Across the Shattered Realm, you will undoubtedly uncover a fast number of plants and animals, all with unique and sometimes magical traits. Much of the Shattered Realm relies on scavenging and finding a use for nearly anything; almost nothing goes to waste no matter how grotesque it may seem. The following section details how you can make use out of what you find out in the wilds. <br> ___ ### Flora Any magical plant (and even some plant adjacent organisms like mushrooms and lichen) are considered herbs. Herbs can be found in virtually every environment, even using their magical nature to survive in places that would be inhospitable to more mundane plants. Their effects vary widely and some are much rarer and more useful than others, but all have their own value in their own ways. <br> ##### Foraging Foraging refers to wandering through one’s environment and simply gathering whatever they may come across. It may be done as a [[Downtime ⚙|downtime activity]], or while the party is travelling. When a character wishes to forage, they may make a [[Abilities & Skills#Survival|Survival]] check. For every hour spent foraging for herbs, add 2 to the total. Results are cumulative: each row’s results also earn the foraging character the results of the rows above it. | Survival Check | Foraging Result | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | <12 | Character is unable to find any usable herbs. | | 12-20 | Character finds a common, environment-appropriate herb. | | 21+ | Character finds a rare, environment-appropriate herb. | <br><br> ##### Identifying Whenever a character forages a herb, they must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence ([[Abilities & Skills#Nature|Nature]]) check in order to identify the herb they've gathered. On a failure, a character is only aware that the herb is vaguely useful, but does not know its name, effects or how to use it. A character that has opted to forage for a specific herb must only make this check if they haven't seen it before. <br><br> ##### Picking Picking refers to actively searching out a specific herb by tracking through the environment and looking for signs of where the herb may be. This may only be done as a [[Downtime ⚙|downtime activity]]. In order to go picking for a herb, a player must declare which herb they are looking for and then spend the next 8 hours attempting to find it, at the end of which they may make a [[Abilities & Skills#Nature|Nature]] check based on their familiarity with the herb. A player may only attempt to pick a herb that is in the same environment the player is currently in. If a player casts either the [[Primal Spells#Locate Animals or Plants|locate animals or plants]] or [[Druid#Commune with Nature|commune with nature]] spell to aid in their search, looking for and picking a specific herb only takes 4 hours instead of 8. | Familiarity with Herb | Nature Check DC Requried | | -------------------------------- | ------------------------ | | Herb has been picked before | 15 | | Knowledge from books or research | 20 | | Rumours or second-hand stories | 25 | | Name of herb | 30 | <br> On a success the player finds the herb they were looking for. On a failure, it is deemed that the herb cannot be found in the local area and they must travel for a full day before they, or anyone in their party, may attempt to pick the same herb again. <br><br> ##### Using Herbs Herbs may be used much like any other item, with their description detailing how to use them, how long it takes to use them, and the effects they bestow. A creature may only be under the effect of one herb at a time. If a creature attempts to use a new herb on themselves while still under the effect of another, the first herb’s effects end immediately. <br> >**Preparing Herbs** >Many herbs are quick and simple to apply, usually just using an action to eat them or spending a bit of time rubbing their juices on one’s equipment. However, other herbs require a much longer and more involved process- needing to be smoked, boiled, peeled, burned, etc. before they become usable. These herbs require 'preparation'. > >To prepare a herb, a character must have a [[Adventuring Gear#Herbalism Kit|herbalism kit]] in their possession and spend an hour during a rest processing the herb appropriately. This is considered a light and non-strenuous activity for the purpose of calculating [[Survival Needs#Rest|rest]] requirements. If done during a [[Survival Needs#Short Rest|short rest]], that character may still recover hit points by expending hit die as usual. > >Once the [[Survival Needs#Rest|rest]] has been finished, the herb must be used immediately. The character preparing the herb and the character using the herb do not need to be the same - one character can prepare the herb, while another uses it at the end of the [[Survival Needs#Rest|rest]]. <br><br> ##### Tinctures In order to get the most out of your plants and herbs however, it's recommended that they are treated prepared into tinctures. A tincture is the essence of a herb, distilled through various processes and designed to apply all the effects of a herb in a much faster timeframe. Using a tincture takes an action and results in all the effects specified in the herb’s description. Like herbs, a character may only benefit from the effects of one tincture or herb at a time. Using a new tincture while still under the effects of another tincture or herb, causes the first’s effect to end immediately. In order to create a tincture, it is crafted like any other item and follows the [[Crafting|rules for crafting]]. If you have harvested a herb, you do not need to pay for the supplies in order to turn it into a tincture. At the end of the process, the herb is destroyed and the character creates a tincture of the used herb. <br> ___ ### Fauna The act of removing useful body parts from a creature is referred to as harvesting. Anything that can be harvested from a creature is referred to as a harvesting material or simply material. In general, only creatures that have died may be harvested, but there may be some exceptions based on context. <br> ##### Appraising Before a player begins hacking and butchering their hunt, they may instead choose to take a moment first and appraise the creature to be harvested. To do this, they must spend 1 minute examining the creature to be harvested and then roll an Intelligence check, adding their [[Levels & Proficiency Bonus#Proficiency Bonus|proficiency bonus]] if they are proficient in the skill corresponding to that creature (see table below). For example, when appraising an allip (which is an [[Creature Type#Undead|undead]]), the check would be an Intelligence ([[Abilities & Skills#Medicine|Medicine]]) check, while appraising a cadaver collector (which is a [[Creature Type#Construct|construct]]) would require an Intelligence ([[Abilities & Skills#Technology 🛠|Technology]]) check. The DC of the check is equal to 8 + the