Vermilium Coin

Blood Money

Vermilium is a precious metal found on the Auroran continents. In its purest form, it is a bright red, dense, soft and malleable metal. It often occurs in native form as nuggets or grains in rocks and in veins, mainly within the Crescent Mountains and their run-off regions, such as the River Cruo in the Auroran Empire.
Vermilium is relatively rare and is used for coinage, jewelry, and other arts within the Empire and its colonies. It was discovered in first Imperial Year, and has been successfully mined ever since, with the first mine being constructed at the base of the Crescent Mountains south of the imperial capital, Nophra Dawn. The coins measure an inch across and are relatively thin with a hole in the centre so they can easily be carried, strung along a leather cord.
Native cultures in the new world appear to shun the use of such material in favor of easier materials to mine and mint, find the red metal sacred or fear its use, though some will trade goods with imperials instead. One such folk tale among the elven elders of the Vol'duun Nation tells of a storm of red clouds crying for the dead after a terrible war between their kind, an event known as the Storm of Tears. Those tears soaked into the earth and hardened, becoming the vermilium now found throughout the world.
Another such legend comes from the halfling-folk of the Forest Nation, who believe the sacred veins of vermilium found in the earth are the veins of the world itself, carrying its magic beneath the surface. It is from these stories that vermilium coins have gained their nickname "Blood Money".

Rarity

Uncommon Mineral

Weight

1/2 Ounce

Dimensions

1"

Base Price

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