Mithral
| Mithral | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Alt. Spelling: | Mithril |
| Type: | Metal; armor and weapons |
| Location: | Mountains or underoerth |
Mithral (seen as mithril in early editions)[1][2] also called truemetal amongst dwarves, is a precious metal produced from ore found in the underoerth as well as mountain ranges in certain areas of the Flanaess.
Description
[edit | edit source]Mithral ore is an exceedingly rare silver-and-black mineral in its natural form.[3] It becomes a glistening silvery-blue when it is forged.[4][3]
Mithral items are produced through a process similar to steel-smelting.[5] It is a flexible metal[6] and is lighter than iron but just as hard. When worked like steel, it becomes a wonderful material from which to create armor and is occasionally used for other items as well."[4]
Properties
[edit | edit source]In some editions, whenever a magical spell or spell-like ability strikes an item forged from mithral the results are unpredictable. Seemingly, half the time this occurred, the individual in possession of the mithral item became partially and temporarily protected from magic's harmful effects.[3]
Uses
[edit | edit source]Items cast from mithral weigh only half as much as similar items forged from steel.[5] Since pieces of armor made from this valuable metal are exceptionally light, they allow the wearer to make better use of their natural agility and are less restrictive on spellcasting.[7]
Rumors and legends
[edit | edit source]Among some bardic circles it is said that mithral combined with steel can create adamantine,[3] but according to dwarves this claim is laughable.[5] It is believed by some that dwarves simply do not wish to perform this difficult feat of metallurgy for anyone outside their culture, unless they possess an exceptionally good reason.[3]
Creative origins
[edit | edit source]- "Mithril" (not "mithral") is a metal in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth mythos.
External links
[edit | edit source]Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.
- Mithril at Wikipedia.
References
[edit | edit source]Citations
[edit | edit source]Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- Cook, Monte, Jonathan Tweet and Skip Williams. Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2003. Item code 17752.
- Grubb, Jeff. Manual of the Planes. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1987. Item code TSR2022.
- Gygax, Gary. Dungeon Masters Guide. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1979. Item code TSR2011.
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