Help me add a scent to potions/poisons (I can't smell)

[Oryan77]

I'd like to describe the scent of a potion or poison when PCs find them. The thing is, I don't have a sense of smell, so it makes it hard to come up with examples for what a liquid might smell like.

Would anyone be willing to help me out here and write up an example of what each potion/poison might smell like so I can use that for my descriptions?

I also plan to write up the taste. If you want to help with that also, it would be appreciated

Aid -
Barkskin +2 -
Barkskin +3 -
Barkskin +4 -
Barkskin +5 -
Bear's endurance (+4 Con) -
Bless weapon -
Blur -
Bull's strength (+4 Str) -
Cat's grace (+4 Dex) -
Cure light wounds (1d8+1hp) -
Cure moderate wounds (2d8+3hp) -
Cure serious wounds (3d8+5hp) -
Darkness -
Darkvision -
Daylight -
Delay poison -
Displacement -
Eagle's splendor (+4 Cha) -
Endure elements -
Enlarge person -
Flame arrow -
Fly -
Fox's cunning (+4 Int) -
Gaseous form -
Good hope -
Greater magic fang +1 -
Greater magic fang +2 -
Greater magic fang +3 -
Greater magic fang +4 -
Greater magic fang +5 -
Greater magic weapon +1 -
Greater magic weapon +2 -
Greater magic weapon +3 -
Greater magic weapon +4 -
Greater magic weapon +5 -
Haste -
Heroism -
Hide from animals -
Hide from undead -
Invisibility -
Jump -
Keen edge -
Lesser restoration -
Levitate -
Mage armor -
Magic circle against (alignment) -
Magic fang -
Magic stone -
Magic vestment +1 -
Magic vestment +2 -
Magic vestment +3 -
Magic vestment +4 -
Magic vestment +5 -
Magic weapon -
Misdirection -
Neutralize poison -
Nondetection -
Owl's wisdom (+4 Wis) -
Pass without trace -
Protection from (alignment) -
Protection from arrows 10/magic -
Protection from arrows 15/magic -
Protection from energy (type) -
Rage -
Reduce person -
Remove blindness/deafness -
Remove curse -
Remove disease -
Remove fear -
Remove paralysis -
Resist energy (type) 10 -
Resist energy (type) 20 -
Resist energy (type) 30 -
Sanctuary -
Shield of faith +2 -
Shield of faith +3 -
Shield of faith +4 -
Shield of faith +5 -
Shillelagh -
Spider climb -
Tongues -
Undetectable alignment -
Water breathing -
Water walk -

Here is a list of 3.5 poisons. Hopefully it would be possible to make up a smell based on the names.

Aboleth Oil -
Adlevine Extract -
Alforna -
Anemis -
Arsenic -
Asabi Mist -
Balor Bile -
Banelar Essence -
Basilisk Breath -
Bebilith Venom -
Black Adder Venom -
Black Lotus Extract -
Bloodroot -
Blue Whinnis -
Bonespear Poison Fusion -
Brain Dust -
Burning Angel Wing Fumes -
Burnt Othur Fumes -
Carrion Crawler Brain Juice -
Centipede Poison, Colossal -
Centipede Poison, Gargantuan -
Centipede Poison, Huge -
Centipede Poison, Large -
Centipede Poison, Medium -
Centipede Poison, Small -
Centipede Poison, Tiny -
Chilblain Brain Juice -
Choldrith Toxin -
Conflagration Ooze Essence -
Creeping Nullscourge -
Cretel Leaf Residue -
Crippling Vine -
Culum Powder -
Dark Reaver Powder -
Darklight Brew -
Deathblade -
Devilseye -
Dragon Bile -
Drow Poison -
Eyeblast -
Fang Dragon Venom -
Faralin -
Fish Glue -
Giant Wasp Poison -
Gray Whinnis -
Greenblood Oil -
Greensickness -
Haluroot -
Horror Weed Extract -
Ice Toad Bile -
Icegaunt Dust -
Id moss -
Illithid Mindscorch -
Insanity Mist -
Ishentav -
Lich Dust -
Lifebane -
Lockjaw -
Malyss Root Paste -
Megapede Poison -
Mesmer Paste -
Mist of Nourn -
Nitharit -
Oil of Taggit -
Pit Fiend Venom -
Psychotropic Rot -
Purple Worm Poison -
Purple Worm Poison, Colossal -
Raeliss Smoke -
Redek Vine Extract -
Retch -
Rill Leaf -
Roach Paste -
Roshon Vapor -
Sasson Juice -
Sassone Leaf Residue -
Scorcher Fumes -
Scorpion Poison, Colossal -
Scorpion Poison, Gargantuan -
Scorpion Poison, Huge -
Scorpion Poison, Medium -
Scorpion Poison, Small -
Scorpion Poison, Tiny -
Scorpion Venom, Colossal -
Scorpion Venom, Gargantuan -
Scorpion venom, Large -
Shadow Essence -
Shreef Oil -
Shrieking Terror Saliva -
Sleeping Weed -
Slow Taint -
Slowswarming -
Snow Spider Blood -
Snowflake Lichen Powder -
Spider Venom, Colossal -
Spider Venom, Gargantuan -
Spider Venom, Huge -
Spider Venom, Large -
Spider Venom, Medium -
Spider Venom, Small -
Spider Venom, Tiny -
Striped Toadstool -
Sufferfume -
Svaklor Venom -
Svaklor Venom, Greater -
Swarming Spiderbite -
Terinav Root -
The Calling -
Thever Fumes -
Thever Paste -
Underdark Blight -
Ungol Dust -
Urthanyk -
Vapid Leaf Extract -
Vilestar -
White Pudding Essence -
Wild Dwarf Knockout Poison -
Wooly Mammoth Eye Juice -
Wraith Sheen -
Wyvern Poison -
Wyvern Poison, Gargantuan -
Wyvern Poison, Huge -
Yeti Oil -

