Blood-oil

Blood-oil was an oil that was used by the Teblor to enhance their weapons, abilities and senses.House of Chains, Chapter 2 - "Karsa, his senses still heightened beyond normal by the blood-oil, sniffed the air, but their scent had yet to reach him." It was even used on horses. Some of the known side effects were uncontrollable lust and rage. It enhanced the senses and also had healing properties.House of Chains, Chapter 2 - "She would live, he knew. Blood-oil was impatient with broken flesh." While a Teblor weathered blood-oil's fever and eventually came back to themselves, Human minds could snap under the oil's influence and be left permanently half-mad.The God is Not Willing, Chapter 4, US HC p.71
It was used by both Teblor males and females however women may have been more circumspect in its use as in their case the effects were more long-lasting.House of Chains, Chapter 1 - "But, Warleader, you do not know what it will do to each of us women. I do, for I too was young and foolish once. Even my husband’s strength could not keep my teeth from his throat, and he carries the scars still. There is more. What for you will last less than a week, haunts us for months." 
It was strongly believed that otataral was also an ingredient in blood-oil and it was because of this that Teblor like Karsa Orlong were immune to non-Elder sorcery.House of Chains, Chapter 4 - "Karsa turned. ‘What is this “otataral” everyone speaks of?’
‘A bane to magic.’
‘And it must be mined.’
‘Yes. It’s usually a powder, found in layers, like sandstone. Resembles rust.’
‘We scrape a red powder from cliffsides to make our blood-oil,’ the Teblor murmured.
‘What is blood-oil?’
‘We rub it into our swords, and into our armour. To bring on battle madness, we taste it.’
The stranger was silent for a moment, though Karsa could feel the man’s eyes on him. ‘And how well does magic work against you?’
‘Those who attack me with sorcery usually reveal surprise on their faces ... just before I kill them.’
‘Well now, that is interesting. It is believed that otataral is only found on the single large island east of here. The empire controls its production. Tightly. Their mages learned the hard way during the conquest, in the battles before the T’lan Imass got involved. If not for the T’lan Imass, the invasion would have failed. I have some more advice for you. Reveal nothing of this to the Malazans. If they discover there is another source of otataral, a source they do not control, well, they will send into your homeland – wherever that is – every regiment they possess. They will crush your people. Utterly.’"
The Teblor traded with the Saemdhi of Genabackis' far north for seal and whale oils that were used as part of the process to create blood-oil.The God is Not Willing, Chapter 4, US HC p.67-69
==Notes and references==
de:Blutöl
Category:Substances