Author |
Topic |
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11695 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 14:50:26
|
In another thread, we've been discussing trade in the realms, and one thing I pointed out is that trade in the realms will have one very important factor seen that is somewhat different from our own world's trade markets. Essentially, there will likely be a larger market for body components from creatures or strange elements of the natural world that have "ties" to magic. I have seen people try and list out what things are commonly used for spell components, etc.. but those are usually X rock or gem, etc... and not necessarily things that ring out as intrinsically magical. Also, honestly, I believe most people disregard spell components... but when someone is making a magic item, it might be more important. So, just for fun, lets just name off "THINGS" that might be deemed necessary in the creation of potions, scrolls, wands, etc...
First, I'd like to mention PREPARED FORMS that these "components" might come in rather than just being raw "eye of newt", etc..., and then we can move onto specific components as well. Feel free to come up with some other forms, as I'm sure I'm not thinking of them all.
COMMON FORMS OF ITEMS USED IN RITUALS AND MAGIC ITEM CREATION
Ink mixed with/made from the blood or other bodily fluid of a creature
Paper or other scribable material made from the skin, scales, hair, fur, feathers, etc... of a creature
Candles or incense made from the rendered flesh of a creature
leather, furs, or pelts made from the skin of a creature
Quills made from the feathers, small bones, exoskeleton, etc... of a creature.
thread or cloth made from the fur or fiber of magical creatures (it may be a blend with things like common cotton or wool, etc...)
Salves and oils made from the extractions of certain creatures. This might also come in the form of bottled tears, saliva, venom, urine, excrement, stomach acids, kidney stones, etc... or such things as the hairy mass from a creatures stomach such as that known in our world as a bezoar from the stomach.
Magically prepared body parts such as an eye that's been petrified, a body part encased in amber using the equivalent of stoneshape, etc..
body parts which might be ground into powder and added into different types of flour, boiled for broth, or added into other "natural" substances for the purposes of baking, making jerky, sausages, or "meat products" such as meat pies or casseroles. This could be the basis for a very minor type of magic which lasts short term, is cheap to make, and is fairly plentiful. For instance, broth of fever reduction made from winter wolf bones/meat, muffins of allergy reduction, trollgut sausage which acts like cure minor wounds, hell hound sausage which keeps you warm, etc..
INTRINSICALLY MAGICAL MATERIALS
unicorn mane, tail, tears, horn, pelt, meat, and bone
medusa eye, snakes, venom sacs,
Otyugh stomach
cockatrice talons and beak
blood of nearly any kind of magical creature
illithid, intellect devourer, or grell brain
displacer beast, kamadan, or blink dog pelt
Feathers from nearly any kind of magical creature
dragon horns, leather, wings, claws, teeth, bones, blood, meat, etc..
damn, and its late, and I need to start work. I'll try to come back and add more here.
|
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2018 : 15:21:03
|
Look at the 2E monster books. The old Monstrous Compendiums gave much, much more info on monsters than what we currently get. Those books/supplements gave info on the social habits of the monsters, and they also discussed the uses for various pieces-parts of the monster.
As far as D&D is concerned, I "grew up" in 2E, so I've always held those monster descriptions as the high point that has rarely been reached since then. The Monsternomicon books for the Iron Kingdoms RPG (the first version, based on 3.x) were nearly as good. Paizo has done some good stuff when they devote an entire book to a dozen or so monsters, but their regular Bestiaries follow the same pattern of reducing monsters to boxes of HP and XP. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
|
|
George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6646 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2018 : 03:46:31
|
Most of Ed's monster write-ups told you what bits of that creature could be used for what potion/spell/magic item.
-- George Krashos |
"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
|
|
sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11695 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2018 : 11:03:24
|
INTRINSICALLY MAGICAL ITEMS continued (to keep the list building... assign properties in general)
al-mir'aj foot, horn and pelt - for abilities dealing with short range teleportation
beguiler eyes and pelt - for abilities dealing with true sight and camouflage
behir horns, teeth, claws, and leather- useful in the creation of items that generate lightning or protect from it
Dark Tree Wood - particularly useful in the creation of wands, staves, and rods dealing with necromantic spells dealing with blood, or with wounding weapons significantly made of wood such as spears or axes. Dark Tree eyes - useful in the creation of magic items causing confusion Dark Tree paper - useful in the creation of scrolls and spellbooks dealing with necromantic magic
Treant or Dryad Wood - particularly useful in any form of druidic wand, staff, or rod, as well as readily taking enchantments for weapons primarily made of wood. Treant or Dryad paper - commonly used in the creation of scrolls and spellbooks
starsnake skin - useful in making leather items that absorb magic or generate lightning, as well as articles of clothing dealing with enchantment magic. It can also be used to make a paper that's useful for the scribing of scrolls or spellbook pages of enchantment and illusion. starsnake venom - useful in making potions that cause sleep, or allow one to receive visions through dreams
uthraki pelt - useful in making leather pieces that allow changing of form, minor regeneration, or work to stop divinatory magics involving sight petrified or amber encased uthraki eyes - typically used as part of wands that stop divinatory magic involving sight
choldrith webbing - useful in the creation of magical silks in the form of ropes or clothing choldrith venom - useful in the creation of inks for spells that revolve around paralyzing or holding an individual
cloaker skin -
|
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
|
|
TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 28 Oct 2018 : 15:04:49
|
quote: Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Look at the 2E monster books. The old Monstrous Compendiums gave much, much more info on monsters than what we currently get. Those books/supplements gave info on the social habits of the monsters, and they also discussed the uses for various pieces-parts of the monster.
As far as D&D is concerned, I "grew up" in 2E, so I've always held those monster descriptions as the high point that has rarely been reached since then. The Monsternomicon books for the Iron Kingdoms RPG (the first version, based on 3.x) were nearly as good. Paizo has done some good stuff when they devote an entire book to a dozen or so monsters, but their regular Bestiaries follow the same pattern of reducing monsters to boxes of HP and XP.
Indeed. Those Mountrous Compendium (2E) entries led to quite a few adventures because someone decided they wanted to either make a certain magic item or have it commissioned and had to supply the "special" material needed (after conferring with a sage, of course). A spell was even researched, Awaken Property, that would be used in the making of the item to bring forth the desired ability or power.
Some of the other books also mentioned stuff like wood from a tree hit by lightning, a large rock that once floated (a stone moved by a flash flood), and don't forget the old standy: sky iron (meteroite).
|
"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
|
|