Obsidian

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This article is about a magical reagent. For the currency, see Obsidians.

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Obsidian (upper stone) and pumice (lower stone)

Obsidian (OB) is a magical reagent that is in use on Pagan.

Uses and History

Pagan

This dark stone, while often used for decorative uses, has proven to to be very useful in the arcane arts as well. For the magic school of Sorcery, obsidian proved to be an ideal reagent to add duration to a spell, since due to its nature, it can endure the heat of a volcano for a prolonged time without much ill effect. This is little wonder, as it is created from fast cooling lava that has only a small water content in it.

While the currency of Pagan, obsidians, are also minted from the same material, the coins are useless for spellcasting purposes, as a special heating and molding treatment – which is a government secret – destroys the properties that make obsidian a reagent.^{[Citation needed]}

Lore

“	While seeming to be a fragile, easily broken substance, it endures the heat of the volcano. – from The Chronicle of Pagan (Ultima VIII)

“	Obsidian is a very enduring substance. It can be worn down, to fine grains of sand, but if melted it resumes its former properties. It grants duration to a spell. – from Vardion (Ultima VIII)

Trivia

• Obsidian and pumice are similar materials, the difference just being the amount of water and the time it takes the lava to cool down.

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Reagents