PLANT MAGIC

Plant magic existed before Keepers and Animas; it existed since the beginning of Life on Aligaea. Every plant embodies particular magical properties; rooted into the earth, their magic comes directly from the Source.

Using plants for magical purposes developed alongside the evolution of humans. Magic practitioners exist around the world and are usually held in esteem by their villages and towns, as they often offer healing services to their communities. People versed in plants magic are called witches, healers, medicine men and women, shamans, and, with the advent of Florávo, Mages.

All parts of a plant may be used in plant magic, including the nectar, petals, leaves, body, bark, and roots. The number of petals and leaves present on the plant affects its potency, as does the environment in which it grows. The age of the plant, moon cycle when harvested, and part of the plant used also affect the potency of its elicitation.

Other astrological events, such as blue moons, eclipses, and solar flares, can additionally increase the magical potency. Generally speaking, maturity of both plant and moon cycle offer greater power to the evocation, but in some cases, like sage, the younger the plant, the more potent.

Florávo and Mages

A few decades after her birth as the fourth Salvager of the Center, and shortly after serving Avni in the Makalon Independence and Avni’s subsequent death, Laurel became interested in the potential of plant magic to aid the Anima in her Task.

For a millennium (2,155-1,200), Laurel traveled the world, gathering knowledge from shamans and witches stationed in remote places. She created a structured system of plant magic from this vast collection of information and named the system Florávo: the art and science of plant magic. 1,200 YBP, Laurel established the Nafáit Haven and began teaching Florávo to orphans she adopted and raised.  

Students and practitioners of Florávo are called Mages. A Mage who lives and works at a Haven is also referred to as a Havenite. Any Commoner can become a Mage, though all Mages must be in service of Order. Like Duals, Mages using their powers for Disorder are called Warps.

A Mage capable of all four praxes of Florávo for both wild and domestic plants becomes a High Mage; the High Mage serves as a leader at the Haven. Becoming a High Mage requires decades of study and practice.  

ELICITATIONS

Some plants are “innately elicited,” meaning they offer magical properties without a magic practitioner’s energy manipulation. Most plants, though, require a human to bring the plant’s magical properties to its surface, a process known as elicitation. In general, it is easier to elicit “domestic” plants than ones harvested in the wild.

Practicing plant magic requires a person to first believe in magic. Given this belief, a magic practitioner starts elicitation by “tapping” the life force—the water—in their root, or the lowest part of their stomach. They then send this energy into the plant and merge it with the plant’s energy: the union of the two elicits the magical properties. When one is first learning to elicit the magical powers of plants, they will quickly tire and need to rehydrate following her efforts.

Children are more apt at learning Florávo as they are more naturally in-tuned with their bodies and open to believing in magic. Adults can take longer to learn how to evoke plants due to shame, fear, and doubt blocking their connection to their roots, as well as culturally ingrained disbelief in magic

This became especially true following the Union of the Three Kingdoms and the subsequent Imperial Witch Hunts. Other blocks to a practitioner’s root include emotional trauma, such as grief from loss. 

REVERSE ELICITATION

Salvagers and Duals can practice what is called “reverse elicitation,” or the ability to bring a plant’s energy back into their body, rather than just giving the plant their energy. The only Commoner known to be able to practice reverse elicitation was Weylyn, the son of the eighth Anima, Erie.

Reverse elicitation is a much safer, much more efficient way of discovering the magic of new plants. Yet it can still be very dangerous, as Laurel found out when she reverse-elicited belladonna.

Praxes

A praxis, (plural: praxes), is the Florávo term for how a plant is used following its elicitation. Praxes include single plants, such as a flower elicited as a charm or a victual, or complex, multi-ingredient potions and seres.

Praxes are often used to treat and prevent illnesses and injury; some praxes, though, are intended to offer purely emotional and mental affects. In both cases, plant magic can only enhance or diminish pre-existing qualities within a person; it cannot alter a person’s will.