Harvested Creature’s CR (treating any CR less than 1 as 0). Success on this check grants the player full knowledge of any useful harvesting materials on the creature, the DC requirement to harvest those materials, any special requirements to harvest them, and any potential risks in doing so. A character may only attempt one appraisal check per creature. | Creature Type | Associated Skill | | :-----------: | :--------------: | | Aberration | Arcana | | Beast | Nature | | Celestial | Religion | | Construct | Technology | | Dragon | Survival | | Elemental | Arcana | | Fey | Arcana | | Fiend | Religion | | Giant | Medicine | | Humanoid | Medicine | | Monstrosity | Survival | | Ooze | Perception | | Plant | Nature | | Undead | Medicine | <br> >**Sharing the Work** >Some party members may prefer to let one character handle the appraisal of materials, while another more dextrous character handles the actual harvesting. In this scenario, all benefits of appraising a creature are conferred to the player doing the harvesting, so long as the player that performed the appraising assists the harvesting player through the whole duration of the harvest. <br><br> ##### Harvesting Once a creature has been [[#Appraising|appraised]], you may select three items to be harvested from the slain creature. Once the desired components have been selected, roll your harvest check. A harvest check is a Dexterity check using the same proficiency as listed in the above appraising table. For example, a character attempting a harvest check on an [[Creature Type#Aberration|Aberration]] would make a Dexterity ([[Abilities & Skills#Arcana|Arcana]]) check. Alternatively, If a character has proficiency with [[Gear Appendix#Harvesting Tools|Harvesting Tools]], they can use them for this check. Any components harvested from a creature while Harvesting Tools will be worth more [[Currency & Lifestyle#Currency|Shard]] when sold. This check reflects a character’s ability to not only remove the intended item without damaging it, it also involves any additional requirements of the harvest such as proper preservation and storage techniques. Only one harvesting attempt may be made on a creature. Failure to meet a harvestable item’s DC threshold assumes that the item was made unsalvageable due to the harvester’s incompetence. Only one person may perform a harvest check and the Help action cannot be used to assist. Harvesting a creature takes a set duration based on the size of the creature (see harvest time in the table below). | Creature Size | Harvest Time | |:-------------:|:------------:| | Tiny | 5 minutes | | Small | 10 minutes | | Medium | 15 minutes | | Large | 30 minutes | | Huge | 2 hours | | Gargantuan | 12 hours | <br> >**Using Other Proficiencies** >If a player is harvesting a certain creature or harvesting a creature of a certain type of material, the DM may allow them to use a relevant [[3. Adventuring Gear#Tool Sets 📌|tool]] proficiency rather than a [[1. Abilities & Skills#Skills|skill]] proficiency. > >For example, the DM may allow a player to add their proficiency with [[3. Adventuring Gear#Tinker's Tools|tinker’s tools]] to their attempt to harvest a mechanical golem or use their proficiency with [[3. Adventuring Gear#Leatherworking Tools|leatherworking tools]] when attempting to harvest a creature for its hide. Alternatively, all creature type proficiencies may be replaced by proficiency with the [[3. Adventuring Gear#Harvesting Kit|harvesting kit]]. ><br> >**Violent Deaths** >Some deaths are more violent than others and can make harvesting useful materials either extremely difficult or downright impossible. Such examples include burning by fire, dissolving from acid, or being completely crushed under a pillar of stone. In these cases, raise the DC for harvesting any of that creature’s materials by 5. Alternatively, the DM may decide that well-orchestrated hunts result in a carcass that is prime for harvesting, such as creatures killed mostly through psychic damage, or those killed in one clean attack. In these cases, the DM should lower the DC for harvesting any of that creature’s materials by 5. > >Furthermore, the DM may adjudicate whether or not some of a creature’s individual materials have been made useless due to effects imposed by them in the course of their death. Examples may include blood being tainted from poisoning, or their pelt being worthless due to excessive slashing/piercing damage. ><br> >**Carcass Degradation** >In some cases, a player may desire to harvest a creature that has been dead for quite a while. In these cases, the DM may declare that certain body parts have already withered away and become useless and unharvestable or may decide to increase the DC’s of all harvestable materials similar to as if the creature had died a particularly violent death. If corpse decomposition is too advanced, it is entirely within the DM’s right to deny harvesting the creature altogether. > >As a quick guide, the following timeline may be observed to decide on decomposition levels: > >- **12 hours after death:** The carcass’ hide has ruptured from bloating and has become useless >- **1 day after death:** The carcass’ blood has become too tainted to be useful, and soft tissues like the eyes have putrefied. >- **3 days after death:** The carcass’ internal organs have decomposed. >- **7 days after death:** The carcass has undergone extensive putrefaction and none of its soft tissue remains harvestable. > > For materials that have already been harvested, this guide assumes that part of the harvesting process is preserving those materials properly for storage and transport. As such, these materials will generally last at least 4 weeks after being harvested before they begin to undergo decomposition. Note that harder materials like bones, teeth, claws, and hair do not generally undergo decomposition and will remain usable indefinitely. <br><br> ##### Crafting While some creature parts are useful fresh from the carcass, many require some alterations before their full potential can be realised. These base components can be used to turn into magical items. Craftable items require more than just the base component provided by harvested materials however. Assuming that the players are providing the base material for a craftable item, only the value of this base component can be deducted from the supplies cost of crafting the item. <br> >**What to Craft** >Whenever a character harvests a creature, they can choose to make a DC 15 Intelligence ([[Abilities & Skills#Technology 🛠|Technology]]) check in order to determine what, if anything might be crafted from the harvested materials. On a failure, a character is unsure as to how the material might be utilized in crafting. On a success, the character is develops an idea, and learns what if anything can be created from their harvest, as well as how to make it and any associated cost or additional materials required.