The Strain of New Moons

...And So, At The End Of The Cycle, A Blood Moon Rises

...we women are so much more. We are not only mothers, daughters, and wives. We are blessed by the blood moon and most of us don't know it. We have power writhing within us. We have the power to create life. Yes, men are involved... but only just... Don't ever forget that, dear husband.

— Priestess of the Fiery Lock, from Morrigan

The new moon is the most commonly used symbol of blood mages. The reddish hue can be mesmerizing. The Strain of New Moons is focused heavily on the feminine and blood rituals. Most of their abilities can only be used at the right times, with preparation, and with care. The products of these rituals are powerful indeed. One drop of lunar blood can be used to enhance all other magic, particularly Arcana Sanguis. To take this blood within you is to set the veins ablaze in a sacred fire. Blood Ladders gather and collect blood from The Wetworks so that the mage doesn't have to, and some, with the will to do so, have even discorvered a form of everlasting youth.

Cyclical Blood

Lunar blood is created through rituals under particular cycles of the moon. The blood is harvested and then aged in a sense as rituals are cast over it. These rituals serve as the fundamental basis of the strain.
Lunar blood undergoes a transformation during these rituals. These changes depend on the rituals performed.


Not all the rituals in the strain are focurlsed on creating powerful blood. The genre is filled with other forms of ritualistic magic.

The Rituals

The following are a series of rituals that focus on enhancing and changeing the blood they harvest. These rituals in particular are heavily influenced by the phase of the moon and the various ingredients used.

Gibbous blood

A batch of gibbous blood is harvested and prepared under a gibbous moon. The ingredients used alter the individual effects but gibbous blood deals with invigoration and healing

Waxing Blood

Waxing blood is made under the waxing moon. The blood is generally toxic but not tainted, preventing its use in The Strain of Profanity. This blood is very tempermental, and explodes when charged with magical energy and experiencing a high impack such as throing a jar full of the charged blood on the ground. The explosion pulls forth a raging crimson flame that can only be extinguised with blood or the will of the caster.

Waning Blood

Waning blood is created under the waning moon and possesses no immediate effects. It is often used to support full moon rituals to enhance the effects of full blood.

Full Blood

Full blood, Created under a fool moon, can allow for many beneficial effects on the part of the user. Increased strength, heightened intelligence, perception, and accuracy are all included. When combined with waking blood, taking twice as long to produce, the effects are doubled.

New Blood

New blood is created under a new moon and is essential in the creation of Blood Ladders and often used to summon creatures from the domain of blood. New blood is also used to request audience of the many powerful entities that exist such as The Red Maiden herself.

Of The Blood, By The Blood

Practitioners of this strain often reference birth and rebirth when trying to explain it. Most texts related to the strain have gone to great lengths to discuss family and the power of the feminine as well.

Men have never been able to use this strain. Women were the sole practitioners.
Modern spins on the strain emerged as midwives developed and practiced Venomancy, the act of divination surrounding childbirth.
The Strain of New Moons is an uncomfortable subject for many due to its implementation and the implications surround it. It is the source for much of the misunderstanding surrounding Arcana Sanguis

Fertility

Another common theme expressed in the strain is that of fertility. Many myths and legends depict the spilled blood of gods bringing forth life from otherwise lifeless soil. Blood had always carried a symbolic image as the essence of life and it is this very image that lends to its power of healing and invigoration. It is even believed that this strain was the first of the genre as the many qualities of its power match up with the earliest accounts of blood magic.

The Drinkers of Blood

Those who practice this strain take advantage of their unique connection to blood. When coming across a being that sustains itself through blood such as a perch, they can consume the residual energy and recover from fatigue caused by over use of blood magic. Many practitioners have leeches they wander the fields of battle consuming the spilled blood for this reason.

Blood Ladders

Blood ladders are blood soaked objects hung up outdoors or on ones person that gradually gather blood from The Wetworks. The object drops this potent blood and that blood orbits the ladder rising and falling in liquid orbs as the blood is gathered. This blood is finite but a caster can channel energy into the ladder to speed up that process and harvest the blood.

Blood Batheing

A common practice among the older members of blood cults, the practitioner can take baths in full blood, often sacrificed by the members of the cult, to retain youth, and enhance all the senses. The practice was first used by the Sanguine Legion to Travel to The Wetworks but it has a great many other effects. It can grant the mage everlasting youth, heal wounds, and even restore lost limbs.

Coagulate

Practitioners of this strain can condensed blood. This blood coagulates and eventually crystallizes into shards. These shards can be used as enchantments, whetstones, and also as a drawing tool for creating blood sigils, which is the oldest form of blood magic ever practiced.