I had this idea of using one particular type of precious metal to set my wizards apart. Only the wozards wouild be permitted to use/wear this particular metal, but the problem is, I'm not sure what metal to use. I thought at first, gold, but gold is too commonly used, for coinage and whatnot. If I limit the use of gold to only my wizards, I would have to completely redesign one of the most basic forms of monetary exchange. Silver doesn't seem exclusive enough, and platinum seems too modern. So, what sort of metal could I use to set my wizards apart?
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The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everyone else.
- Umberto Eco
50,250 / 50,000
May 14, 2008 - 21 08
um well take a look at the history of aluminum. It was so hard to refine from ore that it was only achieved within the last century or so and at first was vaued at more then the same weight of gold. Plus as a bonus most people don't realise that rubies are made primarily of aluminum. So you can make magic crystals of ruby and it's connections with aluminum a part of the story.
Titanium,
Mercury was something that was seen as very mystical.
then there are the fabled mystical mythological metals of, mythrial, adamantine, and orichalcum. the later two are from ancient greek texts while I think Mythrial is something only mentioned in fantasy texts in the last two centuries or less.
Then ther is the old trick of making up your own. some times that works and sometimes it seems just silly. I always thought the vibranium or what ever of captain americas sheild was hokey. But give it a try. perhaps the metal is not a metal at all. Maybe they have created a type of plastic but don't know what to call it.
Gotta go the labs are closing but I'll think on it some more and get back to you. Let me know any ideas you have for the use of this and questions you might have. I have enough odd bits of data in this head of mine to be of use on this subject.
60,560 / 50,000
May 15, 2008 - 05 09
I like the idea of mercury, but it's liquid at room temperature and I was thinking of using it in jewelry - some sort of identifying thing. In my original manifestation of this book, the female wazards wore a belt of it, and the male wore an amulet of some variety. (I did some rethinking of the book - new and better plot, a few different ideas on the wizards, that sort of thing). I still like the belt idea for the women. Seeing as how they have to remain virgin to keep their gift, it seemed sort of chastity beltish without being roll-your-eyes-over-the-top dumb.
I also liked the idea of a sort of mystical metal. If there was something that could only be forged by magic, that would be great. I'll ha ve to do a little research on those metals rovingjack mentioned.
----------The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everyone else.
- Umberto Eco
51,949 / 50,000
May 15, 2008 - 06 15
Platinum isn't actually that modern of a modern metal. It was used by Pre-Columbian Native American and Europeans first started using it in the 1500s (according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum ). Actually, when the Spanish first found it, they couldn't figure out how to melt it (that's what kept them from using it until the 1500s), so that might be just the sort of thing you're looking for. Titanium (which someone else mentioned) wasn't discovered until the 1700s, so that's actually a more modern metal than platinum.
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50,250 / 50,000
May 15, 2008 - 17 23
well if you are looking for solid state metal usages, you can still use mercury as it is something that can be used to make amalgams. The fillings in teeth and in some cases the silvering of mirrors were made with amalgam materials. It's more of an alloying technique rather then a pure metal, much like brasses and bronzes.
If alloys are a viable option for this then you open up a whole new spectrum of possabilities.
As well as some of the ores of the metals, such as pyrite, and gelena (sp?), that shine like metals, crystalise into faceted structures and behave in ways unlike metal or crystals.
For forming belts and such, that would imply either strength that lets them form links like chain or pulled like wire and woven together. It would also imply using large amounts of the material. a belt of gold would be fenominally expensive, gold plating would be cheaper but still not very cheap, and the gathering and refining of the metal to be used would be laborious.
Another 'metal' to consider is electrum which is generally refered to as an alloy of gold and silver. There are many alloys of gold: rose gold, white gold pure gold, electrum ect.
Perhaps the metal is infact an alloy with sacred meaning to the magic system as it exists.
60,560 / 50,000
May 15, 2008 - 19 19
If alloys are a viable option for this then you open up a whole new spectrum of possabilities.
As well as some of the ores of the metals, such as pyrite, and gelena (sp?), that shine like metals, crystalise into faceted structures and behave in ways unlike metal or crystals.
For forming belts and such, that would imply either strength that lets them form links like chain or pulled like wire and woven together. It would also imply using large amounts of the material. a belt of gold would be fenominally expensive, gold plating would be cheaper but still not very cheap, and the gathering and refining of the metal to be used would be laborious.
