Starfall Ore
Starfall is a rare, burnt-red metal recovered from the crater known as the Tear from Heaven. Within the Old Empire, its weapons and armour are prized for their exceptional quality, although those familiar with the material are often reluctant to possess too much of it. A Starfall blade is a mark of wealth and standing; a collection of such weapons may provoke considerably less comfortable speculation. Unworked Starfall is dull and reddish, with a faint light sometimes visible beneath its surface. Its appearance can resemble rusted iron, although cleaning reveals a deeper colour that runs throughout the metal. When a weapon is drawn into battle, or armour worn into danger, Starfall develops a dark red glow. Polishing, painting or covering it does little to conceal this light. Along the edges of a blade or between overlapping plates, the glow can be particularly pronounced.
The circumstances of its arrival remain uncertain. The name Tear from Heaven survives in accounts that disagree on almost everything else. Some describe a gift from the gods; others record a judgement, a warning or the remnant of some celestial catastrophe. The smiths concern themselves with the ore rather than its origins, at least when speaking to outsiders. Mining Starfall is dangerous. The ore occurs unevenly within the crater, and promising seams can yield little usable material after considerable labour. Extracted pieces must be carefully assessed before they are offered for sale. Forging it demands skills beyond those of an ordinary armourer, and a careless attempt can ruin material worth a considerable fortune. Consequently, even fragments and workshop scraps are collected, weighed and guarded.
Arms and Armour
The finest Starfall weapons and armour possess an inherent magical enhancement of up to +3, depending upon the purity of the ore and the skill of the smith. Working the metal successfully requires more than producing a sound blade or a well-fitted breastplate. A smith must also recognise the qualities of each piece of ore and judge what can reasonably be made from it. Two apparently similar ingots may produce markedly different results. For this reason, commissions usually begin with an examination of the available material. A wealthy patron may request a particular weapon, only to be told that the smith will make something smaller or decline the work altogether. Established masters rarely welcome arguments over such decisions.
Starfall armour also has an unusual affinity with arcane magic. A spellcaster wearing it can cast spells of 3rd level or lower without arcane spell failure from the Starfall armour. Higher-level spells remain subject to the armour’s normal spell failure chance. This property makes Starfall particularly desirable to those who combine swordplay with spellcasting, allowing them to wear protection that would ordinarily hinder their magic. Its scarcity, expense and reputation ensure that few ever acquire a complete suit. Individual weapons, shields and pieces of armour are more commonly encountered, often passing through several generations of a household. Their histories can become as important as their workmanship. A famous blade may be valued for the victories won with it, while the same weapon’s association with a cruel or unstable owner can make a prospective buyer hesitate.
Repairs present a further difficulty. Ordinary smiths are often unwilling to work on Starfall equipment, and even a skilled armourer may lack the knowledge needed to preserve its unusual properties. Owners may travel considerable distances to seek a recognised Starfall Smith.
The Influence of Starfall
There are persistent accounts of Starfall owners becoming increasingly aggressive, suspicious and cruel. The change is usually described as gradual. An impatient commander becomes intolerant of questions. A stern magistrate begins to favour harsher punishments. An adventurous warrior grows unwilling to let an insult pass unanswered. Those affected seldom recognise any change in themselves. They consider their anger justified, their enemies deserving and their decisions entirely reasonable. Friends who express concern may find their loyalty questioned, especially if they suggest surrendering a treasured weapon or removing a suit of armour.
A single weapon or shield is generally considered safe. Greater quantities are treated with more caution, particularly armour worn for long periods. Stories concerning the metal frequently describe owners who become increasingly attached to their possessions: wearing armour when no danger is expected, keeping weapons within reach at all times, or refusing to allow servants to handle them. Such behaviour is difficult to separate from ordinary pride, caution or ill temper. Starfall equipment is valuable enough to justify close attention, and many who seek it are already ambitious or accustomed to violence. Supporters of the craft argue that the metal is blamed for failings its owners possessed long before acquiring it.
The Starfall Smiths deny that their work causes such changes. Others point to the tempers of its wealthiest collectors—and to the fate of the smiths themselves. Families who suspect an influence often prefer discretion. Selling an heirloom may invite questions, while publicly admitting that a relative’s judgement has deteriorated can have consequences far beyond the household.
The Starfall Smiths
The secrets of working Starfall belong to a small and closely guarded fellowship. Apprentices must become accomplished smiths before they are permitted to handle the ore, and years may pass before they are trusted to forge an item without supervision. Technical ability alone is insufficient. A prospective apprentice must also demonstrate patience, discretion and a willingness to follow instructions whose purpose may not immediately be explained. Within their workshops, the handling of Starfall is carefully controlled. Ore, unfinished work and discarded fragments are accounted for, and visitors are seldom allowed near a working forge. Some precautions plainly protect valuable material and closely held techniques. Others are observed with a seriousness that discourages questions.
Their masters command high prices and considerable respect. A successful commission can secure a patron’s favour for years, and some workshops maintain relationships with particular families across generations. Nevertheless, a master’s standing within the fellowship matters greatly. Wealth and powerful acquaintances do not necessarily entitle an outsider to learn its methods. The smiths are known for their secrecy, obsessive habits and increasingly difficult temperaments. As they grow older, some become reluctant to delegate even routine tasks. Apprentices may be dismissed for minor errors, commissions delayed by repeated alterations, and completed pieces retained because the maker remains dissatisfied with them.
Few are said to remain at their craft for more than a decade after attaining mastery. Some die. Others cease accepting commissions and disappear from public life. Accounts of their final years are usually supplied by former patrons, neighbours or apprentices, and rarely agree in every detail.
When a master becomes incapable of working, fellow smiths arrive to collect both the individual and the contents of the forge. Outstanding business is settled as quietly as possible. Tools, records, unfinished commissions and every recoverable fragment of Starfall are removed. he fellowship does not discuss where they are taken.
