Killer Whale (Potion)

“*Well, wait until you try the Anglerfish potion, kid. Your face is going to be a poem.*”
―Ezeld "The Parrot" to an anonymous Crane Adept during a potions class

## Information

### Ingredients

* 5 units of Balisse fruit
* 6 units of Buckthorn
* 5 Drowner tongues

### Contraeffect (s)

Altered Sense of Taste
Fatigue Upon Exiting Water
Temporary Loss of Balance

### Duration

1.5 hours

Following the Conjunction of the Spheres, mages working with witchers developed this potion specifically for use in aquatic scenarios, such as exploration or underwater combat. However, earlier witchers were discovered not to be effective enough in underwater action. This issue was rectified by later witcher generations after the Second Conjunction of the Spheres (see School of the Crane).

## Brewing and Alchemical Ingredient Explanation

The method for preparing the Killer Whale potion is as follows for the base-level potion:

1. Begin by chopping the five Drowner tongues into cube shaped pieces and adding them to a pot of boiling water.
2. Take the five Balisse fruit and grind them with a mortar and pestle along with the six units of Buckthorn.
3. Add the Balisse fruit/Buckthorn mixture to the pot with the Drowner tongue pieces.
4. Once the mixture has simmered for a few minutes, strain out anything solid and set the liquid aside. (Obviously potions should not be chunky so solids are drained out for the next step.)
5. In a separate pot, pour the two bottles of Dwarven Spirit and bring it to a simmer. (This will burn off some of the alcohol from the Spirit)
6. Add the strained liquid from step 4 to the Dwarven spirit, and simmer the mixture for a few minutes.
7. Bottle the potion and allow it to cool before using.

## Effects

The Killer Whale potion increases breath supply underwater by half and slightly enhances telescopic vision (the issue mentioned earlier in this article). Witchers from the School of the Crane experience this enhancement more significantly, owing to their specialization and unique mutations.

## Contraeffects/Side Effects

Some of the potential side effects of consuming Killer Whale potion are:

* **Altered Sense of Taste**: The potion might affect a witcher's sense of taste, making food and drink less enjoyable for a short period (around 10-20 minutes) after the potion wears off.
* **Fatigue Upon Exiting Water**: After using the potion, witchers may experience heightened fatigue when they leave the water. The sudden transition from enhanced underwater performance to regular land conditions could strain their bodies.
* **Temporary Loss of Balance:** Witchers who consume the Killer Whale potion may experience a temporary loss (around 10-20 minutes) of balance after the potion wears off, making them more susceptible to stumbling or tripping upon returning to dry land.

## Variations

* **Killer Whale (School of the Crane Variation)**: The only difference between this version and the one created for the early witchers is the use of different materials in its preparation. These materials are the tongues of drowners, which are replaced by the tongues of their tropical variant, giving the potion a stronger flavor. Additionally, buckthorn is substituted with candle bush, resulting in a more intense yellow color than the original version.
* **Killer Whale (School of the Manticore Variation)**: The only difference between this version and the one created for the early witchers is the use of candle bush instead of buckthorn when Manticore witchers were working in South Zerrikania.

## Notes

* For a more in-universe and not so "gameplay mechanics" version, the information of this article have been inspired by The Witcher 1 approach to the potions.