[quote=Tai Falkenburg]
I hope Grimdark is ok - usually doesn't take this long to respond. Is there anything else that Scalpel could use as a substitute? Say, an artifact or rare ingredient that would help his research along towards his goal?
[/quote]

Honestly? yeah I could make something up on the spot, but I prefer preexisting artifacts of power rather than some Deus Ex Machina device which appears for plot convenience, that always struck me as a slightly tacky option to a problem, plus the Alicorn horn is useful as it would have helped tighten the universe up a little more and make it feel less disparate.