Dungeon Master Forum

I am wondering if anyone could please describe to me the significance of the following things in the DM universe:
1. corbum
2. corbumite
3. ZOKATHRA

Specifically, what are these things composed of, where do they come from, and what might they be used for? How are they related?

I am looking for more than just game mechanics. Any insight into the back story and folklore of DM would be helpful. That's why I posted in this forum.

many thanks,

UM

Corbum or corbumite is mined in the bowels of mnt Anias by his ant people. he collects it for it's inate magical properties. You see corbumite is a very volitile substance but it is also very strong and very light.

The initial assumpution was to use corbumite in armour and weapons for it's strength and nearly weightless properties but it's volitile nature makes it difficult to melt down. The refining process of turning corbumite to corbum for use in weapons and armour is tricky bussiness. It must be slow melted and then magically stabalized before it can be processed.

The zokathra spell is something entirely different though it is visually similar enough to corbumite (similar enough that occasionally a mine worker will try to take corbumite from the mines replacing it with a zokathra spell. However lord chaos has put spells in place the prevent that now. Those who have tried since have uhm.. helped to start new corridors is it were..boom) Zokathra is a storage of solid mana. it too is volitile and can only be returned to it's natural state by a fast infusion of raw mana which excite the dormant power within the zokathra and release it in one blinding fury.

So, now you know a little about the refining of corbumite and the best place to find it.. however, if I were you. I wouldn't tempt fate and try to sneak any from mnt anias, as I said...... boom!

For background & story you'd best start with the DM & CSB manuals:
You'll find the DM1-manual at http://dmweb.free.fr/DMManual.htm
the CSB-manual at http://dmweb.free.fr/CSBManual.htm
and the DM2-manual at http://dmweb.free.fr/DMIIManual.htm

Beyond that, there are of course game mechanix: In DM1 placing a Corboamite in the alcove Lvl 08 I03 (35,20) "Lighter than a feather" will open a door, in CSB there are some Ra-locks which will not only open if you use a Ra-key, but will also accept a ZoKathRa-spell. Also in CSB you have to seize the 4 Corbums at z01/x31/y23 an throw them into the FulYa-pit at z00/x18/y38 to defeat Chaos.

Not to mention the Zokathra spell you need in DM to obtain the Power Gem, of course

Ameena the Necromancer Queen: Of course, how could I forget to mention that!

You might argue that since it was the grey lord that discovered it to free the firestaff, it's not a widely known, or a preoviously unknown spell - or just feared for being unstable.

So although the game engine doesn't give it special powers, your characters can't cast it in DM 2, it's the sign of a powerful wizard (CSB) and can burn through locks or even the amalgum roudn the power gem...so it must be powerful!

my little story there was ofcourse just pulled outta my hat.. it's not legitimate but I did put some thought into it based on experience in the firt 2 games.

moo

Guessed that but it was a good story : )

Of course, the one thing you all forgot to mention is that FTL nicked the name from an early episode of Star Trek: The Corbomite Maneuver (or Manoeuvre if you're English!).

Probably one of the few things that was not nicked from FTL but vice versa

Regards, PitD

You can cast Zokathra in DM2. It serves as a marker for your magic maps. Apparently Zokathra in its solid state continues to emit magical energy. Jeez, you DM cronies are out of the loop.

Initially, I am inclined to suggest that the reason Zokathra looks so much like corbumite is because the graphics artist was lazy. However, on further consideration I've come to the conclusion that whoever invented Zokathra was trying to create a spell that would duplicate corbumite, much as alchemists have tried to duplicate gold, and the result was a rock that looks like corbumite but has few or none of its metallic properties.

It is possible that this sorcerer was using experimental magic on a raw corbumite stone to further his/her research, and that as a result of the volatile nature of corbumite (proposed by cowsmanaut) managed to blow him-/herself to smithereens before s/he could perfect Zokathra.

I have a question: would it be possible to forge corbumite into ingots for safer storage? I wonder if it would be possible to produce a corbumite alloy that retains many of the magical and physical properties of corbumite while diminishing its dangerous ones, much as steel hones the strength of iron and additively deters oxidation. Is there such a thing as "stable" corbumite? Perhaps this is what Chaos was trying to find out.[/i]