Marble

Marble is a form of stone that is highly valued for the smooth and shiny surface that can be achieved with polishing, as well as the many colourful varieties that are available. Used either structurally or decoratively, marble is generally reserved for particularly prestigious buildings or for the most wealthy. While Marble can be used as paving or as structural pillars, it is also used in consumer products such as carved tombs and as a setting for brasses.   The value of Marble varies greatly on the mineral quality and colour as well as the source location. Often being found in lands that are currently or historically believed to have been near or subsumed in water, the quarrying and transportation of marble are usually as simple as taking it from the quarry and sending it out via boat. However, in some cases, transportation overland from the source to the nearest port can be very costly. The majority of clear white marble is sourced from the Duchy of Alva where it is plentiful in the small foothills of its inner plains. Cheap marble is common in the form of grey marble or simply Ardamar Marble, which is sourced near Sjolund and sold widely from the port town of Laurisport. Various forms of coloured marble can be sourced from the towns of Kohlcer in Sarbrynia, Haalund in Duramir or Bryndhall in Torania, which is particularly famous for its black marble.