Ink, Burning

Ultimate Equipment Guide II

Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2005

Burning ink seems like normal, completely mundane ink. In fact, unless it is exposed to a separate alchemical substance, it will forever remain indistinguishable from normal ink in every way, from its colour to its texture to its longevity. The separate substance is a black alchemical powder which, when sprinkled on the burning ink, causes it to immediately become unstable and burst into flame. The ink, when it combusts, will set fire to the paper holding it, but the fire is not hot enough to combust other materials upon which the ink might be written, such as wood or stone. A character holding the message when the burning ink combusts will take one hit point of damage from the flames.

Burning ink was created several centuries ago by an alchemist in the employ of a minor noble, Baron Gustave d’Flerge, whose position as a noble was secondary to his position as his sovereign’s spymaster. Baron Gustave was always concerned about the possibility of his missives falling into the wrong hands, and tasked his alchemist with the creation of an alchemical ink which would allow his operatives to easily destroy any messages he sent them.

The alchemist, Navath Jeulle, created several inks for the use of his employer, the first of which was burning ink. However, after an unfortunate incident in which one of Baron Gustave’s spies wrote a message for another spy on a piece of wood, and the other spy’s use of the black powder to ignite the burning ink left the message permanently branded on the piece of wood, Navath was forced back to the drawing board. However, as long as the burning ink is only used on paper or other easily combustible materials, it remains an excellent means of passing and destroying messages.

Ink, Burning (1 oz. phial and 1 oz. package of powder): 5 gp