Golden Oriole

“*"Before fighting a venomous creature like the basilisk, a witcher drinks Golden Oriole to release enzymes that increase his resistance to toxins. The truly cautious prepare a second dose in case an opponents' poison somehow overcomes this resistance."*”
―The Book of the Golden Oriole

## Information

### Contraeffect (s)

Nausea, drowsiness, urinary incontinence, abnormal urine color and heightened thirst ( common to all recipes )
Metallic aftertaste, skin sensitivity and transient blurred vision ( recipe 1 )
itching sensation ( recipe 2 )
Shortness of breath, muscle weakness, headache, and sensitivity to light ( recipe 3 )

### Duration

8 hours

**Golden Oriole** is a potion that renders a witcher's body immune to poison and neutralizes the effects of poisons already present in their bloodstream. It was one of the first potions developed alongside Cat. As such, during the creation process, different recipes were experimented with to achieve its desired effects.

## Brewing

#### Recipe 1:

* **Ingredients**:
	+ Equal parts of Vitriol
	+ Equal parts of Aether
	+ Base of Dwarven or Zerrikanian Spirit
* **Procedure**:
	1. Combine equal parts of Vitriol and Aether.
	2. Mix the Vitriol and Aether mixture with a base of Dwarven or Zerrikanian Spirit.
	3. Stir the mixture twice every 15 minutes for half an hour.
	4. After half an hour, pour the concoction into flasks for later use.

#### Recipe 2:

* **Ingredients**:
	+ 1 unit of Rebis
	+ 1 unit of Vermillion
	+ 1 unit of Caelum
	+ 4 units of Blowball
	+ 1 unit of Light Essence
* **Procedure**:
	+ Combine 1 unit each of Rebis, Vermillion, and Caelum.
	+ Add 4 units of Blowball to the mixture.
	+ Incorporate 1 unit of Light Essence into the potion.
	+ Stir the mixture clockwise three times and then counterclockwise twice.
	+ Let the potion simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
	+ Allow the potion to cool before transferring it into a storage container.

#### Recipe 3:

* **Ingredients**:
	+ 4 units of Blowball
	+ 1 unit of Light Essence
* **Procedure**:
	+ Take 4 units of Blowball.
	+ Add 1 unit of Light Essence to the Blowball.
	+ Grind the Blowball and Light Essence mixture into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
	+ Carefully transfer the powdered mixture into a heat-resistant container.
	+ Heat the mixture over low flame until it forms a smooth, consistent liquid.
	+ Allow the potion to cool before bottling it for storage.

## Effects

Golden Oriole provides immunity to poisons, rendering the already enhanced witcher's body impervious to the harmful effects of various toxins. Simultaneously, it executes swift detoxification, efficiently neutralizing and purging the body of existing toxins, ensuring a thorough cleansing process. The potion also has the capability to enact temporary invulnerability to poisonous attacks, offering a crucial shield during confrontations with venomous adversaries like basilisks, for example.

## Contraeffects/Side Effects

Some of the potential side effects of consuming Golden Oriole are:

#### Common to All Recipes

* **Nausea**: A sensation of queasiness that may endure briefly after ingesting the potion, stemming from the immunity to poisons conferred by the elixir.
* **Drowsiness**: Golden Oriole might prompt a mild state of drowsiness, exerting a temporary impact on alertness. This can be counterbalanced with the use of other potions before combat against a venomous monster.
* **Urinary Incontinence**: If the potion is used after having venom in the body, as it efficiently purges the body of toxins, it includes the occurrence of urinary incontinence.
* **Abnormal Urine Color**: Once the potion has neutralized the effects of poisons in the blood, it can cause the color of the urine to become unusual or different than normal. This is a natural response of the witcher's body to the components of the potion and is temporary, without causing medical concerns. It may last for days if the potion is repeatedly used.
* **Heightened Thirst**: After the potion wears off, increased feelings of thirst that may linger for a short period due to the already mentioned urinary incontinence.

### Recipe 1

* **Metallic Aftertaste**: An unpleasant taste resembling a metallic flavor.
* **Skin Sensitivity**: Increased sensitivity of the skin to touch or textures.
* **Transient Blurred Vision**: Temporary difficulty in focusing on objects, especially if venom is present in the body. It is a result of the potion acting to make the witcher immune and also neutralize the effects of poisons present in their bloodstream.

### Recipe 2

* **Itching Sensation**: Mild irritation or itching on the skin.

### Recipe 3

* **Shortness of Breath**: Temporary difficulty in breathing, which may last for a brief duration after consuming the potion.
* **Muscle Weakness**: A temporary decline in muscle strength, potentially affecting physical performance.
* **Headache**: After the potion wears off, a mild to moderate headache may occur as a side effect.
* **Sensitivity to Light**: Heightened sensitivity to light for about 4 hours, making exposure to bright light sources uncomfortable.

## Trivia

* This potion is only known to have been used by the schools of the Northern Kingdoms or Nilfgaard. It is unknown if other schools from further away (with the exception being the School of the Manticore) use it. It is likely not, given the comments made by the witchers (especially Putnam Pitch) who were with Fabio Sachs on his expedition to the Far East, suggesting that they do not use it and have an equivalent.