Essence

Essence is a special crafting material harvested from magical creatures and supernatural beings, used to craft magic items. It binds part of the creature's spirit into the item, a permanent conduit to the Aether that supplies the item with the energy to work. All essence used in a recipe is consumed by the crafting.

Each essence has a Quality and one or more Traits; some also have a subtype. Traits describe its broad magical nature (Fire, Spirit, Motion, Ward…). A subtype is a specific aspect or focus, such as Motion (Flight) or Motion (Burrowing). If a recipe's required essence lists no subtype, any essence with that trait works; if it lists one, the essence must have that subtype.

Essence Traits

Subtypes are used only when the specific form of a trait matters to a monster, a harvested essence or a recipe; a monster or essence can list a subtype under any of its traits. For example: Motion, Motion (Flight), Motion (Burrowing), Motion (Climbing), Motion (Swimming). A Winged rune might need Motion (Flight), a burrowing item Motion (Burrowing), and a general speed item just Motion.

Design principle: traits should stay specific enough that different creatures and essences feel distinct. If a trait grows broad enough to cover too many kinds of effect, split it rather than stretching it. The aim isn't maximum flexibility; it's making the choice of what to hunt, harvest, trade for or preserve matter in play.

Essence Quality

Every essence has a Quality (Common, Uncommon, Rare or Legendary) for its strength, purity and usefulness. Recipes list the minimum quality they need, and any essence of that quality or higher qualifies unless a rule says otherwise. Quality doesn't change an essence's traits or subtype; it only sets how potent an item it can support. The GM sets quality from the source creature, object or phenomenon, usually by the source's level (below): more powerful, rarer or more supernatural sources give better essence.

Quality and rune tiers: Common essence supports Minor runes, Uncommon Lesser runes, Rare Greater runes and Legendary Major runes.

Harvesting Essence

Some creatures, supernatural beings, magical phenomena and unusual remains hold harvestable essence. Harvesting takes two steps: identify the essence, then extract it. Once a creature dies or a source becomes harvestable, its essence stays stable for 1d3 rounds unless a rule says otherwise, then dissipates and is lost.

Analyze Essence (2 AP, Mysticism). You examine a creature to learn whether it holds harvestable essence; the DC is based on the creature's level. Critical Success: as success, and you also learn the subtype, quality and number of harvestable essences (chosen or set by the GM). Success: you learn whether it holds any essence and its primary traits. Failure: you can't tell. Critical Failure: you misread it and can't Analyze that creature again unless circumstances meaningfully change.

Harvest Essence (2 AP, Mysticism). You extract essence from a source already identified. The DC is based on the source's quality or level and is usually higher than the Analyze DC. You need suitable harvesting tools (knives, vials, scrapers, binding materials or similar). A source usually yields only 1 essence unless a rule, the creature's entry or the GM says otherwise. Critical Success: 1 essence, and you may also extract one more available essence from the same source, if there is one. Success: 1 essence. Failure: nothing, but you can try again while the source is still stable. Critical Failure: the source is ruined and yields no essence.

Harvesting alchemical ingredients and raw materials uses Survival instead (see Gathering & Harvesting Ingredients).

The GM may adjust quality for a source that's unusually weak, especially potent, uniquely supernatural or otherwise exceptional.