Herbal Preparations for Surgical Treatments

Edits suggested by Grunok in sky blue.

HERBAL PREPARATIONS for SURGICAL TREATMENTS

Surgical Treatments Overview
This chapter of herbal remedies covers the preparations used in anticipation of, during, and immediately after surgery. In most instances, these do not supplant the need for surgery, but are used to obtain a better result during and after surgery. For example, a victim of a grievous slash from a sword could have an excellent field chirurgeon stitch up the wound, yet still perish from blood loss or contagion. The purposes of these preparations are numbing an area on the body, fighting off contagion, stopping blood loss or helping new blood to spring forth, and sealing wounds.

Northern Sarvonia

Alth'mon ("Ice Plant")
Overview:
The Alth’mon is known as “Ice Plant” in Tharian, “Poiya” to those people north of the Kuglimz population, and “Varro” to the Ice Tribes. A white flower, standing a few nailbreadths over the ground, surrounded by layers of spike-tipped leaves, this plant grows only in the cold climes north of the Tandala Highlands.

Preparation:
By crushing the leaves and mixing it with fat to create a salve, the Kuglimz prepare a salve called Por'mon (lit. "Ice Frost") which has the property of numbing the skin to which it is applied.

Effects:
The salve Por'mon temporarily numbs skin or other surfaces it is applied to.

Lore of Usage:
Most of the inhabitants of Northern Sarvonia have a legend about how at one time or another a great ball of ice came down from the sky, and as it came down, it splintered and showered its crystals along the whole of the North. These crystals took root in the earth and became the alth'mon plant. It kept its frigid temperature and can still to this day freeze a man's skin.
Por'mon likely exerts its effect on skin and surface membranes by prevailing on the ichor, cooling the inflamed area and appealing to a calmer temperment.

Location:
Found north of the Tandala Highlands.

Southern Sarvonia

Mil'no Plant

Overview:
The Mil'no plant is a desert plant with light pink to blue blooms used for hygienic, cosmetic, medical and other purposes due to its strong scent. Mil'no grows in bulks on solitary stalks with silvery-green leaves and can be found in abundance in half arid conditions, but can exist in drier regions also. Mil'no grows up to two peds high with green, soft, hand-sized leaves on single stalks, growing in bulks. Its intense scent serves as a defense against herbivorous animals and sucking insects. Mil'no is mainly used by the Shendar, who need not only greater amounts of the leaves for their toilet, but use all its parts for different purposes.

Preparation:
Sap is extracted from a freshly-reaped mil'no plant, then diluted to the desired potency.

Effects:
Applied externally to rid open skin wounds of contagion.
It is rumored that Shendar healers use the undiluted sap for someone to inhale vapors rendering them unconscious before surgery, though this is not well-studied.

Lore of Usage:
The mil'no plant is widely used to provide a fresh scent to the Shendar toilet. However, the reader is advised not to overlook the potent cleansing and preserving qualities of the mil'no sap, as this can prevent grave infirmity resulting from contamination of an otherwise nonfatal wound.

Location:
Found in parts of Sarvonia with half arid, hot conditions with lots of sunshine, particularly Stratania.

Miyuestiac Bush (Miyu Beans)
Overview:
Miyu (me-you) beans are taken from the miyuestiac bush, and are a recently rediscovered plant seed rising in prominence among healers for their numbing properties. The bush stands about one and a half peds tall, with shaggy, deep reddish-brown bark. The limbs have thick foliage consisting of light orange cloven leaves and green bean pods. The round berries within the pods are black with a single orange ring around the top. Overdoses of miyu bean mixtures can be quite dangerous.

Preparation:
Raw berries, when squashed, issue forth a gel which numbs skin. These berries are somewhat fragile, and require wrapping in miyuestiac leaves to prevent unintentional crushing and numbing of skin. The berries may also be dried and pulverized. This powder of miyu beans may be reconstituted in water to produce a paste with similar, though somewhat diminished, numbing qualities.

