The Grim Grimoire is a companion to The Witch Lab, if you haven’t read this month’s story yet, check it out here: The Innocent
Bloodleaf of want and hunger, Iresine herbstii is not a plant for the novice. An experienced hand is required to achieve its most delicious and deleterious effects without severe consequences.
Mmm... I get dizzy just thinking about its smoke. Fills the lungs and fills the head with happy thoughts of others dead. There’s nothing quite like it. Smokey visions of a black figure, hungry for life force. It’ll latch on to anything with a pulse if you aren’t careful. That, of course, means you. So keep your focus on your victim, you’ll do a little astral shimmy to get where they are, then the fun begins. This spirit will bind to them and feed until they wither and die. The rapidity of death depends on the size of the victim, larger victims will die more quickly as the spirit is likely to glut themselves. They’ll ration a thinner victim. This is important to plan for. If, for example, you’re in imminent danger from your target and your target is a thin one, you’ll need to arrange a safe place to hide for the days or weeks it could take for them to die.
So What could go wrong?
-You fail to visualize your victim and you are vampirized instead.
-You fail to visualize your victim and an innocent is killed instead.
-The spirit sucks you into its world and you are doomed to its same fate. How does this happen? Generally it happens because you want it to. You see the spirit and are seized by a deep longing for it and for the embrace it gives to the living. You want the intimacy of taking another’s life into you. The problem is that most people don’t know they want this until they see the dark spirit. Some are able to fight the desire to let go, others are not. Try to resolve any feelings of loneliness before attempting this ritual.
Can also make you feel like a witch in her forest (…like a million bucks? Is that still what the kids say?) So can you take it for the feels and not for the shadow beast life sucking feature?
Yes
But
Your intentions must be very clear: Bloodleaf, bitch, I Love you, but I just want the high.
Or
Bloodleaf feel I low of Spirit,
Be my dopamine, right?
Be my serotonin
Don’t be killing no one
Or some such thing
Whatever suits
For divination, make a tea of dandelion root and dried bloodleaf leaves, drop an obsidian stone into the tea. Use typical tea to water ratios, drink no more than a teacup.
Burn rosemary, you will be letting spirits in.
You’ll feel the heat of the tea move through you as it opens you up to higher spiritual planes. Elation and a frisson of energy will replace all fear and doubt. Your vision will fade. Now is the time to ask your questions, as your confidence surges. Let forward only the spirits with burning blue auras, they will speak the truth. All others hold back with the outstretched palm of your right hand. Don’t stray from your intentions, though this will be tempting. You’ll have around five minutes.
Finally, as a facial tonic, crush leaves and stems in a mortar and pestle, steep in witch hazel for a week, then strain, use as a spot treatment for acne, burns, bug bites, hives, or other skin eruptions.
I don't know how to obtain this herb, but I enjoy thinking about it. Thanks for the info and the intriguing suggestions, HG!