Ruidium

Ruidium is a red mineral that emits the power of the Apotheon.

Description
Ruidium is described as "a slick, oily stone veined with blood-like streaks". The mineral has magical properties that derive from the Apotheon. It exists in ore veins issuing from the planar rift to the Netherdeep. If the adenvturing party in Critical Role: Call of the Netherdeep successfully relieves the Apotheon of his bondage from the Netherdeep, all ruidium ceases to exist.

Origin
The myth of the rise and fall of the Apotheon links the creation of ruidium with the struggle between the Apotheon and Gruumsh during the Calamity. Gruumsh vowed to obliterate the city of Cael Morrow due to the population's devotion to Corellon. The Apotheon interposed himself between Gruumsh's spear and the city and saved it from annihilation. Nevertheless, the energy of the spear transformed the jungle landscape into desert and razed Cael Morrow. At the same time, a rift was torn and "alien energy from an unknown realm" poured into the Material Plane. This energy and the waters of Cael Morrow mingled to create the realm of the Netherdeep. The ruidium deposites in the ruins of Cael Morrow issue from the Netherdeep. Further deposits exist in the Material Plane near the rift to the Netherdeep.

Discovery
During the 830s PD, academics of the Allegiance of Allsight discovered a "strange mineral in the sunken ruins" of Cael Morrow beneath Ank'Harel. Shortly after its initial discovery, the Consortium of the Vermilion Dream, a religious group that venerates Ruidus, learned of its existence. The name "ruidium" derives from the Consortium's misattribution the mineral's origin to Ruidus because of the similarity in color. Despite the misconception, the misnomer of "ruidium" remains the name for the mineral. The presence of ruidium in Ank'Harel is due to the extraction of a sample by an agent of the Consortium.