Introduction
The following guide contains a compendium of one metal, geode, or otherwise natural material found in each of the planes of existence mentioned in the Great Wheel cosmology model.
The names of many of these materials are original, however many others are taken directly and shamelessly from sources such as Terraria, Skyrim, or directly from Forgotten Realms lore.
I began to make this compendium before I knew I wanted to share it with the public, and as such there will be lore fragments that have been written by me and for my campaign specifically, however I tried my best to adapt every one of these materials to be used in any campaign or setting. This includes entire planes of existence that are different in my setting than in canon Forgotten Realms Lore, such as Hades (adapted from Greek Mythology).
Be warned that there is no shortage of jokes, memes, or quips that I've added to the descriptions or lore of many of these items that may subtract from your immersion, or add to it, depending on how open to that kind of thing you are.
To Be Added Soon
In the coming days/weeks I will be adding 2 or 3 sample magic items per material, one of low level, and one or two of medium/high level. These will be rather simple, and will simply be there to spark ideas for your own homebrew items that your characters may want to make with these materials, or items you may want to give your players with a little extra flavor behind them.
Additionally, a crafting system that will cater to each type of material is in the works, detailing how skilled a craftsman has to be to work with each item, how volatile each item is, and what I believe to be fair prices for each of these materials were they being sold in a high-magic setting (such as the city of Sigil).
Until then, I hope you all enjoy the rough draft!
Art Credit
Forged by Fire by Leonardo Sartorelli
The Inner Planes
The Elemental Plane of Fire - Inferno Crystal
The everlasting blaze of the Elemental Plane of Fire does not work in the way that flames normally do, in that it does not originate from a fuel source. The plane of existence itself is home to the purest form of fire, a plasma that, while looking like normal fire, is another type of material entirely, known as Inferno. And, miles and miles below the surface level of the Plane, this material leaves its plasma state of matter, and forms crystals made up of pure Inferno.
Inferno crystals have a number of uses, namely as ammunition and explosives, due to their extreme volatility. Pure plasma on a scale hundreds of times larger than the crystal will immediately erupt from any broken sample, consuming everything within the area with flame. Additionally, though they are fragile, skilled enchanters can draw on these crystals as fantastic sources of power for fire-based enchantments. Items such as Necklaces of Fireball are the most popular choice, but so long as the craftsman is careful, inferno crystals will serve them with versatility and deadliness in any scenario.
The Elemental Plane of Water - Prismatic Ice
In the very deepest trenches of the Elemental Plane of Water, the pressure is so great that no creatures can hope to survive, even natives to the plane. In these areas, undisturbed by the forces of nature, water can no longer hold it’s liquid state, and becomes ice. This ice strengthens over thousands of years, becoming blue ice, the strongest ice known to man. Blue ice then undergoes a process unknown to many, but theorized by scholars to be infusion with particles from the nearby Elemental Plane of Earth, to become Prismatic Ice.
The strength that Prismatic Ice gains through this process prevents it from changing state further, even preventing it from reducing it’s temperature, no matter the circumstance. As a result of this, Prismatic Ice is an impossibly cold material, that cannot be made to melt outside of deific intervention, which makes it able to be worked like a metal, with some difficulty. Its main features as a weapon or armor piece involve freezing creatures upon contact, and resisting heat extremely effectively.
The Elemental Plane of Air - Aerialite
Over the aeons, beings of great power have clouded the purity of the infinite Elemental Plane of Air with their own palaces, meteorite-sized chunks of earth, or clouds thick enough to support buildings, that hold their followers or even entire civilizations. These solid materials have gradually been influenced by the plane’s magics, causing them to aerate, and a new, unique material to be formed, aerialite. An excessively light, but still workable material, aerialite is a sky blue metal with powerful magic flowing through it, making its properties quite unique.
The origin of this material causes the weapons and armor that can be created from it to provide considerable benefits despite the lack of strength of the metal. The main features of aerialite armor sets include greately increased jump height or limited flying speed, and aerialite weapons and ammunition gain greatly increased range, or capacity for flight.