Effects:
When squashed, or reconstituted from powder and made into a paste, then applied to the skin, it numbs the immediate area for varying amounts of time, depending on the dosage.
When ingested they act as a general soporific, numbing the mind and body.
The astute healer is well-advised to be cautious in the administration of miyuestiac powder, as some people fall heavily under its influence and become addicted to its euphoric effect.

Lore of Usage:
As unfortunate experience tells us, no human, hobbit, gnome or elf should ingest more than 7 of these berries, as these berries may induce stupor and cessation of vital bodily functions in an overdose. Dwarves may be able to tolerate more than this, but this is not recommended.

Location:
Found in Ilian Plateau and in portions of the Lower Fores.

Odea Moss
Overview:
In the gap between the Auturian Woods and the Tolonian Heath grows the odea moss, a deep green, very shiny, and incredibly slippery moss. While attached to its host the odea appears as tiny spheres. Once removed from its host plant, it starts to die a disgustingly slimy death. Appearing during the colder months of the year, the odea moss has been used by the Tethinrhim elves since it was discovered as a highly potent healing plant.

Preparation:
Fresh odea moss is plucked from its host plant and mixed with a small quantity of blood from the victim. This forms a paste which is applied onto a wound. Alternatively, the moss may be removed and dried in the sun to form a powder. This powder, while not quite as potent as the fresh moss, still retains its property of mending wounds.

Effects:
Either fresh odea moss made into a paste, or dried odea powder, along with a drop of blood from the wounded, spread over a wound and left to be absorbed into the body, helps wound binding. This process should be repeated a number of times according to the severity of the wound. The odea moss does not need to be removed.

Lore of Usage:
Odea moss is rumored to be the creation of Nehtor (God of Healing) having witnessed the horrors and burns to the remaining Tethinrhim elves when the Auturian Woods were burnt down in 806 b.S., assisting to help the elves to recover their strength. It is believed that odea moss appeals to the Foiroan constituent, coaxing the ichor to weave the fabric of the body into an intact tapestry of nature once again.

Location:
Found in lower regions of Auturian Woods, Tolonian Heath, and rarely western side of Marcogg.

Urban Tree

Overview:
Urban trees are enormous trees, covered with thick bark. A notable characteristic of urban trees, aside from the gigantic thickness of tree trunks, are their roots spreading over the surface of the whole forest ground. They grow deep within the forests of Sarvonia. One of the most prominent urban trees lies in the Auturian Forest, where it was made into the Ria, the main building of the Tethinrhim Elves.

Preparation
Freshly-reaped leaves are steeped into a tea, for pain remedies. The washed leaves may also be applied to assist in wound closure.

Effects:
Fresh leaves of the urban tree are washed and applied directly as single-use washcloths, bandages on wounds, or underneath wound dressings, to hasten wound healing.
Additionally, sap of the urban tree may be poured directly into a wound to abet healing, though this does not stave off contagion.

Lore of Usage
It is often said that the urban tree was first created when the Tethinrhim tribe first came to the Auturian Forest by an elf named Na’Pheran ("She-Tree"). Realising that it wouldn’t be viable for her fellow tribe members to live on the ground with safety, she focused on the powers of the Earth and created a forest of large living house trees. Urban leaves hold potency in their effect upon the bile, which flows more evenly, cooling one's disposition and allowing for peaceful repose.

Location
Found in wooded areas, most dense population is in Auturian Woods.

Aeruillin

Totit Bush

Overview:
Coming almost to the knee of most adult humans, standing about one half ped in height, thetotit bush has been used by the tribes of east Aeruillin for generations as both a food source and a medication. Numerous small almond-shaped green leaves cover the plant, giving the surrounding pale sands a green shade of life. A large pink or orange blossom blooms twice a year, sending the miniscule seeds everywhere on the harsh desert winds. Despite its generous numbers, the tribes have not been able to domesticate the plant or grow it in easily harvestable fields.

Preparation:
The dried blossoms are collected and ground to a fine powder. When combined with oil, this makes a lotion which prevents contagion from entering a wound. The people of Aeruillin often use oils from cactus flowers, such as the Agisuhlt and Sepulchura, thus adding a soft, sweet bouquet to the lotion. Another use for the plant is to dig up the totit roots, soak them in boiling water for 3 days, and pound them to separate out the long fibers. These fibers are spun into fine threads, then woven into a soft cloth the Sor'inyt call Yuatu’way.

