Healing (Hedge Magic)

Hedge Magic

Introduction: Since the earliest days, those whose touch could heal have been held in highest regard. The laying on of hands by a saint, the witch’s poultice, the intercession of a houngan with Legba and the caring touch of a general practioner have all been seen as a kind of miracle. When practioners of this Path are involved, this appellation it is not far from the truth.

The Path of Healing takes time; there are no miraculous cures, no instant regeneration of wounds and no sudden recovery from fatal illnesses. Even the most experienced healer can only force the body to do so much; a healer normally works by accelerating the body’s natural processes, by helping it do what it would normally do anyway, only faster and better. Worse, use of this Path saps the user; overuse can lead to burnout and even death. A master of the Path can bring someone back even from death’s door… but the cost is often more than he can bear.

Although not absolutely necessary for the use of this Path, most healers have at least some knowledge of medicine, although this may not be traditional Western medicine: acupuncture, homeopathy, herbalism or knowledge of which spirits to propitiate and which to exorcise can all be effective to a healer who believes.

The Path of Healing can relieve pain, cure diseases, speed recovery from injuries (and heal some injuries outright), even restore sight to the blind. It cannot, however, do anything to alleviate aggravated injuries… fire, Pattern magic and acid all do things so heinous to the human (or inhuman) body that it cannot be healed in this fashion. For reasons that should be obvious, the Path of Healing cannot be used on the dead (or undead).

A sorcerer may attempt to heal any given injury, disease or condition once; if she fails or achieves only a limited success (due to skill), she may not go back and attempt to improve the situation later.

• Minor pain (headache), antiseptic effect, heals minor bruises

• • Moderate pain (migraine), cures minor toxins, heals major bruising and stabilises bleeding

• • • Major pain (groin kick), cures moderate toxins, heals broken bones

• • • • Extreme pain (gut stab), cures serious toxins, heals ruptured organs as well as minor debilities

• • • • • Incredible pain (amputation), cures lethal toxins, heals the majority of bodily injuries and can cure blindness and hearing