Valorstones

"Ah, Valorstones. The jewels of Rath. Rare finds down here, but up there? As plentiful as fool's gold. Slimy topsider bastards keep them locked up tighter than a nun's.. ah, nevermind that. At least they are more useful than a regular gemstone." -Bolin Hammerfend, purveyor of the Dragon's Shield blacksmithing shop

Valorstones are the quintessential cornerstone of Rath's political and technological power. These glowing red gems undulate with a gentle pulse, in what could be likened to a heartbeat. This quality has given them the street nickname of Hearts. The discovery of Valorstones was what propelled Rath from insignificance to the beacon of progress that it now is.    Valorstones are inherently magical, borne from cataclysmic catastrophes of unparalleled destruction. They grow like fungus wherever incredible magical power is unleashed. A strange point of order is that there exists no record of their existence from before the Chronoclasm and the tales of their discovery are a closely-guarded secret within the Church of Ohgma. However, they are now plentiful enough that most automata are built with Valorstones acting as a permanent source of power.   Valorstones are also magical filters. It is theorized that they are capable of filtering out corrupted magic from where they spawn, and in some academic circles within the Voltaire Academy, there is the prevailing belief that Valorstones are capable of so much more than simply being batteries for automatons.