Fairydust Marble

Most of the Folk around Cartyrion have heard of the Glitterhold - the richest by far of all the Dwarven Delves. Most folk will say that this wealth is the result of countless quantities of fine quality precious gems and metals that the Dwarves harvest from deep beneath the mountain. But while the Glitterhold does indeed bring large quantities of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, gold, and silver out of the deep earth, these are not the only materials that the wealthiest individuals and nations seek from the region. Gemstones are pretty, but you cannot build magnificent monuments out of them.

For the richest and most powerful of Cartyrion who wish to make an impression with a memorable structure - whether it be a palace, or a commemorative arch, or a larger-than-life statue, the only material that will serve is the stone found exclusively in the mountains that surround the Glitterhold. This material is called Fairydust Marble.

Appearance

There are many marble deposits around Cartyrion, and all have been used for building notable structures, but Fairydust Marble is by far the most prized marble of all. The main rock substrate is a pure flawless white dolomite that would itself be highly prized. But this substrate is flecked with tiny crystals of emerald and diamond, as well as tiny grains of pure gold. The result is an appearance that resembles sparkling green and gold glitter scattered within the stone. When sunlight shines upon the stone, the gems and gold scatter and reflect it so that the stone seems to glow with a magical aura.

To the Dwarves, the gems and gold flecks are not big enough to be worth extracting - the marble is worth far more than the value of the precious materials embedded within it.

Notable Uses

The first notable use of Fairydust Marble was, unsurprisingly, by the Dwarves of the Glitterhold. They used it within the Delve to construct the Delvemaster's Palace. The columns, walls, ceilings, and even floors of the Master's Hall - and the Master's Throne - are made purely of Fairydust Marble. But few of the other folk of Cartyrion would ever see this magnificent structure deep beneath the mountain.

It was not until the Seafarers of Cliffport decided to erect a monument to Thirar Thunderheart - considered to be the first of the Seafarers - that the world had an opportunity to see fairydust marble in all its glory. The twelve-foot-tall statue that was carved and placed in the central plaza of Cliffport was carved from a single block of the marble. Not only did it show the beauty of the material, but the superfine detail imparted into the sculpture highlighted the extremely fine crystal grain structure of the stone - a quality that made it the dream of sculptors as well as architects.

Since then, other notable uses of the material include

• The Four Victory Arches of Elderkeep. Over the years, the kings of the First Kingdom have used fairydust marble to erect memorial arches that sit astride the main avenues in the heart of the city. Currently, there are four such arches; the most recent one commemorating the defeat of the Dark Armies in the Great Strife.
• Aanarakka's Stones in Glaakra Ruk. Five tall, narrow pyramids - each with three-foot-square bases and tapering sides that end in a sharp point twelve feet high - were a gift from the Seafarers of Cliffport to the Stormtamer's School in the Birdfolk city of Glaakra Ruk. They recall the five voyages that Aanarakka of the Awkwana made through the The Evergale Straits. Without Awkwana, the Stormtamers that are still produced by the school, the Straits would not be navigable.
• The Western Gate of the Free City of Endmere. When the city was rebuilt following the Great Strife, the people decided that the gate that faced the FIrst Kingdom - the kingdom that had abandoned them to their fate - should be made of a material that demonstrated the wealth and power they had achieved on their own in the years since the abandonment.