Linnæan Stamen Pens

Stamen pens are a type of writing utensil used primarily in folk healing among the warrens and burrows of the Linnæan Federation.

Construction

Crafting stamen pens is a long and intimate process, as is most fine Linnæan handiwork. First, cubs and kits (with plenty supervision!) will be sent to forage for the finest foxgloves around the warren. The best specimens will be firm and straight, have stems between two and four feet in length, and bear a healthy flower formation. The children gather these stems in bundles, using their sharp claws to sever each one just at the point that the stalk enters the ground, and return them to the artisans in the warren. Each flower is then meticulously removed one at a time, leaving behind small hairlike fibers along the stem. The flowers are sewn into a slightly curved piece of bark so that the tubular opening of each one faces up and out; these form the inkwell for the stamen pen. The pollen, when appropriately cured, becomes a powerful antiseptic and mild pain reliever.
The remaining stalk is cut to a usable length, typically the topmost eight to ten inches of the stem that is covered in the fibers left behind by the flower removal. This length of material is wrapped in gold leafing to about three inches from the tip to form a coated handle, and then both the pen and flower inkwells are encased in thick moss and left in the shadow of the oldest tree in the warren to cure for at least one moon. The stamen pen is now ready to use for healing minor health issues. Without the additional curing step much of the stamen pen’s healing magic would be unfocused and unable be channeled into its patient.

Healing Sigils

Stamen pens provide a remedy for common ailments such as fevers, common colds, body aches, and can even be used to heal minor scrapes and bruises. For any more serious injuries or infections, it would be wise to seek out white tents and true healers.
To heal using a stamen pen, see the following guidelines:

1. Carefully remove the pen and inkwells from their mossy sheath
2. Dip the working end of the pen into an inkwell, noting that each inkwell can only be used once before being depleted
3. Paint basic sigils on the afflicted area of the body, typically small crosses and simple dotted triangles are effective enough
   • If the affliction is physical, such as with scrapes and bruises, it often helps to draw a circle around the injury to better focus the healing
4. Pluck the used inkwell out of the bark palette and eat it whole to set the sigils
5. Replace the pen and inkwells in their sheath, taking care not to damage or spill anything
6. Do NOT leave the pen or ink sitting in direct sunlight, it may hinder the tool's effectiveness or render it impotent

Item type

Medical