-***- FIELD OPERATIONS
*-*-*- ENCLAVE
- GOD BLESS AMERICA
ENCLAVE FIELD ENTRY: Rubricardeat (Red Gas)
One of the most important substances in the Deadlands is Rubricardeat, or Red Gas as it is colloquially known. Although the gas itself is plentiful, I've noticed that the locals prefer to utilize the crusts that form around vents instead. The Deadlanders have found myriad uses for it, including as a substitute for scarce gunpowder, a quick-burning fuel source, and a makeshift explosive agent.
The gas itself can be ignited under almost all ambient temperature conditions (similar to gasoline or acetone). It is also important to note that it is an oxidizer, meaning it allows chemicals to burn without an air supply. It's readily capable of detonation or explosive decomposition at normal temperatures and pressures, meaning that samples in gas form should be handled with extreme care. In its solid form (found around vents and similar to a salt crust), it is stable until it's jarred suddenly, exposed to electrical current, or exposed to a heat in excess of 268.3 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rubricardeat is found seeping from geysers across the Deadlands. A likely source of these vents is a combination of geological processes (e.g. the Grand Madrid Fault Zone) and leftover industrial pollutants. The rusty coloration of the gas comes from the ferric oxides contained within the rocks of this region. It burns a bright blue color, signaling a hydrocarbon base. Despite this, the chemical formula for the gas confounds spectral analysis. My best guess is that the gas is a combination of Methane, Hydrogen Fluoride, Hydrogen Bromide, Sulfur Dioxide, and numerous other organic and inorganic compounds.
A unique feature that the gas lends to the environments surrounding it is the Fire Storm. The regional sand storms sometimes kick up clouds of dust from the geysers. When this happens, the natural static charge of the sand finds a conductive material. It only takes roughly 20% of a sand storm's density striking a surface to ignite the Rubricardeat particles. A Fire Storm can reach up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. They are usually 30–150 feet tall, over ten feet wide, and last only a few minutes. However, some can be more than a quarter-mile tall, contain winds over 160 miles per hour and last two days.
FINAL ASSESSMENT: While it is a valuable trade commodity, I advise avoiding it unless you are in dire need of a weapon. Even then, be sure to handle all samples carefully.
-Senior Airman Quintus Edel