On Blood Magic: Part 1: Healing
Written by Olwen Water-Berry
I, Olwen Water-Berry, Serenian Blood Mage of Jadenshine practice the art of blood magic. This first entry will detail the healing part of my magic. For me healing takes the form of potions. These potions have differing strengths depending on how much of my blood goes in them and what other ingredients comprise their contents. I can make a total of seven types of potions, ranging from healing simple cuts and scratches to bringing one back from the very brink of death. The process for each is as follows.
Cure Minor Wounds
Ingredients:
-1 drop of blood
-1/4 tsp aloe vera
-1 tsp lavender
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for an hour. Drain. Add drop of blood and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, apply directly to the injury.
Cure Light Wounds
Ingredients:
-1 drop of blood
-1/4 tsp aloe vera
-2 tsp lavender
-1/4 tsp alvo
-1 tsp dried grass root
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for two hours. Drain. Add drop of blood and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, apply directly to the injury.
Cure Moderate Wounds
Ingredients:
-1 drop of blood
-1/2 tsp aloe vera
-2 tsp lavender
-1/2 tsp alvo
-1 tsp dried grass root
-1 tsp dried blue root
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for three hours. Drain. Add drop of blood and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, apply directly to the injury.
Cure Serious Wounds
Ingredients:
-1 drop of blood
-1 tsp aloe vera
-2 tsp lavender
-3/4 tsp alvo
-2 tsp dried grass root
-2 tsp dried blue root
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for four hours. Drain. Add drop of blood and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, drink all the contents of one bottle.
Cure Critical Wounds
Ingredients:
-2 drops of blood
-2 tsp aloe vera
-3 tsp lavender
-1 tsp alvo
-3 tsp dried grass root
-2 tsp dried blue root
-1 tsp Hope's Weed
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for five hours. Drain. Add drops of blood and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, drink all the contents of one bottle.
Heal
Ingredients:
-2 drops of blood
-3 tsp aloe vera
-4 tsp lavender
-1 ¼ tsp alvo
-4 tsp dried grass root
-3 tsp dried blue root
-2 tsp Hope's Weed
-1/2 tsp Revival Remedy
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs with mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for six hours. Drain. Add drops of blood and Revival Remedy and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, drink all the contents of one bottle.
Greater Heal
Ingredients:
-2 drops of blood
-4 tsp aloe vera
-5 tsp lavender
-1 ½ tsp alvo
-5 tsp dried grass root
-4 tsp dried blue root
-3 tsp Hope's Weed
-1/2 tsp Revival Remedy
-3 tsp powdered Star Crystal
-2 cups enchanted water
-5 drops alcohol preservative
Crush the herbs in mortar and pestle and then infuse in enchanted water for a full eight hours. Drain. Add drops of blood, Revival Remedy and Star Crystal and stir. Lastly, add in the preservative. Pour into bottles, cork and label. To use, drink all the contents of one bottle. The results of this potion differ slightly than the previous one in that life-threatening wounds heal instantly at 100% as opposed to only 80% speed, plus it has the added benefit of ridding the body of poisons, diseases and curses. This is by far the most powerful healing potion I can make and also the most time-consuming.
I find it useful to have so many types as wounds themselves can vary in seriousness as well as whether one is only injured or if they are diseased and injured too. I have had to make use of these quite frequently in laboratory mishaps and sparring mishaps with other students who get too carried away with what they are doing. The potions, fueled by the magic in my blood help to heal any kind of wound imaginable, for which I am grateful.
Some might wonder about the addition of my blood to the potions. They simply amplify the healing properties of the herbs and other ingredients in a more potent way than would be possible otherwise. The potions could still work without the blood in them, however they would be far less effective. The taste of these potions is rather gross, but they work and that is what matters in the end.
The potion making part of my magic encompasses about 60% of my practice of blood magic. It obviously requires extensive knowledge of various kinds of healing herbs and plants as well.
Blood: My own blood that is added in to increase effectiveness of all the other ingredients.
Aloe Vera: A stemless plant with serrated leaves, which are thick and fleshy, and known for its medicinal/herbal properties. ((Credit to Lion, taken from the Darken Vei province section))
Alvo: A waxy, bush-like plant, that grows in blue-hues. It's stalks are stiff and difficult to remove from the ground. When cultivated, the alvo leaves, though small, are cultivated to create herbal teas and other medicines. ((Credit to Lion, taken from the Darken Vei province section))
Lavender: A sweet-smelling plant well-known for its healing and calming properties and ability to mend all kinds of skin conditions. The herb itself has many branches with erect, rod-like green stems and long, narrow, tapered pale green leaves, which both the stems and leaves are covered in fuzz. Most of these plants are purple but can come in other colors too. Lavender is a tough plant and can easily be grown in just about any region of Le'ranna.
Dried Grass Root: A very common, hardy weed. Contains medicinal properties.
Dried Blue Root: Another somewhat common weed often found growing in the same areas as the above. Its coloring is always blue, ranging in shades from soft blue to vivid blue. Contains medicinal properties.
Hope'sWeed: A less common weed known for its revitalizing and healing properties. It is quite potent, more so than the others. It is thin and pliable and easy to pick, its coloring that of orange-yellow.
Revival Remedy: This is a combination of herbs, leaves and flowers infused with life magic. Only a small amount is ever needed. The aroma is mint-like, but the taste is rather bitter.
Star Crystal: Crystals that come in a variety of colors, most often in blue, purple, yellow and red. Their only known use is for restorative purposes and are excellent in poison negation and other such ailments of body, mind and spirit. Each one can easily be crushed to produce a huge patch of potions. The only type of potion I use this ingredient in is the Greater Heal potions as the others don't require this. While less common to find, they are not that rare so are fairly easy to acquire every so often.
Enchanted Water: Water taken from sacred, pure, magical springs and rivers most often found in The Meeting Place and the Niahi Woods. They are also great for a number of healing purposes. This is used as the base for all my potions.
Alcohol Preservative: Used to extend the shelf-life of my potions so they keep longer.