An Inquiry into the Properties of Glass

When one thinks of glass, a word such as “fragile” may spring to mind. Yet there exists glass that can be fashioned into weapons and armor of the finest caliber. How is this possible? Surely such items would merely be of decorative value, as the slightest impact could break them into small pieces?

In truth, glass equipment is not fashioned from the glass that you might find in an ordinary windowpane, which is made principally from sand. In the context of this essay, glass refers to two different materials: raw glass from the province of Morrowind, and malachite from the Northern and Southern extremities of Tamriel.

These materials are both very strong, and share many similarities, which is why many confuse the two. In reality they are very different from each other. Raw glass is more delicate, and is much more valuable. It appears in Morrowind, erupting from the ground in clusters of translucent green shards. Malachite is mined from ore veins, and can be found in Skyrim, High Rock and Alinor. It is much darker in color, but is lighter in terms of weight.

To begin with, what are the peculiarities of raw glass from Morrowind? Most of the glass there could be found in Vvardenfell district, formed by the volcanic activities of Red Mountain. Since the eruption in 4E 5, few have been able to travel to the island of Vvardenfell, so the supplies of glass have dried up.

That isn’t to say that it was readily available to all prior to the disaster. In the late years of the Third Era, the East Empire Company had a monopoly on glass, as well as ebony. The Company was sanctioned by the Emperor himself, making glass and ebony smuggling a dangerous, but lucrative trade. Glass in particular was seen as more valuable, as it weighed much less than ebony, but could be sold for a similar price. Those who were weighed down by stolen ebony would have to abandon their gains in order to escape.

For the most part, raw glass would be used in the making of glass armor. A great deal of glass was required to make but a single piece, but the final product would be stronger than steel, and several times more awe-inspiring. The armor is capable of absorbing impacts, but is less durable than ebony. As for bladed weapons, they could be made absurdly sharp, but would be quick to dull. They would have to be repaired frequently to retain their usefulness.

Raw glass is also of use to alchemists. A piece of glass, when mixed with the right ingredients, can create a poison affecting a person’s intelligence, strength, or speed. If used correctly, it could also make for a potent fire shield potion.

As the East Empire Company answered to the Emperor, and was a Cyrodiil-based Company, it is only natural that considerable amounts of glass would make it to the Imperial Province. Imperial smiths began to produce their own variant of glass armor, the design of which was received negatively by some. A nobleman, who had commissioned several sets, was outraged when he saw the final product and, after leaving the Imperial City, left them lying on the road. It was said that the pieces were then appropriated by bandits.

Malachite is the second material that can be used to create sturdy glass, and it is generally much more durable than raw glass. The greatest concentration of malachite can be found in Skyrim, though some deposits exist in High Rock and Alinor.

Malachite must be mined and then refined. The Altmer are able to create strong weapons and armor with a few ingots. Most malachite creations in the land of Skyrim are of Altmer origin, as evidenced by the avian imagery in several of the pieces. The eagle, of course, being an important symbol to the Altmer.

Malachite equipment is much more durable than armor made from raw glass, and much lighter too. A full set of glass armor weighs nearly three times more than a set of malachite armor. However malachite armor does have its disadvantages. As an amorphous metal, it conducts electricity. Those who wear it must be careful when fighting mages.

Alchemists of the third era were known to use malachite for its silencing properties, though that particular application has fallen out of practice.

While both raw glass and malachite are very different, they both naturally appear green in color. An interesting property of both is that the color can be changed. There are several methods, but the best known method is to use atronach salts and magic. The application of frost salts tint the glass blue, fire salts turn it red and void salts turn it into a dark grey shade.

However due to the events of the 4E 5, raw glass has become incredibly scarce, so when most people refer to glass armor and weapons, it is actually malachite that they are talking about. While it has been many years since the eruption of Red Mountain, the volcano is still billowing ash, and shows no signs of stopping. If glass miners are unable to return to Vvardenfell, it seems that in the future, glass will come to refer exclusively to malachite.