One of my players is constantly looking for unique and rare material spell components to help stock a research lab at a wizard college.
Is there already a thread that has such oddities? Or can we create a list here?
Basics:
Name of item, source (plant, creature, mineral), location (country, environment), risks to acquire it, and a guess as to its gp value.
Those are four nice basics (geode, sand, resin, and salt). Thanks
I'm also looking for help with the imaginative side of the storytelling:
Vial of dried green blood from XXX dragon who lives on such and such mountain top (swamp, desert) in YYY country.
Petals of (rare flower) which grows (country or environment) and is surrounded by (traps, creatures, other hazards) which can only be bypassed by (puzzle, trick, code word).
So some starting ideas
1) The blood of a Virgin (a classic)
1a) the blood of a Virgin Succubus
2) The petals of a Sunflower harvested at High Noon on the Summer Solstice.
3) The crushed bones of a good celestial
4) a tear of sorrow from a fiend
5) fungus harvested from a mummy
6) Ice harvested from the North Pole
7) The 7th finger (so a ring finger) of a 7th son
8) A written logical argument from a Protean
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9) A piece of root taken from a dryad's tree.
10) Argentite ore first mined beneath a full moon.
11) Garlic grown on the grounds of a good church. Optional: watered with holy water.
12) Hair from the legs of a giant spider.
13) A prism exposed to the first light of the Summer Solstice and to the last light of the Winter Solstice.
14) Water from the ocean that has never seen the light of day.
15) Ice harvested from an equatorial mountain.
16) Volcanic rocks harvested from the arctic.
Oh, and 1B) The Kiss of a Virgin succubus, freely given.
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17) Blood oranges. A small orange tree is grown in an indoor solarium, and has never known the touch of water, being fed sustained entirely by blood (from animals that were already being butchered for dinner by the kitchens, waste not want not!). The fruit are tiny and shriveled, and the tree itself looks pretty scragly, but these 'blood oranges' are useful for necromantic research.
18) A careful blend of animal venom, toxic herbs and poisonous mineral. (An assortment of snakes and larger-than-normal spiders are kept in cages to be milked of venom, and the herbarium has a half-dozen species of toxic plants, all kept under the watchful eye of a journeyman student who has an exacting tally of each plants condition, to watch for any bits 'going missing' for 'reasons.')
19) Giant spider silk, again, harvested from those larger-than-normal spiders in the kennels. The cage is designed so that a pair of rods can be inserted and used to push the spider back towards the side of the cage, until it's backside is pressed up against one side. A feather 'tickler' is used on the underside (reaching up from beneath the cage through a special opening) which stimulates the beast and causes it to discharge some webbing, which is gathered by rolling it onto a glass rod. The spider's are generally not fans of this process. Nor are the students assigned to this duty...
20) Body parts from chimerical creatures, combining elements of two or more animal types, such as feathers from an owlbear or griffon, or scales from a chimera. Transmutation magical research seems to benefit from the transmutative hybridization magics lingering in such tissues.
21. A frost, jungle, fire, or any other non hills giant's baby tooth, useful for any potion of giant size once it has been ground down to powder and mixed with fresh water. Hill giant baby teeth rarely work for this purpose, as their oral hygiene is truly awful and spoils the magic.
22) the pickled eye of a Hag
23) The nail clippings of a dragon
24) A lock of Angel's hair
25) Drider Silk
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26) An eye from a beholder.
27) Illithid tentacles.
If you want hard to find things in Pathfinder ;)
28. A sour note from a legendary bard, stored in the pickled ear of a melophobic. Perfect for any unsubtle sound based offensive magic.
29) The dying breath of an Elf
30) Dragon Scales (surprised nobody said this one yet)
31) Vampire's Blood, that's right blood taken FROM a Vampire.
32) a clip of hair from a dwarven beard
33) a bottled cloud, taken from the Elemental Plane of Air
34) Bottled Fire, taken from the Elemental Plane of Fire
35) Frozen Ice, taken from the Elemental Plane of Water
36) Diamonds, taken from the Elemental Plane of Earth
37) Skin taken from a Gnome suffering from the Bleach.
38) the Ear of an Elf
37) The tooth of an Orc or Half-orc
38) Halfling Tears
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39) The hands of one who has strangled a monarch.
40) The tongue of a humanoid who has tasted the flesh of a true dragon.
41) Blood from a stone.
42) The eye of a mortal who has seen a God.
43) The heart of a being that has been reincarnated as three separate races.
