Black Marble

Black Marble is a type of stone, found chiefly in the oldest sections of the island's ruins, chiefly Ravensport. It has pitch black, slightly shiny surface, veined with stripes of all different colors and thicknesses, from as thin as a hair to as much as an inch wide. The most prevalent colors among these strands are silver, gold, and green. The stone is extremely hard and durable, the few samples that have been examined were impossible to damage with traditional tools, perhaps accounting for why Ravensport has survived the centuries since it was abandoned with little structural damage.

A series of experiments conducted by Mirabelle in early 2008 note that the marble seems to develop an affinity for positive or negative energies over time and retains them until cleansed.

Origins

Theories as the origin of the stone are vast and varied. Some claim that it was created by the Lily Civilization through use of their magic, converting naturally-occuring obsidian into something that could be used in construction. Others claim it was imported to the island from some other place, perhaps the homeland of the Lily Civilization, and used to build the dwellings of these first settlers. The methods used to shape and transport black marble are as yet still a mystery.

One extremely notable thing is that outside of the ruins of Ravensport, the usage of black marble declines sharply, with newer ruins using instead a white marble, veined in green, black, and silver. Presumably, this new stone came into favor when the supply of black marble was cut off, due to some unknown event. The source of this new marble is also unknown.