Nightwind Amber

Nightwind Amber

 

“A breath of Nightwind’ll clear the fog from your skull—and most illusions besides. Smells like lightning over ice.” —Sindha Velkan, caravan guard from Ilik-Ving

 

Overview

Nightwind Amber is a soft, fragrant resin harvested from the wind-spruce trees (Picea ventis) that grow in the frigid, high-altitude forests surrounding Ilik-Ving, near the edge of The Cold Wastes. Its scent is unmistakable: a piercing blend of ozone, scorched pine, and ghost musk, like the first breath drawn on a snowy peak beneath a storm-lit sky.   While not inherently magical, its properties are respected across Nehwon by alchemists, caravan guards, seers, and scholars. Inhaled, rubbed, or burned, it is said to promote clarity, resist enchantment, and sharpen the senses—particularly during long, sleepless watches or cold-anchored journeys.  

Cultural Relevance by Region

Ilik-Ving   Students and masters at Ollvathar's Academy of Alchemy use Nightwind Amber in dreamwork, mnemonic training, and auric analysis. It is a component in the preparation of lucidity potions, and is believed to reduce astral bleed in projection rituals.   Traders and mountain folk practice the Breath of Descent ritual (see section below) before departing on long journeys into the lower valleys.   Ilthmar   Sailors and street guards rub shard-amber on their collars to stay sharp during moonless patrols.   Smugglers and underground alchemists turn it into powdered incense known as ghostsmoke, used to confuse magical trackers or suppress minor hexes.   Tëkhâsh (Kingdom of Klesh)   Jungle shamans burn Nightwind Amber in vine-wrapped hearths. The smoke is said to cut ties to the waking world and usher dreamers safely into trances. It is revered as a bridge between clarity and spirit.  

Extraction and Forms

Harvest Wind-spruce resin is tapped during full moons, when its essence is clearest and most potent. Harvesters often work in silence and under guild supervision.   Curing The resin is hung in woven birch frames beneath open sky for three nights, allowing it to absorb “sky essence” from wind and starlight.  

Forms of Nightwind Amber

 

• Shards – Sniffed directly for clarity and alertness

 

• Comb-amber – Rubbed through hair or beard as part of minor nightly warding traditions

 

• Paste – Softened with honey and frostvine, often used to ease respiratory ailments

 

Effects and Applications

 

• Shards: Promotes focus and mental resistance; used during cold-night watches, rituals, and arctic expeditions

• Paste: Soothes cold-cough, chest tightness, and "ice lung"; rubbed on chest or tongue before sleep

• Comb-amber: Occasionally used to reduce night terrors or memory drift, though not widely practiced

 

The Breath of Descent

Among the ridge-folk and highland traders of Ilik-Ving, a quiet ritual known as The Breath of Descent is performed before venturing into the lower valleys or departing on long journeys.   Participants warm a shard of Nightwind Amber over coals and inhale the rising vapor through cupped hands. The scent is said to:   Ward off confusion and “valley fevers” brought on by damp air   Anchor the traveler’s spirit to the clean mountain air of their homeland   Grant clarity and resolve during transition and uncertainty   Many Ilik-Vingers wear small pouches containing a pinch of amber—called mind knots—as charms or talismans. These pouches are especially treasured by those living far from home, and are often kept close during moments of grief, illness, or difficult decisions.  

Academic and Economic Role

The Resin Harvester Guild in Ilik-Ving strictly controls access to wind-spruce groves, enforcing harvest quotas and training apprentices under oath.   Small vials of cured amber sell for 5–7 silver pieces in Ilthmar, Tëkhâsh, and Lankhmar.   Ollvathar's Academy of Alchemy continues to study its potential as a mental stabilizer and anti-compulsion reagent, especially in conjunction with projection-based magic.