Stormforged Obsidian

In the deserts of the South, potent storms are known to sweep across the sands, spitting thunder and lightning down upon the sands below. Strikes of sufficient power are known to transform the sand they strike into Obsidian, thin sheets quickly blasted and shattered by the winds that follow. Wise caravans know to move cautiously when crossing in the wake of such tempests, lest their Yeddim and Camels find their legs shredded by sharp shards lurking beneath the sand.

And yet, wherever there is danger there is often opportunity. To the artificers of the South, these storms provide the means to shape an Exotic Component for use in Artifact Creation.

The creation of Stormforged Obsidian is complex. An artificer must first lay plans for the arcane runes and geometry they require, and then set out into the desert flatlands to lay out miles-long tracks of Iron, forests of metal towers. They must then await the coming of a lightning storm, whose ferocity will be channeled by their occult contraption to render their design in a vast sculpture of obsidian. The artificer must then put this structure to use, employing it to channel essence as they require into the artifact they are constructing.

In addition to the vast labours required to create Stormforged Obsidian, there are great risks to the process. Any error in the design or in layout of the metal will result in an unusable final form, but this cannot be tested until essence finally courses through it. The arrival of a sandstorm before thunder can also spell disaster, as carefully-laid tracks are knocked into disarray and flat landscape undulates into dunes.

The small community of artificers resident in the Southern city of Gem are known to be particular masters of the technique to create Stormforged Obsidian.