Harvester

"I'm looking for something a bit more...unusual."

"I might have something like that in the back."

A harvester is someone who collects and sells rare and difficult-to-obtain potion ingredients and other items used in magic rituals, talismans, et cetera, including controlled substances, protected animals, or illegally obtained / stolen items.
Harvesters supply these goods to various underground markets, direct to buyers, or even supply certain alchemical and potions shops. Despite heavy penalties if caught (fines or even loss of business license), shopowners are drawn to harvesters' prices on their untaxed and uninspected items, along with their ability to procure illegal goods.

I heard you're a collector of dangerous trophies. Are you perhaps also a seller?

— Overheard in the Hideout

The stock is low. It's emptying.
Will you go a-harvesting?

Type

Illicit

Demand

High - rising magic addiction rates push demand of illegal and controlled substances

Legality

Illegal in all countries of Imbria

Illusion Guides and Dabblers are bad, but harvesters, they're the worst. Harvesters supply all the other criminals. Plus, they're a vicious breed.

— Officer of Salaris

A Fierce Reputation

Money isn't the only thing that draws people to being harvesters. For some, it's the thrill: of committing illegal acts, hunting dangerous creatures, meeting nefarious criminals, travel, and large payouts. Others find themselves victims of circumstance.
But however one finds their way into the profession, seasoned harvesters thrive on building a fierce reputation. Afterall, the best harvesters who can procure the most dangerous ingredients are the ones employed the most often.

Types of Harvesters

Individuals

It is unknown how many individual harvesters operate throughout Imbria.
Often, these individuals are young adults looking for easy money. These lone criminals seldom have the resources to gain great wealth or notoriety.
Furthermore, the number of witches and nomas who have dabbled in harvesting in some capacity is thought to be very high.

Groups

Harvester groups have become more common and more powerful, with some very successful, yet ellusive, groups cornering the underground market.
Typical harvester groups are small, tight-knit units with a variety of skills, contacts, and backgrounds. These groups are often able to hunt more dangerous creatures, like the Alpine Cat or the Magimandus and often form very effective trade networks.

Specialties

Harvesters deal in a wide variety of goods. Some may specialize in one type of good or another, or they may work with any combination. For example, some harvesters refuse to deal with animal products of any kinds, while others almost exlusively do so.

Plants

Various plants are common targets of harvesters, and this trade is largely responsible for the profession's name.
Specifically, harvesters target plants used in the production of drugs and/or potions. They harvest and trade in whole plants, seeds, plant materials, and even distillations and other products.
Legality: some plants and their derivatives are controlled substances, legally available only through certified suppliers and carefully monitored and recorded. Purchasing through a harvester allows shops to bypass sale limits and records while paying lower prices.

Creatures

A wide variety of animals are stolen, bred, traded, and poached for illegal animal trade, potions and alchemy shops, tanneries, and other uses.
While some harvesters deal in live animal trades many more focus on specific parts:

Pelts sold to tanneries

Claws and teeth for talismans

Organs, fluids, etc. for potion-making

Venom for poisons, antidotes, potions

Bones for various uses

Magimandus scales for potions, medicines, talismans, etc.

Legality: each country sets its own limits on hunting and trading of various species.

Potions, artifacts, & other magic items

Little more than thieves, these harvesters specialize in collecting and selling various magical items, such as rare and/or ancient potions and artifacts.
Some of these harvesters fancy themselves adventurers, searching through ruins in search for ancient items, while others go so far as to execute heists from museums, universities, manors, and other locations.
Legality: this specialty often involves theft, trespassing, breaking and entering, fraud, and other crimes. Harvesters also avoid permits, inspections, and taxation on finds, stealing from archeological digs.

Sacrificial Ingredients

Some harvesters also deal in substances required in sacrificial magics like blood magic or necromancy. These dealings are highly secretive and very few harvesters will admit, even amongst themselves, that they deal in these materials. This can include:

Living or Recently deceased

Human blood (willing or unwilling donors)

Human hair, nails, or skin

Organs

Remains

Ashes

Exhumed bones

Dried materials

Demand for these items is driven by the activity of Dabblers trying out these forbidden magics. Interestingly, Salarians dabbling in necromancy often exceed the commonly observed practices of Necros (while necromancy is celebrated in Necros, there are strict rules as to when and how remains can be used and ceremonies for collecting ingredients, as Necros greatly honors their dead).
Legality: trade in these materials is strictly forbidden throughout most of Imbria and are highly regulated in Necros through the Temple of Na'arin and the Office of Necromancy.

A Dangerous Game

Harvesting is an extremely dangerous profession. If caught, a harvester can face heavy penalties including fines, imprisonment, community services, forced military conscription, and other legal ramifications.
Early death is a common outcome for many harvesters. It is not unusual for them to be killed in the act, either by witches protecting their property or through resisting arrest. As a criminal enterprise, harvesters are often quick to resort to violence in response to opposition and even to "settle" disputes amongst themselves.
Additionally, many of the plants and animals that harvesters poach are extremely dangerous in and of themselves. Disorganized, unprepared harvester groups fall to the very species they seek to capture and sell.

Commonly Poached species

Temple Guardian

Temple Guardian is an extremely poisonous and caustic plant whose flower petals are used in healing salves, as well as various potions and poisons. It is extremely difficult to grow, and can be lethal if mishandled. As such, it is a prime target of harvesters who steal parts of this plant from wealthy homes, temples, and universities.
While growing Temple Guardian is perfectly legal in Salaris, most people do not have the skill or desire the inherent risk in tending to such a lethal plant.

(The article below contains a story about what happens when a harvester fails to take adequate precautions around this plant.)

Magimandus

Magimandi are thought to be capable of consuming magical energies, and as such, their scales are thought to hold latent power that can lend itself to potions when ground into a powder or to people when worn as a protective charm.
Its teeth, blood, claws, and bones are also traded, however the scales are the most coveted part.
The Eldahi people revere this creature and protect it. The Eldahi also sell humanely sourced scales that are collected after being naturally shed or from magimandi that die from natural causes. Any sale of scales from non-Eldahi is considered a grave insult and a high crime by Eldahi.

Alpine Cat

The Alpine Cat is an extremely dangerous predator living in the frigid and inhospitable Northern Mountains of Rhovan and Necros.
The terrain alone is often enough to deter most from trying to poach this creature. Oftentimes, those who venture into the alpine cat's territory never return.
However, alpine cat pelts, claws, and teeth are still highly valued. While hunting these cats is legal in the northern countries, harvesters often ignore limits and sale laws surrounding the creatures.

(The article Lily tells the story of when a group of harvesters cross the wrong alpine cat)