Shaped stone (Valtian: skyradeski) is a building material of unknown composition that was frequently employed by the Valtian Empire in its constructions. The Valtians used the material to create very specific shapes for their stone buildings and foundations without cutting the stone from blocks. Instead, the stone seems to form a single homogeneous mass, made to conform to the desired dimensions. It is unknown how the Valtians were able to force the odd form of stone to such smoothness and to such conformity with exact dimensions, but it is highly likely that some form of geothaumaturgy (earth magic) was employed.

The term "shaped stone" is used exclusively to refer to the Valtian building material, contrasting with the more common "cut stone" employed in present-day building projects.

Appearance


Shaped stone has a smooth, light-grey appearance, though it is often rough to the touch. Certain instances of shaped stone seem to have been polished until they shine, and these are usually very smooth in texture. There are suggestions that shaped stone was placed in a liquid form and then hardened once in position, presumably with the aid of powerful magic. All utilitarian instances of shaped stone and most architectural uses consist of the same homogeneous grey colour, implying that the stone is somehow made up of a type of rock whose blemishes and discolourations have been evened out by magic, though some Valtian buildings - particularly floors - are composed of a stone that is slightly darker in colour, with visible fragments of variously-coloured rock.

Occurrence


Shaped stone can be found at Valtian sites all throughout the former lands of the empire, though most such instances are functional or structural in nature (such as for foundations), rather than aesthetic. There is far less shaped stone than there is Valtian metalwork, though both are believed to have been worked with magic. Why the Valtians should have preferred their strange metal as a building material is unclear, given that metal is a harder material to work by mundane or magical means. It may be the case that a large volume of the stone that was employed by the Valtians has been damaged or eroded away by the passage of time, for it is much less resistant to damage than their metal structures. This might explain why the Valtians preferred to build in metal, but shaped stone has obviously shown itself to be generally hardy for extremely long periods of time, given the number of examples of undiminished stone construction that have been discovered.

By far the most common occurrences of shaped stone are the stepped foundations that underpin every one of the grid monuments. Perhaps on account of their relatively small size, these foundations also display the greatest amount of wear among extant Valtian constructions, with some foundations having shattered entirely, spilling their monument to the ground. It is unknown whether the foundations are absolutely required in order for the grid to function properly, but if the prevailing theory regarding the Red Mist is correct, then it would seem to make little difference.