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This article addresses Orikalkum (Dragon Metal) and how the roleplaying community approaches it. This includes but is not limited to its value, commonality and general use.
This section lists details about Orikalkum metal accepted lore and canon information. Note that these information are based off the upcoming smithing and mining rework.
Orikalkum/Dragon armor is very rare, and would be exceedingly difficult to claim one by normal means. In regards to this, money is not necessarily a factor - a character can be the wealthiest individual in the kingdom, but that won't get him dragon equipment if he can't find anyone to sell it to him.
Well there are some location that has Orichalcite ore, Drakolith ore is the what needed to make Orikalkum bar, which can make it's armor. But it should be known that these locations are in hard to reach area within Gielinor, and only a handful of adventurers, or miners would have access to said area.
It is the strongest metal available. Piercing straight through a plate of this metal would be an very difficult feat for a normal steel sword to do on it's own. Likewise, piercing the said steel metal armor with a blade of orikaklum metal would be comparatively easy, but shouldn't be considered a "cut through paper". In fact, if a orikaklum sword was to stab the Steel plate, it would greatly damage the armor. Though it is unknown how damaged it can make it.
The Dragonkin, who are known as the ones to have made the Dragon equipment, have sharpened them to a Monomolecular edge, in order to create the strongest weapons possible.
Orikalkum armors and weapons are rare, valuable, and attractive. It would be perfectly reasonable for someone to stop and stare at the sight of somone with a orikalkum/dragon helmet, never mind the full suit. The ore can be consider as rare as well.
As stated above, it isn't possible for everyone to obtain orikalkum equipment. However, it is possible to smith, but it would require the right material to do so. Not every smith in the world would know how to make one. Infact it can be assumed that the current Dragon armors are something that no normal smith can make, unless they have blueprint on how to make said armor.
Cyrisus's bank, featuring a few dragon items.
There are very few pieces of the dragon style armor known to exist on Gielinor. For example, Cyrisus, one of the most accomplished human adventurer known, wore a Dragon Medium Helmet and owned a Dragon Chainbody. This is one of the very limited instances of encountering any other character with dragon equipment.
Orikalkum metal can break, as proven with the pieces of an armor can be gathered to reform it. Though it is unknown how strong of a blow an attack must be and of the cause of weapon/object to be strong enough to dent it.
That being said, Trolls are known to be able to chew on orikaklum metal, but even they admit it's hard on their teeth.
Debated Lore
This section addresses aspects of orikalkum equipment in roleplay that the entire community has not agreed on, but are at least topics of discussion or are accepted only in certain circles.
It is unknown if orikalkum metal can rust, as there is no given information to back it up.
Even though this metal is the strongest, it is unknown how durable it can be against other metal that are either smith to be as durable, or made to be as sharp/powerful. It is believed that said metals weapons would require powerful strike, and to similar areas as well in order to even push through the defense of the orikalkum metal.
There are no exact number on how many dragon style armor there are, but it is known that a lot are near impossible to get due to their locations, price, and material to make.
Common Mistakes
This area addresses common mistakes that roleplayers, usually new, make when dealing with Dragon Metal equipment in roleplay.
The dragon style armor and swords seems to be fitted for use by humans of a standard size. Unfortunately, this rules out the use of most pieces of dragon equipment to several races. Giants, ogres, trolls, and Mahjarrat, for example, would all be too large to wear the armor. On the other side of the equation, Gnomes, Dwarves, and Fairies are far too small.
While it is possible for you to make your own orikalkum armor, you can't make a dragon style armor as it would require knowledge on how it is made, and you can't make a Dragonkin character who can do it for or teach you, as the race wouldn't give it to just anyone. This being said a non Dragonkin character could learn how to make new weapons, such as the battle staff, or ward, but it was stated that the requirements to make more of said items requires a lot of raw materials, which could cost, even a king a lot of money.
Just because a character is wealthy doesn't mean he has unlimited wealth. Even a king with the coffers of an entire kingdom at his disposal would likely only own two or three orikalkum item for use in dire situations. He might own a singleorikalkum weapon, or a few if he's lucky, but any character at all with more than this should probably have an explanation prepared for how he came across such invaluable equipment.
That being said, even if the king's/queen's kingdom has the ores required to make the bar, they would still require to pay their workers a HUGE amount of currency, as these ores are not only rare, but would possibly take time to collect, the bar would take longer to make, and the equipment even longer.
More plausable ways would include your character being an adventurer (success varies, again be prepared with a good explanation) or a very accomplished dragon slayer; dragons having been known to guard over valuable items such as dragon metal.
Orikalkum equipment in-game does not necessarily equate with dragon equipment in character. A character's costume could easily involve a dragon square shield, while in-character it's just a heraldic mithril shield that has been painted red.
"Dragonite" was a term often confused with crafted dragon metal. However, dragonite actually describes the unrefined, ore state of dragon material. To carry a "dragonite kiteshield" is akin to carrying a "copper ore kiteshield." The actual name of the metal would be orikaklum
Dragonkins were the ones known to keep the ores with and the secret on how to collect and smith one with them.
It was long thought that Linza had discovered the ore and learned how to smith it, giving her the fame she had. This was proven false however by Sliske, who reveals that Linza had stolen secret, and the ore from a Dragonkin who was chasing her down. This being said a master smith probably wouldn't be able to even know how to smith dragon metal out of the ore, as there is a secret to it.
The opposite can be said however, a dwarf had studied a Dragon battlestaff and managed to learn how to forge more, this also was with the help of blueprints. And with the discovery of the ores, armors can be made.
Other
Following the armor rating scale for metallic armors, some say warpriest armor (the armor rewards from World events) could be considered as strong as orikaklum. Exactly what and how makes this so has been talked about little. Furthermore, only the third tier of the armor (level 75 defense) has the same in game stats as orikaklum.
