Giant Goat Wool

The giant goats native to Maan Garth have provided the inhabitants of Ivendarea with food, warmth, and shelter from wind and rain for millennia. While religion forbids slaughtering them for food or crafting materials such as bone and leather, their milk is turned into cheeses and yoghurt and considered a delicacy on the mainland of Ivendarea. The goats true worth lies in their fast-growing fur though, that is spun into wool and turned into sometimes very colourful clothing with unique properties.

Properties

Material Characteristics

The wool of the giant goat has muted and dark colours by nature, ranging from warm red and brown tones to dark greys that can lean into green or purple hues.
A single hair of their fur can be up to 50 centimeters long and is usually very sturdy. The fur as a whole is thick and potentially feels more or less greasy before shearing and washing, after being soaked in water and cleaned it becomes very fluffy and soft. When spun into yarn it keeps these desired characteristics of sturdiness while still feeling soft to the touch.

Physical & Chemical Properties

The treated wool is soft and warm to the touch. It is not very easily flammable and at the same time extremely water repellant, even after being washed and dyed. Spun into yarn and woven or knitted to make clothing it also creates a strong barrier against wind, which makes it an essential component of the wardrobe of every Gaanar.
This reputation of the wool being the perfect companion in wet and stormy weather has spread far beyond the borders of Ivendarea at this point and actually makes it one of the most exported goods of the nation.

Origin & Source

The giant goats and their wool are native to Maan Garth. There used to be herds on the mainland too, but since Zerenda's invasion they slowly disappeared. There have been efforts to reintroduce the animals to the mainland, but so far the attempts have been fruitless, as many Gaanar shepherds refuse to sell their animals to the mainland - and by that their monopoly on the rare material.

History & Usage

Everyday use

Most commonly the wool is spun into yarn which is then turned into clothing. Cloaks, coats, jackets, shirts, trousers, even shoes, are made from the wool.
Furthermore it is used as stuffing for warmer blankets and pillows or lining in boots and coats, but only ever in its sheared form, as killing the goats for their leather including the wool is prohibited.

Refinement

While the wool is perfectly fine to use in its natural state it is sometimes magically treated or dyed by the shepards to enhance or change its natural colours before spinning. By that bright reds, golden yellows, rich blues and greens, as well as deep blacks are created. The process makes the wool and clothing created from it more pricey, but also more desired especially by the nobility of the island. White yarn is very hard to come by, because it is difficult to brighten the naturally dark wool to the desired levels without damaging the fibres permanently, therefore the most expensive and rare wool clothing to be found on the island is white.

Manufacturing & Products

The wool is either used "raw" or spun into yarn of different thickness, to create different types of yarn suitable for sewing, weaving, knitting, crotcheting, and the like. When being made into clothing the yarn usually becomes felted, which is desired, and by that its properties of being water repellant and a very effective protective layer against wind are increased.

Distribution

Trade & Market

Most shepards on Maan Garth sell their wool - undyed as well as dyed - to merchants who then further distribute it either in Panthil or export it to the mainland of Ivendarea as well as other nations. The raw wool is bought by spinning mills, tailors, but also private citizens who wish to dye or spin their yarn themselves. There are a few shepards who create their own yarn and clothing and sell these as well, usually directly to private citizens or vendors retailing clothing.
The quality of the raw wool is very constant no matter who sells it - after all it's an animal product, and the giant goats are generally well-cared for on Maan Garth. What creates a change in its price is the treatment that follows after shearing. Dying, particularly in bright colours, as well as different methods of spinning or creating intricate patters through weaving and knitting can all increase the price of the wool itself or yarn and clothing made from it dramatically. There are a small handful of particularly skilled manufacturers on Panthil whose reputation alone increases the market value of wares and items they create.

Type

Biomaterial

Rarity

Only currently produced on Maan Garth; rare

Color

Dark Grey, Reddish and Yellowish Brown, Light Grey with Green and Purple Hues

Related Locations

• Maan Garth