Stormwood

Stormwood at a Glance
	Material Type	Woods
	Colors	Black
	Symbolism	Lightning, Storm
	Rarity	Auction-Tier
	Cultural Relevance	None
	Required for Alterations	Yes

Stormwood is any wood that results from a special process of directing lightning through the wood, which invariably produces a dendritic, fractal pattern in snaking black lines across the surface. The wood literally captures the shape of the lightning as it is burned through it.

Light woods are usually preferred as the "base" in order to best show off the pattern, but any wood can be used, and sometimes particular ones are chosen in order to be better suited to weaponry or to marry the significance of the lightning with that of the base wood.

Nomenclature: when the base wood is unspecified, it is called stormwood. When the base wood is specified, it is called stormtouched [base wood].

Background

Drogorian priestesses have developed a ritualized process of preparing wood to receive a strike of lightning. They wash the wood in seawater and affix it to a long metal stand engraved with images and inscriptions sacred to Drogor, then place this stand in high places best suited to receiving His storms. When one is struck, they consider it blessed by Him and offer it for use.

Stormwood is most often used to create ship's figureheads, weapons, or small tokens of worship. It is a popular material used by pirates or other seafarers who wish to show off their allegiance and "partnership" with Drogor in order to scare off any opponents. Additionally, any traveler or worshiper of the Immortals might care for a piece to show honor and respect to Him, and some claim that possessing it wards off being struck by lightning. Some wielders choose to add inlay tracing the pattern of the lightning in order to add color, interest, or other special materials to the stormwood, and this is considered a respectful way to enhance the work of Drogor.

However, the use of too much stormwood is considered disrespectful, thus the priestesses tend to make it only in limited quantities. As well, they look down upon elemental mages attempting to recreate the process themselves, considering only those pieces created by natural lightning to be true stormwood from Drogor Himself. Stormwood found as flotsam or driftwood is also considered bad luck, as it reveals that the bearer was tested by Drogor and found wanting.

Alteration Rules

This material is required for alterations.

Items

Item	Source is	Rarity is
Abyssium divination mirror with shifting whorls of the constellations	Guildfest 445/Auction, Item:Dark spidersilk sundries bag painted with the crest of the Moon Mage Guild	auction
Blood-red stormwood staff	Item:Homespun sack pinned with an indurium monkey, Drathrok's Duskruin 442/Raffle	auction
Dark blue dawnfire steel sledgehammer dangling a trio of beaded feathers	Hollow Eve Festival 443/Auction	auction
Dawnfire steel humidor bearing carved stormwood panels	Item:Taisidon silkcress rucksack pinned with a carved Fire Maiden topaz pipe, Taisidon Mystery 446/Raffle	auction
Exquisite windstorm gossamer recliner set in an ornate stormwood frame	Hollow Eve Festival 436/Auction	auction
Formidable dawnfire steel double axe gleaming atop a towering haft of stormwood	Item:Imperial weave saddlebag set with an etched wuthering goldfyre medallion, Droughtman's Challenge 444/Raffle	auction
Ghost-white wand with a grip wrapped in enaada	Guildfest 445/Auction	auction
Gleaming oceanic orichalcum trident with a stormtouched spiritwood shaft	Hollow Eve Festival 443/Auction	auction
Kraken-fang telek with a stormwood pommel	Hollow Eve Festival 443/Auction	auction
Portable liquor locker flawlessly crafted from stormtouched goldwood	Guildfest 438/Auction
... further results

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