Ambrosia

Ambrosia was a liquid that was the physical manifestation of pure joy. It was the only thing on which the tome archons of Mount Celestia subsisted.

Properties
Ambrosia acted as a druglike substance to mortals. It worked like a soothing pain-killer and healing agent. Beyond this, it helped to quench feelings of grief and sadness for a period of up to five hours. It was not addictive. The priest Barjin once claimed that a single tasting of ambrosia would have the lingering effect of causing wine to taste more sweet for the rest of one's life, but he may not have been a reliable source. Other scholars believed that repeated consumption&mdash;a dose every one to four days&mdash;would permit a mortal to live forever.

Applications
Ambrosia was used as food in the layers of the Seven Heavens.

If a spellcaster were casting a fundamentally good spell using ambrosia as an optional material component, the resulting spell would behave as if the spellcaster were more powerful.

Ambrosia could also be used in the creation of more common magic items, substituting for a tiny portion of the life experience usually required of the item-creator.

Production
Ambrosia could be created by mere mortals by use of a magic spell that could be cast by both arcane and divine spellcasters. The spell required the caster to touch someone in the thralls of pure bliss&mdash;be it from someone hopelessly in love, deep in a happy dream, creating an artistic masterpiece, or experiencing intense sexual satisfaction. Provided the spellcaster had a vial or other small container present, the joy would materialize within the container as ambrosia.

Vials of ambrosia could be purchased for between 200 and 300 gold pieces.

History
After the Time of Troubles, when visiting Oghma in the House of Knowledge, Mystra was offered a decanter of ambrosia to drink, but she refused it.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Prince of Lies
 * Canticle • Beyond the High Road
 * Canticle • Beyond the High Road