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    Salt-Slick Kelp
    Salt-Slick Kelp
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    coastal seaweed fronds with glossy salt resin, bundled on wet rock, close-up product shot, cool overcast light, misty spray, high detail, realistic painterly
    type:
    Alchemical reagent; coastal plant
    rarity:
    common
    material:
    thick brown‑green fronds; surface salt resin; fibrous midrib
    weight:
    ~0.7 kg per wet handful; ~120 g dried
    origin:
    harvest_season:
    neap to mid tide; spring lows best
    processing:
    rinsed; sun‑wilted; low‑heat reduction to pitch
    Salt-Slick Kelp is a coastal seaweed harvested along the ledges of the Slickstone Arches and traded through the docks of Vesper Quay. It provides a water‑shedding resin used in quay staples like Lantern Oil, Smoke Ampoule, and the binder for the Glasswire Dagger. Ledger crews from the Silver Ledger monitor bulk takes under filings at the Counting House, while cutters tied to the Gutter Syndic poach fronds during fog windows.

    Description

    • Appearance: Broad, leathery fronds with a dark olive cast; surfaces bead water with a natural salt resin sheen.
    • Texture: Tough midrib with pliant edges; dries into crisp, glassy sheets before crumbling to flake.
    • Scent: Briny and slightly sweet when fresh; tarry note after reduction to pitch.
    • Growth: Anchors to basalt shelves and tidepool rims; heaviest mats on the Kelp Stairs at the Slickstone Arches.
    • Handling: Cut above the holdfast to avoid tearing; bundle with cord and drip-rinse in a surge pool.
    • Traders: Dock chandlers in Vesper Quay buy pre-wilted bundles; runners serving fixer Scillia Doge (female) move higher-grade resin lots.

    Type / Category

    • Category: Reagent; combustible additive; sealant source.
    • Forms: Fresh frond; dock‑dried flake; reduced pitch; braided cord.
    • Users: Chandlers, smoke mixers, bladewrights, skiff crews, and quay wardens under Ilex Marr (male).

    Stats / Effects

    • Water‑Shedding: Resin imparts hydrophobic beading to treated cloth, cord, and wicks.
    • Combustion Aid: Increases flame stability and reduces sputter in blends like Lantern Oil.
    • Smoke Body: When slurried, thickens and whitens smoke in a Smoke Ampoule.
    • Binder Quality: When refined to pitch, adheres glass filament to steel in a Glasswire Dagger grip channel.
    • Shelf Life: Fresh 2–3 days on ice; dried flake 6–8 months sealed; pitch 1+ year if kept cool.
    • Drawback: Raw fronds slime tools; improper reduction scorches to brittle, ashy resin.

    Usage / Crafting / Requirements

    • Harvest: Cut at neap tide along safe ledges of the Slickstone Arches; avoid surge zones and Brine Wraith hours.
    • Preparation (basic):
      • Rinse in brine; sun‑wilt on net; chop and simmer at low heat until syrupy.
      • Strain through wool; settle; draw off clear pitch for storage.
    • Applications:
      • Fuel: Add a measured portion to fish‑oil base for stable Lantern Oil.
      • Obscurant: Slurry with mineral salts for Smoke Ampoule fill.
      • Adhesive: Heat and brush as binder during Glasswire Dagger filament seating.
      • Sealant: Rub on hemp cord, sail stitching, and skiff seams.
    • Requirements: Bulk lots crossing bonded piers are logged at the Counting House; restrictions spike during fire‑risk advisories in Vesper Quay.

    Lore / Background

    • Dock Standard: Adopted after early quay fires to stabilize lamp blends under the Silver Ledger oversight.
    • Poacher Runs: Syndic skiffers use fog breaks at the Slickstone Arches to strip mats before patrol loops.
    • Craft Lines: Bladewrights credit kelp pitch for quiet edge seating on the Glasswire Dagger, citing fewer rattle failures.
    • Warden Notes: Lots seized by wardens under Ilex Marr (male) often test cut with sand or ash, a common Syndic dilution trick.

    Image Gallery

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    Fresh bundles hauled from the Kelp Stairs at the Slickstone Arches
    Fresh bundles hauled from the Kelp Stairs at the Slickstone Arches
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    Dock chandlery drying racks in Vesper Quay before reduction
    Dock chandlery drying racks in Vesper Quay before reduction
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    Female chandler reducing kelp into glossy pitch for lamp blends
    Female chandler reducing kelp into glossy pitch for lamp blends
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    Male bladewright brushing warm pitch into a dagger grip channel
    Male bladewright brushing warm pitch into a dagger grip channel

    Related Characters / Mobs / Scenes

    Variants

    • Dock‑Dried Flake: Light, brittle sheets suited for quick field slurries; lowest resin yield but easy to carry.
    • Kelp Pitch Resin: Thick, tar‑like concentrate used for lamp blends, smoke charges, and blade bonding.
    • Braided Kelp Cord: Salt‑resistant lashing with mild water‑shedding; favored for net repair and tag lines in Vesper Quay.