MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION

Anti-Kinetic Steel (AKS)
This titanium-cerapolymer alloy forms the outer shell of tribal armors. It is extremely resistant to kinetic and thermal force and nearly diamond-hard. As with most exotic alloys, it's expensive to produce, even with entek. Therefore, it's rarely used for anything but armor construction. Strangely, it is susceptible to a peculiarly corrosive mold growing on its outer layer, which is the main reason tribals varnish the armor with peren-diamond. The "rust" produced by the mold does little more than discolor AKS, but given time, it can penetrate deeply enough to interfere with some of an armor's peripheral circuitry. You'll never see rusty armor on any decent tribal, Nabterayl insisted, much to my amusement.

Bioplas
An advanced plastic with flexion capability via shape-memory imprinting triggered by an electrical charge or kinetic impact. It's not as durable as metaplas, but it's far lighter. It is often woven into articles of ordinary-appearing clothing that can protect the wearer somewhat from light weapons fire.

Cerapolymer
A ceramic-plastic material used in vehicle engines, tools, and appliances. Hard and extremely thermally tolerant. Lighter than ceramic but not as light as fully plastic materials.

Crys
Best described as a glass-plastic hybrid, crys is much harder and less flexible than plastic. It is easily worked into a variety of shapes, and its innate transparency makes it perfect for windows and a variety of other uses. During production, its qualities can be optimized to fill particular roles. Unlike many other materials, crys is usually "grown" in a process that's relatively slow compared to other material production. It is therefore somewhat more expensive.

Duracrys

This variety of crys is optimized for thermal and kinetic durability. Very, very tough, it is used for space and military purposes. It lacks any of the structural fluidity of other varieties of crys. Examples of duracrys use include armor visors, laser focusing lenses, and spaceship windows.

Exo-crys

Exo-crys forms the heart of a tribal armor's strength augmentation. Evolved from ancient Herc technology, hair-thin exo-crys flexors are braided into a "microservo" cable that expands under electrical current and contracts when the charge is cut off.

Despite their long history, flexors are far more reliable than hydraulics or other artificial muscle systems. Prolonged use under extremely cold conditions--such as those faced on the outer planets of Sol during the Cybrid Wars--can cause exo-crys to become brittle and crack, but such failure is gradual and easily mitigated.

Opticrys

This variety of crys is the least durable but has the most flexible structure. It is used in optical sensor arrays to provide quick and clear magnification. Due to its ability to selectively deform its structure under proper electrical stimulation, opticrys lenses provide unsurpassed magnification. However, tribal engineers seem to have ignored the potential of the material for laser focusing. I believe this neglect is the result of a deliberate design choice, as the tribes prize durability and reliability above virtuoso performance, and opticrys-focused laser rifles would be noticeably more fragile than the standard duracrys ones.

Opticrys can also be manufactured for holovid displays and computer datashards, since the optical storage capacity is enormous.

Parasteel
A very hard, dense, and resilient metal that holds an edge better than anything. Frequently used in high-quality sword blades. In such swords, the duracore variety incorporates a dense metaplas core within the blade's spine. This addition greatly increases the sword's tensile strength.

Stahlplast
Equally useful for constructing buildings or armor, stahlplast is, as its name suggests, an advanced blend of high-grade steel with plastic. The resulting fusion has produced a superdense, high-strength material that is nonetheless relatively lightweight for its mass.

It is conductive, but has a much higher resistance than other metal-impregnated substances. It is also virtually rustproof, even when its bare gray surface is exposed to the elements for prolonged periods of time.

To say that tribals are overfond of unadorned stahlplast in their architecture is a profound understatement. I tell you, Danli, I am sick of the stuff, sick of gray buildings that squat like metallic bird droppings in almost every tribal holding I have visited. Only the most hideous damage seems to mar thick stahlplast walls. The only negative thing I've heard about it is that once its shape has been set, it is almost impossible to rework. Damaged stahlplast is notorious for its flaws and hidden weaknesses, although repari application can mitigate problems for a time.

Metaplas
A workhorse synthetic evolved from the Cybrid Wars, metaplas is used whenever a durable and lightweight material is needed. It can be made as rigid or as flexible as necessary, and can even be made to vary its conductivity under proper conditions. Metaplas variants have been used historically for everything from vehicle and body armor to dinner plates, clothing accessories, and firearms. Metaplas can be made in any color imaginable.

Metadura

Metadura is essentially a conductive, highly flexible form of metaplas. It is usually used in fabrics or circuitry, and it is extremely difficult to tear or penetrate, though it is not as thermally resistant as straight metaplas.

Synthex

A cheap variety of low-grade metaplas used commercially. Easily recycled.

Peren-diamond
A synthetic diamond composite with substantial tensile strength, peren-diamond is commonly used as a protective varnish on the exteriors of armors and spacecraft. It sheds heat well and is nearly impervious to dirt and oxidation. It wears away with time and use, but is easily reapplied.

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