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Every generation the comet Andromedae, also known and named as "Adhil" by a Zephyrian skywatcher: الذيل aḏ-ḏayl (lit. 'the emerald tail').—the legendary Green Comet—visits the night skies, a portent of great and terrible events. Beneath its emerald light, kings may rise or fall, strange monsters and magical plagues appear to scour the land, and strange and ancient secrets are revealed. Glorious and sinister auroras glimmer in the dusk for weeks on end, and from time to time shooting stars of burning emerald fall from the sky. These fallen stars are the main known source of starmetal, a rare and precious ore infused with a magic and mystical power. Other kinds of comets have been known to fall independantly and with no apparent connection to Alhazarde. Gnomish astronomers have calculated the comets´ orbits for decades so far. Being able to determine quite accurate the time of which the comets return.
The Astronomic researcher discoveriesStarmetal is the rarest of the magical materials, forged from meteors. The dwarves where the first to harness Starmetal as they posessed the required expertise to mine and handle the material. Over the first occurance of Starmetal, astronomic Researchers have discovered that Starmetal causes weapons to strike especially lethal blows, and gives armor the ability to turn aside all but the mightiest attacks. Another and more mysterious, yet important trait, is their ability to alter the speed of projectiles, weapons and enhancing teleportation spells. Experiments have revealed that Antimagic fields have an altered effect upon the Starmetal, seeming to withstand the absence of mana for a longer period than regular enchanted metals. Teleportation and dimensional magic become more precise and effective when Starmetal is included as a spell component. Only masters of conjuration are able to harness, and to some degree, understand these powerful effects within the Starstones. Thus the success with the starstone in Eledar and Zephyria under the watchful eyes of the White Wizards.
The Two Starstones of Northern Eledar and ZephyriaThe astronomers have also discovered that the amount of starmetal plays an important part in exactly
how much power one starstone possess. Over the past 100 years, the Archmage Valerian the white, have been in charge of the Grand Starstone of Northern Eledar. It is not certain
when this Starstone fell, but for many centuries the Starstone have been known through childstories for its teleportational benefits. So far as the history books are concerned, there is only one known exit for the Starstone. The Starstone in Eledar transports passengers to a remote location of the Southern Kingdom of Zephyria, to a similarily large Starstone. Astronomers and geologists have ascertained that the two stones are in reality two pieces from a larger stone, that they fit perfectly to each other when compared. This discovery also showed that a third and fourth huge sized fragment is missing. This dimentional/ teleportational type of travel have allowed the people of Zephyria to cross over into the Eastern Kingdom of Eledar. The historical records tell of many bloody wars for ownership and the gating abilities of the two starstones. But after the last visit of the comet Alhazarde, the secrets of the two Grand Starstones died out with the inhabitants of those areas. The people living by the Starstones succumbed to burning emerald as it fell from the sky, obliterating everything in the area of the two Starstones on a collossal scale. The energies or power of the meteor shower cut the connection between the stones for 200 years.
In present timeIn the past century The Order of Enchanters from Eldorin, have rediscovered their secrets with the aid of the gnomish astronomers. These gnomes have their main observatories on Middle-earths highest point, Mount Fu, where they have observed the nightskies for over two centuries. Together they have unlocked the gating powers of the two Starstones. This eventually led to another bloody war between the Zephyrian and the Qadarian people of Northern Eledar for dominance over the Starstones. After a decade, House Eldorin managed to convince house Zephyrion and Qadari to conclude a financial based truce, and to instead benefit from its gifts together. The truce Eldorin created included a law regulating import and export of goods between several nations, granting different trade agreements as a sanction to avoid more wars. To this day both of Eledar and Zephyria does not directly control the Grand Starstones, but instead participate in its operation under the strict supervision of Valerian The White. Together they use the Starstones for transporting goods and services, exotic to both nations. The countries close to Eledar also benefit from the Starstone due to this alliance.
Pathfinders are eager in their attempts to unlock more of the Starstones`s hidden powers and lore, hoping to find discoveries in long forgotten sunken temples or tombs of old, and to see such a grand exploit of their prowess immortalized in the ultra-exclusive pages of the Pathfinder Chronicles.
The properties of StarmetalStarmetal can also be used in the creation of weapons that are potent against creatures not native to the Material Plane, or the manufacture of armor of similar quality to that made from adamantine. This superior alloy is made from meteoric iron—specifically, ore refined from meteors that fall during the rare appearances of the comet Andromedae. Starmetal is extraordinarily hard and grants damage reduction when used in armor construction. Starmetal also possesses an inherent magical connection to the Material Plane, meaning that weapons made of the alloy are especially effective against creatures from other planes. Weapons made of starmetal deal an extra 1d6 points of damage (Damage type: Otherwordly powers) to any extraplanar creatures as well as creatuers vulnerable to silver.
Creating a weapon from starmetal costs 5,000 gp more than creating a similar weapon of steel. Creating armor
from starmetal has the same costs as armor created from adamantine.
Starmetal is unique among materials. A small amount of starmetal is mixed into the liquefied metal that a weapon will be crafted from, giving it an enhancement bonus. This is similar to the enhancement bonus granted by magic or psionics, but it is still active in both Antimagic Fields and Null Psionics Fields. The enhancement bonus also grants the metal +6 Hardness and +16 hit points per point of enhancement bonus. A starmetal weapon can be additionally enchanted with a magic or psionic bonus at the same cost as adding that bonus to a weapon normally. However, only the highest of these enhancement bonuses applies to the weapon. A starmetal weapon may also be given magical or psionic special abilities, with or without adding such a bonus. However, these stack with the highest enhancement bonus on the starmetal weapon to determine its price.
Any item made of metal could potentially be made with starmetal.
Weapon Bonus Price Increase (1)
+1 +3,000 gp
+2 +11,200 gp
+3 +25,200 gp
+4 +45,000 gp
+5 +70,000 gp
(These are own listing prices for Middle-earth campaign setting, due to its rare apperarance and low accessibility throughout the world.)
Epic starmetal weapons: +bonus * bonus * 25,000 Gp(2)
(1) This price is for 50 arrows, crossbow bolts, or sling bullets.
(2) This is incorporating the x10 multiplier on Epic Weapon costs.
A few rare individuals, usually dwarves and some royal elves across the Middle-Earth have the expertise in the field of blacksmithing to legitimately claim the title of starmetalsmith.
Green Star Adept A Green Star adept is the master of the strange and powerful magic derived from Alhazarde’s glittering green starmetal. A fabled and mysterious individual, which is said to travel the land, searching for more of the comet’s fallen substance and mastering its eldritch power. Lore tells of these persons who Turns their back on the traditional studies of the sorcerer or wizard, as they slowly transform into a living statue of starmetal, gaining immortality and invulnerability at the cost of their own living flesh. At each appearance of the comet, only a handful of adepts can complete the rites necessary to achieve this transformation. Sorcerers and wizards are most capable of understanding the strange arcana of the mystic comet. Of the two, wizards are more likely to master the astrological calculations and meticulous observations required to divine the secrets of the Green Star. Some Green Star adepts, however, come from entirely different origins, having picked up the necessary arcane knowledge along the way. Such rare individuals might be learned monks or warlocks, sinister rogue/sorcerers, or any other character diligent enough to learn the secrets of the comet Alhazarde. All Green Star adepts are bitter rivals, since all who follow the path are in constant competition for the rare and precious starmetal required for the transformation. Star adepts never work with each other, often going to great lengths to keep other adepts from learning about news of starmetal finds.