Reagents and Materials

When it comes to the crafting of inherently magical items or things meant to serve as an anchor point for spells, not all materials are created equal. The inherent properties of a substance can greatly affect its potential uses, making some things far more valuable as magical reagents or components than they would be otherwise. The following is a list of basic materials, reagents, and compounds with some basic notes about how they're commonly used.
This is an article about basic materials. For more information on the crafting of magical items, see Magical Items and Artifacts.

Procuring Reagents

When it comes to natural magic, it's relatively rare to find a spell that outright requires a physical component; most spellcasting comes from within, and can be done with or without props. However, the more complex a spell is the more it's aided by being able to refine it through use of focii or reagents. Having access to the necessary substances is helpful as a novice, but becomes increasingly valuable the more advanced a mage becomes.
As a result, reagents and magical materials are a profitable thing to deal in. While remote outposts often have to make do with what's locally available and sometimes rely on their own innovative substitutes, most settlements of any size and with any access to trade have at least a few dedicated apothecaries and reagent vendors; outright mage cities, such as Lyonesse or The City of Ys have everything from street reagent markets to long-established storefronts where age and tradition can be seen in the very building itself. Some reagents have to be sourced from the furthest corners of Genesis, and those who want to work with the best options available to them can expect to pay a pretty penny for the privilege.

Physical Qualities

Genesis has an inherently high saturation of magical energy, and as a result all physical things that exist within its borders possess a trace of magic to them; it's the primary reason that there's little crossover between those who were born in Genesis and those who weren't, since the body can suffer rejection to the presence or absence of magic. However, except in rare cases materials don't have enough inherent magic of their own to power a spell. A magical reagent has value in one of two ways: stability and affinity.
Stability describes the potential of a substance for holding magical energy. It means that that material can either efficiently retain magical energy that it's infused with over a sustained period of time, or has a high capacity for the amount of magic it can store; the more prized substances can do both.
Affinity describes potential uses that a substance is well-suited for, which can range from broad to highly specific. It defines special qualities that a material possesses, which often mean that focii or other objects made from this material are stronger when used for certain types of magic.

