Gold

Gold in Trevisa

---

Overview:
Gold is one of the most coveted and iconic materials in Trevisa, prized for its rarity, beauty, and resistance to corrosion. Its gleaming luster makes it synonymous with wealth, status, and power, but it also has unique properties that give it significant roles in magical and religious contexts.

---

Uses

1. Currency and Trade:
2. Gold coins are the standard for high-value transactions and international trade.
3. Used in the minting of royal currency and ceremonial ingots.
4. Jewelry and Ornamentation:
5. Favored for crowns, necklaces, rings, and other adornments due to its beauty and malleability.
6. Used in gilding statues, architecture, and furniture to signify wealth and prestige.
7. Magical Applications:
8. Gold is an ideal material for enchanted objects due to its high magical conductivity and resistance to tarnish.
9. Often used as a key ingredient in spells involving prosperity, light, or divine energy.
10. Alchemical transmutations frequently feature gold as a symbolic and literal goal.
11. Religious and Ceremonial Uses:
12. Sacred relics and artifacts are often crafted from or plated with gold.
13. Used to inscribe divine runes or coat ceremonial weapons and items.
14. Practical Uses:
15. Due to its malleability and conductivity, gold is used in the intricate wiring of magical or mechanical devices.
16. In fantasy contexts, gold might also be a key material for binding or focusing energy in rituals.

---

Properties

• Malleable: Gold is soft and easy to shape, allowing for detailed and intricate designs.
• Resistant to Corrosion: Gold does not rust or tarnish, maintaining its appearance for centuries.
• Conductive: Both thermally and magically, gold is highly valued for its efficiency in conducting energy.
• Symbolic: Associated with wealth, purity, and divinity, gold carries cultural and magical significance.

---

Rarity in Trevisa

• Geography:
• Gold is found in scattered deposits across Trevisa, often mined in river valleys and mountainous regions.
• The Golden Veins of Salvirith in Ko-Aton are one of the most famous and heavily contested sources of gold.
• Availability:
• Rare: While small amounts can be panned from rivers or extracted from mines, large deposits are rare and jealously guarded.

---

Price (On Average in Trevisa)

• Raw Gold Ore:
• ~50-70 gold pieces per pound near mining regions.
• ~100+ gold pieces per pound in areas reliant on imports.
• Refined Gold:
• ~200-300 gold pieces per pound for high-purity gold.
• Artifacts or enchanted items containing gold can reach astronomical prices, depending on craftsmanship and magical potency.

---

Cultural and Economic Context

1. Status Symbol:
2. Gold is synonymous with nobility and power, adorning the wealthiest citizens and rulers of Trevisa.
3. It is frequently displayed in courtly attire, crowns, and scepters.
4. Religious Significance:
5. Deities associated with the sun, prosperity, or purity often favor gold in their iconography.
6. Clerics and paladins frequently incorporate gold into their vestments and holy symbols.
7. Fantasy Integration:
8. Gold is a key material for crafting legendary weapons and artifacts, especially those associated with light or divine power.
9. It may feature in alchemical formulas for creating Philosopher’s Stones or purifying lesser metals.
10. Folk Beliefs:
11. Some regions believe gold wards off evil or curses, making it a popular material for protective charms.

---

Symbolism of Gold in Trevisa

• Color: Its radiant glow is often associated with the sun, divinity, and everlasting life.
• Cultural Associations: Wealth, power, divinity, and purity.
• Role: Gold is both a literal and symbolic cornerstone of Trevisa’s economy, magic, and faith.