POTIONS

Herbal formulas digested or applied topically, including dyes, are called potions. There are four subcategories of potions:

• Infusions: teas made of a plant’s delicate parts; the plant is steeped in water and then drained

• Decoctions: teas made of a plant’s hardier parts; the plant is simmered or boiled in water and then drained

• Enfleurages: oils infused with a plant; the plant is steeped in oil and applied topically; most often in salves

• Macerations: when a plant is dissolved in a solvent and taken orally, most often administered as drops under the tongue; they are considered the most powerful of all formulas; includes tinctures

The most common mediums for potions include water, milk, juice, oils, fats, and alcohol. Rarer mediums include blood and other body fluids, mostly because they are more volatile given the higher concentration of life force within them.

Emulsifiers are sometimes added to potions to direct a plant’s magic to a specific body part or purpose. Macerations can be a “magic-enhancing” emulsifier, binding a plant’s magic to the practitioner to enhance a specific elicitation.

CHARMS

Charms are evoked flowers; their effects are felt not for the practitioner, but for whomever receives the charm. There are benign and deadly charms. Deadly Charms are only effective if used within three moons of being elicited. Once a charm or sere has “run its course,” meaning fulfilled its intended use, the elicitation disappears.

SERES

Seres are dried or preserved plants used at the Mage’s disposal; seres have similar properties to charms, though they do not include Deadly Charms, as the potency to kill diminishes after three moons. 

Common examples include vials and pouches, though amulets can be held in any container. Seres are also used as instruments and tools. The use of seres also includes smoke and blood magic:

• Smoke Magic: when lit on fire, seres (and charms) create a magic that can transcend physical barriers

• Blood Magic: blood added to a sere binds the magic to the owner’s blood; blood magic is typically frowned upon and prohibited at Havens due to its dangerous and volatile potentials

VICTUALS

Plants evoked for eating are called victuals. Unlike potions, which require further alteration of an evoked plant, victuals may be consumed like any other foodstuff.

Florávian Martial Arts 

Praxes intended for war are collectively termed Florávian martial arts.

AMMUNITION

Belladonna Bombs are explosive pouches filled with dried belladonna berries (this is a sere; lasts longer than the Belladonna Deadly Charm)

Seven Deadly Charms require housing; examples of housing material include interwoven willow branches, raffia plant and other rushes and grasses, as well as grapevines; sometimes Deadly Charms are evoked prior to battles, and other times Mages evoked them while fighting.

• Fire lilies

• White snakeroot

• Mountains laurel

• Oleander

• Moonflower

• Belladonna

• Witch’s gloves / foxgloves

Wolfsbane Decoction is used to poison blades and bullets; glows purple when evoked

ARMOR

Armadillo Salve made of witch hazel bark, pine needles, and geranium petals is worn in battle to strengthen skin

Birch Skin dyed with oak is an armor worn to repel blades and bullets (but not Florávian ammunition); a flexible material, it allows the warrior to move freely in battle

mages of import

Birthdates (Years Before Present) and Birthplaces (Modern Era names)

NAFÁIT HAVEN

Ada: Nafáit Haven, 515 YBP; Uki’s daughter 

Aife: Habitagne, Sangerria, 545 YBP

Brigid: Violtt, Etavl, 132 YBP

Camden: Havdel, Flaord, 553 YBP

Damari: Fioritlá, Torerra, 140 YBP

Freda: Twin Rivers, Prominence, 129 YBP; partially trained 

Jaco: Nafáit Haven, 544 YBP; partially trained

Javiera: Hermida, Soleria, 154 YBP; High Mage 

Kelvan: Braedan, Desnord, 561 YBP

Orvik: Tark, Anilsatok, 135 YBP

Tenevil: Nafáit Haven, 511 YBP; Uki’s son 

Tillie: Havdel, Flaord, 126 YBP

Weylyn: Láidun, Nudom, 525 YBP; Erie’s son