black Craft of Blacksteel to sustain themselves, alongside the other scavenged metals used in the creation of their drifting fleets, or stored in their cargo holds. However, the ashen air proved a great detriment to many of these stores, as rust quickly claimed many objects, and even Blacksteel wore down under even greater amounts of use than it had been seen on the ships. The lands around the Eronidas were plentiful in minerals, but many of these were new to the tusked people or had only been simply worked previously. The Eronidas ultimately set out to further their lot in life, and after nearly two centuries of work, one among their number created Blackiron. Surlinda the Strong was her name, and while there was initial resistance against abandoning the widespread use of Blacksteel, its production was not sustainable at this time, while Blackiron’s was. Ultimately, her argument won out, and Blacksteel became a rarer material, while Blackiron grew in notoriety. It spread across Southwynd, becoming a common material alongside others, and eventually armed many of the Ailor who fought with and against the Eronidas of Ashaven. It was still used when the Regalian Empire invaded the region, and while most Eronidas of the Empire turned their noses at what they saw as a sullying of an ancient craft, Allestrain I saw potential, and expanded its uses. It gradually reached the other Eronidas lands, the Pols coming to embrace it as a material in between normal Iron and Blacksteel, not for everyday items, but ideally for common weaponry. The Eronidas of Anglia also came to hold this view, and it retains that niche to this day, but it remains more popular than Blacksteel in and around Ashaven.

Characteristics

Appearance

Blackiron is a process for treating normal Iron, which creates certain distinct visual traits. For one, its surface develops a more smokey coloration, a mixture of black and dark gray, while sparkling flecks of green can also be found. These dully glow in the darkness, matching perhaps the shine of one’s eyes.

General Uses

Where Blacksteel is often heavy and considerably durable, Blackiron lacks either trait. Instead, it has a resilience between Blacksteel and Iron and is more easily shaped into small items and given detail. This often sees it used in weapons such as swords or daggers by mercenaries and guards, individuals whose income can be highly variable. Blackiron is also commonly used to create bolt tips and arrowheads, especially by the Eronidas under the command of the Iron Duke.

Trivia

• Blackiron daggers are a common tool of the Eronidas criminal underworld, as some are known to have the strength to both stab their victim, then twist their blade to the point of breaking it, significantly increasing the pain one suffers, and further guaranteeing their likely death.
• Some underestimate Blackiron objects and believe the green speckles on their surface to be rust. This is a mistake, particularly on the battlefield.
• Blackiron teeth are sometimes created and used to fulfill those lost among the Ashaven Eronidas.

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Accreditation
Writers HydraLana Processors MantaRey, FireFan96	Last Editor HydraLana on 11/11/2023.

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