- (Original content by Vince, 'Wikia-Contributor-At-Large)
- Are you into making items, potions or fashion accessories for your vampire in New Valencia? Want to know whether or not your should pay an exorbitant amount for that collection of flax fibers? This list will provide an idea of how easy or how difficult your gathering tasks will be for the crucial assemby items on your shopping list. You'll also find a fascinating description of the items magical properties, and why it serves an important function in the world of New Valencia.
ANIMAL[]
Common[]
Chipped Bone[]
You recently swung your rusty mattox with a fervor that only a starving vampire can muster in full blood rage. Too bad you chipped your opponent's bone! It would have made a lovely pendant necklace for your newest devotee.
Crooked Bone[]
It must be the coccyx or the fibula or some other relatively crooked human bone. Good for making yummy soup for your coven or anti-Christmas wreathes on Halowe'en.
Gouged Bone[]
Maybe you've been hitting the weights a little too hard at the gym? Take a deep breath and recite your focusing haiku before slaughtering that Scout Troll next time you're working the Bayview. However, a gouged bone is still a good bone.
Mangled Hide[]
Eeek! Is this ragged remnant of flesh once an un-living, un-breathing zombie? Holy cow! Man, you destroyed that thing! (See Gouged Bone, above, and adjust the power setting on your make-shift zombie-hunting weapon-of-choice.)
Polished Bone[]
Maybe you just had a little too much time on your hands, but gee-whiz! The finish you put on this bone is nearly mirror-like! Nice one!
Pristine Hide[]
You can still see the lipstick and mascara that this once-fashionable, once-undead, zombie queen wore on the day of her untimely and wholly undignified zombie death.
Rough Hide[]
This sweet bit of flesh must have been surgically planed off the ass-end of a Bull Troll on the Forest Path. Super gnarly.
Splintered Bone[]
Dang! You probably didn't mean to fracture this lovely length of delicate femur with the killing-stroke you levied just moments ago. Hey, uou couldn't help yourself, could you? You're a bad-ass vampire with legion of undead between you and level 100.
Tattered Hide[]
Your vampire friends had warned you about not rolling your newly gleaned hides into neat, compact cylinders, making them safe from the chaos of pitched battle with screaming zombies and flatulent Trolls. Your carelessness has damaged your trophy, and now all you have to show for your efforts is this tattered hide.
Rare[]
Pulsing Essence[]
Nobody ever told you that an essence pulsed, for chrissake, including your high school biology teacher, Mr. James, who pretty much told you about everything else.
Radiant Essence[]
A radiant essence is basically an essence that can be used to cheer up a moody underling, attract bigger moths, catch deep-water Bass, or enliven a spinach salad after sundown.
Vibrant Essence[]
Use sparingly. If you are prone to obsessive behaviors or manic addiction, avoid altoghether. (See Pulsing Essence)
Wavering Essence[]
A ripe wavering essence provides that je ne sais quoi for those titles that are mostly in French, and so nobody really knows what they say, anyway.
Weak Essence[]
Who put water in my essence? Don't ask questions. You're a vampire. Go kick some bartender ass.
VEGETABLE[]
Common[]
Bamboo[]
The Bambusa Arundinacea is one of the sacred plants of India : it is the tree of shelter, audience, and friendship. As jungle fires were thought to be caused by the stems of Bamboos rubbing together, the tree derived from that fact a mystic and holy character, as an emblem of the sacred fire. Indian anchorites carry a long Bamboo staff with seven nodes, as a mark of their calling. At Indian weddings, the bride and bridegroom, as part of the nuptial ceremony, get into two Bamboo baskets, placed side by side, and remain standing therein for some specified time. The savage Indian tribe called Garrows possess neither temples nor altars, but they set up a pillar of Bamboo before their huts, and decorate it with flowers and tufts of cotton, and sacrifice before it to their deity. In various parts of India there is a superstitious belief that the flowering and seeding of various species of Bamboo is a sure prognostication of an approaching famine. Europeans have noticed, as an invariable rule, in Canara, that when the Bamboos flower and seed, fever prevails. The Chinese use bamboo in medicine for healing and the treatment of infections.
