Sandborn Orchid
"Darling, I trade in rarities of all sorts. Everything you see in the displays is for sale, at a price, and has uses to someone. Take these here, petals of a sandborn orchid collected three years ago in the Kiroan desert. Are they useful to you? Who can say? But they are rare indeed... shall we say a hundred gold coin per petal?"In the early day, arcanists would require special reagents to tap into arcane energy and work magic. While modern arcanists no longer require such a 'crutch', they have found several of the older reagents are still useful. Arcanists can make use of these reagents to increase the base power of a spell, or cause the duration of an effect to be extended. The reagents which are most useful are rare, difficult to acquire, and thus limited in supply. The circumstances of their acquisition also make it rather difficult to cultivate, making such reagents a rarity.
Sandborn orchids are not truly plants, but crystalline objects which resemble the plants with a similar name. They have a dusky red color associated with the sky at sunset, and go from being transparent at the edges of the petals to opaque around the base of the crystal. The edges of the petals are sharp enough to cut leather, as are any portion which is broken. Handling sandborn orchids should be done with chainmail gloves while harvesting, and by touching any parts other than the edges when preparing them for use. The whole orchid is usually stored on a silk cushion inside a darkwood box, partly for presentation and mostly for security from whatever might destroy the prized crystal before it can be prepared for use.
Origin
Sandborn orchids are found only in the Kiroan desert, and are often found in groupings of four. While there has been an attempt to truly determine what creates these crystalline objects within the desert. Some presented the idea they are remnants of creatures, or perhaps even remnants of meals left behind by predators who dwell within the desert. This is supported by the rather dense populations of desert predators which circulate through the region, often quite literally underneath the sands. Despite the usefulness of this reagent, very few Myrisic Sages show an interest in definitively answering questions of the origin. This could be due to the serious hazards present in the desert, coupled with their rarity.Usage
"Do not cut yourself. Blood does not react well to arcane magic... well, normally. Just be careful when you hold it."Arcanists who possess an undamaged petal from one of these 'orchids' hold it in one of their hands while focusing on their spell. The reagent will empower spells associated with earth and stone. The petal only empowers one spell, and crumbles into a fine powder which is easily scattered to the wind. Most places which can acquire a whole sandborn orchid only sell individual petals, due to the issue with acquiring them.
Type
Mineral
Comments