Gold Salt

Properties

Material Characteristics

Salt grains are small and diamond shaped in appearance.

Physical & Chemical Properties

A levitating transmaterial that fuses with every other material there is and in-so-doing induced a lighter-than-air quality in them.

Geology & Geography

Sheien

Sheien is the name given to the interior of the court's super structure. It is commonly associated as the entry point of the bridge directly into the corn court. Unusual among the temples and other building in the valley; a significant amount of high blend iron went into reinforcing Sheien's massive walls and roof courtesy of the gold salt floating everywhere.

Collection Chamber

However magical it may be to imagine the Corn Queen atop a towing throne made of light surrounded by members of the high families in attendance. "The gold corn" standing at the iris at the corn court, with flakes of its salt drifting in the enclosed air. One cannot help but think that this scene, if true, would be an uncomfortable place for the daily administrative work that would be going on.
The main purpose in constructing Sheien at all, was to maximized the amount of salt that can be trapped and put to market. A frustrating property of gold salt is its tendency to amalgamate with any substance under the sun, other than itself. As a result, the cavernous chamber that makes up majority of the interior appears as a vault of solid gold. In reality, the walls are covered in by the butts of salt saturated wall unable to dissolve any further.

Origin & Source

Cinteotl

It is not really known how the cinteotl materializes its salt. Just that gold salt precipitates from the corn light through the air and clumps along the court's huge walls.
But regardless, as always, people spin their own stories of the salt. Saying it is a gift from a grateful deity or the sweat of a dying God. In fact, part of the motivation in the building the Sheien that totally surrounds cinteotl, it is said, was the fear that it would eventually expire from the 'decay' of the gold salt.

History & Usage

Discovery

Corn King

As the story goes, a wanderer, who would later become the immortal Corn King, witnessed a brilliant falling from the sky. A maize shaped glowing rock had planted itself in the center of the mais valley and had showed the wanderer in an initial exposure of gold salt.
It is thought to have extended his life beyond natural limits, but might have also cursed him to become a Corn Demon.

Wrath of God by Titus Lunter

Cultural Significance and Usage

Political Usefulness

Soonous is the only place to source gold salt. Even under siege, it possess an unrivaled supply chain thanks in part to dedicated guilds and secret trade channels under the Meiz and Jaguar Hills built up over hundreds of years. Many corn queens started and continued their predecessors' works because controlling who gets the salt has been pivotal to international policy.

Queen's Construction Method

A method of building tall buildings by utilizing gold salt that fuses and lifts the normally heavy materials for easier carrying, turning upright or levitating to highers positions without excessive scaffolding.

Industrial Use

Gold Salt Collection

Flakes of gold salt materialized around the Corn God's Light and drift around in the enclosed air. They are collected and transported in half-filled rubber nets by nest castors and scrappers who work exclusivly in the Sheien for this purpose.

Manufacturing & Products

Gold Balloons

A gold balloon is a carrying device that is designed to support the vertical movement and change of direction of a rope made taut by heavy weights.

Carrier Balloon

A heavy aerial transporter that carries trade goods between high altitude cities on the Bad Step and the Corn Court in peace and archers in war.

Hazards

Yellow Colouration

For every container or material that makes contact with the salt becomes naturally infused with its lightness. That is, its weight decreases in proportion with the amount added into it. In this process, patches of yellowish gold, akin to that of jaguar patterns are left behind in the rocks and stone being levitated. The same is true for the handlers' hands.

Environmental Impact

Seepage

This salt is constantly seeking to escape its containment.

In the times it does, it drifts along the winds skyward, past the dragons and passed the stars, never to return.

— Scrapper in Sheien

Distribution

Trade & Market

Sponsored Gifts

White corn queens have historically been the most generous towards giving away their salt to their closest allies for political gain.

Traded Goods

Black and Yellow corn queens have historically been more willing to sell this salt to their far away customers.

Storage

Rubber Mats

Rubber balls and nets are a vital component in gold balloons and are the favoured containers for gold salt in general. Sellers would show bloated rubber balloons, held down by rope and visibly trying to lift off the ground and buyers would immediately know its contents.

Law & Regulation

Political Tool

Various corn queens delivered gold salt to their neighbours, far and wide, as a means of projecting soft power. Usually, this was in regards to building up strong stone defensive fortifications. However, the salt also allowed for the innovation of domed structures which quickly became the hallmark and proof of courtier culture. As a consequence, there were many colonies and trade partners wanting the prestige of having at least one domed building in their city.

Alternate Names

• Builder Salt
• Gold Flakes
• Cinteotl Sweat

Related Ethnicities
Courtiers

Type

Metamaterial

Odor

Scentless

Color

Golden

Related Locations

• Soonous

Related Items

• Cinteotl

Related Rank
Corn Queen
Related Technologies
Queen's Construction Method
Related Vehicles
Gold Balloons
Carrier Balloon

Past Projects