After the Big Quake that hit Tenril explained in this previous post, the subsequent exploration of the exposed caverns uncovered multiple veins of ores and cave systems. Upon their discovery, the Xipilians were intrigued by the shiny rocks and decided to harvest them. They found various gemstones, which were deemed to be important and given to the higher-ranking members.  Finding some of the metals to be malleable, they created objects out of the materials, mostly jewelry. Upon using their flames on the rock, it was discovered that the rocks melted and hardened out in a new shape. This unlocked a whole new way in which they were able to create things from the minerals, including weapons. 

A faction was created specifically for the mining and working of metals. Different metals have been found that have a multitude of uses. Gold is found to be too brittle for weapons, whereas iron and steel are much stronger and last longer. Gold was delegated to be used for jewelry for higher-ranking individuals together with the gemstones. Because gold became a status symbol, some higher-ranking officers started plating their weapons in gold. This was done using fast bursts of heat, which is most reliably done when there is a solar flare. This gold plating is temporary, and most don't use their gold-plated weapons in battle. 

Steel was discovered when experimenting with combining different metals, and reinforced steel by further experimenting with how quickly the metal can be cooled. Experimentation is always encouraged in order to find new and improved ways to use metals, and someone can move up in the ranking of the mining factions' metalworking profession when creating something new and useful.

Upon discovering sites of the meteors that hit the desert and recovering the rocks left behind, it was found that most meteors also carry a particularly durable and heat-resistant metal. The meteor metal was dubbed Sotechlium, named after the Deity that is perceived to have given them this metal. The metal is hard to mold and create into the weapons that they use, so they're only made in special cases. The big meteor that landed by the border explained in a previous post here is the biggest deposit of Sotechlium known to the Xipilians. 

Creating weapons was initially done in order for scouts to be able to protect themselves from predatory animals during their excursions. Swords, glaives, and scimitars are popular choices due to their reach and large blades. The metal is rewarded to the strongest and more elite fighters to reward their dedication to training and gaining skills. The look of Sotechlium is very dark, and when fire is applied to the blade, the metal starts to glow a bright red. When it cools back down, it gets stronger, and the blade maintains its sharpness. The loss of sharpness is an issue that steel and iron weapons have when applying flame to the blades. Despite that, this technique is still taught due to it being a great way to scare away predators.