Banana[]
- If consumed, a banana will restore a player's health.
Black Raspberry[]
- A flavor best encountered in a dark chocolate, preferrably from Holland or Germany.
Chamomile[]
- When dried properly and placed in a small paper bag, this herb makes a snooty tea.
Cotton Fiber[]
Dusk Bloom[]
- If consumed, a dusk bloom will increase a player's maximum health.
Feverfew[]
Flax Fiber[]
Grave Fungus[]
- If consumed, grave fungus will increase a player's maximum health.
Hemp Fiber[]
Lemon[]
- If consumed, a lemon will restore a player's health.
Milk Thistle[]
- If consumed, the milk thistle will increase a player's maximum health.
Orange[]
- If consumed, an orange will restore a player's health.
Plum[]
Silk[]
Rare[]
Apricot[]
Corpse Blossom[]
Lime[]
Mango[]
Peppermint Oil[]
Persimmon[]
Pokeweed[]
Pomegranate[]
Stinging Nettle[]
MINERAL[]
Common[]
Agate[]
- Wearing agate is said to bring favor of the gods. The ancient Greeks noted agate as a stone of abundance and would sow some into their fields to ensure a good and plentiful harvest. Placing agate stones in your own garden is said to help increase the fertility of your plants and produce healthy vibrant flowers and foliage. Small agates were hung in fruit trees to bring about a more prolific yield. Often used as a talisman by shamans, an agate talisman was also used to predict weather, guard against natural disasters, and for locating food and water. It was used to divine the degree of strength or weakness of their sick. Afterward, it would be used as an elixir to dispel the sickness.
- This sturdy stone encourages communication with the deities of the plant kingdom and can deepen your knowledge of their realm. It will also prompt you to renew and revitalize your own personal connection to the Earth and her life-giving powers. As the other two Harvest Festivals approach (and especially Samhain), agate can be used to connect us with our ancestors...our roots...providing for an uncanny openness to communication with the spirit world.
- Agate is said to have been one of the stones used in the breastplate of the Judaic High Priest. Early Egyptians fashions drinking vessels out of this versatile stone.
Amber[]
- Technically not a stone at all but fossilized resin, however only the pearl predates its use as a gem. Amber beads have been found in prehistoric sites, and amber is believed to have been traded before 2000 B.C. According to Maria Leach, "In Greek legend, amber was a concretion of tears shed at the death of Meleager by his sisters. In Scandinavian mythology, it was the tears shed by Freya when Odin wandered out into the world. To the Chinese it was the soul of the tiger transformed into the mineral after death." Amber only appears briefly in Rumor, where I drew on the belief that a goblet made of amber will not only detect but burn away any poison it contains.
Amethyst[]
- The story of the origin of Amethyst comes from Greek (and later, as we see here, Roman) legends: "The god of wine, Bacchus, was insulted one day by a mere mortal. He swore that the next mortal that crossed his path, would be attacked by his fierce tigers. Along came a beautiful maiden named Amethysta. Goddess Diana turned Amethysta into a beautiful statue of Quartz to save her from the tigers' claws. Remorseful, Bacchus wept tears of wine over the stone maiden, creating a lively purple stone."
- Known as the "Stone of Spirit" or the "Stone of Integrity," Amethyst has been long associated with purity and piety. It is the stone of the Buddha, and in Tibet it is popularly used in the making of prayer beads called Mala beads which are used in the practice of meditation.
- Purple has long been considered a royal color, so it is no surprise that Amethysts are featured in the British Crown Jewels. They were also a favorite of Catherine the Great. Many Catholic bishop's rings are made of Amethyst. Beads of Amethyst have been found in Anglo-Saxon graves in England.
