Liber Sanguine: The Four Tenets of Blood Magic

[mat13295]

Sat upon the many shelves within public libraries across Meranthe is a newly published book, Penned by Galena Altha with heavy credits for inspiration and academic knowledge given towards Ksceniya Montelione.

-

The following is a series of excerpts from within detailing the major Tenets titled within the book.

-

-

-

"Within these chapters, the Four Tenets shall be laid out as to the best of my own interpretations as well as Lady Montelione's own words from her own mouth. At the end of the day however one must understand the art of magic is a fickle and ever evolving beast that is molded and shaped by the collective works and mastery of Magi. These tenets are simply Four broad strokes that one will have to discover their own interpretations of and refine their own understanding to come into their own Mastery of Haemomancy.
-
These four Main branches of  the Sangrine School of Magic are as follows: Biology, Blood Mana, Sacrifice and Ritual.

-

-

The First Tenet: Biology
-


This Tenet is, arguably, the easiest of Tenets to grasp as its philosophy and school of thought is ultimately derived from hard truths and facts. One must know blood to be able to bend and control it to ones own will and the greater one's grasp over the fundamental laws of humanoid anatomy, the easier they will find physically spilled blood to manipulate. But one must also understand the functions and purpose of Blood. The answer is obvious of course when one thinks of blood: It is the life giving liquid that provides the body the necessary components to even function. A body without flowing blood is a deceased one...Or very soon to be deceased one.
-
[The rest of the chapter goes on for quite some time about the biological makeup of cells, hormones, sugars, proteins and many other technical medical jargon for quite some time.]
-
The Biological Tenet is most focused upon alteration and refinement of the cells within blood. Many a Blood magi in combat for example learn to push their body's own production within the bone marrow to dangerous limits to keep themselves topped off in the midst of battle to prevent defeat by their own exsanguination. This also incidentally is how many blood magi tend to strengthen themselves physically through the alteration of their own body's blood supply to enhance regeneration or enrich their own muscles in the heat of combat

-

-

The Second Tenet: Blood Mana
-

-
Whilst the Tenet of Biology is focused upon alteration and refinement, it is reliant upon the second Tenet to even function. In fact, without grasping the Tenet of Blood Mana one will never achieve much more than causing a splotch of blood to quiver. Blood Mana is the Tenet of the Sangrine. Blood mana is the magical energies that lay latent within the body's many blood vessels and the blood within. Blood is able to store mana in decent amounts, which is why a Blood magi is able to remotely manipulate the blood of others if they lack the magical defenses of a Magi. But even these may be broken down...
-
 The most potent form of blood mana is naturally found within Blood magi. As a Blood Magi further hones their skills, their body's mana reserves within his or her mana circuits tend to drift towards the veins and arteries instead where their magic is more closely connected. Blood mana is not quite the same as regular mana as it has taken on the qualities of blood itself. Much the same as most other magics, this does mean this mana comes with different frequencies and energies. Specifically, the energies of Life and Vitality itself.
-
Blood mana unfortunately finds itself tricky to find within the presence of animals, plants and vegetation, with the notable exception of Sinka. Although considering the nature of Sinka's creation, this too may just be a product of another magi. However that isn't to say there aren't objects and materials in the wider world that possess a natural source of blood mana. Meranthe and Eternia itself holds many unknown secrets after all.
-
The most commonly accepted and used term for this mana in discussions of Haemomancy typically is "Vitae". It is an essence of the body itself. The Egotism of the human self.

-

The Third Tenet: Sacrifice
-

-
There is power within blood, this has been well established. Without great sacrifice, one cannot achieve greatness so they say. The very art naturally is about using such power. But where does it come from? A question that has befuddled even the oldest and most knowledgeable of the Sangrine arts. As I have come to study these Tenets myself and through my own applications of Blood magic, there is indeed a source...Lady Montelione, the founder of these Tenets describes this power as a Primordial one. A power that has resided since the very first wisps of mana were conjured into being on this world and universe.
-
For the most common of blood magi who see Blood magic as simply a tool within an arsenal of combative magics, this Tenet is rarely touched upon outside the obvious spilling of their own or another's blood. For those dabbling deeper into its applications they shall inevitably reach a roadblock in some ways. The Tenet of Sacrifice is this hurdle. The Tenet is self explanatory perhaps in name but Sacrifice has many a meaning.
-
However, in the end it is ultimately a transaction made to draw out this power. The most common form of sacrifice, is of course to freely give up ones own blood. When this offering of health and vitae is offered up, the transaction is completed. And the primordial power, this ability to bend and shape blood to unnatural limits for a typical blood mage is received within the heart of blood magi creating this transaction. It is up to them, their own skills and abilities, to then use this power to achieve what it is they were so willing to give up.
-
Or whoever else or whatever else they were willing to sacrifice. Sacrifices of others are not something I or many other Blood magi recommend. Beyond the illegality of such acts, the power drawn from the proverbial well of primordial possibility is tainted by this sacrifice. That is to say, the power granted is typically power that finds itself less useful for typical blood magic and lends itself more to more depraved arts, such as the creation of flesh puppets and torturous curses.

-

The Fourth Tenet: Ritual

-

-
The Tenet of Ritual. The final ritual and the Tenet that demands an understanding of and the usage of the third Tenet. If Sacrifice is the Primordial clay then Ritual is the shaping of bricks to make your bloody home. It gives intent and purpose to that which was drawn forth from sacrifice and can only be achieved through these offerings for power. The grander the sacrifice and the greater its import to the blood magi, the more dense and potent that power can be. But power is nothing without purpose.
-
Rituals may involve almost anything, so long as one has the creativity, materials and sacrifice necessary to make it reality. Infusing vitae and blood for example into raw metals for the purposes of artificing or alchemy is one of the more common practices of rituals. In doing so, one may create many an odd material better suited for the needs of a haemomancer. However in my own field of medicine I have found these rituals to be of particular usefulness when dealing with patients that are suffering wounds that would kill most non-magi. An offering of ones own health as a transaction to better the health of another through runic rituals.
-
Because rituals can be so wide in complexity and application, this Tenet is the one that will require the most practice with. One must learn to understand just how large of a sacrifice is needed for their rituals, the complexity of them and of course, how they shall conduct said ritual. Runes are the standard, usually drawn in offered blood. However hymns and songs along with even emotional casting have been recorded before in other works.
-
It all ultimately comes down to a practitioner's wits and willpower.

Addendum: Due to this being told through IC means there will of course be IC biases and gaps of knowledge held within. I just thought Ksceniya's blood magic was fun and deserved its own lore page for other blood mage players to get some potential inspiration.