[Kromm]

Originally Posted by thrash

It also assumes that the minimal, scientific definition of "meteorite" has any bearing on its (anti-)magical properties.

Exactly.

As far as Dungeon Fantasy is concerned, the defining properties of "meteoric iron" are: (1) it's magic-immune, and (2) it's recognizably iron.

That's it, that's all.

The adjective "meteoric" is a fanciful one applied by simple folk blindly struggling and reaching to explain the weird properties of an otherwise normal-seeming material. It falls into the same category as "fairy" and "dragon's" and a bunch of other words thrown around with abandon. If you really believe that "fairy stones" were carved by fairies or that "dragon's root" grows only where there be dragons, I have a bridge to sell you.

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

The moral of the story is that every named item in a dungeoncrawl has to be considered on the basis of what happens if the PCs take it.

Yep. This is why, when I wrote I Smell a Rat for the Dungeon Fantasy Roleplaying Game, I bothered to list prices for the padlocks, strongboxes, long-burning torches, and even metal sheeting on the doors. Also for scraped-off magic paint. Heck, I even gave a value for sewer flotsam and smashed furniture.

Originally Posted by malloyd

Now for the nasty edge case - can I use Blink to *avoid* a hit from a meteoritic iron sword?

I'd say "yes" because Blink isn't cast on the sword and isn't a defense that interacts with the sword in any way (the way magical force fields and Blocking spells that count as blocks and parries are), but one that interacts strictly with the defender.

Originally Posted by Anthony

Meteoric means "of, related to, or consisting of meteors". The word "meteor" predates the modern astronomical concept (from a latin root meaning "a thing in the air") and in DF could perfectly well refer to iron rocks that fall from cloud giant castles. Or celestial iron, normally found on Earth because it's what Zeus' thunderbolts are forged from but also possible in other things forged by Hephaestus.

Or anti-magical iron that never had anything to do with the sky or the air, but which common folk were at a loss to explain and so jumped to the conclusion that the gods must've chucked it down from the heavens to mess with wizards who were getting cocky.

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

If magic can't sense meteoric iron, you can just look for the big voids in what you do sense.

Fortunately, informational magic in GURPS doesn't work that way. It isn't like sonar or radar that builds up an image in which you can spot gaps. It's a direct seeks-this-specific-thing-and-offers-no-context-at-all kind of effect. I'm fond of meteoric iron needing to be painstakingly searched for by prospectors, who have to hire a wizard to come along and confirm their finds. That helps to explain the high price.

Originally Posted by Varyon

It sounds like the intent was that meteoric iron was largely something of a plot device

Yes. As I said:

Originally Posted by Kromm

I will go on record as saying that this is very much one of those "power of plot" things, as magic is wont to be.

Originally Posted by Varyon

I see no problem with a semi-scientific analysis of the way meteoric iron roughly works. Just don't be surprised if you wind up with odd results.

As I also said:

Originally Posted by Kromm

Don't try to apply scientific thinking or you'll end up wearing it on your face like a smoothie from an uncovered blender.

This is a case where I expect the reader to accept author fiat and not bother to dig.