Fan art of Cree Deeproots, a blood cleric and practitioner of hemocraft, by Bunchu.[art 1]
Hemocraft is a form of magic in which practitioners use blood to cause harm, to heal, or to otherwise manipulate the life force of others.
Description[]
Hemocraft is blood magic that uses blood's life-giving properties to bolster one's own powers or to affect the life force of others, either for good or ill.[1] It is considered to be similar to necromancy.[2]
Hemocraft can manipulate the mechanical fluids inside constructed Aeormatons.[3] Hemocraft could even work on the god-eater Predathos.[4]
History[]
Fan art of Trence Orman contacting the Raven Queen, by Tifany Gonzalez.[art 2]
The Raven Queen taught ancient secrets of hemocraft to one of her priests, Trence Orman, as a means of fighting back the fiends and undead infesting the Marrow Valley.[5] Orman used this knowledge to teach others, and founded the Claret Orders, a group of hemocraft practitioners who dedicate their lives to hunting monsters. These warriors were able to defeat the threat; unfortunately, their victory coincided with the Dwendalian Empire's own victory over the Julous Dominion in the Marrow War, and the Dwendalians blamed the Claret Orders for the existence of the monsters. As of 835 PD, the Claret Orders have since been a clandestine society in the Empire.[6]
As of 836 PD, hemocraft has only relatively recently begun to become known and practiced outside of the Claret Orders. It is looked upon with suspicion in Tal'Dorei[7] as well as in the Dwendalian Empire. However, both Caleb Widogast and Essek Thelyss were familiar with it in concept, if not in detail.[2][8]
After the apogee solstice of 843 PD, Morrighan Ferus, who had recently become a paladin and champion of the Raven Queen, used the magic of both her own and her enemies' blood to commune with her goddess in the middle of combat. She stated that the Matron of Ravens remained heavily connected with blood magic.[9]
When Sorrowlord Athion Zathuda was defeated by Bells Hells and turned into a talking tapestry by the Fatestitcher, he was asked how his daughter Fearne could establish a full blood bond with his dragon Gloamglut. Zathuda explained that he had done so with assistance and the use of hemocraft, and that Fearne, if she so wished, would need to do the same in a ritual that would grant her either a loyal companion or an eternal enemy.[10]
Arcana[]
There are three primary types of practitioners of hemocraft:
- Blood hunters, who take part in a ritual that enhances their own blood, imbuing them with magical combat prowess;[11]
- Blood domain clerics, who treat their blood as a bridge between the mortal and divine;[12] and
- Blood magic wizards, who can use their own blood as an arcane focus.[7]
While their powers differ, all practitioners share some common abilities. All can use their own blood to empower their attacks or spells, but at a cost to their own health. Blood domain clerics and blood hunters can use the blood of a target for tracking or divination purposes, and blood magic wizards can use blood to tether themselves to another.[2][7][12][11]
Known practitioners[]
- Members of the Claret Orders (see notable members)
- Tova (blood hunter)
- The Tombtakers, all former members of the Claret Orders
- Lucien Tavelle (blood hunter)
- Cree Deeproots (blood cleric)
- Otis Brunkel (blood hunter/warlock)
- Zoran Kluthidol (blood hunter)
- Tyffial Wase (blood hunter)
- Briyakar Jurrell
- Chetney Pock O'Pea (blood hunter)
- Honor Kinnabari (blood wizard)
- Farah Vallari (blood hunter)
Trivia[]
- Hemocraft is very uncommon in the Fey Realm.[13]
- Blood magic can be used to make a heartstone work.[14]
References[]
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 168.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 See "Worth Fighting For" (2x126) at 23:26.
- ↑ Chetney Pock O'Pea, a blood hunter, used a Blood Curse of Binding to immobilize a berserk Aeormaton, F.C.G. See "A Test of Trust" (3x80) at 3:17:09.
- ↑ Matt describes Chetney placing a Brand of Castigation on Predathos, though it turned out Chetney was unable to do so because he hadn't inflicted the damage with a weapon with an active crimson rite, so it was walked back. See "Predathos Awakened" (3x119) at 1:00:11.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, p. 54.
- ↑ See Explorer's Guide to Wildemount, pp. 54–55.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 178.
- ↑ See "Aeor" (2x132) at 13:39.
- ↑ See "Bittersweet Reunions" (3x93) at 0:39:59.
- ↑ See "Looming" (3x108) at 2:51:11.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Blood Hunter on D&D Beyond
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn, p. 168.
- ↑ See "Looming" (3x108) at 2:51:24.
- ↑ See "The Decomposing Domicile" (RT2x13).
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Cree Deeproots, a blood cleric and practitioner of hemocraft, by Bunchu (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Trence Orman contacting the Raven Queen, by Tifany Gonzalez (source). Used with permission.