Paper

Paper was a writing surface and material used alongside a pen and ink.

Description
Paper was usually thin and white, and was a popular writing surface. That said, it was not the only writing surface available in the Realms, as there existed vellum, which was a fine, more expensive variant, and parchment, a cheaper, rougher variant. Other surfaces included sheets of bamboo, papyrus, rice paper, and slate.

Creation
As an example, the paper used for the Edu'sascar cards was made from flax and silk fibers, which was mixed with bamboo pulp, dried flowers of the dogwood tree, and a tuber known as tocara. It was rolled flat and cut using a holy blade kept in the S'tung Monastery.

Usage
This material was a common spell component for spells such as wind blast (which required a paper fan), instant regeneration (which required yellow paper), know school, summon fire dragons, wall of paper, and waterbane.

Paper money was used in some places across the Realms, especially in ancient Kara-Tur.

History
In the 14 century DR, Ito-jo of Kara-Tur was filled with paper creatures, such as paper mantises and even the origami-master shukenja known as the Paper Warrior. If the Paper Warrior were to fall, he would crumple up into a ball, like a crunched piece of paper.

Powers
Though paper was often mundane, some paper was magical.

Notable Producers

 * Ustiligator Paper Mill, a paper mill that produced white-woven paper that was highly valued among scribes and wizards alike.

Notable Sellers
"Everyone wants to make history, but few are willing to write it. Aurora's Catalogue therefore hails the downtrodden and ill-used class of scribes, and provides them the equipment they need to set history to paper."

- Advertisement from Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue


 * Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold paper in various formats, from single sheets to books. They made paper from trees of the High Forest, after which they were bound in Waterdeep by the Scriveners, Scribes, and Clerk's Guild. Candlekeep were known to import books in large amounts from this catalogue.
 * Serpentil Books & Folios in Waterdeep sold all kinds of ink and paper, including rare paper made from Sussur trees.

Notable Paper

 * The paper of forms could be used to create origami creatures that would come alive after a command word was spoken. However, these origami creatures were very susceptible to fire, just like paper.