The Elemental Plane of Earth - Gaia Geode
Unlike other planes of existence, the Elemental Plane of Earth does not have a strong connection to the Weave, the source of all magic. The raw and unliving rock that makes up most of the plane is a poor magical conductor, so another material must be used to channel magic throughout the realm. Thus, Gaia Geodes came into existence. These opaque gray geodes are nearly perfect magical conductors, ever-present on the Plane of Earth, and responsible for the many magical properties therewithin. This is true even when brought to other planes of existence, and the mere presence of a gaia crystal in contact with the ground of a plane can cause massive tectonic disturbances, and even the birth of elemental creatures.
However, when these crystals are inserted into weapons or armor, or used to make ammunition, the results are as impressive as they are terrifying. A gaia crystal within the metal of a weapon will absolutely devastate enemy armor, and cause vicious tremors in the ground or in structures you strike. A gaia crystal in your armor may allow you to control earth-based creatures, or at the very least, soften their disposition. It can also provide great protection against heavy metal weaponry.
The Feywild - Chlorophyte
As with nearly everything that originates from the feywild, chlorophyte is alive. This dark green material originates from densely packed organic materials that lie deep within the ground of the Feywild, infused with the magics that give nearly everything on the plane life, chlorophyte is the simplest of life forms on the plane of existence, hardly considered "living" but able to grow and survive nonetheless.
While underground, this material is sustained by the organic materials within the earth as well as the magic of the plane, however, when removed and given sunlight, chlorophyte glows a much brighter green, and begins to feed.
Chlorophyte's unique blend of organic and inorganic qualities lend towards its dangerous efficacy as a weapon. Once they have been exposed to any amount of sunlight, chlorophyte weapons will eat away at opponents by implanting chlorophyte spores within them, which spread over time. Chlorophyte armor damages weapons or opponents that make physical contact in the same way, growing exponentially once spores are planted. If not quickly burned away or otherwise disposed of, chlorophyte spores will eventually devour the entire being or object they are planted within, making more chlorophyte in the process.
The Shadowfell - Voidmetal
Voidmetal comes from rather simple origins, though it is rather rare on the plane of existence that it originates from. The fundemental magical energies of the Shadowfell exude darkness and decay. In such an environment, weak stone, rotted wood, stale air, and lifeless dirt are often all that exist, with little chance of a hardy material like metal forming. However, near planar portals that connect the material to the Shadowfell, a small amount of light creeps in, allowing the formation of more familiar materials. In these areas, metal that has been corrupted by the endless void of darkness within the Shadowfell can form.
Voidmetal is unique in that it is not only infused with the thick and malleable shadows of the Shadowfell, but it is strengthened by them. Illusionist wizards specifically know the power that these shadows can hold, and adept casters can manipulate this metal with ease, forming it into any shape or function they would like. Voidmetal is particularly good at spreading darkness and cutting through areas of light while in weapon form, and stronger magic items that include Voidmetal can shift between visible and invisible at the user’s will. While wearing Voidmetal armor, an adventurer might notice that shadows almost seem to cling to their body, giving them a natural stealthiness and allowing them to become nearly invisible within darkness. The wearer is also considerably protected from hostile radiant energy.
The Material Plane - Cosmilite
Harder and more stubborn than Adamantine, and with a higher melting point, Cosmilite is a highly sought-after extraterrestrial material that has yet to be studied fully. The most that is known about the mysterious super-metal is that it has been given its strength from eons of orbiting the sun in an elliptical pattern, becoming superheated and supercooled millions of times. The metal itself glows a faint purple color, with its main distinction from other earthly materials being its extreme density and hardness, making it abundantly difficult to balance in weapons, or wear at all as armor. Those that can wield the material, however, make it known just how powerful such a metal can be.