- Amethyst was used as a gemstone by the ancient Egyptians. Egyptian soldiers wore Amethyst in battle in order to retain their courage. Among the wealthy ancient Greeks and Romans, goblets of Amethyst were made to guard against drunkenness. Shamans of several tribal societies were known to use Amethyst crystals as talismans, or objects of power. The crystals are also used in forms of natural healing, as with traditional Chinese medicine which has prescribed ground Amethyst to alleviate stomach pains or bad dreams.
Cat's Eye Quartz[]
- Many legends about quartz say that wearing tiger's eye (which is a form of quartz) is beneficial for health and spiritual well being. Legend also says it is a psychic protector, warding against witchcraft and premature death.
Copper[]
- Copper’s power to heal the mind and body is based on the metal’s energy conducting properties. Copper can stimulate the flow of Psychic or Mental energies thereby helping the wearer overcome lethargic tendencies, resulting in a more vitalized person with amplified thoughts. Copper enhances the powers of communication, channeling, cleansing, and purification.
Iron[]
Nickel[]
Tin[]
[]
[]
Rare[]
Aluminum[]
Carnelian[]
- The Egyptian goddess, Isis, protected the dead with the carnelian amulet 'Thet.' After being soaked in Ankhami flower water, on a Sycamore plinth (a type of tile) and placed on the body of the deceased, Isis would grant the person protection from harm while moving through the afterlife. The stone also appears In Hebrew Mythology; Aaron's breastplate included a Carnelian stone. Buddhists in China and India created amulets inlaid with Carnelian and other semi-precious stones, ascribing to them powers of protection and utilizing them for many rituals.
Chromium[]
- Often referred to as "an angel stone" due to its feathery look and strong Air to Earth qualities, Chromium is said to help facilitate contact and communication with the angels of the highest level. It is also said that this stone is the leading health-enhancing stone of this age, as it is fairly new to the eyes of the world and it is believed that its time has come to be front and center.
- Because it is relatively new in the world of gems and minerals, though, there is not much myth or lore attached to this particular variety of chlorite, but current views are that, as an aid in magick, chromium can be used to purify space and to accelerate manifestation and transformation of any kind.
- Chromium assists one in healing on all levels, through provoking an understanding of (and a push toward) unconditional love.
Jasper[]
- Believed to be a magical stone, in ancient times the Bloodstone was thought to have the ability to stop hemorrhages by merely touching the stone to the wound. Ancient warriors often carried a Bloodstone amulet into battle..
- In the Middle Ages, special powers were attributed to Bloodstone because it was believed to have been formed when some drops of Jesus' blood fell and stained some Jasper at the foot of the cross. From that time on, this stone was used in sculptures representing flagellation and martyrdom, leading it to be dubbed "The Martyr's Stone." Believed to have great healing powers, the stones were crushed into powder and mixed with honey and egg whites; a conconction believed to cure tumors and to stop bleeding. Alchemists used Bloodstone to cure blood poisoning as well as draw out the poison from venomous snakebites.
- Engraved Bloodstone was used by the Babylonians in divination, and both they and the ancient Egyptians used it to magickally defeat enemies, usually by employing the stone's abilities to increase personal strength and yet make one "invisible" when they wanted attention focused strategically elsewhere. The Leyden Papyrus declared that "The world has no greater thing than bloodstone," it opens all doors for its owner, breaks down the walls of prisons and averts many disasters. Also known as a Mother Goddess stone, it is associated with images of Isis and Horus and the Black Madonna.
- Bloodstone is used in weather magick. It can also be a good charm for athletes who require added strength. It can be used to dispel bewilderment and clarify obscure thought, allowing you to recognize the beneficial aspects of "turmoil prior to perfection."
