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Trace_Coburn
Learned Scribe
New Zealand
137 Posts |
 Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 14:56:08
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Sudden thought/query: what other minerals, if any, are found close to/mixed with veins of mithral? Would one expect to see a single mining operation extracting, say, mithral *and* iron?
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D&D collection: Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual I, Complete Arcane, Arms & Equipment Guide.
FR sourcebook collection: Dragons of Faerūn, Faiths & Pantheons, FRCS, Lords of Darkness, Monsters of Faerūn, Player's Guide to Faerūn, Power of Faerūn, Races of Faerūn, Silver Marches.
I just got back into this, okay? Give me time (or better yet money) - I'll catch up soon enough.  |
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4693 Posts |
Posted - 27 Mar 2006 : 15:24:04
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In general it has been my impression that D&D mines are single resource. This does not mean you can not have a mixed ore mine.
RW aluminium (cloest thing to mithral and some believe that is what was intended) mines do have "impurities, chiefly compounds of iron, silicon and titanium."
So it would appear posible to have a mithral and iron mine. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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LordXenophon
Learned Scribe
USA
147 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 00:26:24
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| The best description of mythril I've seen makes it a secret steel alloy known only to the Elves and Dwarves. In addition to the usual components of a steel alloy, it also requires the purest silver and some secret ingredients. Therefore, if you subscribe to this theory, there would be no such thing as a mythril mine. |
Disintegration is in the eye of the Beholder. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36877 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 01:06:57
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quote:
Originally posted by LordXenophon
The best description of mythril I've seen makes it a secret steel alloy known only to the Elves and Dwarves. In addition to the usual components of a steel alloy, it also requires the purest silver and some secret ingredients. Therefore, if you subscribe to this theory, there would be no such thing as a mythril mine.
However, we know this is not the case, because of Mithral Hall. |
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Sir Vengeance
Acolyte
42 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 02:07:46
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quote:
Originally posted by LordXenophon
The best description of mythril I've seen makes it a secret steel alloy known only to the Elves and Dwarves. In addition to the usual components of a steel alloy, it also requires the purest silver and some secret ingredients. Therefore, if you subscribe to this theory, there would be no such thing as a mythril mine.
Lousy metallic alloy, even so, the alloy hardly seem the best protection against monstrous foes or opponents with critical strike abilities, I doubt such alloy would withstand even a determined slash/hack from common weapons. I would recommend multi-alloyed metals forged with a honey-combed internal structure, this would better withstand a heavy strike.
I think in a mine, miners normally seek veins of metallic deposits, but of course, in reality , no metal ore comes pure alone. Sometimes, they would seek other stuff besides the metal, think of coal or natural gases. I think a mining operation would extract besides the metal, there are sulphur, silicon, aluminium, copper, traces of some other metals as well as the usual impurities thrown into the mix. Sometimes this "impurities" are taken out as well for some purposes, example sulphur for magic components or overcoming foul smells. But, mineral deposits are occasionally found alongside the metal veins, if this does occur and with the proper metal and alchemical and mining knowledge, the mining operation can be a worthwhile profitable operation. |
Vengeance is justified on righteous grounds, for righteous vengeance cannot be denied by anybody. |
Edited by - Sir Vengeance on 30 Mar 2006 02:10:20 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 03:08:09
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Mithral is a somewhat strange subject, since we only have one mithral mine (Mithral Hall) upon which to go on, and it's noted several times that Mithral Hall's deposits are unusally rich and pure.
What we know: Mithral is its own metal, not a an alloy. However, unlike Moria, it occurs in more than one place in Faerun than just Mithral Hall.
What we don't know is whether all mithral mines resemble Mithral Hall (which seems to be fairly normal rock with veins of pure mithral, or maybe mithral in coal, since the dwarves never seem to be short of it), or whether Mithral Hall is an exception, and that most mithral mines conform to SV's description. Maybe we can get some people skilled in mining and metalurgy (as I am not) in here and engage in some speculation.
(And yes, I do realize that this is a long-winded way of saying I have no idea what else a mining operation might find) |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 30 Mar 2006 : 21:58:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Trace_Coburn
Sudden thought/query: what other minerals, if any, are found close to/mixed with veins of mithral? Would one expect to see a single mining operation extracting, say, mithral *and* iron?
There's a description of a lost dwarven mine on the coast of the Swordkrypt Mountains (FRCS? Volo's Guide to the North?) which mentions several different metals mined therein.