The Transitional Planes:
The Ethereal Plane - Etherplasm
Adventurers, wizards and wanderers are often familiar with the odd realm of the Ethereal Plane. A plane of existence that directly borders the physical world, but where one can manifest as a mysterious, invisible, and incorporeal figure, free to travel and move in any way they please.
However, travelers who have strayed too far into the mists of the Border Ethereal know that there is a darker, much less traveled interior of the plane. The Deep Ethereal is home to objects, energy, and even beings, that are almost entirely enigmatic. Dense ethereal energy, against all odds, forms a material with weight, mass, and physical properties. All objects and beings in the Deep Ethereal are made of this substance, Etherplasm, much to the dismay of those who may have assumed themselves safe from physical harm in this plane.
Etherplasm is a unique, gelatinous, translucent gray solid, that constantly undergoes sublimation while outside of the Deep Ethereal plane. Within seconds, small samples of Etherplasm will wisp into nothingness, and within minutes, the same will happen to any amount of the material. Care must be taken to seal the material properly within a container, and to use it as fast as possible when it is exposed.
Etherplasm can be worked into any malleable substance, giving the material a faint blue glow after the process is complete. When used in a weapon, the weapon can be used to damage creatures and objects that are currently located within the Ethereal plane, and when used in armor, the user gains the ability to physically interact with, but not damage, the same creatures and objects.
Etherplasm can also be used in potions and magical items that allow travel to the ethereal plane, or the summoning of creatures native to it, making the processes much easier and cutting costs considerably.
The Astral Plane - Prismetal
Prismetal is the result of the multiplanar influence that shows itself in many areas of the Astral plane. With so many color pools leading to different outer planes, several locations have influence pouring in from 3 or more planes of existence, leading to a sort of magical accumulation over time. This accumulation forms into crystals of Prismetal, which have physical and magical properties that are unique to nearly every sample.
Prismetal is multicolored based on the planar energies which created it. It also has effects based on these colors, of which there are 8. Prismetal of 2 colors or 3 is common, and much weaker than those with more colors. 8-colored prismetal is known as True Prismetal, and is exceedingly rare. Prismetal of any type blends together the properties of each of the colors it contains, often producing magical effects that are entirely unique, and always powerful.
The odds of a piece of prismetal being 2-8 colors is detailled below:
Color Table
| 1d100 | # of Colors |
|---|---|
| 1-55 | 2 |
| 56-75 | 3 |
| 76-85 | 4 |
| 86-90 | 5 |
| 91-95 | 6 |
| 96-99 | 7 |
| 100 | 8 |
Additionally, the colors are selected randomly from the list below:
| d8 | Color | Plane |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red | The Nine Hells |
| 2 | Orange | The Abyss |
| 3 | Yellow | Limbo |
| 4 | Green | Hades |
| 5 | Blue | Mechanus |
| 6 | Indigo | Arborea |
| 7 | Violet | Elysium |
| 8 | White | Mount Celestia |
(Note: When giving Prismetal to your players, it is highly recommended that you determine which combinations they will be able to come across beforehand, as determining unique properties based on a random rolling table can be difficult on the fly.)
The Outer Planes:
Mount Celestia (Lawful Good) - Hallowed Steel
Mount Celestia is a plane of order and perfection, home of the angels and all other arbiters of justice and divine law. Such a location, while advocating for pacifism, is not above using force to employ the ideals of goodness across the realms. The materials that are used to wage war in the name of peace tend to vary, as the many servants of good are not picky with what they use to ruthlessly murder dissidents and heretics fight evil. However, for those who wish to make their universal laws multiversal, and aspire to be as petty and vindictive as the gods above them, Hallowed Steel is the only option.
Hallowed Steel is blessed to protect from the worst forces of evil, and to rend the worst devils from the evil that has given them life. Although it is simple in appearence, this bright, platinum-colored metal holds enough good energy within it to be vile to evil creatures, and to naturally shift anyone holding it towards the Lawful Good alignment. Under the proper circumstances, this material is also extremely volatile when making contact with sufficiently evil creatures, however, most craftsmen tend to work the steel to a strength that will prevent explosions in these scenarios. Variations of weapons that take advantage of this property, however, are dubbed “Holy Hand Grenades”.
