During the Age of Arcana, magic practitioners discovered that, in times of great need, their own blood could be used to enhance their spellcasting abilities beyond their normal limits at a cost. This method of magic became somewhat taboo to most magic users. Cults began to form, focusing completely on the use of blood magic. Eventually, blood magic was outlawed and all who use it were to be destroyed. Said to be lost to the ages, the art of blood magic still remains one of the most powerful and dangerous forms of magic ever discovered.
Boon of Blood. You cut into your flesh and pull the blood from your veins. You take 1d12 damage per spell level to double the damage of any spell. (i.e. Casting Fireball at 3rd level causes 3d12 damage to the caster, but does 16d8 fire damage). The self damage ignores resistances and immunities and cannot be reduced. Additionally, if the spell has a material component with a gold value, the blood used replaces it.
Beyond Reason. When you run out of spell slots, blood can be used to compensate. You take 1d12 damage per spell level to cast a spell without using a spell slot. You may do this if you still have slots available. Choosing to cast a spell without a slot available removes the damage boost gained from Boon of Blood.
Tainted Blood. Blood magic is extremely powerful, causing a spellcaster to push beyond the normal facets of the arcane to include ones living essence. However powerful, blood magic has many costs. Performing magic using traditional means mixed with ones own blood comes with a risk of being infected with a form of arcane corruption. Whenever a spell is cast using blood, make a CON save (DC 10). On a failed save, you gain a point of corruption. Each level of corruption increases the DC by 2. Corruption can only be removed by a Greater Restoration at level 1-2. At level 3, corruption can only be removed on sacred ground, like a temple or a place of divine power. At level 4, a 1-hour ritual must be performed on sacred ground to remove the corruption before a Resurrection can be performed. At the end of the ritual, a DC 20 WIS check is made by the PC/NPC leading the ritual. On a failed check, the body can no longer have the ritual performed. Nothing short of a Wish spell or a god can remove the corruption now. Corruption details are as follows:
| Level | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Disadvantage on ability checks |
| 2 | Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws. Healing spell effects are halved |
| 3 | Hit point maximum halved. Potions no longer work. Healing spells below 5th level have no effect |
| 4 |
Death |
The DM chooses if and when a spellcaster is ready to have access to blood magic. It is a lost form of magic, so learning it would require research from forbidden tomes at an arcane college, learning it from another spellcaster familiar with the practice, or finding a notes in a mage's library somewhere in the world.
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