List of Materials and Reagents

AMBER RESIN
uncommon
A catch-all term for aromatic resin, encompassing traditional amber as well as substances like copal, amber is prized for the rich scent it gives off when burned. As well as being a popular offering to the various gods, it's used by mages to help induce a state of focus and inspiration. Amber is used heavily in ritual workings associated with Calling, Binding, and the scrying aspect of Seeing.
APPLEWOOD
common
Applewood is one of the most common woods used in magical workings, due to its notable stability when infused with magic in combination with its abundance. It's loosely associated with Avalon, where the sacred Isle is covered in wild-blooming apple trees. Applewood is associated with beauty and longevity, making it a very popular material for vanity charms.
ARROWWOOD
uncommon
Wood that's been ritually harvested from a planted Arrow of Aia, Arrowwood holds energy better than most wood and boosts the effectiveness of spells associated with healing, purification, and encouraging natural growth. It's considered to be under the blessing of the goddess Aia and is treated with according reverence.
ASPEN PAPER
common
With paper being the preferred material for books and scrolls among most of the population of Genesis, aspen paper is particularly preferred for magical writings. The inherent qualities of aspen seem to have a protective effect on the paper itself without needing to be enhanced by spells, and it's seen as a wood with some inherent purity that's a symbolic 'clean slate'.
BLOOD
common
Using blood in magic is a complicated and controversial practice, with many rules and taboos. It's acceptable to use a drop or two of blood from the practitioner or a willing participant in a spell, controversial to use animal sacrifices, and strict taboo to use another person as an unwilling sacrifice to power a spell. Practices involving blood differ somewhat from race to race and culture to culture, but overall it's considered a sensitive subject.
BONE
common
Holding magic well, bone is a common material for reservoirs and magical charms. It's of particular value for healing charms, which seem to work far more efficiently when carved from bone; theories about this suggest that as a previously living substance, it has an affinity for holding lifeforce and a natural tendency towards enduring and repairing negative energy.
CHARCOAL
common
Charcoal is a neutral substance, purified and clean of any previous associations or energies. In addition to being widely available, it's considered a good material for marking out spell circles and other temporary workings because it can be cleanly effaced afterwards.
CLAY
common
Clay, particularly fired clay, is a cheap and common material for things which are meant to be affordable and short-lived. Charms made of clay aren't meant to be left around a long time, since the magic they store dissipates relatively quickly; they're often meant to be 'one and done' vessels for a single spell.
COLD IRON
rare
A name for iron obtained without ever being treated with heat in a smelting process, eg telluric or meteoric iron. Prized for its disruptive effect on hostile spirits, cold iron is a key component of binding dust. It's expensive to obtain in any sort of large quantity on its own, as much of what's available is used as a component in the far more common dust.
COMMON STONE
common
Referring to all types of stone that don't have noteworthy properties of their own, common stone ranges in its magical usefulness. Generally denser, glassier stones are more useful as reagents due to their more stable nature and relative toughness, but it's not a general rule and value can vary greatly by quality. The best stone to use in items such as magical reservoirs is homogenous in composition, with little in the way or variation or flaws to introduce inconsistencies. Stone can hold a lot of power compared to many other substances, but less ideal stones will also bleed it off quickly.
COPPER
common
Relatively abundant, copper is considered a lively metal that doesn't store energy well but directs it very effectively. It's common as an inlay to guide the flow of magic and as a component in magical focii that enhance the power of a spell.
CRYSTAL
uncommon to rare
A catch-all for clear gemstones ranging from quartz to diamond, crystal is a traditional component having to do with light, mental clarity, revelation or concealment, and both illusionary and scrying aspects of Seeing. It's often used interchangeably with glass, which shares many of the same properties.
DESERT GLASS
rare
Able to hold light and heat better than almost any other substance, desert glass is highly prized for its use in creating magical beacons that can hold a magical charge for centuries. It's found almost exclusively in Iram shard, making it a rare and expensive commodity.
DRAGONBONE
rare
Without peer as a crafting material, dragonbone shows all the best magic-retaining properties of bone while also being incredibly durable and strong; it's dark and dense, similar in many ways to fossilized bone, and takes great effort to carve. Shapeshifters frown on the use of dragonbone among the other races, and treat artifacts crafted from the precious substance with great reverence. While dragonbone can be found around the world in small quantities, much of it comes from the Emberspurs where it surfaces in river gravel beds after being washed naturally out of the mountains.
FANGS
common
For unknown reasons, the teeth and fangs of an animal seem to be one of the most concentrated sources of 'essence' and are commonly used to represent living beings in spellwork. They're commonly used in a wide variety of charms to enhance certain characteristics in the wearer.
FEATHERS
common
Birds are sacred to the gods and considered strongly associated with the border between this world and all others. As a result, feathers are used in many magical workings for a variety of purposes. They're also a common offering to certain gods, particularly Siarus.
GARNET
common
Fairly easy to obtain and displaying many of the best qualities of gemstones, garnets are commonly used in healing magic as a sympathetic representation for blood. They also have some affinity for fire spells.
GLASS
common
Widely used as a substitute for crystal or other clear gems, glass is an important reagent in spells having to do with light, mental clarity, revelation or concealment, and both illusionary and scrying aspects of Seeing. The effectiveness of glass increases with its clarity, meaning that low-quality glass is nearly worthless while flawless, clear glass is nearly as valuable as naturally occurring gemstones.
