101 Components of Alchemy
Potions and other alchemical concoctions are often no more than funny-colored water in a bottle; what of the strange and unusual components used to craft these marvelous items?
Often, I have seen potions, elixirs, salves, and other such products of alchemy described generically; a potion might have an odd color, a salve a sharp smell, or perhaps an odd (and usually unwelcome) taste. They result from oddly hued powders and generic leaves mixed in water, or even simple 'spells in a bottle'. One of the only game series I have seen otherwise in is the Elder Scrolls; there, with the alchemy skill, a bountiful cornucopia of odds and ends exist, each component holding powers in and of itself to be used by aspiring masters of the mortar and pestle.
So, in that spirit, a collection of odd components and items to make those creations of alchemy more unusual and interesting than 'just another potion of healing'.
Blood Iris Petal - this vividly hued petal of the blood iris flower are often used in concoctions meant to speed healing of simple wounds; when used in a salve, it gives the substance a faintly burning sensation against the skin.
Sage's Leaf - This broad green leaf is used in distillations meant to sharpen the mind and wit, thickening the solution and leaving a papery residue behind on the tongue.
Dragon Fern - These dark red ferns grow in volcanically active areas, and are reputed to grant a resistance to the effects of fire and heat when used in a mixture. They give a sulfurous scent and a bitter, charcoal flavor to whatever they are mixed within.
Newt Gills - harvested from amphibious young newts, potions brewed with these confer a limited ability to survive underwater for a short time, letting the imbiber draw breath while submerged. The quality, freshness, and amount of gills used determine the duration and potency of the effect, and having the elixir's effect end unexpectedly is often quite fatal. They give the potion an odd, slimy texture.
Powdered Ox Horn - Rumored to be an aphrodisiac, the more common and proven use of this substance is to enhance the strength of those who drink a brew containing it. The origin of the ox horn appears to determine the potency of the effect, with mildest results from taxed oxen and the mightiest from the wild aurochs that roam the open plains. Brews made with it have a gritty texture, and some complain that they smell of cattle yards.
Demon Elm Bark - This blue-black bark, ground to a powder, is used in mixtures meant to toughen the user's skin. Using it stains the skin with streaks of soot-like darkness, lasting for a few days after the effect itself has ended.
Dried Cockscomb- Though quite edible and respected among true gourmets, the gelatin-textured cockscomb, used to flavor soups or eaten fried, is also used by alchemists to concoct peculiar potions of "confidence". A potion of this nature, will allow the drinker to be awash in feelings of fearlessness and cockiness, even in the most frightening situations, for brief periods of time. Before anyone runs out to slice the combs off of all of their cocks to sell to alchemists however, it should be noted that the potion can only be brewed using the cockscomb of the rare black-skinned rooster.
Swallow's Nest- The dried saliva of these fascinating little birds, who use their mucous to build nests in caves, is a well-known delicacy, but can also be used in the creation of sovereign glue. The use of this secret ingredient in fact, is what seperates the average glues, from the truly wondrous magical adhesives.
Penguin Feathers- Surely not an "exotic" ingredient, penguins are nonetheless difficult to find, unless one is wondering some arctic or sub-arctic land. The feathers of these comical waddlers are used (along with other less wholesome ingredients) to make potions known as "Devil's Laughter". Upon imbibing such a potion, the drinker will begin to laugh at everything and anything, eventually tiring to the point of collapse and exhaustion.
Shadow Splinter This dark grey thorn is difficult to find if you're looking for it, but easy to find if you're just foraging around and get your finger stuck on it. When ground down, its powder is a slow-acting poison causing digestive issues and madness.
Golden Blade This yellow leaf lives up to its name: long, thin, and sharp. When prepared as a tonic, it is ironically an instant pain-killer. Too much tonic can cause numbness in extremities.
Twilight Pillar This dark blue fungus is tall and straight. Though it's easy to find since it shoots straight up from the ground, many animals find its taste appealing. By itself, the fungus is nothing more than a tasty mushroom. However, when properly combined with demon elm bark and dried cockscomb, one can create a "heroic" potion that gives a person added constitution and courage to tackle any foe or spouse.
Cleric Poppy - This relative of the common poppy, when used to create a salve, lends a faintly metallic hue to the result; the effect allows the unseen to be seen when smeared on the eyes. When burned by itself, cleric poppy is mildly hallucinogenic, and is occasionally included in censers during religious ceremonies.
Goblin Grass - This short, unpleasantly-hued grass lends a bitterly smoky taste to elixirs it gets mixed in; it sharpens the imbiber's ability to see in the dark, but overuse can permanently dilate the eyes and lead to a goblin-like tendency to shun bright lights.
