“Perhaps there’s some truth to the idea that the real danger of blood magic isn’t that it draws its power from sacrifice, or that it tempts the greedy and ambitious into using the suffering of others to fuel their spells. Perhaps the danger is simply that we do not understand it, and that lack of understanding invites disaster even when our intentions are pure.”
Blood magic is a style of magic that uses the power inherent in blood to fuel spellcasting and also to twist the blood in others for domination or violent corrupting purposes. Unlike users of conventional magic, its users do not touch the
Fade when casting spells and thus find it harder to enter the Fade.
Foundations in Thedas
In the contemporary world, blood magic is described as being one of the more sinister types of magic. The efforts of
the Chantry and the
Templar Order to stigmatize this forbidden discipline over countless years have all but eradicated its practice. It was originally created by mages inside the
Tevinter Imperium.
The only acceptable use of blood magic is in the creation of phylacteries by the
Circle of Magi. Even then, very few know the actual practice involved in creating or using them.
Common wisdom holds that there is no way to use blood magic with good intentions. Even blood mages who tap their own blood often find a need for the power of others. They are also known to try and control other's minds and to summon demons. Just as treacherous, blood magic allows the Fade to be opened completely so that demons may physically pass through it into the physical world. Fear of blood magic has stigmatized even some non-magical fields of research like anatomical studies. The only place where a lot of anatomical work is done is by the Mortalisi who reside under
Nevarra's strict watch.
Mages who practice this style of magic are actively hunted down by the strongest of Templars. They are referred to as
maleficarum and are shown absolutely no mercy.
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