Tzormis

Borderlands smiths discovered that tzorehk and powdered Saur’Lapis Misthus not only turns the tzorehk a deep amethyst color, but gives it insulating and heat retention properties. This material is known as tzormis and, unlike the minted coins, it does not oxidize, but retains its gem-like vibrancy for et'Rounds. Unworked or raw tzormis is not exported from Borderlands Rhejhe, but is considered a regional treasure—it is used in the architecture of virtually all Borderlands construction from individual homes to inns, to common halls, to Guild Halls, to the Rhejhe’s capitol buildings.
The primary use of tzormis in construction is roofing and the main way it is distributed for that (and most other uses) is in the form of “scales” that are installed in overlapping rows like clay tiles, since it helps absorb heat from the sun and retain internal heat from stoves and fireplaces—vital in the extreme cold of the Borderlands Rhejhe. A small allotment of scales is available at no cost to the Borderlands population once per ‘Round at Distribution Festivals. The distribution itself is essentially just a heavily guarded caravan that moves from location to location on a set circuit, but an excuse for a party is always a good thing, so local festivals have sprung up throughout the Borderlands to coincide with the caravan’s schedule. In order to prevent the material from leaving the Rhejhe, a register is kept in the Borderlands Capitol of Haem’Gaer listing all Borderlands residents, their birth ‘Rounds and their closest village locations. If you are not in the register, you don’t get free scales. You must also be at least 18’Rounded to pick up the annual allotment for yourself and your adult family members (who must also be in the register).
To obtain enough roofing at one time for a full building (house, barn, workshop) requires the filing of an application and a fee of 88 saekrem. You must also be 32’Rounded or older, as that is the traditional age at which apprentices graduate to journeyman or master (depending on the occupation), establish their own workshop and potentially take on apprentices of their own. It is acceptable for a qualifying adult to obtain the materials on behalf of a younger family member about to start their own family. Again, they must be in the register and the fee is raised to 160 saekrem.
More often than not, a family will begin to set aside all or a portion of their annual allotment to create a private room for the partners attached to the family house or barn, since it takes fewer scales to roof a modest room than an entire house. Borderlands houses are generally built with an ultimately octagonal shape around a courtyard once additions are made. They begin with a single square or rectangular room. This will house the family until such time as there are two or more 8’Rounded children, at which a diagonal, somewhat wedge shaped room will be added (the second side of the octagon) to give the parents a private room. At such time as there are too many children for the original room to accommodate along with the family table, a second wedge shaped room will be added on the other side for the oldest children. Haka’a’manem choose their occupation and seek apprenticeship in it at 17’Rounded. In many cases, this means they move into a Ven’Hall (apprentice hall) or accommodations provided by the Master who has taken them on. Apprentices in a marriage or equivalent relationship, cannot remain in the Ven’Hall as it is usually a dormitory-like arrangement where sexual activity is prohibited as it can create difficulties with one’s dorm-mates. The partners will generally build a room onto one or the other of their family homes and move back in.
It is not unusual for a barn or workshop to be built as the opposite side of the octagon from the original building. The outline of the finished octagon will generally be marked out at the time the first building is constructed in order to achieve proper symmetry. Building requiring any kind of digging can only be accomplished during Sun King and Dragon Season as that is the only time the ground becomes soft enough (an incredibly relative term) to dig and sometimes not even then. Because of the severely cold conditions and restricted building ‘Circles, Borderlands settlers will often plan out the entirety of their village ahead of time, as well as a construction schedule. In Warming, supplies are gathered and moved to the settlement site, the initial foundations of as many of the buildings as possible are laid during Sun King and Dragon Season, as many buildings as possible are completed during Relinquishing and possibly Night Spirits. Those whose houses are not completed by the time weather interferes with building will either shelter in the village’s central hall (always the first building constructed, usually completed at the same time foundations are laid), with one of the families whose home is completed or in the nearest Garrison until building can resume the next ‘Round. Borderlands is essentially the only Rhejhe to be settled in this way as none of the other Rhejhe have weather quite as severe.
Borderlands trades raw, unprocessed tzorehk to Del’Retha’an Haka’am in exchange for payment in two forms: a set percentage weight of Saur’Lapis and the rest paid in gold s’vaan.

Type

Metal