Saintweed - This fernlike plant, if eaten raw, causes a strong sense of peace to overcome the user, but also induces a strong lethargy, and if overused can cause death by way of heart failure. Rendered down and prepared as an alchemical powder, it induces mild lethargy and calmness in users; the sense of tranquility makes it a popular component in medicinal elixirs, where it adds a mildly sweet flavor.
Bleeding Marsh Root - A tuber found in wetlands, noted for the reddish fluid it oozes when broken or cut. Used in salves for wounds, the pungent aroma of wet earth arises from salves made with this plant, and the texture has a certain overly gelatinous feel.
Ironfeather Fern - This lacy, delicate-looking plant may be one of the most deceptive in the world, as the thin fronds are nearly impossible to bring lasting harm to, save through use of a knife to cut them free, and then hours spent with the mortar and pestle to grind the dried fronds to a powder. Used in elixirs meant to grant agility or fortitude, this plant lends the mixture an unpleasantly acrid flavor that lingers for quite some time.
Vinegar Wasp Wings - The unpleasant little flying insect that this ingredient comes from is best known for the acidic burning of the sting it delivers, and the horrible aftereffects on taste and smell, rendering all like vinegar for days thereafter. The wings provide a similar effect, lending an extremely potent vinegar smell and flavor. Particularly strict societies favor it for punishment for young children, often unaware that the wings have a tendency to dull the imbiber's wits for a time; over long periods of regular ingestion, this dimming of mental capability can become permanent.
Vinegar Wasp Stings - Said to be an aphrodisiac, and as such often coveted by those who seek greater ardor. Alas, a side effect of the stings is that they produce a distinct vinegar aroma when the imbiber sweats, and they render anything made with them bitter to the point of astringency.
Serio Weed - This brilliantly hued plant is often found growing wild amid more welcome foliage, and is cultivated but rarely. When properly prepared and added to powders meant for the censer or brazier, the smoke of the Serio Weed has an oddly pleasant smell, similar to freshly cut hay; the effect is such that it opens the minds of those who breathe of it to inspiration. Often used by artists looking for their muses, or in religious rituals to open the faithful to divine revelations.
Here's some useful tables I whipped up with regards to determining which body parts of an animal or monster where valuable for alchemical purposes that should be of some use. A couple of caveats first though, not every creature is going to have all of these items, so re-rolls may be necessary, and you might have to look some of the terms up.
Animal Alchemical Component Table
01-20 Body Table
21-35 Organs Table
36-50 Fluids Table
51-65 Skeleton Table
66-80 Limbs Table
81-90 Skin Table
91-00 Esoteric Table
Body Table
01-04 Abdomen
05-08 Antenna
09-12 Beak
13-16 Buttocks
17-20 Cephalothorax
21-24 Dust
25-28 Ear
29-32 Eggs
33-36 Face
37-40 Head
41-44 Horn
45-48 Horns
49-52 Larynx
53-56 Lips
57-60 Navel
61-64 Nose
65-68 Opisthosoma
69-72 Ovipositor
73-76 Pharynx
77-80 Proboscis
81-84 Quill
85-88 Scalp
89-92 Spines
93-96 Tagmata
97-00 Thorax
Organs Table
01-02 Adrenal Gland
03-04 Ampullae of Lorenzini
05-06 Appendix
07-08 Barbel
09-10 Bile Duct
11-12 Bioluminescent Organ
13-14 Bladder
15-16 Brain
17-18 Colon
19-20 Duodenum
21-22 Esophageal Gland
23-24 Eye
25-26 Gas Bladder
27-28 Gills
29-30 Gizzard
31-32 Gonad
33-34 Heart
35-36 Heat Gland
37-38 Inc Sac
39-40 Intestines
41-42 Kidney
43-44 Labyrinth Organ
45-46 Lateral Line
47-48 Liver
49-50 Lungs
51-52 Lymph Notes
53-54 Mammary Gland
55-56 Nictating Membrane
57-58 Oil Gland
59-60 Ovary
61-62 Pancreas
63-64 Peritoneum
65-66 Pineal Gland
67-68 Pituitary Gland
69-70 Salivary Gland
71-72 Scent Gland
73-74 Sebaceous Gland
75-76 Serous Gland
77-78 Spinnerets
79-80 Spleen
