What do you think would be the effects of the different sorts of components coming from magical creatures and monsters?
Dragon's blood is typically depicted as either benevolent or poisonous and acidic depending on the myth behind it, from rendering a person's skin or armour indestructible and letting them understand the song of birds to being so acidic that it melts through iron. But what about its bones, saliva, or gastrointestinal acids? What do you think those would do do?
Unicorn horns were also seen as the universal antidote for a wide range of diseases, in addition to being a poison neutralizer, water purifier, virgin tester, and aphrodisiac. But what about its tears, snot, and mucus?
Hunter Young
>virgin tester If the virgin sits on a horn, and doesn't bleed, then she isn't truly a virgin? Is that the logic behind it? >poison neutralizer, water purifier I'm afraid the "secret sauce" doesn't work like that. >aphrodisiac You mean, it's a female medical aid for pelvic massage.
William Wilson
Actually the horn was ground up into a powder and consumed like that. Furthermore, belts made from unicorn leather were said to protect against the plague.
Leo Morgan
There will be parts of animals that have magic properties, sure, but generally those qualities would become far less potent if removed. Some exceptions may apply, such as the severed head of a gorgon.
There will also be parts of mystical animals that have no such magic qualities on their own. However those parts that have no real use will still be sold by con artists and back alley shops that claim they do everything from penis enlargement to the key reagent that turns a modest hand grenade into a pocket nuke. There would be a thriving black market for all sorts of dumb bullshit like manticore sweat and mogwai toenail clippings sold right next to powdered white tiger testicle and authentic splinters of the true cross. All that misc. junk adventurers sell to shops has to go somewhere, right?
Ayden Edwards
How less potent are we talking about? I assume components derived from more powerful creatures such as dragons, giants, or thunderbirds, while their effects would be diminished, would still be leagues more powerful than components from something like a griffon or mermaid.
Joseph Hughes
This logic assumes that the body part's power comes from it being attached to a powerful creature, as opposed to said body part being the sole source of the creature's power. By that logic, removing the object from the creature would likely diminish its potency. A unicorn horn still attached to a unicorn could perhaps be a much more potent cure-all than a panacea made from the shavings of a severed unicorn horn. Not that that would stop people from poaching the shit out of them. Even if the cure is only a tenth as effective, the ability to package and sell it beats out the problems associated with having to capture and smuggle a live unicorn.
Isaiah Gomez
Charm Monster would seem to be an extremely valuable spell to have then. Maybe set up a farm for different charmed monsters depending on what was needed.
Justin Price
Speaking of which, I forget the name but a king supposedly had a unicorn horn as a hilt for his sword. That just sounds pretty cool to me. If humans were seen as magical creatures to every other humanoid race, what effects do you think our materials would have?
Jonathan Evans
I ain't got that, but I got this.
Anthony Richardson
Esoteric monster parts are used, because when suffused with your magic essence , they replicate the abilities of the parent creature.
Levi Price
>If the virgin sits on a horn, and doesn't bleed, then she isn't truly a virgin? Is that the logic behind it?
No, only a virgin can befriend/ride a unicorn. If you weren't a virgin, the unicorn could be seen but never touched, whereas a unicorn would actually seek out virgins.
Jackson Myers
Unicorn horns pass through the hymen without piercing it like a clipping error in a PS2 game.
Aaron Watson
Some people treat dragon bones as literal metal to smith. Not a fan of it, though.
I'd rather have dragon bones be exceptionally light and sturdy, but also near-impossible to work without compromising the structure. You'd need to remove the useless, magic-tainted marrow before it ruins the bone, and now you have a hollow tube where you would prefer plates and rods. Once people start making dragonbone guns and mortars, though...
Saliva and bile are good solvents, but are so poisonous/stinky that they're useless for potions and too unsubtle for poison.
Unicorn horns and flesh are the only useful things from them. Their hide is luxurious, but mundane, and they do not produce waste in the sense that we are familiar with.
Andrew Walker
Sounds interesting. Also a neat idea to explain why anyone could be a Wizard with training if everything's got atleast a modicum of magic in them.
Cooper Green
What about the cockatrice? How do we use its body?
And a Roc? I would guess it has some fine claws.
Robert Williams
Most miscellaneous bits are used more for sympathetic and symbolic magic rather than innate qualities. There just isn't enough organized magic flow into unimportant components for a dragon kidney to be used as a focus.
That being the case, there are certain uses for random components blended into a purposely chaotic slurry.
Viscera can also be used for genetic modification. Purposely set cells are less volatile, and reduce the risk of unintended effects when transplanting them or concocting mutagens.
Carter Robinson
There are snails in real life that incorporate metal int their shells, you could do something similar with dragon bone
Nicholas Murphy
nah, metal's heavy. I'll reserve metallic bits in monsters for oretoises.
Jayden Gray
grapes and cockatrice eyes fermented together form a nigh untouchably tart concoction, but it is one of the few ways one can avoid petrefaction without divine aid or otherwise expensive catch-all panaceas.I imagine roc claws and beaks can be used to form large amounts of thickening agent or gelatinous substances when ground up and boiled?
Chase Taylor
Unicorns confirmed for original purityfags >"Sluts get out! REEEEEEEEEEEEEE"
Jace Brown
>shitting on based unicorns kys
Ryder Brooks
Just post more Sucy please.
Hunter Parker
Always a pleasure
Christian Miller
Best witch
Hunter Gomez
In the oldest legends it was less the virgin they were attracted to, rather seeking their breast milk. Since a lactating virgin was just as much a myth as a unicorn, it became an explanation of why no one ever saw unicorns.
Jackson Perry
I'm a bit of an asshole when it comes to this kind of thing because I choose to go the, "chinese folk medicine fable", in the sense that: what made the animal magical ceases to be once you've killed the creature. The horn of a dead unicorn is literally just a hunk of ivory- no more useful or useless than any other piece of polished bone from any other animal.
Though, with that said, the obvious exceptions are the actual physical and chemical non-magical qualities of a creatures materials or reagents will still retain them after death. The Dragon's hide or scales are just as impervious and element proof as they are on a coat of armor as they were on the Dragon itself. The venom of a Manticore or Cockatrice is still just as potent coated on a weapon as it was on the stinger or spurs of the living creature.. And all the same; can be made into an excellent anti-venom.
Luis Murphy
...who is this?...
John Ross
That's not Akko.
Leo Myers
My next character will be a funky traveler that keeps buying every single magical item for his prideful collection. He will NOT use his colectibles, unless he is going to lose more pieces and I will let the DM decide the future and identity of my treasure.