Titan's Blood
Death of the Divine
Legends speak of the first children of Fasma, the old gods who died in the first war. But even in death their flesh shapes the land and the blood its people. But the bones have been picked clean and the rivers stopped flowing. All that remains are the drops gathered when the bloodshed was fresh. And what I offer, is one drop of divinity.
Titan’s Blood is a liquid derived from a Titan's corpse. A mutagenic substance capable of shaping worlds, said to hold the power of creation itself. With its users long dead, all that is left is something that warps anyone or anything who comes into contact with it.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Titan's Blood is an amber liquid with a heavy metallic taste and smell to it, hence its name. Described as a very viscious fluid, it flows difficult and seems to attract parts of itself.
When exposed to the air for long periods of time, its colouration dims a little bit. When in direct contact with living material, it regains it vibrant nature.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Whenever it comes into contact with organic material, the blood of a Titan can cause mutations in one’s biology. Any changes happen directly within seconds of exposure, breaking down the body while doing so. While deemed painful, no direct deaths ever happened due to it.
The exact details of the mutation depend on the Titan donor itself. Changes to the body appear tied to their former domain, such as Avani's blood causing plant-like growths.
Exposure to anything inorganic makes it share its mutagenic properties. Such effects can spread far and wide, infecting entire regions with it. While such changes are much weaker and slower, within a few generations, entire ecosystems may change under it.
Origin & Source
As the name says, Titan’s Blood can only be obtained from a Titan itself. Since most of them died ages ago, supplies are low and diminishing over time, making it hard to find any.
Titan corpses are the most common areas one may find it in large quantities. Puddled up in lakes and rivers around the chest cavity, or even within dried-out veins. Though because of the sheer size differences between Titans, what remains varies a lot.
History & Usage
Cultural Significance and Usage
The true potential of Titan's Blood goes unnoticed by many, as Titans often get only worshipped by cults. For those aware of its power, it is more valuable than life.
Titan’s blood symbolises power in old beliefs, holding the strength of the first gods within its essence. Ritualistic consumption ties it with bonding with the Titan, becoming one with it. For some, they seek to gain the power of a Celestial with it, the power of creation itself. To evolve beyond mortal limitations and become one with existence.
Other cults see it as more like a symbol of change, evolution and growth. That the sacrifice of Titans allowed mortal life to prosper on Fabulae and their blood to nourish that. Though how willing they were to offer themselves up for that depends on which Titan gets referred to.
Environmental Impact
Titan’s Blood is a powerful biohazard to anything it comes in contact with. Within a few generations, it causes changes in both wild-and plantlife, often connected to the Titan donor.
These changes can range from more physical traits to mental characteristics as they overtake the old ecosystem. Either this happens with a slow shift through generations, or a more direct extinction event as new species wipe out the old ones.
Distribution
Trade & Market
With its scarcity, a single drop of Titan’s Blood can be worth more than some noble’s mansion. While not everyone knows about its potential, collectors are aware of what it can do and will pay anything for it. Often enough to make someone set for life.
However, as many Titan corpses are sacred grounds or inaccessible, gathering it is another task. Most attempts to collect the substance get done either in secret or through illegal means, paid by those seeking it themselves. Common funding comes from Titan cults and local collectors.
Storage
Glass seems to be one of the few materials able to contain Titan's Blood without its effects triggering. Any collected substance gets collected in glass containers and then sealed off.
As a regular cork cannot prevent leakage, the glass gets melted shut instead.
Living Essence
It is unsure whether the blood keeps some of a Titan's conscious or not. As they are some of the only true immortal beings, no amount of decay or destruction can kill them.
As mutations are thematic of their domains, it is possible they have some control in this state as well. How much control is debatable, with no clear answers to where their influence begins or ends.
The quote you start with is really really good and got me immediately hooked. What a fascinating material. It would be the great subject of an epic treasure hunt.