Bytopia (Lawful Good/Neutral Good) - Idyllium
The Peaceable Kingdoms of Bytopia are… remarkably uninteresting. Bytopia is a plane of mild weather, nice climate, relaxed and peaceful creatures, and a fair amount of trade. However, one of the few distinguishing features of the land is the abundance of minerals within it’s earth. The mines of Bytopia are famous for the valuable gems, geodes, and other such rarities that they produce, however, a more magical, and much rarer substance blesses these mines.
Idyllium is a gorgeous mineral. At least, that’s what everyone who has ever seen it has said. Truthfully, it is a mineral that no one knows the true form of, as the strong enchantment magic within the material causes it to appear as the observer's ideal vision of beauty and desirability. This magic steadily decreases the observer's impulse control, and long-term exposure can result in obsessive urges to keep and protect the Idyllium sample, or obtain more. Because this material is both dangerous and naturally occuring on Bytopia, much effort has been made to conceal the existence of this mineral to the plane, and many people have killed for it.
However, if one is able to utilize the magic within Idyllium without succumbing to its influence, it can make some of the most powerful mind control, seduction, or domination-themed magic items in existence.
Elysium (Neutral Good) - Heart Stones
The heavens of Elysium are a place of spiritual harmony and happiness. They are the relaxing hot springs between the wild parties of Arborea and the utopian order of Mount Celestia. This is not to say that society in Elysium is perfect; on such a plane, many may get bored or restless living a life without conflict or adventure. Luckily, the plane produces a material that can satiate these types with great effectiveness.
Heart Stones are found in even surface environments of Elysium, and have magical properties similar to drugs such as psilocybin or cannabis. Spherical, naturally red or pink, and slightly translucent, the natural warmth of these stones alone is enough to hint at their power. Enough time in the presence of one will cause a full-body relaxation reaction, rendering the user satiated and in a state of euphoria.
Making weapons or armor out of this material is redundant, as one would lose the will to fight at all while in their presence. Although, it is rumored that gods of love have the substance in plenty; Cupid and Eros even famously using it in their Love Arrows.
The Beastlands (Neutral Good/Chaotic Good) - Clay of Life
It is said that the gods of the Beastlands create every single being on the plane by hand, meticulously crafting each of them with the love and affection of caring creators. Whether this is true or not is up to interpretation, given the infinite nature of the plane. However, the explorers and researchers of the Beastlands have found evidence of a unique material that could replicate the alleged feats of these gods, were it not so rare.
Clay of Life is a material that has magic like none other. Any sculptor that gets their hands on a fair amount of it can create life out of nothing; building living, sentient, intelligent beings out of the clay beneath their fingers.
While many deposits of the clay exist, the purity of most of this clay is questionable. The more diluted the clay, the less intelligent the created being will be. It should be noted that only beasts and monstrosities can be created using this material. While finding pure samples of this clay may be entirely based on luck, a perfect or nearly perfect sample can create beings of great magical power, rivalling dragons, tarrasques, and more, if one can get their hands on enough of it.
Small samples of Pure Clay of Life can also be used to create very powerful magical items, such as a Staff of True Polymorph, or a Robe of Shapechange!
Arborea (Chaotic Good) - Adamantine
The plane of Arborea is a realm of wondrous sights, sprawling nature and passionate people. The magic of Arborea makes every feeling in one's heart stronger, leading to bouts of euphoria and giving the plane an addictive quality. Because this plane cultivates such passion, it should come as no surprise that the Greeks call it their home, and where the Greek gods rest, so too does adamantine.
