Stellite

Common materials are not practical for use in marine environments. Steel and iron rust within days and bronze is too soft to be competitive. For this reason, Merfolk have developed their own metallurgy tradition which has resulted in a distinct set of alloys. The most notable of these alloys is stellite.

Stellite is named for its iridescent sheen and for the inclusion of pearls in the alloying process. The metal is harder than steel, equally tough, highly heat resistant, and highly corrosion resistant. It was developed over several centuries, and is now is a staple metal for merfolk equipment.

Stellite is an alloy of cobalt and chromium with higher quality varieties including small amounts of gold. The most exceptional and sought after type of Pearlite uses a unique process to infuse magic into the metal. A merfolk sorcerer will perform a ritual to infuse a set of pearls with blue mana. The pearls are then dropped into the alloy while it is in a molten state. The pearls serve as a catalyst to allow mana to permeate the metal and improve its magic properties.