Fantastic Materials

The world of Champions is full of unusual and inexplicable objects and phenomena. Here is a list of a few such materials and their known properties.

## Anchorium

Anchorium was developed in the wake of the first World War when fears of metahuman infiltrators were causing a wave of paranoia in governments across the world. A joint lab of French and British Scientists, led by the heroic genius Professor Luminaire, developed the first iteration of anchorium, which was immediately put into widespread production. In later decades it would be improved by UNTIL researchers, and further enhanced when it was stolen by agents of VIPER who eventually perfected its molecular recipe.

Although expensive and tricky to produce, anchorium is vitally important for the construction of secure facilities thanks to the profoundly disruptive effect it has on most forms of teleportation. Several related metals share the name, and although the unique composition may vary, they all prevent teleportation in or out of a properly shielded facility, at least to an extent. A thin lattice of anchorium mesh inside a wall is enough to make it a solid barrier against teleporting invaders, and it is often used in tandem with other, more resilient armored metals to form truly impassable barriers.

Notably, most forms of anchorium do not impede dimensional travel, a significant weakness that is thankfully offset by the rarity of dimension-hopping metahumans.

## Saturnite

Saturnite is a metallic alloy invented by Waylon Talos in the early 2000's. The exact manufacturing process is a closely held secret. Saturnite is conductive, non-magnetic, and about as hard and flexible as weapons-grade steel. Its unique molecular structure is highly resistant to chipping and can be honed to an incredibly fine edge, making it ideal for cutting blades.

Saturnite's more unusual properties seem to bend the laws of physics. Energy input into the metal, be it electrical, thermal, or even kinetic, is stored and "cycled" by the material, as if the Saturnite is generating additional energy to replace what is lost. For example, a rod of Saturnite might be charged with 50,000 volts of electricity, and then deliver dozens of shocks of equal intensity without losing its charge. This property makes Saturnite wildly useful, though it makes the metal totally unsuitable for inclusion in armor (as the armor would become charged with whatever energy it was exposed to, potentially exposing the wearer to a much more prolonged danger).

Saturnite was originally intended for use in weapons manufacture but it has also been used in other applications. Mot Sknah utilized Saturnite in the creation of a crude FTL engine, and Hardback infused himself with Saturnite to absorb the energy of incoming attacks to fuel his own metabolic processes.

## Adamantium

Adamantium is the name for a range of heavy metallic alloys renowned for their incredible durability. "Pure" adamantium is essentially indestructible and cannot be bent, scratched, shattered, or melted. The alloy is incredibly difficult to synthesize, and must be shaped while it is still in a molten state, because once allowed to cool the metal's structure becomes impervious to further attempts to alter it. Lesser versions of the alloy are easier and cheaper to produce, while still maintaining durability far beyond most other metals, and so may be desirable alternatives. These alloys have various names but are classified as "Adamant-#," with the lower number indicating how close the alloy's performance compares to pure adamantium (i.e. Adamant-3 is harder than Adamant-6).

The process for creating pure adamantium is not widely known, though groups like PRIMUS and VIPER have been trying for years to reverse-engineer it. Pure adamantium is non-magnetic and an electrical resistor, though some adamant alloys have slightly different properties.

## Illudium

An extremely rare meteoric ore, Illudium is brittle, radioactive, and nearly impossible to forge. The only notable property of this metal is that it is the particular weakness of the Plutonian, who suffered debilitating illness in its presence.

There is less than a pound of Illudium on Earth, with most of the metal being destroyed wherever it is found. It is known, however, that Dr. Destroyer owns the majority of the remaining ore and keeps it for use in his weapons should the Plutonian ever interfere with his plans.

## Zerstoitanium

Dr. Destroyer has always been on the cutting edge of material science. Thanks to his own constant experimentation and stealing the research of others, he crafted this uniquely marvelous alloy in the early 1970's and it has given him an edge over his foes ever since.

Zerstoitanium has unique physical properties that make it ideal for use in both armor and weaponry. Although no heavier than mundane steel, its molecular lattice rebounds and absorbs kinetic force as if it were far more dense. Its ability to resist damage is on par with some of the stronger Adamant alloys, but it retains more flexibility and resistance to constant wear. Similarly, it has an astonishingly low thermal and electrical conductivity, and makes an extremely effective insulator against most forms of energy damage.