While it may be a commonly used and well-known metal now, adamantine weapons and armor originated as the material of choice for the Greek Pantheon's personal armory. Some of the most famous weapons and armor in the history of the realms have been made of the adamantine, and its popularity on the material plane has arisen from the Greek’s… affinity for mortals. Regardless of its origins, the heavy and destructive metal is as magical as it is deadly, rivaling Valhallium in material effectiveness while still being able to retain enchantments.
Arcadia (Lawful Good/Lawful Neutral) - Ivorite
Arcadia is a plane of existence that is home to a number of dwarven gods and goddesses that influence the plane’s natural order and interesting magical creatures. One of the defining characteristics of this plane of existence is its animals, who each have a unique metallic coloring, such as copper-colored squirrels or sheep with silver wool. While many of these animals have only aesthetic changes, the tusks and teeth of animals that would normally produce ivory on the material plane, now produce a much different, and much sought after, material known as Ivorite.
Ivorite is an extremely unique substance. Bridging the gap between organic and inorganic, Ivorite can be used for nearly anything. Acting as a light and strong metal, it is commonly used for weapons and armor, however, it can also easily be carved into art pieces that glimmer and shine in the colors of gold and platinum. It’s multi-faceted potential makes it a large industry across the planes, unfortunately leading to poaching of elephants, walruses, and other tusked animals throughout Arcadia.
However, Ivorite has a more unique use that many fail to recognize. Staves and other magic items that are made of, or contain ivorite, have the potential to give the user an unnatural control over beasts and monstrosities from all planes of existence. The plane’s natural lean towards law and order influence the minds of the beasts that are in the presence of the material, thus allowing magic-users and artificers to focus and fine-tune these qualities. This adaptation can even be made to weapons and armor made of this material (for example, Tridents of Fish Command are most commonly made of Ivorite).
Ysgard (Chaotic Good/Chaotic Neutral) - Valhallium
The plane of Ysgard is a home for the greatest, most honorable, most powerful, and most stubborn deceased warriors in existence. Unlike nearly every other plane, magic is frowned upon in Ysgard, as it is seen as dishonorable to be physically weak and rely on magic to augment that weakness. Few magic casters can pass to the afterlife of Ysgard, and even fewer magic-casting celestials call this place their home.
As a result of this plane's culture, the materials that can be found in its wilds are all suited for survival and glory on the field of battle. The finest leathers for their armors, the finest woods to build their war machines, and the finest combat metal in all of existence, all reside on this plane.
The metal that they mine on this plane is known as Valhallium, given as a gift from the Norse gods for their deceased heroes’ bravery, so that they can fight honorable battles for eternity. Valhallium is a metal that can be sharpened finer than any other, protects greater than any other, and deals death more easily than any other. However, this metal cannot hold enchantments in any form but the most minimal and basic. The material itself has an almost fundemental aversion to it.
Valhallium Armor is known to not only protect from blows, but negate all but the most powerful entirely. And Valhallium weapons can all but ignore the strongest armor when wielded.
Mechanus (Lawful Neutral) - Mechanite
Mechanus is a plane based entirely around order and law in it’s purest form. Every single thing on the plane is and was created by Primus, the god and overseer of the plane. His intense focus on order and absolute control extends not only to his Modrons, a race of clockwork folk native to the realm, but to every other material that exists there.
Nearly the entirety of the plane is made up of Mechanite, a material that is impossible to work with because it’s form is absolute, unmalleable, and perfect for it’s assigned purpose. Normal metal can be worked in a forge, used for several purposes, and manipulated by any smith worth his hammer and apron. This would be unacceptable for anything that exists on Mechanus, so Primus saw to it that this material would have none of these qualities.
Portals to Mechanus, despite the plane’s law and order, have been known to be slightly more random. Over the course of months or years, such portals tend to produce quantities of mechanite. Whether these be discarded tools, obsolete creations, or simple tinkerings by modrons from the plane, each has a purpose, although few of them are obvious. Each piece of mechanite produced is in some sort of tool, weapon, armor piece, or household item form, with many of them being too complex or intricate for anyone less intelligent than Primus to even comprehend. However, the weapons and armor that can be wielded tend to have unique, extremely useful, and seemingly impossible features that enhance the item immensely... if you are intelligent enough to understand them of course.
