MAGIC AND WEAPONS - How Fae Blood and Magic Work

Here is a general FAQ about how Fae blood and Fae magic work. If you have any other questions, talk to an admin.
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Is the magic in the blood?
Yes and no. The Fae are very intertwined with nature, and they gain their energy from it. That's why it's important to them to keep the Earth in good shape - they feed off of the energy from nature and then they return it by helping nature to blossom. A Fae who has been cut off from one of the two courts is unable to feel this energy as strongly as other Fae, and are more likely to drain themselves of magic quicker because they absorb the energy more slowly.
Fae also gain energy from each other. It's a very communal type of magic - a group of Fae will always be stronger than a Fae who is on its own. Think of it like honey bees - the hive is stronger the more bees that collect the honey. Fae magic works in a similar way. Fae are always able to feel the magic of other Fae, regardless of their association with the two courts.
Lastly, Fae magic flows through their blood. It flows through every part of them. Once they harness the energy from nature, it transforms into magic which they can then use in a number of ways. Think of it like when a human eats - the energy from their food is then broken down and used by the body to help fuel all of the functions of life. Fae have a similar process with energy from nature and each other. The energy fuels their magic, which is most prominently found in their blood. That is why Fae blood is used in black magic rituals, and the theft of Fae blood is a capital offense.
The magic can also fade from Fae blood after it has been exposed to the air for a certain period of time. That is why stored Fae blood does not work as well (or at all) in black magic rituals. The blood must be fresh.
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How did the old rituals work?
A long, long time ago, human beings thought that they could obtain the power of the Fae if they drank their blood. Thus, what is labeled "the old rituals" began. These humans would abduct a Fae and perform a ceremony around a fire at night. Each ceremony differed, based upon the humans' personal beliefs, but they were always done at night, especially when the moon was full. It was believed, back then, that the full moon was significant to supernatural events. The humans would take the abducted Fae and tie it down, then perform various ritualistic tasks or "spells" that, again, differed based on the humans' own personal beliefs. The important thing was that the sacrificial knife - usually made of silver - was used to cut open the Fae while it was still alive and the moon was directly overhead. The group would then drink the blood of the Fae straight from its veins, slowly letting it bleed out until it was dead.
This was an evil and terribly corrupt ritual, and the blood of the Fae would contort and wrench the insides of the humans who took it, killing most of them. Those who were not killed were transformed into terrible beasts known as vampires. For more information on the history of vampires, visit here.
Likewise, the ritual that was performed on shifters was much the same, although bits of their flesh and internal organs were also consumed, and resulted in the same amount of death and destruction. Those who survived became werecreatures. For more information on the history of the lycans, visit here.
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Is Fae blood still used for magical rituals today?
Yes and no. The "old rituals" from the past are dead, and no one performs them now. Vampires and werecreatures are created through an infectious bite and transformation (or, very rarely, through procreation). Your character cannot be someone who uses/used Fae blood to transform themselves into a vampire or lycan. Those rituals are dead.
Fae blood is, however, used in the practice of black magic. More on that in the black magic article, but any use of Fae blood is strictly prohibited by Haven law and also must be cleared by an admin.