So some of our best weapons and armor are made of wood and g : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue May 08, 2012 4:01 pm

Over the years I kind of just went along with it, but now I really have to ask: is there something I am missing? I mean, ebony is wood, and glass is, well, glass. How is that good material for arms and armor?

» Tue May 08, 2012 6:05 pm

Ebony (in TES) is not wood. It is another form of volcanic glass.

» Tue May 08, 2012 6:20 pm

Ebony is a type of volcanic stone. Glass is made from malechite, a type of glass, reinforced with Moonstone.

Glass is actually pretty damn hard- the trick is to not shatter it. Plate glass (like with windows) is easily shattered because while it compresses well, it doesn't like bending. THe trick with glass armor is to make it so that most of the blows it will take are of a compressive nature. Remember- glass cutters are almost alwas made from diamond unless you're using the score-and-squeeze technique that most people use.

And Ebony... well, it's a volcanic stone. I've always had to mine for it, never got it from wood.

» Tue May 08, 2012 2:46 pm

And people stop bullets with vests. Now they're looking into ways to stop bullets with bags of liquid strapped to your chest.

Physics is strange enough when modern science is applied, and you're going to complain about magic?

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:43 am

Ebony is a type of volcanic stone. Glass is made from malechite, a type of glass, reinforced with Moonstone.

Glass is actually pretty damn hard- the trick is to not shatter it. Plate glass (like with windows) is easily shattered because while it compresses well, it doesn't like bending. THe trick with glass armor is to make it so that most of the blows it will take are of a compressive nature. Remember- glass cutters are almost alwas made from diamond unless you're using the score-and-squeeze technique that most people use.

And Ebony... well, it's a volcanic stone. I've always had to mine for it, never got it from wood.

Thanks for clearing that up. As a guitarist, whenever I think of ebony I think of wood because it is a rather sought after material for fingerboards on higher end guitars.

» Tue May 08, 2012 11:41 am

And people stop bullets with vests. Now they're looking into ways to stop bullets with bags of liquid strapped to your chest.

Physics is strange enough when modern science is applied, and you're going to complain about magic?

Show me the part in my original post where I was complaining. Please do, because to me, it looks as if I was asking for some clarity on the matter. Is there some problem with asking discussion promoting questions on a DISCUSSION board?

» Tue May 08, 2012 11:33 am

Since Ebony is volcanic glass, I think it would be awesome if there was a "Red Mountain Ebony" armor set to be found. Just a wish.

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:23 pm

Since Ebony is volcanic glass, I think it would be awesome if there was a "Red Mountain Ebony" armor set to be found. Just a wish.

Most Ebony comes from Morrowind because of Red Mountain.

» Tue May 08, 2012 10:14 pm

Truly besides iron and steel, do any ES metals make much sense?

I think Daedric armor might the most awkward. How do you get those squishy heart bits in between the ebony? XD

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:34 pm

Truly besides iron and steel, do any ES metals make much sense?

I think Daedric armor might the most awkward. How do you get those squishy heart bits in between the ebony? XD

You are literally wearing some poor Daedra around as armor. Tis quite painful from what I hear.

» Tue May 08, 2012 3:26 pm

Ah, but painful for the Daedra or you?
I just can't see some poor Dremora not attempting to torture the mortal wearing him. I'm surprised there aren't more mishaps ala "Feyfolken" style...

» Tue May 08, 2012 11:58 pm

Ah, but painful for the Daedra or you?
I just can't see some poor Dremora not attempting to torture the mortal wearing him. I'm surprised there aren't more mishaps ala "Feyfolken" style...

Oh, he wants to. But being a suit of armor has its...limitations. The heart of the Daedra is only used in the process to infuse the essence of the Daedra into ebony (Which in of itself can be seen as a 'divine' material unto itself.)

» Tue May 08, 2012 10:22 am

You keep logically reasoning your way out of my silly attempts to be funny.

Oh, right. Because Red Mountain was formed from Lorkhan's falling heart, yes? How would you justify the divinity of ebony found in other places?

» Tue May 08, 2012 12:59 pm

Now, the question is- do Daedra like being made into swords?

"Yeah, I don't like being bound BUT I GET TO HURT THINGS!"

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:22 pm

Truly besides iron and steel, do any ES metals make much sense?

"Iron" does not make sesne either.

» Tue May 08, 2012 5:23 pm

How so?

» Tue May 08, 2012 6:59 pm

You keep logically reasoning your way out of my silly attempts to be funny. :biggrin:

Oh, right. Because Red Mountain was formed from Lorkhan's falling heart, yes? How would you justify the divinity of ebony found in other places?

Blood trails?

» Tue May 08, 2012 8:55 pm

Blood trails?

Shot from Orbit to Vvardenfell, blood from the Heart would have fallen all over the place.

» Tue May 08, 2012 6:29 pm

You keep logically reasoning your way out of my silly attempts to be funny. :biggrin:

Oh, right. Because Red Mountain was formed from Lorkhan's falling heart, yes? How would you justify the divinity of ebony found in other places?

After Convention at Adamant the Aedra hurled the Heart towards Morrowind, when they found they could not destroy it.
Where it landed Red Mountain erupted.
The traces of ebony that are found outside of Morrowind are the blood of Lorkhan, that trailed from the Heart during its flight.

» Tue May 08, 2012 11:12 pm

How so?

Because pure iron rusts pretty fast and is not very solid in fact. You have to add some carbon atoms in order to make it both solid and flexible enough to make weapons or armors.

» Tue May 08, 2012 5:41 pm

Shot from Orbit to Vvardenfell, blood from the Heart would have fallen all over the place.

Interesting and makes sense. The Aedra were terribly messy, though.

Because pure iron rusts pretty fast and is not very solid in fact. You have to add some carbon atoms in order to make it both solid and flexible enough to make weapons or armors.

I asked my sword crazy husband about this, because the ancients used iron weapons just fine. He stated that coal added the carbon needed during forging. So it sort of makes some sense, at least by real world standards.
That's what I meant.

» Tue May 08, 2012 12:01 pm

Iron is still softer than Steel, and at least early-on, it was actually worse than the copper/bronze weapons used at the time. Iron was easier to make, however, and you could outfit an army with more iron weapons than copper/bronze weapons for the same amount of resources.

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:35 am

And of course, Iron is typically the weakest quality equipment in the game. Probably in lore, too.

» Tue May 08, 2012 3:22 pm

I have always looked at Ebony as a Carbon Fiber composite, and Sirolus Saccus is the person who made forging it quickly possible.

» Wed May 09, 2012 12:37 am

I have always looked at Ebony as a Carbon Fiber composite, and Sirolus Saccus is the person who made forging it quickly possible.

I always wondered how he was still alive, being human and over 300.