Limbo (Chaotic Neutral) - Meld
Gravity, climate, survival, magic; all of these and more are in a constant state of flux and chaos on the plane of Limbo. The very essence of this plane’s unruly nature can be harnessed by the most talented of smiths and enchanters, allowing them to work with a material only found within the Elemental Chaos of this plane, known as meld. Commonly wielded by the Slaadi, with variable efficacy, meld is a material that is as unpredictable as it is powerful. While in the hands of a skilled user, it can be shaped at-will to it’s wielder's demands, becoming any size, shape, or manner of item, all harnessing the elemental powers that lie within the material. As a weapon or as an armor, the power of meld is only limited by the imagination of the wielder, and how well they can shape the material to their own will.
Acheron (Lawful Neutral/Lawful Evil) - Acher Obsidian
Acheron is a kingdom of law, order, and unending war. The natural inhabitants of this plane constantly shift the bloody power balance back and forth between a finite amount of established factions, each of which have a lust for absolute power and order that knows no bound. The more hospitable areas of this plane serve as massive battlegrounds for these unending wars, however, there are sections of this plane that are inhospitable and vile to even the most devilish of Acheron’s inhabitants.
The third layer of this infinite plane, Tintibulus, is the layer that borders the Nine Hells, and as such, is a wasteland of intense volcanic activity and nothingness. The secluded nature of this area has attracted many magical researchers, and those that survived their expedition have learned much about the unique volcanic rock that forms from the influence of the Nine Hells.
Acher Obsidian is formed when lava in Tintibulus cools and solidifies. Influenced by the heat of Hell and the natural order of Acheron, Acher Obsidian only forms in perfect polyhedrons, ranging from palm-sized, to asteroid-sized. Even when worked into shapes that function as blades for weapons, or plates for armor, Acher Obsidian will naturally maintain a perfectly geometric structure, avoiding chips, cracks, imperfections, or dull edges.
As weapons, Acher Obsidian blades will never dull, and can cut through nearly any material with little resistance. They also naturally repel, and are effective in combat against, fey and celestials. As armor, Acher Obsidian plates are extremely resistant to piercing or slashing damage, as they will almost never chip or crack under the right circumstances. However, they tend to be brittle, and can be broken rather easily with enough blunt force. They also protect very well from fey or celestial attackers.
Pandemonium (Chaotic Neutral/Chaotic Evil) - Shrieking Steel
The endless maze of Pandemonium is a labyrinth of twisting tunnels that lead everywhere and nowhere. The luckiest of those who make the unfortunate decision to travel to this plane will meet a swift death, as the evil plane has no shortage of demons and unsavory beings. However, the vast majority of those who enter these tunnels spend the rest of their lives wandering, wanting for a way out, slowly being driven insane by the magic of the plane. These lost souls will eventually die, whether it be to dehydration, starvation, or succumbing to the massive windstorms that plague the realm. But their plight does not end in death.
Souls not native to Pandemonium are not simply allowed a passage to the afterlife. Those who were lost in life are fated to be lost in death, as their soul wanders the tunnels for eternity, succumbing to pure madness and chaos. These souls are known as “shriekers”. It is said that the massive wind storms passing through these tunnels are caused by these shriekers, banding together and storming ever-faster towards an inevitable wrong turn, or dead end. The screams of these souls can damage the mind and sanity of mortals who hear them. This psychic energy infects the plane so thoroughly that the ores deep within the earth manifest similar powers over time.
Shrieking Steel is the result of the few civilizations in Pandemonium discovering the properties of these ores through mining operations. When refined from ore into pure metal, nearby creatures can feel strong mental disturbances. Prolonged exposure without proper safety equipment will quickly lead to loss of sanity. However, when properly focused, the magic within Shrieking Steel can make for powerful weapons and arcane items, striking the mind as hard as the body. As well, a creature wearing a set of Shrieking Steel armor will find that enemies are strongly repelled from attacking, or even making contact with them.