GOLD
uncommon
Not exactly rare but certainly expensive, gold can be used to lend power to magical workings. It's often applied as a few precious drops of molten gold used to 'seal' a spell, and can't be reused without potentially corrupting a future spell due to lingering remnants of its previous usage.
HORN
common
Horn and antler retain many of the same properties as bone while being a little more hardy, making them useful for items that are meant to last. While they don't share bone's predisposition towards use in healing magic, they do hold magical energy relatively well and can be a little more stable.
HORSEHAIR
common
Threads and cords made from braided horsehair are a common reagent in a variety of spells, favored especially by novice mages because it's cheap and widely available all across Genesis. It functions much the same as silk thread, but is far easier to obtain.
OBSIDIAN
uncommon
Sometimes referred to colloquially as firestone, obsidian's hard, glassy properties make it store magical power slightly better than average stone. It's one of the main exports of the Emberspurs, where it's quite common. Obsidian has a particular affinity for fire-related magic and warding.
PARCHMENT
common
Though most prefer paper for day to day usage, parchment is still preferred by many mages due to a combination of sentimentality and a certain power it seems to lend to written spell inscriptions. It's particularly useful among practices such as Binding, Healing, and Calling. Rough parchment is also somewhat favored by novice mages who value its ability to be scraped for repeated reuse.
ROWAN WOOD
common
The rowan tree is sacred to Tanith, and accordingly its wood is favored for protection, navigation, and weatherworking. It's also valued as a component for magical weaponry, particularly when used to make bows who shoot with unusual accuracy. Due to an ancient tradition of planting rowan trees from a single handful of seeds along the major byways of Genesis, travelers with some knowledge of magic can often use a single plucked twig to help guide them safely by use of sympathetic magic.
SALT
common
Associated with purification, salt is relatively easy to obtain within Genesis and is used both as a condiment and as a reagent. It's a component in many warding spells.
SILK CORD
uncommon
Functioning similarly but more effectively than horsehair thread, silk is a standard component generally used in spells relating to locking, binding, and assembling many parts into a single whole. It's less widely available in many shards, and mages who work with these kinds of spells on a regular basis will generally work with horsehair in their day-to-day usage and reserve silk for more important occasions.
SILVER
uncommon
Valued for its beauty, rarity, and purity, silver serves many purposes aside from its magical one. Along with cold iron and starsteel, it's the most magically receptive metal and is associated with protection, warding, and protection against evil. Silver is a common inlay used when engraving permanent spellwork into another object, and is often used in armor, weaponry, and enchanted jewelry. Mages tend to favor silver in their personal styles for its magical associations.
SNAKESKIN
common
Associated with change, healing, and longevity, shed snakeskin is a physical reagent used in many types of magic. It's not durable enough to be a component in permanent objects, but shredding a piece of snakeskin can evoke its properties while casting a spell.
STARSTEEL
rare
Overlapping with cold iron to some extent, starsteel refers specifically to cold iron obtained from a fallen star. It's an intensely magical substance in its own right, and has a particular affinity for storing energy related to lightning or other relatively 'pure' magics. Since fallen stars are sacred to Tanith, objects forged from starsteel have a similar religious significance and are often found in possession of the priesthood.
STILL WATER
uncommon
A term for springwater drawn from the deep earth, still water has an innate magical charge but is still 'neutral'. It's a powerful base for potions, adding to their potency without adding any unexpected effects.
TRUESILVER
rare
A metal compound whose creation is a closely guarded secret of the Seraph family, truesilver is essentially an 'anti-magic' substance; its very presence is painful to magic-users, and weapons edged with truesilver can wound fasthealing or magical beings in a way that regular materials simply can't. It's also dangerous for its ability to completely suppress an individual's ability to cast natural magic when in contact with their skin, most often as a shackle or collar. Seraphs have the unique, paradoxical ability to magically manipulate truesilver in a liquidlike state.
Though a magic-suppressing substance has obvious utility, truesilver is widely considered a taboo substance to own; it's thought to be an affront to the natural world, and an offense to the gods. This combined with how hard it is to conceal from magic-users makes truesilver items in the hands of non-Seraphs exceedingly rare.
WAX
common
An everyday reagent that has a purpose in all sorts of spells, wax is often used to make representations of other objects that a particular piece of magic is meant to affect. Different colors of wax can have different uses, but simple undyed beeswax is most common; the more the wax is worked before being used in a spell, the more impurities it might have picked up through handling, reducing its usefulness.
WOVEN CLOTH
common
When performing magic on the go, many mages will use a piece of cloth in lieu of a more permanent spell circle. The type of cloth is relatively unimportant so long as it has a fine, even weave; the unification of threads into a single whole lends stability and unity to other components placed upon it, and can be gathered and tied to help maintain a spell's framework for a length of time.

PLEASE NOTE:
This article is a constant work in progress, and will continue to change and evolve alongside the world.

Basic Format

MATERIAL: The material in question, as it's commonly known.

RARITY: How difficult this material is to obtain for the average person, whether due to actual rarity or other factors such as price.

INFORMATION: General information about the material, covering its typical usage and properties.