Blood Magic

Blood magic is a form of sacrificial magic that relies on the magic, power, and energy found within the blood of living creatures. It is widely feared and outlawed throughout Imbria and beyond. For many people, it elicits visceral feelings of revulsion.
The blood used in spells can be from the caster or from a donor. Donors include other witches, nomas, or even animals.

Uses

Blood magic is powerful and versatile; it can be used to enact many different effects and can be used concurrently with other magic types and a wide varity of spells. Possibilities include scrying, leaching energy and magic from others, locator spells, and even protections and healing spells. It is especially useful for augmenting a witch's spells and abilities.

Limitations

Blood magic can provide short-term or longer-term benefits, however the strength and longevity of spells can vary and be difficult to predict. The duration of these effects depend on several factors include the power and ability of the caster, the type of spell being performed, the power and ability of the donor, the amount of blood used, and many more factors.

The ultimate form or stage of blood magic is rumored to be vampirism.

Classification

Sacrificial

Blood Magic Festival

Laws and Attitudes in various countries

Be not tempted by the false promises of necromancy nor blood magic. It is a terrible power that will corrupt even the gentlest and purest of souls.

— Divine Teachings of Torva, Goddess of Light

Cultural attitudes surrounding blood magic vary greatly in each country of Imbria, as do the laws vary from one nation to the next. However, this magic type is perhaps even more feared and hated in some parts than necromancy.

All forms of blood magic are strictly outlawed in Salaris and Torverath. This includes even low-level spells that rely on a caster's own blood. These countries believe it to be a corrupting magic that leads people away from Torva's guiding light, and they seek to stamp out all forms of it.
Other countries allow some aspects, though not all, while others have only some limitations on the practice.

Rhovan

Rhovan is the only country in Wennovi that truly embraces blood magic and protects its users. All forms of blood magic are permitted, even vampirism, so long as the donor consents, is of consenting age, and is not harmed unnnecessarily.
The Rhovani even celebrate it with lavish galas during their annual Blood Fest, during which, a variety of blood magic is often on display, and the Rhovani poke fun of other people's perception of this magic type.

Eldahi

Some Eldahi practice very mild versions of blood magic, though they tend to not classify it as such. To them, using a bit of blood in a spell or ritual is no big deal, so long as everyone is safe and consents.

Mantalos

Mantalos has no laws prohibiting blood magic, but culturally, it is neither acceptable nor common.

Necros

Necros technically outlaws blood magic, and culturally, the Necrosi people generally show contempt for it.
However, Necrosi necromancers do use blood in a wide variety of spells, sigils, and other applications. They rationalize it as necromancy, instead of blood magic, because it is collected from ceremonies like the Lifestone Ritual, which involves the death of a creature or person, instead of a donation from the living.

Perception versus Reality

Many people cringe away from even the thought of blood magic. For some, it conjurs images of cannabalism and vampirism, of demonic pacts and ritualistic human sacrifice.
Many vilify blood magic entirely, unwilling to consider nuance or the differences between a finger prick and exsanguination. Evangelical followers of Torvae would argue the first would always inevitably lead to the latter.

Vampirism is nothing more than folklore designed to scare witches away from practicing blood magic.

— Dabbler

While blood magic is celebrated in Rhovan, there are strict rules governing it. These laws aim to protect against crimes and to investigate and prosecute when crimes do happen.

Perception	Reality
A lawless, unsafe society where only the strongest magic-users survive	Strict laws and understanding a society & economy require all types of people
High crime rates and magic addiction numbers	Similar (and sometimes lower) rates as other nations
Rampant human sacrifice	Outlawed and homicides are investigated and prosecuted
Uncontrolled vampirism	The Truth about Vampires (Spoiler) Vampires do exist in Rhovan and coexist with non-vampires. They are even celebrated, but their numbers remain low. Furthermore, in Rhovan, vampires must only consume blood from willing donors. Consuming blood without consent is severely punished, sometimes with true death, and the inadvertent death of a donor is also always investigated and punished.
All nomas and low-level witches living in constant fear	Most Rhovani citizents, blood magic-users, other magic-weilders, and non-magic people, attend Blood Fest together and celebrate their interdependence. In fact, nomas and low-level magic users have the most freedoms and least restriction in Rhovan than in other nations of Imbria.
Even the smallest use of blood magic is a gateway to evil-doing	This notion is just ridiculous. The Eldahi have almost no instances of higher-level blood magic being performed, despite routinely using lower-level blood magic.