Materials
The universe of Trinity is home to several exotic materials. While the names may be similar to real-world metals or based on real-world myths, their properties are not necessarily the same as those found in the real world.
Contents
List of Materials
Electrum
Electrum is a lustrous metal, dark brown to dark grey in coloration, mined on Arcturas. Its unusual structure and abnormal magnetic field cause it to produce electricity when exposed to friction - however, the amount of electricity produced reduces over time, unless the metal is given time to "recharge." The time required for a given amount of electrum to recharge is roughly equal to a number of minutes equal to the cube of the volume of metal in question.
Electrum is easily worked, though doing so is dangerous given the amount of electrical energy it gives off during the process. As of 432 CY, proper facilities do not exist on Arcturas to allow for the processing of electrum to be automated; as such, electrum must be worked by hand. Attempting to work electrum with the same sort of facilities as one would work iron has disastrous consequences, as the Toplanders found out the hard way.
Electrum is used primarily as a power source for artilects and coglings of Arcturas, though it is also used to power vehicles and a primitive power grid; however, these systems must be custom-built, as standard Adnezian and Ganymedian technology is not equipped to extract power from electrum.
In modern times, it is understood that electrum was originally unworked iron, which gradually transformed into electrum by a process called "electrolysis." This process occurs due to the unusual magnetic field surrounding Arcturas, and the eletrical properties of electrum can only be harnessed within Arcturas' atmosphere.
Phazon
Phazon is a liquid radioactive substance found on Ganymede, where it is believed to be produced by the core of the planet, then swells onto the surface. It is held in check by atmospheric pressure.
The substance is an electric-blue in color, and is lava-like in its consistency. It tends to arc electrical charges from its crests and troughs; it is not known if these discharges are dangerous in their own right.
It is known that some phazon evaporates in rare occasions, and such phazon rains down upon the planet's surface - such rain is preceded by blue clouds, an abnormality in Ganymede's atmosphere, and generally behaves as molten rain, with phazon's radioactive nature. Due to the unpredictable nature of the rains, most of Ganymede's inhabitants either dwell underground or develop countermeasures, if they are technologically advanced enough to do so (such as the tau).
Phazon is also known to be rather destructive to non-ferrous materials. Due to this, some tau researchers have attempted to use phazon to produce weaponry; however, they lack the technological means to do so. Some Adnezians theorize that phazon could be used in the development of nuclear weapons, but such research has not been performed, and has been expressly outlawed by New Mechanicus.
Mechanics
Phazon is treated as a severely radioactive material. Phazon causes severe radiation around it for roughly 30 feet, then lessens its intensity to high radiation for 60 feet beyond that; then moderate for 120 feet beyond that; then light for 240 feet beyond that.
Phazon Radiation PHAZON 30 ft 90 ft 210 ft 350 ft Severe ---------------> High -------------------> Moderate ----------------> Light ---------------------------->
Steelcloth
Steelcloth is a microfine metal mesh, delicate and beautiful like silk, but far stronger than it looks. Constructing steelcloth requires a good deal of fine, precise work; while it is possible for steelcloth to be handcrafted, in more modern times it is fabricated by machinery.
Appearance
Steelcloth typically appears to be a grey, slightly shiny, normal piece of cloth. It is notably heavier than a similar-size piece of normal cloth. Steelcloth does not hold color well.
History
Steelcloth was discovered by the lunari, who used it extensively in their formulation of ninjitsu - it allowed a ninja to be far more armed and armored than he appeared.
In more recent times, the technologically-inclined have found a wide variety of uses for steelcloth: it is incredibly pliable, yet resilient, making it an excellent material for belts in machinery (since it doesn't break as easily as standard cloth, and is less prone to damaging gears and cogs as chains). Steelcloth is also relatively common for nobles, as they can be armored without appearing to be so.
Fabrication
Handmaking steelcloth requires a few hundred strands of steel, all hair-thin, depending upon the length and width of the cloth to be produced. A jacquard loom is greatly helpful in constructing steelcloth, and was the primary method of fabricating steelcloth in most lands prior to industrialization. The steel strands are then woven together to form a simple cloth, much like linen or wool is woven to form cloth. Individual pieces of steelcloth can be sewn together, though this requires more effort than sewing together other types of cloth.