Gravedust -
Boneshard Paste -
Sunlight Oil -
Bloodwine -
Celestial Essence -
Lichbane -
Liquid Mortality -

 

[Dandu]

Asmodeus' sagging left seminal...

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Do you want the tastes/odors to be related to the capability of the potion, so PCs can hazard a guess at the function? Eg, barkskin smells like oak wood shavings.

Or are you just looking for completely unrelated flavors & scents to associate with each one? Eg, barkskin smells like coffee and cinnamon.

 

[Oryan77]

Do you want the tastes/odors to be related to the capability of the potion, so PCs can hazard a guess at the function? Eg, barkskin smells like oak wood shavings.

Or are you just looking for completely unrelated flavors & scents to associate with each one? Eg, barkskin smells like coffee and cinnamon.

Whatever you think would be more interesting. It might be nice to have them relate to their name, but I wouldn't want them all to be completely obvious. I don't want to make this complicated, but if you feel like matching the sent up with the magical components needed to cast the spell, that's fine with me. Or not...I won't be picky about this. I'll just be glad to have help.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Well, here's the first dozen or so. Some are inspired by the function or components, others are kind of random. Not sure if that's what you're looking for?

They're formatted as "potion - scent - taste", delineated on the hyphens.
Most (but not all) are intended to be read "It smells ____" or "It tastes _____"
[sblock]Aid - odorless - slightly sweet & flowery
Barkskin +2 - faintly of harwood sawdust - slightly earthy
Barkskin +3 -
Barkskin +4 -
Barkskin +5 -
Bear's endurance (+4 Con) - flowery - like honey
Bless weapon - metallic - slightly sour and metallic
Blur - weakly alcoholic - like brandy
Bull's strength (+4 Str) - like broth - salty, like broth
Cat's grace (+4 Dex) - grassy - like mildly bitter herbs
Cure light wounds (1d8+1hp) - like rain - tasteless
Cure moderate wounds (2d8+3hp) -
Cure serious wounds (3d8+5hp) -
Darkness - like candle smoke - very bitter
Darkvision - earthy - muddy, but slightly fruity
Daylight - lemony - slightly lemony
Delay poison - like tar - very bitter
Displacement - herbal & sweet - slightly bitter, but refreshing
Eagle's splendor (+4 Cha) - slightly like wine - sour
Endure elements - dusty - slightly salty
Enlarge person - vaguely like blood - slightly metallic
Flame arrow - like lantern oil - oily and sulfury[/sblock]
If these look ok, I'm happy to throw some more out there.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Here's another handful. They're pretty redundant because I'm not thinking in creative mode at the moment
I assume variations on the same thing (eg, +2/+4/.. or Lesser/Greater/.. ) have the same qualities, mainly because I'm lazy

