Alter Aeon The Great Library

Welcome to the Alter Aeon Historical Archive!

Note - as with any topic, researchers should question the reliability
and veracity of these texts.  The library's aim is to preserve
documents, not verify accuracy.

AABN:  19029
Title: a book titled "Milk: The Cornerstone of Civilization"

The production of milk is what distinguishes mammals from other beasts.
Rich in nutritional value, it provides all the nourishment suckling
creatures need to get started in life. It is only inevitable that
intelligent races learned to exploit this natural product to supplement
their diets.

While all female mammals will produce milk under the right circumstances,
generally starting just after the birth of offspring, only special breeds
of livestock can produce it in large quantities for extended periods. The
most common milk-producing livestock are cattle, goats, sheep and camels.
In more distant locales, less than ideal candidates may be used for milk,
including yaks, reindeer and even horses.

While fresh milk quickly spoils, it can be transformed into a bewildering
array of products for long-term storage. These include cheese, butter,
yogurt, curds, whey, kefir, buttermilk and cream. These products are
produced by aging, fermenting or even adding acidic substances such as
fruit juices or vinegar to milk.

Perhaps most curious of all milk products is Tornius' Reagent. This gray
powder has no affinities for any spells, but it can be used to 'bulk up'
recipes for brewing by increasing the volume without any loss in potency.

The two main ingredients of Tornius' Reagent are bone meal and milk. Both
can be easily produced from livestock. When the two are combined and
heated, one simply adds a tiny about of black volcanic clay such is found
around K'tin Lake. The liquid will quickly turn grey. Further heating
renders it down into a chalky substance that can be ground into powder.