The Nine Hells (Lawful Evil) - Hellstone
As time goes on for the souls helplessly trapped within the Nine Hells, they slowly lose their will, or ability, to carry on as tortured sinners, and begin the process which brings out the monster within them, turning them into devils. These souls, in exchange for their humanity, gain a natural immunity to the fires of the plane, and may continue their existence in the peace and comfort of Hell. Fortunately for the many who suffer at the hands of these evil schemers, there is one way to make them feel the fear of hellfire and brimstone once again.
Hellstone is a naturally occurring material in each of the layers of the Nine Hells, and even on planes that border it. In its natural state, Hellstone is a softly glowing red metal, with fluctuating brightness that makes the solid state seem to flow like lava. After being exposed to air, the exterior of this material begins to darken and resemble coal, forming a black, matte appearance, with cracks of red appearing over the surface. This process also makes the metal brittle.
While it is a rather easy material to work with, Hellstone can be extremely volatile under the right circumstances. When exposed to holy magics or fresh water, it reacts violently and explodes into a large, black fireball. This effect can be replicated by smashing a small sample of the brittle metal. These black flames are the only flames in the known planes that can burn devils.
When used in weapons, Hellstone allows the user to sear through devils with ease, turning their natural immunity into a surprising weakness. Hellstone arrows can be shot at surfaces, rather than creatures, to trigger an explosion of black flames upon impact. Armor composed of Hellstone can protect the user quite well, burning most creatures on contact. However, one should be wary of bludgeoning weapons causing cracks in the Hellstone, as this can cause a chain reaction and result in swift and total disintegration.
Gehenna (Lawful Evil/Neutral Evil) - Styxium
The plane of Gehenna is an odd one. The plane's gravity is set at a 45 degree angle with the ground, creating an environment that is difficult to traverse and naturally dangerous. This, in combination with the strong presence of fiends and natural volcanic activity, make most of Gehenna difficult to survive for even the most seasoned adventurers.
Despite this, the most habitable layer of this plane is a grand sight to behold, the naturally offset gravity giving rise to massive waterfalls and roaring rivers that cover the layer in a thick mist.
The river that supplies water to Gehenna is none other than the River Styx, roaring at its widest and strongest in this plane of existence. The mist launched into the air by the steeply running current makes this entire layer take on the properties of the Styx itself.
In the plane of Gehenna, the Styx acts as a conduit of the Weave, transporting magical energy and linking together each of the lower planes. Certain materials found in Gehenna therefore have a strong connection to the weave, and conduct magic in powerful and unique ways.
The aptly named “Styxium” is a black metal substance that forms in areas of Gehenna that have been exposed to the Styx's magic for eons. With physical properties that are rather unremarkable, Styxium is best used as a base for magical items, especially those that deal with spellcasting or spell storing.
Hades (Neutral Good/True Neutral/Neutral Evil) - Daemon Iron
The realm of Hades is a plane that is entirely devoid of emotion, life, or spirit. The magics of Hades actively drain mortals of each of these qualities, reducing them to soulless husks willing to commit themselves to an afterlife of aimless wandering, without qualm or resistance. While this may make curious mortals easy targets for local fiends, it is not an environment that fosters the creation of impressive magical materials.
Although no metals are native to Hades, the Yugoloths wished not to build their fortresses and strongholds of torture with cobblestone and dead wood. So, iron was imported into the plane through the magic of Arcanaloths. This iron, like all things on Hades, was slowly influenced by the magic of the lower planes, and began to take on the characteristics of Hades itself, becoming daemon iron.
The magic infused within this material saps all emotion and identity out of those who are near it. Daemon weapons can cause powerful amnesia effects on individuals that they strike, while daemon armor can make the wearer immune to several kinds of mind-altering magic. However, these enchantments slowly affect the user as well, and over time they lose the ability to feel emotions as strongly, or at all.