[sblock]Fly - like ozone - slightly tangy and effervescent
Fox's cunning (+4 Int) - pungent, like singed hair - very bitter
Gaseous form - faintly of burned paper - slightly smoky, but fresh
Good hope - like cherry - tart and fruity
Greater magic fang +1 - faintly of grilled meat - slightly bitter and smoky
Greater magic fang +2 -
Greater magic fang +3 -
Greater magic fang +4 -
Greater magic fang +5 -
Greater magic weapon +1 - coppery - sour, and slightly metallic
Greater magic weapon +2 -
Greater magic weapon +3 -
Greater magic weapon +4 -
Greater magic weapon +5 -
Haste - like aniseed - slightly herbal, like aniseed
Heroism - like lavender - refreshing and flowery
Hide from animals - like wet fur - somewhat muddy and meaty
Hide from undead - vaguely like carrion - like salty riverwater
Invisibility - slightly orangy - quite tangy and sweet
Jump - minty - like weak mint tea
Keen edge - like pine sap - strongly herbal, like pine
Lesser restoration - musty - slightly bitter but peppery
Levitate - vaguely like new leather - fizzy, and slightly meaty
Mage armor - slightly like linseed oil - strongly of linseed oil and bitter herbs
Magic circle against (alignment) - slightly metallic and smoky - very sour
Magic fang - faintly of grilled meat - slightly bitter and smoky
Magic stone - like chalk - dry and flavorless
Magic vestment +1 - slightly perfumy - slightly sweet and perfumy
Magic vestment +2 -
Magic vestment +3 -
Magic vestment +4 -
Magic vestment +5 -
Magic weapon - coppery - sour, and slightly metallic
Misdirection - like vinegar - sour, with a hint of ashes
[/sblock]

 

[Dandu]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRuNxHqwazs"]Rage [/ame]

 

[Oryan77]

Well, here's the first dozen or so.

Yep, this is the type of thing I'm looking for, thanks

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Here's the rest of the potions.
[sblock]
Neutralize poison - like lilacs - syrupy and unpleasantly sweet
Nondetection - cinnamony - slightly spicy, like cinnamon
Owl's wisdom (+4 Wis) - very slightly of ammonia - slightly chemical and bitter
Pass without trace - vaguely like soil - earthy and slightly tangy
Protection from (alignment) - strongly metallic - sharply metallic and sour
Protection from arrows 10/magic - like pond water - a bit like algae
Protection from arrows 15/magic -
Protection from energy (type) - like clove - slightly herbal, like clove
Rage - strongly of sweat, blood and oil - flavorless, but with a metallic aftertaste
Reduce person - similar to blood - slightly metallic
Remove blindness/deafness - sweet, almost like bananas - sweet, like bananas
Remove curse - faintly of roses - slightly flowery, like roses
Remove disease - musty and slightly rotten - slightly of rotten meat
Remove fear - like sweat - salty
Remove paralysis - like grease - oily, like grease
Resist energy (type) 10 - like ashes - slightly bitter and smoky
Resist energy (type) 20 -
Resist energy (type) 30 -
Sanctuary - faintly like a campfire - slightly oily and earthy
Shield of faith +2 - strongly of burned paper - slightly smoky, but sweet
Shield of faith +3 -
Shield of faith +4 -
Shield of faith +5 -
Shillelagh - like pollen - slightly dusty and leafy
Spider climb - strongly sulfury and earth - very bitter, with a sulfury taste
Tongues - like dusty earth and honey - slightly sweet, but chalky
Undetectable alignment - mildewy - very salty, almost cheesy
Water breathing - slightly like hay - a little sweet and grassy
Water walk - like seawater - slightly fishy [/sblock]
Poisons will be tougher, since I'm not familiar with a lot of the ones on your list, so I don't know where a lot of them come from or what they do. But I'll do the ones I can a little later today.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

