Anima Steel

Ironhill, the capital of the Republic of Thermest, has always been a hub of smithworking and metallurgical innovation, due to the rich tradition rooted in thousands of years of expertise. Without a doubt, Iskandria’s master armorers can be found there, and it is common for ambitious smiths from around the world to visit the city at least once in their lifetime, to learn their unique skills.

There is one smithing technique that the master smiths from Ironhill refuse to teach to outsiders, though: the metallurgical art known as the Anima-Fold. Their philosophy dictates that steel is dead matter and, therefore, inferior to the living will of a warrior. To bridge this gap, the local smiths do not use ordinary carbon to harden their iron. Instead, they utilize the cremated bone dust of the country’s greatest fallen warriors. Through a ritual of chanting and blood-quenching, the spirit of the deceased warrior is bound into the very lattice of the metal.

The resulting "Anima Steel" is lighter and stronger than regular steel, and possesses a rudimentary semi-sentient quality. A shield forged with this technique might subtly shift on its own to block an unseen arrow, or a sword might correct a novice’s swing to find a chink in an enemy’s armor. However, wearing Anima Steel comes with a perilous psychological cost known as the “Iron Echo”. The bound spirit within the gear often retains its lust for battle and its own muscle memory. Warriors who don full suits of Anima Steel often report losing control of their limbs in the heat of combat, watching in horror as their bodies perform feats of violence they did not command. In extreme cases, the armor refuses to let the wearer retreat or surrender, fighting on with supernatural endurance until the host body is battered to a pulp inside its own protective shell. Still, the quality of any piece of equipment forged in Animal Steel is such that most people are willing to ignore the dangerous side effects of using it, even when some of them might not remain truly themselves for long.