Luzidium wood

If you ever had the opportunity to travel to the southern island of Borendals and visit one of the Augalai settlements, you might have had the chance to see the famous Luzidium wood, also known as Dragon's Tear wood, with your own eyes. This remarkable material, almost glass-like in appearance yet possessing the warmth of living wood, has fascinated scholars, artisans, and travelers alike for centuries. It is not only prized for its beauty and rarity, but also for the traditions and spiritual practices surrounding its creation. For those who have not had this opportunity, we would like to explain Luzidium wood in more detail in this work.

Physical Characteristics

Luzidium wood is, depending on its quality, milky translucent to completely clear. Even in its raw state, the wood under the bark is milky opaque and colorless. Unprocessed Luzidium wood is very hard, robust, and correspondingly difficult to work with. Laypeople would very likely damage or completely destroy the wood when attempting to do anything with it. The weight of the wood is surprisingly low, which makes its durability all the more remarkable. When processed correctly, the resulting material is smooth and glass-like, with faint, swirling patterns that some describe as resembling frozen smoke.

Discovery

Luzidium wood was only discovered in the 3rd Age when the Augalai spread to their present homeland. At that time, the Augalai found trees that were milky opaque and colorless under the bark. Due to their size, they called these trees Menyamar trees. Through various experiments, they eventually found a way to increase the transparency of the wood. It is said that the first successful refinement was guided by a vision from the goddess Daba herself, in which the tree "wept light" into the water of the Lake of Sorrow.

Whatever that is supposed to mean ...

Origin

Luzidium wood is derived from the wood of Menyamar trees. These trees, which are found only near the Lake of Sorrow, are cultivated there over generations. It takes about 100 to 150 years for a tree to reach the necessary age to be processed into Luzidium wood. When the Menyamar trees were originally discovered, there was a population of about 2,000,000 trees. The Augalai began careful stewardship of the groves, developing cultivation methods that ensured the trees could thrive without disrupting the delicate balance of the lakeside ecosystem. For every tree harvested, three must be planted and nurtured. Unauthorized cutting of Menyamar trees is considered a crime against the natural order and is punishable by exile. Therefore, according to Augalai officials, the population is still somewhere around 2,000,000 trees today. There have been attempts by outsiders to smuggle raw Luzidium, but these are rare due to the trees' remote location and the wood's extreme difficulty to work with without Augalai knowledge.

I understand why the Augalai are going about it this way.

Refinement

To produce Luzidium wood, the wood is removed in thin layers. These are then procesed in a lengthy procedure with the water of the Lake of Sorrow. This treatment gives the wood its nickname, Dragon's Tear wood. The wood is first heated and then quenched with the water, similar to metalworking. During this process, impurities settle on the surface, which are then carefully and meticulously sanded off. This process is repeated by an experienced wood whisperer of the Augalai until the desired quality is achieved. Throughout the entire procedure, the wood whisperers sing or hum songs and incantations in honor of the goddess Daba. This type of processing not only achieves the wood's transparency but also makes it resistant to natural decay. Mechanical impacts also have little to no effect on treated Luzidium wood.

Augalai holding a sheet of Luzidium wood

That sounds painfully tedious and time-consuming. Wouldn't have the patience for that!

Usage

Luzidium wood is used by the Augalai in various ways. The most common use is certainly as a replacement for window glass. Additionally, the wood in its best quality is primarily used for the viewing windows in the incubation capsules, the Verdant Cradles, where the Augalai raise their offspring. Decorative panels, ceremonial doorways, and sacred instruments are also crafted from Luzidium. Only items of great cultural or spiritual importance are fashioned from the highest-quality pieces.

Outside of Helionde, Luzidium wood is extremely rare. Due to the elaborate process and the valuable raw materials required for its production, the Augalai export only a small amount of the wood and charge a high price for it. In Mirintha's larger cities, nobles and scholars covet even small Luzidium ornaments. Ownership is seen as a sign of refinement and a rare connection to the natural world. Entire diplomatic missions have been arranged around gaining access to Luzidium trade, though the Augalai remain cautious. The material has even led to tensions with factions who seek to replicate or harvest it without permission.