sprites and magic
Just to summarise what I've been talking to Sam about:
- We know Yarrow does these routine "blessings" of the forest, concentrating on particular subjects, one of which is the imps' den, but could also be one great big tree; a nest of baby birds with their mama; a cluster of daffodils. After getting to know the imps he does explain this to them and eventually this leads to him blessing their newborns. I'm sure if one of them got injured too or, imps when they are pregnant, etc.
- I'm pretty sure his magic basically works like this: he can do these "blessings" or protective spells to ward off ill health; give a living thing the best chance of survival if injured or sick; or accelerate healing in the case of non-fatal injury or illness.
- I think his eyes glow a bright red when he casts magic. Usually they are a darker red.
- I'm not sure if there is any other visible sign of magic taking place. I think there is a sort of energy you can feel in its presence though. Potentially, humans walking through the forest might feel that they are in the presence of magic, somehow.
- I was saying also that there might be spells passed down through generations of sprites - his mother Yew would've given him this book of spells. She would know them by heart at this point. And it's written in an ancient, dying Sprite language.
- I think he has inherent healing energy that he doesn't need spells for, but perhaps can do more complex magic with the spells, in conjunction with mixing particular herbs etc. Perhaps.
- Other species also possess magic, but sprites are healers, and only healers. Wizards can conjure stuff (domestic imps! for example) and perhaps manipulate... whatever the hell they want. Pixies. Do something... I had it that maybe dragons are a thing, and to that end, perhaps dragon lords a la Merlin. Or maybe dragons are just regular animals. I have been considering the existence of unicorns also. Keep forgetting to mention that one.
- Thinking about what the spells could potentially build on - I don't think sprites can regenerate limbs or anything like that. But I think things the spells could do might be enhancing strength or speed.
- I think if someone or something had died but not been dead for a long time, a sprite could revive them, but it would be very energy-intensive. It might knock Yarrow out for a couple days. Hmm...
- Expanding on the last point - there's no like. Necromancy or whatever. Bringing people back from the dead. It's more like doing CPR on someone who is flatlining.
- Something I hadn't thought about is chronic illness, disease, genetic conditions... will have to consider this but I reckon again, he can just give anyone the best chances, not cure them of anything.
- I had another tiny thought :] that perhaps, when Yarrow is snuggling with Jesper, he automatically is "blessing" him, like being cocooned in magical energy. This would go for anyone - Sol and Kena when they're in close proximity, even if not directly touching Yarrow... I think being close to a sprite, it just happens. I wrote about Yarrow discovering someone in the woods having eaten some yew berries and him having them stay over and. Potentially he makes a point of staying close by to give this guy the best chance of survival. Lmao if this were a game I could imagine you as the player going to stand nearby Yarrow and watch your HP slowly going up. But, I dunno, maybe you really do have to be up close and personal for it to happen. Either way I like the Yarrow inadvertently (or consciously?) healing Jesper any night they're snuggling. ... Maybe this contributes to why Jesper gets up so early and why Yarrow is such a sleepyhead lmao