81-82 Stomach
83-84 Sweat Gland
85-86 Swim Bladder
87-88 Teat
89-90 Thyroid
91-92 Tongue
93-94 Tumor
95-96 Udder
97-98 Uterus
99-00 Venom Sac
Fluids Table
01-04 Aqueous Humour
05-08 Bile
09-12 Blood
13-16 Cud
17-20 Digestive Fluids
21-24 Ectoplasm
25-28 Feces
29-32 Gastric Acid
33-36 Guano
37-40 Ichor
41-44 Milk
45-48 Mucus
49-52 Phlegm
53-56 Poisonous Skin Secretions
57-60 Pus
61-64 Royal Jelly
65-66 Saliva
67-72 Serum
73-76 Stomach Acid
77-80 Sweat
81-84 Tears
85-88 Urine
89-92 Venom
93-96 Vitreous Humour
97-00 Vomit
Skeleton Table
01-04 Carpal
05-08 Clavicle
09-12 Coccyx
13-16 Complete skeleton
17-20 Cranium
21-24 Fangs
25-28 Femur
29-32 Fibula
33-36 Humerus
37-40 Ilium
41-44 Jawbone
45-48 Mandible
49-52 Patella
53-56 Pelvis
57-60 Radius
61-64 Rib
65-68 Scapula
69-72 Skull
73-76 Spinal Cord
77-80 Sternum
81-84 Tarsal
85-88 Teeth
89-92 Tibia
93-96 Ulna
97-00 Vertebra
Limbs Table
01-02 Ankle
03-04 Antler
05-06 Arm
07-08 Armpit
09-10 Baculum
11-12 Cerata
13-14 Cheliped
15-16 Claw
17-18 Dewclaw
19-20 Elbow
21-22 Elytron
23-24 Feet
25-26 Fin
27-28 Finger
29-30 Flipper
31-32 Fluke
33-34 Footpads
35-36 Forearm
37-38 Forelimb
39-40 Frill
41-42 Gliding Flap
43-44 Hand
45-46 Hindlimb
47-48 Hip
49-50 Hoof
51-52 Knee
53-54 Leg
55-56 Mandible
57-58 Maxilliped
59-60 Nail
61-62 Palm
63-64 Paw
65-66 Pedipalp
67-68 Pincer
69-70 Plate
71-72 Scute
73-74 Shoulder
75-76 Stinger
77-78 Swimmeret
79-80 Tail
81-82 Tail Spike
83-84 Tail Club
85-86 Talon
87-88 Tarsus
89-90 Tendril
91-92 Tentacle
93-94 Toes
95-96 Wing Membrane
97-98 Wing
99-00 Wrist
Skin Table
01-05 Blubber
06-10 Carapace
11-15 Coat
16-20 Crest
21-25 Dermal Denticles
26-30 Down
31-35 Exoskeleton
36-40 Feathers
41-45 Fur
46-50 Hair
51-55 Hide
56-60 Mane
61-65 Mantle
66-70 Pelage
71-75 Pelt
76-80 Scales
81-85 Shell
86-90 Skin
91-95 Urticating Hair
96-00 Whiskers
Esoteric Table
01-02 Altruism
03-04 Amorality
05-06 Breath
07-08 Call
09-10 Carpiciousness
11-12 Caution
13-14 Cheerfulness
15-16 Compassion
17-18 Courage
19-20 Craveness
21-22 Cry
23-24 Depravity
25-26 Drunkeness
27-28 Energy
29-30 Flatulence
31-32 Growl
33-34 Hedonism
35-36 Humility
37-38 Immorality
39-40 Impiety
41-42 Irreverence
43-44 Jealousy
45-46 Ka
47-48 Laughter
49-50 Laziness
51-52 Loquaciousness
53-54 Lust
55-56 Mana
57-58 Miserliness
59-60 Morality
61-62 Morosity
63-64 Obsequiousness
65-66 Optimism
67-68 Perception
69-70 Perversion
71-72 Pessimism
73-74 Piety
75-76 Pneuma
77-78 Reverence
79-80 Sadism
81-82 Scream
83-84 Sigh
85-86 Sloth
87-88 Sobriety
89-90 Song
91-92 Soul
93-94 Suspicion
95-96 Virtuousness
97-98 Vital Spark
99-00 Wail
Sunder Root - This thick, dense tuber grows most readily in rocky terrain, and can be eaten if the bitter mineral-laden taste can be dealt with. Alchemically, the juice of the root can be used as a base for a potent acidic elixir, the mashed pulp of the root makes for a sharply metallic addition to potions which fortify the bodies of the imbiber, and the wood-like above-ground portion can be used in salves to toughen the skin.
Henge Blossom - This marvelous flower is only found in sacred places of natural origin; the petals lend a mild cinammon flavor to elixirs brewed with them, imparting a connection to nature such that the speech of both animals and plants becomes possible for a short time, while the juice of the tender stem can be used to replace fae blood in recipes which call for it, adding a milky flavor and texture.
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? Responses (11)
Fun! Another scroll which cries out for the "101" designation.
This is loads of fun. I always enjoy these types of scrolls.
Just remember, health is red, and mana is blue...! *hides*
This does need 101d eventually, though.
Bleh I forgot to vote.
Heh, for the plant-based components, I have created a generator that can be used...
http://generating.strolen.com/gen/herbinator.html
Still a beta, but useful I think! The names can easily spur a more detailed description later.
Yes, they can.
Handy thing, that.