The same properties that make Zerstoitanium such marvelous protection also make it perfect for deadly weapons. When crafted with care, a blade of this alloy can hold an impossibly sharp edge, and the force-dissipating action of the molecular lattice can be directed down through the cutting surface. This allows such weapons to strike harder and cut more deeply than the kinetic force of the swing would typically account for.

It should be no surprise that Dr. Destroyer guards the secret of this alloy with extreme jealousy. It is rumored that he has some means of locating all the Zerstoitanium in the world; whether or not this is true, he always seems to track down even the smallest shards of the metal. Several times he has annihilated research labs that were close to replicating his recipe, even when the project was kept in total secrecy.

## Dark Matter Metals

Several unusual alloys exist which incorporate a certain amount of dark matter in their composition. Dark matter cannot usually be manipulated by beings composed of normal matter, making these metals rare and difficult to manufacture. They each have unique properties that defy the accepted model of physics.

These metals currently play a key role in a mystical process by which mortals can summoner Netherog, a divine agent with reality-warping powers. This process requires an individual to first plant a needle of electrum (a gold-copper alloy) in their brain, which then attunes to each dark matter metal in turn. The inherent powers of these metals can be accessed by such an indivudal, though it takes a great physical toll on the user and the metals themselves are very poisonous to the bodies of most lifeforms. The metals are presented here in the order they're meant to be acquired for the purposes of this process.

1. Electrum. An unusual but mundane alloy of gold and copper which contains no dark matter but resonates with the next of the metals, allowing this "quest" to begin.
2. Valyrium. Also known as Adamant, though chemically distinct from Adamantium and its varieties. This metal is utterly indestrucible and unchangeable by normal physical forces.
3. Dilustel. A highly malleable metal that carries potent energy manipulation properties. Depending on its use, Dilustel can either completely dampen or wildly enhance energetic reactions. Also allows manipulation of infinitesimal quantum forces. Dilustel is the “pure” form of Saturnite with far wider utility.
4. Atlantite. A flexible, enduring metal that never wears down. A structure of Atlantite will weather almost any conditions forever, and is incredibly useful for machinery. One of the few dark matter metals to be mass produced, it is named for its widespread use by the Atlanteans in their “perpetual circuit” concept, a machine-run megacity that never required human maintenance.
5. Promethium. This metal has bizzare quantum properties that enhance its users' ability to think and process information. As part of a computer processor it can create incredibly advanced artificial intelligences and was integral for allowing AI-assisted modeling of alternate timelines.
6. Byratz. A metal that allows the weakens and warps space in its vicinity. Even a small portion subtly changes the laws of nature in its environment; large concentrations can utterly twist a section of the universe. Brittle and delicate on its own, its inclusion in an alloy allows maddening, impossible structures to take shape. Byratz is beloved by the Elder Things.
7. Dionyseium. This metal vastly increases the regenerative properties of mortal bodies by quantum means. It heals and repairs a body pricked with even a sliver; a needle embedded in the flesh grants a crude form of immortality. Mineral pools with small concentrations of Dionyseium are used as a “fountain of youth.” It is said to have detrimental effects on the psyche of frequent users.
8. Uru. Found only on astral bodies that fit certain mystically significant mathematical criteria. This sivery, durable metal resonates on a mystic frequency that allows its user to manipulate magic, potentially on a massive scale otherwise unknown to mortal wizards. In addition to imparting magical ability, the metal itself also holds enchantments better than any other material, allowing for even weak spells to endure far longer.
9. Nthilium. Known as "the celestial metal," this rust-red alloy resonates on a divine level in the same way that Uru resonates to the arcane. It also grants great power in the form of divine abilities, though unlike Uru it is unstable in its normal state and decays rapidly. Nthilium atoms are created when Gods are slain, and it is said that the metal could create weapons capable of easily slaying a God if it were collected and forged quickly enough.
10. Lithiment. This metal, unlike the others, is not intended for use as an alloy. This strange, bone-like substance cannot be created by mortal means, nor can it be altered by anything short of a greater divine power. Lithiment is the scar tissue of reality which forms naturally to reinforce unstable regions of the universe and close rips in the fabric of space-time. Normal portals between dimensions do not cause the creation of Lithiment; only unstable phenomena which threaten to spread and eventually cause the collapse of the universe can produce it. Lithiment's reality-stabilizing properties are only part of its purpose; its real function is to allow a properly attuned mortal to send the signal which summons Netherog in order to fix a failing reality.