Lore:Iron

Iron is the most commonly used metal in Tamriel. It is dark grey in color, and has a wide range of uses in blacksmithing. Its abundance makes the metal ideal for creating mundane items like nails or containers. Weapons and armor made from iron are easy to produce, but vastly inferior to equipment made from most other metals. Iron can be converted to steel, either through refinement of high-quality ore^[1] or through the creation of an alloy when combined with corundum.^[2] It can also be used in alchemy to produce a slowfall effect^[3] or magically transmuted into silver.^[4]

Several different varieties of iron exist. High Iron is a high-quality ore that can be smelted directly to steel.^[1] Bog Iron can be found as small nodules in ferrous peat, and is prized for its resistance to rust. Cold Iron is found in the mountains of Skyrim; it retains a chill even after forging, and holds enchantments very well.^[5] An alloy made of cold iron and ebony is used in Coldharbour architecture, notably in the forging of the Dark Anchors.^[6] Pig Iron is a brittle iron created during the smelting process.^[7] Black-Iron is the rarest iron in Tamriel, and is described as "sky-iron" or "skyfallen iron". Most famous usage of the material is the blade forged by the Laumonts which was used by the ancient ruler of Camlorn, the Iron Son, who slew ten thousand warriors during his reign.^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11] There is also Black Iron, a metal associated with the Deadlands,^[12] which is used in the armor and weapons of the Crimson Oath.^[13] It is unknown if Black Iron is related to skyfallen Black-Iron.