44) The salt from a Mermaid's tear
45) The sweat from an Ice Dragon
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46) Skin from a were-creature (removed while it is in animal or hybrid form, it retains it's animalistic form, even if the 'donor' reverts to human form). Most of said skin available is were-rat, and the 'donor' comes by once a month to see if anyone would be willing to pay for some fresh skin, as they are disquietingly eager to take a knife to themselves for coin.
47) Clay, stone or iron that was formerly part of a clay, stone or iron golem. Even if it is in no condition to be re-used in the creation of a new contruct, it contains certain lingering arcane resonances that are useful in training in divination and artificing. Theoretically, flesh that was part of a flesh golem could be used as well, but nobody wants to keep that stuff around because of the smell.
48) Naga venom. The exact arcane properties of this substance are unclear, although it can used in certain inks for the production of arcane symbols. More commonly, however, it is brewed into a tea that causes frustratingly abstruse arcane visions, and has proven quite debilitating to a drinker's long-term mental health, and quite addictive... Due to the side-effects (irritability, distraction, hallucinations, forgetfulness) the use of 'Naga Tea' in this manner is strictly punished by most wizards guilds or arcane academies (although sorcerers seems less affected by the more cerebral handicaps imposed by the tea).
49) a vial of Troll Blood
50) Blood soaked soil taken from a battlefield
51) The Heart of a Brave Warrior
51B) The heart of a Coward
52) The ear of one who has heard a great secret
53) The eye of one who has seen a horrible crime
54) The tough and/or lips of one who has spoken blasphemy
55) Titanium - can only be forged in the Forge of the Titans.
It is a superconductor in low temperatures.
You need to cast a cold spell and follow up with an electricity spell and you will charge your titanium weapon/device.
56) Blood Mandrake from the heart of the Graidmere Swamp (Ustalav) harvested on the night of the vernal equinox. Risk: There is a ritual dance performed by local barbaric population who worship and serve the black dragon of the swamp. Solution: Take a part in the bloody dance ritual.
57) Morděj - black sentinent mushroom. It grows in Gronzi Forest of Brevoy. Gnomes of the woods know more about this rare mushroom. It protects itself by creating First World-like mindscape, so it can be a trippy adventure where logic/physics don't work to get the mushroom.
58) Amala - a plant reminiscent of mistletoe, it grows in the forests of Gravelands. You can use the berries of the plant to treat burn or frostbite (count the result of the treat wounds one degree better).
Amala growing on the undead tree - this is very rare and potent magical substance.
59) Astray - a rare root which makes you get lost in the forest. To actually find it is nigh impossible. Solution: A dryad from the heart of the forest can help you find it if you can help her to stop the lumberjacks who harvest her forest.
60) Pale Darnia - an albino version of a cactus-like plant which grows in Mwangi Expanse. It can treat all sorts of dangerous tropical diseases. You can also make a tequilla-like brandy from it which makes you immune to diseases for a short period of time.
61) Starmelych - A very rare night plant with a blue star-like blow. It only grows on astral intersections of astrological leylines. Sort of like a pot at the end of a rainbow, but with stars. So with an expert in astrology and some specialized devices, you can locate this plant. It is super potent ingredient for many arcane rituals and spells.
62) Orcish Kustroot - This plant is not so rare, but grows mainly in Belkzen, which makes it not very accessible. It grows on the south side of the hills and during the summer it has very sweet red berries. They are very nutrient rich. The bush has green waxy leaves and violet blows. It helps with many ailments - hangover, inflammation, pneumonia, anemia and cataract.
63) Styrac - this is a fungal parasite which grows inside the husk of the trees. When affecting a particular types of trees it may create a byproduct, which is magically potent. If you remove the husk and cut the infected tree you are looking for a signs of a blue sap. That is your substance.
62) Orcish Kustroot - This plant is not so rare, but grows mainly in Belkzen, which makes it not very accessible. It grows on the south side of the hills and during the summer it has very sweet red berries. They are very nutrient rich. The bush has green waxy leaves and violet blows. It helps with many ailments - hangover, inflammation, pneumonia, anemia and cataract.
Ok, inspired
64) Elf Leaf: If you are in Elven Lands this plant is REALATIVELY easy to get, but due to export restrictions, religious practices, traditions, and the fact that the plant requires special care, it is rare to find outside of Elven Communities. The raw leaves can be chewed to receive a slight pain relief effect and a mild calming effect. Most Elves only use "Leaf" for medicinal or religious purposes. But The leaves are also use by wealthy elven nobles as a special ingredient in food dishes to give a little something extra.