Carceri (Neutral Evil/Chaotic Evil) - Titanium
During the ancient times, the Greek Pantheon and their predecessors, the Titans, lived together in harmony, if only for a short time. The original home of the Titans, Othrys, was a uniquely beautiful world in the otherwise dark, cold, and endless pit of Carceri. This world was connected to the kingdom of Mount Olympus, where the Greek Pantheon made their home, and a portal allowed direct travel between the two planes. However, when the great war between the Titans and the Gods broke out, this portal became a vital means of moving warriors onto the front lines of the fight.
While the Olympians used the Adamantine within their great mountain to create their legendary weapons, the Titans lived in a plane of death and decay. Although Othrys itself was habitable, Carceri yielded little material the Titans could use for battle. Thus, the Titans blessed the worlds of Carceri with a metal known as Titanium.
Titanium served the Titans well in the war, despite their resounding defeat, and held several fabled magical properties that made the great Titans even more powerful. But that was many eons ago. Raw titanium still exists deep within the inhospitable worlds of Carceri, but it has been infected by the evil energies of the plane. What was once a material that could kill gods and mortals with impunity, is now a metal more fitting of the plane it comes from. Modern titanium contains magical energies that eat away at living things, still retaining its affinity for death, but on a much less dangerous scale.
In weapon form, titanium blades will cause deep, necrotic gashes, that begin to rot away flesh almost instantly upon contact. Armor and shields will have the same effect, but will defend the user by inflicting necrosis upon enemy contact. Weapons and armor made of titanium also have greatly increased effectiveness against celestials of all types, holding a fraction of their former power against those from the upper planes.
Legendary items made of original, pure titanium may also exist, but finding ancient weapons of war made and used by long-dead gods is a feat that no less than several lifetimes of work could ever accomplish. If ever found, these weapons and armor could be used to combat even the gods themselves.
The Abyss (Chaotic Evil) - Aximium
The Abyss is a rechid place where death, famine, destruction, and demons roam free. The chaotic evil energy of the plane naturally snuffs out life and creation, instead favoring meaningless death and destruction. As a result of this, very little useful material or treasure is worth finding among the carnage. However, with the constant death of fiendish beings polluting the plane, battlefields of the Blood War left forgotten will begin to coagulate with the essence of these evil souls, forming a material as chaotic and destructive as demons themselves.
Named after the arcanaloth who discovered it, Aximus Yhrkhetep, Aximium is an amorphous black material that can only be described as corrupted, evil, and nearly sentient. When the dying souls of thousands of demons come together, united in their conviction to eternally destroy and genocide, they turn nearby stone, metal, or any other inorganic material, into Aximium. This material is unsettlingly effective as weapon and armor alike, and smiths who work the material note that it seems almost eager to form into the sharpest blades, or the strongest plates. Any who carry this material into battle may find themselves amplifying their strength, pain tolerance, and endurance many times over, with their mind overcome with euphoria for battle.
As time goes on, users of this material begin to have their demeanor outside of battle affected as well, becoming aggressive, bloodthirsty, and yearning to fight something, anything at all. The research notes of Aximus himself say it best:
“Experiments with the newly acquired samples have been intriguing, to say the least. Humanoid specimens exhibit especially aggressive behavior after approximately 2 weeks, insanity after 5 weeks, and most seem to be completely overcome by demonic tendencies after approximately two months. These time periods vary with the number of corpses the sample was found with. Interestingly, one of the strongest samples I came across, though it was being kept in a vacuum within an adamantine containment unit, was able to form itself into a weapon with no outside intervention.
Specimens also display the ability to communicate with those who make physical contact, prompting them to commit acts which I will not repeat here nor anywhere else. The stronger samples also seem to be more coherent, one of which enjoys calling itself ‘Black Razor’. Further testing seems necessary to see the full extent of its power.”