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2006 : 01:51:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
quote:
Originally posted by Trace_Coburn
Sudden thought/query: what other minerals, if any, are found close to/mixed with veins of mithral? Would one expect to see a single mining operation extracting, say, mithral *and* iron?
There's a description of a lost dwarven mine on the coast of the Swordkrypt Mountains (FRCS? Volo's Guide to the North?) which mentions several different metals mined therein.
Are you referring to Southkrypt? -- (Volo's Guide to the North, The North, Waterdeep and the North and Savage Frontier)
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 21:59:51
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quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
quote:
Originally posted by Trace_Coburn
Sudden thought/query: what other minerals, if any, are found close to/mixed with veins of mithral? Would one expect to see a single mining operation extracting, say, mithral *and* iron?
There's a description of a lost dwarven mine on the coast of the Swordkrypt Mountains (FRCS? Volo's Guide to the North?) which mentions several different metals mined therein.
Are you referring to Southkrypt? -- (Volo's Guide to the North, The North, Waterdeep and the North and Savage Frontier)
Yes and no. My bad. Wave Echo Cave, on the coastal side of the Swordkrypts (Volo's Guide to the North), was a mithril mine. Southkrypt Garden was a silver mine. Two major veins of rich ore within less than fifty miles of each other suggests (to me) that they are associated, but that certainly shouldn't be considered canonical by any means: one vein may be an intrusion, and one or both may be part of different strata which simply got "folded" into the Southkrypt range.
What confused me a few days ago, when I posted, was that I had just read the section of Alderac's (AEG's) Empire book about mineral resources in a region, and their random ore type generator permits mithril to be associated with other metals. I find portions of the book difficult to figure out, but if a DM wants to generate a mine, their tables are a handy, low-tech way to do it. RW silver, btw, is often associated with other valuable metals, including gold; just check a good encyclopedia entry on it. (Encyclopedias? Remember those?)
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I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36877 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 22:12:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Jamallo Kreen
(Encyclopedias? Remember those?)
You mean the beta versions of Google, right?  |
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Faraer
Great Reader
3308 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2006 : 22:20:42
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Mithral is described in Volo's Guide to All Things Magical:quote:
Known as truemetal to the dwarves, this silvery-blue, shining metal is derived from soft, glittering, silvery-black ore found in rare veins and pockets all over Faerūnfrom the depths of the Underdark to surface rocks, particularly in the easternmost Sword Coast North lands. Mithral can be combined with steel (varying alloys of iron and carbon) to derive adamantine if one has no access to adamantite ore, but this process is both difficult and known only to a very few dwarves, who do not perform it for nondwarves unless there is a very good reason.
It isn't a steel or silver alloy. Neither is Mithral Hall the only known mithral mine. |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2450 Posts |
Posted - 02 Apr 2006 : 00:27:28
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| No it isn't. It is, however, the only one that's been extensively detailed, and we therefore have no way of knowing whether the structure of its mithral is unique, common, or an abberration from the norm compared to other mines. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Lawfire
Acolyte
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2006 : 20:02:58
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| In the 2E book, "The Complete Book of Dwarves," there is a chapter on mining (Chapter 8). It indicates that Mithril is found alone, (no other metals or gems with it,) and that, "Mithril exists deep under the earth, in dense metamorphic formations." Ten percent of Mithril formations found are actually Mithril, the rest is silver, gold or platinum of the highest quality. |
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VonRaventheDaring
Learned Scribe
USA
197 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2007 : 20:54:20
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| Are there any charts for mining, and what one would actually find anywhere? |
"Develop the latent abilities within you for that is your power alone. Psionics is the ultimate art of magic and you are its practitioner. Through lifelong dedication, strive to unite your will with your physical form to become one. Only through the unrestrained union of oneās mind and body can the magic of psionics truly be mastered. Throw off the yoke of any who would impose tyranny upon you. Likewise, do not ever force another to submit to your will. Free your mind, free yourself and you have only just begun the path to true psionic mastery. Free others, open their minds to the Invisible Art, and you will show them way to Auppenser."
---Dogma of the Church of Auppenser |
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Jamallo Kreen
Master of Realmslore
USA
1537 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2007 : 21:20:13
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| I refer you again to AEG's book, Empire. You might also want to consult the Dungeoneer's Survival Guide. |
I have a mouth, but I am in a library and must not scream.
