In my campaign, the magic-user character needed to scribe a protection from magic scroll so I scrambled to provide a formula for the ink. Since I was at it, I decided to devise a formula for the rest of the list: DEMONS, ELEMENTALS, LYCANTHROPES and MAGIC.
PROTECTION FROM DEMONS
This ink uses materials renowned for binding, warding off absolute evil, and resisting demonic possession.
Base: 1 oz. giant squid sepia.
Gems: 1 large Carnelian (reputed to protect from evil) and 1 Chrysoberyl (reputed to protect from possession), both finely powdered.
Monster Parts: 3 drops of blood from a captured lesser demon (such as a manes or dretches), and a pinch of pure brimstone or sulphur.
Other Ingredients: 2 drams of holy water.
Scribing Ritual: The ingredients must be blended in a lead vessel while burning rare incense. The magic-user must draw a physical magic circle around the workbench and remain completely undisturbed to prevent the demonic energies of the blood from corrupting the scribe's mind.
Cost: (~5000 gp) Requires capturing a lesser demon to extract fresh blood. The gem cost is modest (Carnelian and Chrysoberyl), but the logistical hazard for securing demon blood inflates the component cost significantly.
PROTECTION FROM ELEMENTALS
This formula utilizes essences of the four elemental planes combined with gems that hold power over fire, earth, water, and air.
Base: 1 oz. giant octopus ink.
Gems: 1 finely ground Jacinth (reputed to guard against fire), 1 piece of Obsidian (the color black is related to the Earth) and 1 ground branch of Coral (reputed to calm weather - air - and ensure safety across waters).
Monster Parts: A pinch of phlogiston from a fire elemental, or a single feather from an aerial servant, or a piece of debris from and earth elemental, or a dram of water from a water elemental.
Other Ingredients: 4 crushed fresh bay leaves and 4 sun-dried pumpkin seeds harvested under a full Celene moon.
Scribing Ritual: The ink must be stirred widdershins using a silver rod. The scribe must burn an incense of meditation to focus their mind during the delicate blending of opposing planar forces.
Cost: (~5000+ gp) The gem components are moderately expensive (Jacinth is a high-grade gem), but the real cost here is procuring materials from any of the four different Elemental creatures. If bought on the planar black market (e.g. City of Brass), the monster components alone easily go up to 1500+ gp.
PROTECTION FROM LYCANTHROPES
To ward off the curse of the beast, this ink incorporates the traditional herbal curatives and the very items that trigger or cure the disease.
Base: 1 oz. giant squid sepia.
Gems: 1 Moonstone, powdered (highly sympathetic, as moonstone is reputed to cause lycanthropy).
Monster Parts: 3 silvered hairs plucked from a werewolf in beast form, and 1 dried wolf's fang.
Other Ingredients: 1 scruple of crushed belladonna (the herb used to stall the disease), 1 scruple of wolfsbane, and 2 drams of holy water.
Scribing Ritual: The belladonna and wolfsbane must be ground into a fine paste using a silver mortar and pestle. The ink must be mixed during the exact hours of the full moon, when the lycanthropic curse is at its zenith.
Cost: (~1650 gp) The most affordable of the bunch. Moonstone is a relatively common gemstone (50 gp to 500 gp base value), and harvesting werewolf hair/fangs and common herbal remedies (wolfsbane) is achievable at lower-to-mid levels.
PROTECTION FROM MAGIC
This highly volatile ink requires components that absorb, ground, or neutralize raw arcane energy.
Base: 1 oz. giant octopus sepia.
Gems: 1 large Chrysolite (reputed to ward off spells), and 1 Star Sapphire (fabled to protect against magic).
Monster Parts: 3 drops of ichor or blood from a highly magic-resistant creature, such as a displacer beast, or 1 pinch of ground gargoyle horn.
Other Ingredients: The powdered ashes of a completely blank, ruined scroll sheet.
Scribing Ritual: This ink must be compounded in absolute, dead silence. Any nearby magical items must be moved at least 20 feet away from the workbench, or the ink will act as a siphon and instantly de-magic them during the compounding process.
Cost: (~11500 gp) Appropriately the most expensive. Star Sapphire is a top-tier gem category (5000 gp base), and Displacer Beast blood or Gargoyle horns carry high market rates due to their high magic resistance.
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