Mountains

Virdanite

Found within the vast mountain ranges of Mors, Spira, and Solus. Virdanite takes on a green hue in its iron-like form; its complex nature makes it impossible to sharpen, but it can still be forged into blunt weapons, shields, and armor. Orcs view this metal as an inheritance, believing their ancestors inhabit Virdanite and communicate with them through combative prowess. Orc warriors equip armor made of this material. Still, they face an innate risk when donning it—Virdanite is known for its heat-conductive properties, leading many to pass out or even die in their armor from heat exhaustion. Many Orcs wear it bare-chested, with only shoulder plates and greaves, because of this.  

The use of Virdanite is vast for nobles and warriors alike. Many nobles and squires, when in combative training, use swords forged of metal to simulate holding a real iron sword, but without the danger of cutting another. Many wealthy Orcs attempt to incorporate Virdanite into their architecture, believing it will allow their ancestors to watch over them and their households. This has led to a rift among Orcs, as some think it should be used only for combat. Warriors use powdered Virdanite, mixed with other materials, as war paint; they believe the metal grants them strength and a connection to past fighters. Others use this powdered Virdanite to create works of art.

Throughout the centuries, Virdanite has been a source of contention among many smiths, with some believing only Orcs should handle this material, given its spiritual significance to Orcs. Others think the material should be used communally because of its wide range of properties. Smiths find this metal quite hard to shape, leading many to prefer using Iron instead. A majority of Orc smiths prefer to use a hammer made of Virdanite, believing it imbues their ancestors' spirits into their craft. Many believe rumors of Virdanite housing the spirits of Orcish ancestry due to Jinns being unable to inhabit weapons made of the metal. 

Koralixt

Formed when shale meets lightning, Koralixt is found at higher altitudes. It resembles undersea coral formations, instead well above the sea and composed entirely of congealed minerals. In its “wild” state, these branching fronds are gray-black in coloration, but they can be excited into more luminous forms: with any force, this rock can absorb the impact and become charged with a purplish-yellow glow. The amount of energy contained within a single frond dictates its glow, with particular force causing it to flash blinding light for a few moments. 

While Koralixt’s energy-storing potential is understood, exactly how it can be exploited remains a mystery. Many have hypothesized that the substance could be extracted for its energetic potential, but currently, there exists no means to do so. Concerted efforts to find the minerals’ secrets were ongoing a few short years ago, though the invasion of The Pale has rendered many of these efforts for naught. Until the code is broken, these stones are held as little more than collectible novelties or lights in places where fire is ill-advised.