Fantasy Metals

[Jeminai]

Has anyone done any conversions on things like Mithral, Adamantine and other fantasy metals?

I use the various fantasy materials in Dungeon Fantasy but I would like to use many more from, various systems. I also like to use metals of the real world like iron and bronze but how would you represent something like Spanish Steel or Pig Iron?

Any fantasy metals and/or woods and their GURPS game mechanics are welcome.

Valyrian Steel ?(from Game of Thrones)
Darksteel (Forgotten Realms)

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Jeminai

I also like to use metals of the real world like iron and bronze but how would you represent something like Spanish Steel

I guess that you mean Toledan steel. A very simple approach -not exempt of issues- could be limiting Very Fine quality only to weapons made with these exceptional metals.

Anyway I guess that someone will come with better ideas for tackling this.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by demonsbane

I guess that you mean Toledan steel. A very simple approach -not exempt of issues- could be limiting Very Fine quality only to weapons made with these exceptional metals.

That's how I handle it. If you want to stick to the rules then exceptional quality raw materials is worth a skill bonus when attempting to make weapons so it would be rare for a very fine weapons to NOT be made of high quality metal. It can be done if the smith has a high enough skill and an excellent workshop.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Jeminai

Has anyone done any conversions on things like Mithral, Adamantine and other fantasy metals?

It depends so much on the source that there isn't any "correct" way to do it. Just make items made of those materials stronger and/or lighter than others, and boost the price appropriately. A more subtle possibility is that a superior material simply boosts the craftsman's margin of success when determining the quality of workmanship, as per crucible steel (see Low Tech Companion 3).

Yet another option, and one quite realistic, is that people will pay extra for a sword crafted in the deepest of the Dwarven Mountainhomes regardless of quality. Sure, regular steel is fine for Sir Joe of Shmoe, but a knight of better breeding wants something he can brag about.

Originally Posted by Jeminai

I use the various fantasy materials in Dungeon Fantasy but I would like to use many more from, various systems. I also like to use metals of the real world like iron and bronze but how would you represent something like Spanish Steel or Pig Iron?

Spanish steel is, AFAIK, just steel made from a naturally occurring high-quality alloy that allowed the local smiths to gain a reputation for Fine and Very Fine swords. Pig iron is an intermediate product in steel production that's pretty much useless for anything else.

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Yet another option, and one quite realistic, is that people will pay extra for a sword crafted in the deepest of the Dwarven Mountainhomes regardless of quality. Sure, regular steel is fine for Sir Joe of Shmoe, but a knight of better breeding wants something he can brag about.

Yep. Toledo steel gained a reputation for quality. Indian wootz is another. Same thing happened with certain smiths. If a smith gains a reputation for quality then he can charge extra. After a while the actual quality doesn't matter so long as it came from Toledo or has that smith's name on it. A modern example is all of the fake Rolex and Gucci goods being sold. Gold jewellery is another. I'd be surprised if much of the jewellery sold in a US store today actually has the gold content that is being claimed.

[Refplace]

This was a long long time ago and for 2E I think but I can recall a few of te following.
Adamant was treated as steel but with *5DR
It was also shiny and silver in color.
Orichilum was a green jade colored stone that was easily enchanted and had a higher DR then granite. I think DR*3
Nulucum was artificial and a metal made out of a special process using Orichulim and was an antimagic material.
I used enchanted woods for kind of a sources of raw power magic thing based on the Celtic Tree guide and it would typically give a skill bonus of +1 or +2 and reduce the energy needed to enchant appropriate items.
You can get something similar now from Thaumatology without having to buy the rest from a New Age bookstore :) Or even look it up online now!!

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Orichilum was a green jade colored stone that was easily enchanted and had a higher DR then granite. I think DR*3

Orichalcum was defined anew for 4/e in GURPS Fantasy, as an example of a magical natural substance.

Bill Stoddard

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by whswhs

Orichalcum was defined anew for 4/e in GURPS Fantasy, as an example of a magical natural substance.

Bill Stoddard

Yeah and Adamant was also added in DF but he asked for our ideas and conversions so I went with that :)
Pointing at Thaumatology for the Wood thign was just sheer laziness on my part rather then digging up the info ;)
Has Mithril been done anywhere in GURPS? I would think that would be a licensing issue as I cant recall it from history or mythology.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Adamant was treated as steel but with *5DR
It was also shiny and silver in color.
Orichilum was a green jade colored stone that was easily enchanted and had a higher DR then granite. I think DR*3

Hmm, that seems backwards to me. I think orichalcum is traditionally a metal, while adamant is (sometimes) used as a crystalline stone.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by RyanW

Hmm, that seems backwards to me. I think orichalcum is traditionally a metal, while adamant is (sometimes) used as a crystalline stone.

Depends on your source both are used.
However that campaign was inspired by Pulp fiction like Burroughs and such.
But yes from the Greek adamant was diamond like and orichalcum was a metal from Atlantis in some stories.