Inking Algae

Inking algae is the colloquial name for a solution used in various stages of refinement for staining and occasionally dye and ink, primarily reliant on the presence of iodine in the source plants. The solution is typically thick, grainy, and brown-red in color, but further refinement may remove the graininess and thin it.
One method of verifying the authenticity of ikam stones involves attempting to dye them with inking algae, after the surface of the stones is softened with an acid.

Manufacturing process

The plants are harvested, shredded, and cold-pressed, then added to either water or a carrier oil. Depending on the intended end-use, this mixture may require further chopping or fine-grinding, and/or straining. Some variations on the technique dry and grind the plants to a fine powder before reintroducting liquid and straining, but the resulting stain/dye/ink is much lighter in color.
Certain mixes may be aged or fermented, or additional materials added to alter the color.

Rarity

Uncommon

Raw materials & Components

Slickweed and watergreen are its most common ingredients due to their high iodine content, but other iodine-containing plant species may be used. These are processed and then suspended in either water or, occasionally, oil.