Cryo-Gum

Properties

Material Characteristics

Cryo-Gum is a naturally occurring liquid substance most often found in desert regions. In its liquid state, it is extremely sticky and attaches to almost anything it touches. If it gets stuck to skin, pulling it away can leave irritation marks, tear the skin, or even rip away small patches of flesh.
Despite its intense adhesive nature, Cryo-Gum does not seem to stick to common desert materials such as dirt, sand, or loose ground. It also shows an unusually strong attachment to acidic substances.
When Cryo-Gum bonds to a surface, it forms roughly six inches of surface mass. This mass can stretch and separate from itself without fully breaking away. As a result, anyone or anything stuck to it may pull several inches of the liquid with them as they move.
Cryo-Gum becomes far more unusual when frozen. Once chilled, it permanently locks onto whatever it is attached to and becomes highly elastic. The frozen substance appears to remember the central point of its mass, constantly pulling back toward that point when stretched. This allows it to swing, recoil, and return to its original position with surprising force.
However, Cryo-Gum has one major weakness. When exposed to heat of approximately 2,372°F / 1,300°C, it shatters. Once shattered, it loses all of its adhesive and elastic properties, becoming brittle, breakable solid matter.

Geology & Geography

Cryo-Gum is usually found in desert areas, often near small clusters of plants, cacti, or places where organic material has decayed beneath the sun. The substance seems to form from a mixture of desert plants, monster remains, and mineral salts mix under extreme heat, then cool at night. Over time, these materials combine on the surface of the sand and transform into Cryo-Gum’s sticky liquid state.
Because of its strange refusal to bond with sand and dirt, pools of Cryo-Gum can remain exposed in the desert without being buried or diluted by the surrounding terrain.

History & Usage

Everyday use

Elastic Morningstars

One of the most infamous uses of Cryo-Gum is in the creation of elastic morningstars. In these weapons, the normal chain between the handle and spiked ball is replaced with frozen Cryo-Gum. This allows the weapon to stretch farther than a normal chain and strike with greater reach and force.
However, the weapon requires skill to use safely. Once extended, the Cryo-Gum pulls the spiked ball back toward its original position, making the return swing just as dangerous as the initial attack.

Part Holders and Return Mechanisms

Cryo-Gum is also used in devices that require moving parts to return to an exact position. Machines with pistons, levers, sliding plates, or vertical mechanisms may use frozen Cryo-Gum as a return anchor.
Once stretched, the Cryo-Gum pulls the part back to its original resting point. This makes it useful in devices where precision, repetition, and controlled recoil are important.

Prison Holds

Cryo-Gum has also been used as a restraint. In this method, the liquid form is applied to a prisoner’s body and then attached to a wall, post, or other fixed structure before being frozen. The prisoner may still be able to move, but any attempt to escape causes the Cryo-Gum to stretch and yank them back toward the anchor point.
In older times, Cryo-Gum prison holds were sometimes used for entertainment and torture. Prisoners were placed in arenas and restrained with frozen Cryo-Gum, forcing them to fight, struggle, or attempt escape while constantly being pulled back. In more brutal uses, prisoners were attached near spikes or hazards, so that any attempt to flee would yank them backward and impale them.
Because of this history, Cryo-Gum restraints are considered cruel in many regions, though some militaries, prisons, and criminal groups still make use of them.

Odor

minty and tar

Taste

Bitter and minty

Color

Silverly blue

Melting / Freezing Point

Freezing point 32 Fahrenheit or 0 Celsius

Common State

found in this liquid for if it's not frozen if frozen solid