Feed the poor and stroke your ego, too: http://www.freerice.com/index.php.
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4693 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2007 : 21:27:50
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quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring
Are there any charts for mining, and what one would actually find anywhere?
If you mean in the Realms where undiscovered resources are, I do not believe such exists. There has been a few non canon offers of time to mine and ore yeild to waste rock I have seen. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2007 : 23:25:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Kentinal
quote:
Originally posted by VonRaventheDaring
Are there any charts for mining, and what one would actually find anywhere?
If you mean in the Realms where undiscovered resources are, I do not believe such exists. There has been a few non canon offers of time to mine and ore yeild to waste rock I have seen.
I don't have my Grand History of the Realms with me; but there is vague reference to Tethyamar being a source of Mithral (I think).
I believe one of the years associated with Tethyamar says something either about adamantine or mithril...I honestly can't remember right now. |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2014 : 16:44:51
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*casts raise thread*
Heh, nice. I always wondered how sparse mithrall and adamantite mines in the realms were. I have several mithrall mines to add to my known list now.
But are there any other mentions of abundant adamantite deposits/mines/meteor slags? How large and obvious are these mines? Do they require particular mining equipment like specialized rockovens, slagfunnels and quenching tubs?
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2014 : 18:30:22
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This might just be me, but for the most part, dwarves, drow, duergar, and deep gnomes are the only ones who know how to forge mithril and adamantite ore.
You don't hear much about meteors that contain the ore. But I'm sure they are present or quickly mined out. I believe Pathfinder addressed that a few times too for reference.
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Kentinal
Great Reader
4693 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2014 : 20:25:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Eilserus
This might just be me, but for the most part, dwarves, drow, duergar, and deep gnomes are the only ones who know how to forge mithril and adamantite ore.
You don't hear much about meteors that contain the ore. But I'm sure they are present or quickly mined out. I believe Pathfinder addressed that a few times too for reference.
The fair elves clearly work with mithril silver for their Elven chain. |
"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2014 : 22:43:52
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| 2E PHBR8: Complete Book of Elves and DMGR1: Arms & Equipment Guide suggest that the secret of forging (light, flexible, silvery) elven chain from mithril somehow involves magical exposure to moonlight, whereas the secret of forging (dense, hard, and dark) drow chain from adamantine instead involves exposure to the magical radiations of the Underdark. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Eilserus
Master of Realmslore
USA
1446 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2014 : 05:13:29
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| Sorry I was in a hurry when I wrote that, but yes, elves could too. At present in the Realms though, I don't get the feeling that the elven folk would be into heavy forgework. They seem more apt to rest on the deeds and laurels of their ancestors, which doesn't make me think many of them would bother to even make the attempt. I could be wrong though. |
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Bladewind
Master of Realmslore
Netherlands
1280 Posts |
Posted - 20 Apr 2014 : 14:47:01
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So according to some folk the color of adamantine weapons is either a lustrous black, green, blue or grey. The adamantite ore is written (VGtatM) as black so I tend to favor the black and grey coloring for worked adamantine, but with a distinct green and purplish rainbow shine (like an oil).
Mithral ore is probably silvery because its in silver metal deposits that mithrall can be found in, but its pure form is more blueish(?). Perhaps the exposure to moonlight gives worked mithrall its silvery blue coloration.
Cold Iron is whitish grey and usually cast in a quite coarse 'pure iron bar' or 'pig steel' like slag. The ore is pretty easy to find if you know what to look for (mostly surfaced deep iron deposits such as near faultlines and sheer cliffsides worked by eons of erosion). The core of a planet of the prime is considered a 'cold iron heart' in my D&D worldviews. Most of the cold iron weapons are casted and if they are quenched they'd become brittle early, so they either cool slowly and get a greyish color are magically cooled to get a black finish. Some are slowly heated by hammered out a piece of pig iron slag and shaped into the desired weapon. Additionally the cold smelting process and/or the mystic powers of the smiths labourous work makes a cold iron sword so much like a piece of the core of a natural world that it becomes anathema to fey and fiends...
Is starmetal or meteoric iron ever used in FR lore? There is a 3.5 prestige class (green star adept in the complete arcane book), but aside from that I have a hard time remembering weapons being forged from meteoric iron.
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My campaign sketches
Druidic Groves
Creature Feature: Giant Spiders |
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Mithral deposits - associated ores?
