Velvetmire Slime
Velvetmire Slime is a slick, darkly iridescent ooze found in sun-dappled bogs called the Velvetmires, a small cluster of enchanted wetlands in Mythralune. Prized by illusionists and highborn chefs alike, it is both a delicacy and a mystical reagent — renowned for its ability to evoke deeply personal olfactory memories in anyone who smells it.
Properties
Material Characteristics
- Color: Deep plum to black, shot through with shifting opal or jade highlights that move like living veins.
- Texture: Silken, almost buttery, yet slightly elastic — like cooled fondue or heavy cream when stirred.
- Luminosity: When disturbed, it releases a dim phosphorescence, glowing faintly for several minutes.
Physical & Chemical Properties
- Temperature sensitivity: Becomes more fluid in heat, almost watery at 40°C, and solidifies into a gel at 5°C.
- Magical resonance: Reacts with ley lines and arcane symbols, sometimes pulsing or vibrating faintly.
- Combustibility: Does not burn easily but gives off vivid, illusion-like sparks if exposed to magical fire.
- Solubility: Dissolves slowly in alcohols and high-proof spirits, creating potent, dream-inducing tinctures.
Compounds
- Used in dreamwine, a rare enchanted beverage.
- Blended into illusion ink, employed by court magisters to craft enchanted documents or disguise spells.
- Mixed with powdered starfall dust to create memory candles, which replay fragments of old feelings.
Geology & Geography
- Found only in the Velvetmires, secretive marshes said to lie on fractured ley lines.
- These bogs are thick with luminous fungi, shadowed willows, and an air that feels heavy with whispered voices.
Origin & Source
- Grows naturally — a product of fungal decay, magical saturation, and certain aquatic insect secretions.
- Cannot be replicated artificially; attempts by alchemists usually fail or produce unstable sludge.
Life & Expiration
- Lasts about 4 months in sealed, cool containers before losing its unique properties.
- As it decays, it turns an ugly grey-green and smells strongly of rotting onions.
History & Usage
History
- Once thought to be cursed, avoided by locals who believed inhaling its scent would trap their souls.
- Gained popularity after its rediscovery by a priestess of Elyndra, who experienced visions of lost loved ones upon exposure.
Discovery
- Discovered centuries ago, but reintroduced around 80 years back by Priestess Maelira of Elyndra, who documented its effects in a series of psalms and travelogues.
- Her writings sparked intense interest among both spiritual seekers and arcane scholars.
Everyday use
- Minor component in memory rituals, allowing participants to relive a precious memory through scent.
- Added in trace amounts to expensive dishes for royal banquets — considered a culinary thrill.
Cultural Significance and Usage
- Used in wakes and remembrance feasts in Virellian cultures.
- Burning a droplet on coal releases the favorite scent of the deceased, comforting mourners.
Refinement
- Lightly strained through woven root sieves to remove twigs and sediment, then bottled. No heavy refining needed.
Manufacturing & Products
- Memory candles
- Dream tinctures
- Eenchanted inks
- Illusion-stage perfumes.
Byproducts & Sideproducts
- The leftover fibrous mats from straining are sometimes dried and burned as a pungent incense for rituals of forgetting — believed to sever old emotional ties.
Hazards
- Prolonged skin contact can induce euphoria, confusion, or mild hallucinations.
- Inhaling too deeply may cause vivid illusions of the past.
- Known since the priestess’s early experiments.
Environmental Impact
- Harvesting from the Velvetmires must be done delicately to avoid disturbing local ecosystems, which rely on its fungal cycles. Overharvesting can destabilize marsh flora.
Reusability & Recycling
- Once its scent is spent, it cannot be restored or “recharged.”
Distribution
Trade & Market
- Sold by alchemist cartels, illusionist cabals, and rare goods merchants.
- Considered an exotic luxury, usually found in cities tied to magical arts.
Storage
- Kept in stoppered crystal vials or lacquered stone jars to maintain temperature.
- In warmer climes, it’s stored underground or in enchanted cool boxes.
Law & Regulation
- Lightly regulated by druids and local marsh-wardens to prevent overharvesting.
- Some city-states require import permits due to mild hallucinogenic risks.
"Velvetmire Slime" — concept art generated by ChatGPT (OpenAI) using DALL·E, prompted and directed by DmBonnieHodge.
Type
Biomaterial
Value
50-100 gp per vial
Rarity
Uncommon
Odor
Exactly like your favorite childhood dish
Taste
rich, umami, and savory, with a hint of sweet cream and truffle
Color
Black
Common State
Ooze
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