Another 'metal' to consider is electrum which is generally refered to as an alloy of gold and silver. There are many alloys of gold: rose gold, white gold pure gold, electrum ect.
Perhaps the metal is infact an alloy with sacred meaning to the magic system as it exists.
Wow, rovingjack, you have no idea how far over my head you flew with this one. I was thinking that maybe this metal was more a social marker - like seeing someone wearing fabric woven with gold thread would be an obvious mark of royalty. (Still not convinced it's possible, but I read about it in a research book - "The Writer's Complete Fantasy Reference") In any case, I was thinking that it might be something to that effect.
So at work today, I had the idea of usign magic to force mercury into a solid form, making it so that it could only be produced by wizards and more justifiably reserved for them. I know this invovles a lot of magic, but if you read it in a book, would it ring as plausible or copout? I'm still open to ideas! Thanks for all the help you'vde given me so far!
The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everyone else.
- Umberto Eco
----------The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everyone else.
- Umberto Eco
50,250 / 50,000
May 15, 2008 - 20 47
well with mercury it's often atracted to gold and and is a devourer of aluminum. Copper and tin and zinc are used to make the most common amalgams seen in detistry.
You could make it solid by making an amalgam, and that would require some serious research and the work of highly learned people. Mercury is also something that is often seen as easily absorbed by living things and toxic if absorbed in enough quanitity.
I don't know if you have a particular care for the alchemical data on mercury but there is enough history about it out there on the web. Just don't trust all the stuff that some say about alchemists and it's use. The term mercury had applications of more then the liquid metal for alchemists and occult practitioners.
But If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion. why bother with making it solid at all? The imagry of a steel vial of flask (as steel is one of the few metals that mercury doesn't either love to cling to or seek to destroy) of mercury that when opened can pour out a gentle cascade of mercury that only the magically inclines can weave and hold about themselves. Wether in stream like ribbons or floating beads haloing a waist or throught or head.
It would remain intangible to all those who sought to grasp it, and keeping mercury in an unseal container is not easy, it tends to disappear. Perhaps the metal become bound to the user. Do no harm, (not toxic) to your master, only boon.
Imagine a silky silver scarf about the waist of a woman and it's movements are so liquid it seems like a stream of water that move in the wrong directions yet moves as if it was so many times heavier then water. I theif grasps for it and their hand passes through it leaving it seemingly un changed. Like it's an illusion. But as the quicksilver (another name for the metal we mark with Hg on the periodic chart) comes into contact with the thiefs skin in soaks into his blood and poisons him. Depending on the dose he could go mad, or die of what seems like lukemia. Placing a peice of gold on the tounge would cause the gold to develope a film of mercury. (there are cases of fake alchemist who would demonstrate mercuries affinity for gold by dipping a thumb in it and holding gold in their mouths. The mercury would make it's way through the idiots blood and collect on the coin. While every one who did this died early and quite mad).
that would be one heck of a chastity belt.
Just some thoughts.
60,560 / 50,000
May 16, 2008 - 04 45
I do like the idea of their belt/amulet/whatever I decide on being toxic to others but not to them; it plays nicely into the plot I have laid out. And the imagery of the liquid belt or scarf is very alluring. I think I like the idea of using mercury. It's toxicity (which I had completely forgotten) and it's chemical properties actually make it an ideal metal to be reserved for one class of people, especially this class. I can decide whetehr to make it solid or liquid later.
Thank you for helping a writer shake the bonds of writer's block!
----------The real hero is always a hero by mistake; he dreams of being an honest coward like everyone else.
- Umberto Eco
50,348 / 50,000
May 16, 2008 - 11 10
Another thought, if you go with mercury or another non-solid ... keep it in a glass bracelet/whatever. (I'm picturing old thermometers as I type, I've got a sick kid today.) Perhaps it's a symbol of their magic, and if a person is kicked out of the wizard's guild or whatever, their bracelet is broken and the 'magic' mercury escapes, never to be recaptured (and poisonous to handle, if they try).
Also call it by the old name quicksilver, to sound more mystical.
Just thoughts ... good luck!
P.S. Have you looked into alchemy and any old beliefs or traditions for the metals? You might find something handy.