Lead[]
- As an Alchemy symbol, lead is the ruler of the dark, lustreless prime matter. It is governed by Saturn and combined with silver it is said to create a purified element called Philosophic Mercury. During Medieval and Renaissance times, Alchemy spread through the Western world, and was further developed by Kabbalists, Rosicrucians, astrologers and other occultists.
Platinum[]
- Platinum was discovered in the 1500's in Mexico by the Spaniards. Although not 100% pure, it was the first metal to be discovered and sourced from the "New World". The property which brought this metal to the prospectors attention was its lack of reactivity with known reagents. Early use of platinum was banned because it was used as a blank for coins which were subsequently gold coated, proving that the early metallurgists understood not only density but also economics. Although, platinum was known to the western world, it was not until the 1800's that platinum became widely used.
Pyrite[]
- Pyrite is used for scrying (crystal gazing). The Mayans, Aztecs and Incas, at one time, all were known to polish large slabs of Pyrite to a mirror-like finish which they used for this very purpose.
- Native Americans believed they could look into one's very soul when peering into a polished piece of Pyrite. Their shamans used it as "a stone of power," and their medicine men used it in certain healing rituals. Pyrite has also been labeled the "Healer's Stone". The ancient Chinese viewed the earth as a golden cube, a vision well emulated in the properties of pyrite. '
- Pyrite assists one in seeing behind the facades, promoting understanding of that which lies beneath words and actions. It can be used to stimulate the powers of the intellect, enhancing memory and providing for recall of relevant information, when required.
Rose Quartz[]
- Although not much is known historically about Rose Quartz, beads were found in the area once known as Mesopotamia (today's Iraq) that date back to 7000 BC. Rose Quartz jewelry was known to be crafted by the Assyrians during the time span of 800-600 BC, and it is believed that the Assyrians along with the Romans were first to use this stone. The Romans used it for making seals as a sign of ownership. They also considered it a strong healing stone. Egyptians believed the pink stone prevented aging.
- Rose Quartz has traditionally been given to newborn babies to help in their transition from the spirit world to the physical realm, gently integrating the two and helping with adjustment. This stone is also said to help mend broken hearts or aid in easing emotional trauma. In Feng Shui, if rose quartz is placed in the southwest corner of any room, it will bring and maintain true love in your life.
Sapphire[]
Silver[]
Topaz[]
- Topaz has long been related to desire and the name is believed to have been derived from the Sanskrit word 'tapas' meaning heat, fire and passion. It is also said to have been derived from the Greek word 'topazos' or 'topazion', meaning “to search.” The Egyptians believed that the topaz would protect them from harm because they believed it was colored by the sun god Ra's golden arms. The Romans believed in a similar theory and associated topaz with their god, Jupiter. Blue topaz gemstones were used to make the 'Breastplate of Judgement' worn by Aaron.
- Topaz is said to increase the wearers intelligence, creativity and wisdom, and can enhance one's spiritual potential. It is also known to aid in meditation and in the divine manifestation of desired objects. It is said to bring physical and intellectual vigor, good health, and is said to offer protection against infectious diseases.
Turquoise[]
- Turquoise is sacred to many Native American's and was carved in the shape of animals and birds. These carvings were placed in the Indians tombs to attract beneficial spirits and to guard the dead. Turquoise was also used by medicine men for healing and by warriors who fixed turquoise to the end of their bows to insure accurate shots.' Turquoise attracts money, success and love. Its powers include protection, healing, courage, friendship, and luck. Relaxes the mind, and eases mental tension.
Quest Only[]
Life Stone[]
- The Life Stone is considered to be a 'universal medicine' or 'universal solvent' sought in Alchemy, its symbol was the Caduceus and so the term, which being originally a term for an occult formula sought by Alchemists much like the Philosopher's Stone, became a poetic word for the element Mercury.
- The panacea, named after the Greek goddess of healing, was held out as a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. It was sought by the alchemists as a connection to the Elixir of Life and the Philosopher's Stone, a mythical substance which would enable the transmutation of common metals into gold.
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