Gem Teeth

Gem Teeth are the opalescent teeth of the Reaper Jaw. Despite the name this rare fish is docile herbivore and is named after the two scythe shaped teeth it uses to cut through the reeds and other plants to get to the more delicate centers that it eats. Other than it's teeth this fish looks unremarkable, growing to be approximately a foot in length with a narrow profile and mottled brown color. It is not a particularly fast or strong swimmer and can most often be found in the reed beds where it feeds. If not for it's teeth this fish would be completely unremarkable, however once every few years the dulled scythe teeth fall out and are replaced by new sharp ones. The discarded teeth have been polished and worn down by use and gaining an opalescent sheen, garnering them the name Gem Teeth.
Gem teeth are highly sought after, particularly by the fish like lake dwelling Merrow who use them to make jewelry and other adornments. Pendants made from these teeth are culturally significant and are given to young widows or widowers upon the loss of their spouse, and the wearing of one marks the Merrow as having suffered this loss. A merrow who obtains more than one of these pendant is viewed as a particularly tragic figure however too many may cause suspicions of fowl play. Falsely wearing one of these pendants is considered taboo. Only the pendants have this significance, all other forms of jewelry incorporating these teeth are highly desirable. Because of the difficultly of finding the teeth jewelry made of them are highly valued and often passed down from generation to generation.
While the aquatic Merrow find the majority of these teeth the second greatest number are found by the professional mudlarks of the Mudfolk who often work in or near the reed beds and other shallow muddy areas while searching for valuables. Unlike the merrow mudfolk view these teeth as merrily a valuable if annoying trinkets as finding one by stepping on it and injuring ones foot is referred to as " A fools gift." and is an excellent invitation to engage in some good natured ribbing of the individual who received this "gift". Much to the anger of the merrow one of the more common objects the mudfolk craft these teeth into is a form of dice like runes known as fools dice, as unlike other races a mudfolk wearing one as jewelry is essentially the same as advertising your mistake.

Type

Organic