Here's the poison list with a few filled in, just scents (I figure the tastes will generally be similar).
They're just guesses, especially since I don't know which ones are veggie-, animal-, aberration-, or outsider-based.
[sblock]
Aboleth Oil - extremely fishy and acrid
Adlevine Extract - slightly sweet, with a hint of limes
Alforna -
Anemis - slightly coppery
Arsenic - odorless
Asabi Mist -
Balor Bile - strongly of burning coal, vomit and sulfur
Banelar Essence -
Basilisk Breath - like hot dusty air
Bebilith Venom - very strongly of ammonia and onions
Black Adder Venom - odorless
Black Lotus Extract - sickly sweet, like incense and rotting flowers
Bloodroot - earthy, with a faint hint of rust iron
Blue Whinnis - slightly nutty and flowery
Bonespear Poison Fusion -
Brain Dust - vaguely like cooked eggs
Burning Angel Wing Fumes - intensely of burnt flesh and morning dew
Burnt Othur Fumes - like wet burning wood, but slightly fruity
Carrion Crawler Brain Juice - vaguely like pickled fish
Centipede Poison, Colossal - almost odorless, but slightly musky
Centipede Poison, Gargantuan -
Centipede Poison, Huge -
Centipede Poison, Large -
Centipede Poison, Medium -
Centipede Poison, Small -
Centipede Poison, Tiny -
Chilblain Brain Juice -
Choldrith Toxin -
Conflagration Ooze Essence - strongly of tar and lantern oil
Creeping Nullscourge -
Cretel Leaf Residue - similar to peat, but slightly lemony
Crippling Vine - vaguely like pumpkin
Culum Powder -
Dark Reaver Powder -
Darklight Brew -
Deathblade -
Devilseye -
Dragon Bile - like crush stone and acid
Drow Poison - faintly of honey and alcohol
Eyeblast -
Fang Dragon Venom -
Faralin -
Fish Glue - strongly of seawater and rotten fish
Giant Wasp Poison - earthy and vinegary
Gray Whinnis - dusty, sweet and slightly herbal
Greenblood Oil - gingery
Greensickness -
Haluroot -
Horror Weed Extract -
Ice Toad Bile -
Icegaunt Dust -
Id moss - like damp soil and strawberries
Illithid Mindscorch -
Insanity Mist - like the sound of silvery-blue bells ringing
Ishentav -
Lich Dust - dusty and slightly of carrion
Lifebane - like frozen rotting flesh
Lockjaw -
Malyss Root Paste - earthy but peppery
Megapede Poison - strongy acidic, with a hint of rotting vegetation
Mesmer Paste -
Mist of Nourn -
Nitharit -
Oil of Taggit - slightly like apricots and rust
Pit Fiend Venom - like leather, burnt meat and hot metal
Psychotropic Rot - pleasantly pungent and earthy
Purple Worm Poison - much like oil and clay
Purple Worm Poison, Colossal -
Raeliss Smoke -
Redek Vine Extract -
Retch -
Rill Leaf -
Roach Paste - like dirt, but slightly sweet & sour
Roshon Vapor -
Sasson Juice -
Sassone Leaf Residue -
Scorcher Fumes -
Scorpion Poison, Colossal - strongly of vinegar
Scorpion Poison, Gargantuan -
Scorpion Poison, Huge -
Scorpion Poison, Medium -
Scorpion Poison, Small -
Scorpion Poison, Tiny -
Scorpion Venom, Colossal - slightly vinegary, with hints of carrion
Scorpion Venom, Gargantuan -
Scorpion venom, Large -
Shadow Essence - odorless, but cold
Shreef Oil -
Shrieking Terror Saliva -
Sleeping Weed - woody, sweet and slightly of chamomille
Slow Taint - vaguely of molasses and mold
Slowswarming -
Snow Spider Blood -
Snowflake Lichen Powder -
Spider Venom, Colossal - vaguely like pond water, but slightly spicy
Spider Venom, Gargantuan -
Spider Venom, Huge -
Spider Venom, Large -
Spider Venom, Medium -
Spider Venom, Small -
Spider Venom, Tiny -
Striped Toadstool -
Sufferfume -
Svaklor Venom -
Svaklor Venom, Greater -
Swarming Spiderbite -
Terinav Root -
The Calling -
Thever Fumes -
Thever Paste -
Underdark Blight -
Ungol Dust -
Urthanyk -
Vapid Leaf Extract - like oregano and sweet mint
Vilestar -
White Pudding Essence -
Wild Dwarf Knockout Poison -
Wooly Mammoth Eye Juice - slightly like carrion and pine needles
Wraith Sheen -
Wyvern Poison - musky but sweet, like burnt hair and berries
Wyvern Poison, Gargantuan -
Wyvern Poison, Huge -
Yeti Oil - very musky, with a strong hint of wet, oily fur

Gravedust - like dry dusty soil and mold
Boneshard Paste -
Sunlight Oil - slightly citrusy
Bloodwine - metallic and slightly of fermenting fruit
Celestial Essence - odorless, but very fresh and clean
Lichbane - slightly like chlorine
Liquid Mortality -
[/sblock]