IVIasterJay said
I'd like to join. I can have a CS up this afternoon, and it'd be for Optus.
One question though, it says that it is faster to change to and from softer materials, so would changing a slightly hard material to something soft like clay first and then a hard material be faster than going straight to a harder material?
The softness/hardness of a material is simply a way of balancing the power. Basically, you'll have an easier time working with or working into more malleable substances. The scenario you described is a two step process, going from something slightly hard, possibly gold, into something soft like clay, and then from that same clay to something much harder, possibly iron. Since it's two steps, "gold > clay > iron" will take longer than to go from gold straight to iron. Individually, each step itself might not be very taxing in time or energy, though. Transmuting in one direction "soft to hard or hard to soft" won't take any more time or energy than the other, the requirements depend on the overall malleability of both types of substances. Gold > clay will be easier and quicker than clay > iron because while both transmutations involve clay, iron is harder and less malleable than gold. Additionally, something like clay <--> rubber would be a very easy transmutation compared to steel <---> stone.
The ability also only applies to "naturally" inanimate objects, and only within the same state of matter. Any solid you wish to transmute can only be changed into other solids, liquids to liquids, and gases to gases. Higher states of matter (liquids and gasses) will be tougher to work with because they are on the opposite extreme to substances like iron, they are very loose and fluid, with gas molecules being almost completely independent from each other. It's still possible though, a highly favored disciple could turn water into wine for entertainment, or poison the air of his enemies by turning it into carbon monoxide. The ability to transmute naturally inanimate substances plays will with your Construct ability, more often than not your construct will be made of stone or concrete, based on what's around when you cast it. A highly favored disciple can use Midas to transform his stone or wood construct into metals like iron and steel, since the substances involved are naturally inanimate.