Effects:
The lotion of the totit blooms are effective at keeping contagion out of wounds.
This author uses Yuatu'way fiber as a suture thread when soft thread of one single fiber is beneficial, such as for mending muscles.

Lore of Usage:
The totit, hailing from a hot, dry locale, drinks in the warmth of the sun, basking in the midday light. Having such a strong reserve of heat thus acts to sear away contagion, preventing spoilage of the sanguine constituent.

Location:
Found in eastern Aeruillin, thriving in the hot dry climate.

Several locales, or Ubiquitous

Arryi Flower ("Purple Lantern")

Overview:
The arryi, or purple lantern, as it is mainly called in Aeruillin, is a flower which is encountered often by the Shendar when they travel through the Aj’nuvic Grounds. Though found mostly in these grounds, as they have the ideal climate for its reproduction, the plant has been seen in other areas in Caelereth also, for example the Cár'cál'cáey Mountains of Aeruillin. The plant has a very distinctive look, its long stems richly hung with many purple little flowers ("lanterns"). When an arryi dies in winter the flowers will turn blue, causing much awe amongst the Shendar, blue being of course their tribal colour.

Preparation:
When an arryi flower perishes in the winter, the blossoms change from purple to blue. These blue flowers may be collected and dissolved into water to produce a medicinal preparation to stanch bleeding.
Caution should be exercised to use only the blue flowers of the arryi which die in winter. The fertile flowers of the living arryi are purple, and these would prove fatal if ingested. The purple flower for which the arryi obtained its name may induce rapid, massive bleeding from multiple sites, which is almost impossible to stanch.

Effects:
The potion derived from the blue flowers of winter stop one from bleeding, causing the blood to clot very fast.

Lore of Usage:
The cold of winter turning the purple lantern to the frigid blue of death evokes the sound of Queprur's whisper chilling the land. This explains the efficacy of the potion of the blue arryi flower, the emboldened choler hardening the body against mortal wounds and freezing the outflow of blood.

Location:
Found in Santharian province Truban northwest of Nirmenith Mountains, Aj’nuvic Grounds, and in the mountains of Aeruillin.

Redberry Bush

Overview:
The redberry is a common, medium-sized bush that can be found throughout most of Caelereth (with the exception of southern Nybelmar and Aeruillin). Each bush produces many small, tart, red berries, useful for cooking as well as being a primary ingredient of ormelin (orm conservation fluid).

Preparation:
The fruit juice of redberries is one of the main ingredients in ORMELIN (orm conservation fluid).

Ormelin fluid ingredients (makes about 2 mugs):
1) Orms; more orms make the fluid stronger. Any orm is suitable.
For moderate strength, it is common to use about 200 orms.
2) Powdered lotann leaves, about 3 ladles.
3) Fresh alth’ho roots, about 15. (other grasses may be substituted)
4) Sunflower petals, about 8-10.
5) Redberry juice, about a sip.
6) Water, about 3 mugs.
7) A pinch of iron (rust is suitable) or other metals.
8) Icemilk, about 3 sips of their sap.
9) Mil'no, about 5 leaves.
Boil the water in an iron pot. When it's boiling, add the lotann leaves, the alth’ho roots, the sunflower petals, the icemilk sap and the mil'no leaves. Put a lid in the pot and let it boil for 35 minutes. Make sure that leaves and roots are cooked asunder. If not, squash them with a fork, and boil 5 minutes more. Then add the redberry juice and the pinch of iron. Let it boil for 20 minutes and add the orms. After boiling for another 10-15 minutes let it cool down, and pour it into a glass flask.

Effects:

Cure-all elixir.
All-purpose wound healing.
Aids blood loss recovery.
Cures many types of contagion.

Lore of Usage:
The alchemical genius of ormelin is obvious even to the unstudied herbalist. The method of brightening the Foiroan constituent (ichor) and at the same time amplifiying the sanguine constituent re-establishes a balance between the body’s passionate and cerebral influences.

Location:
The redberry bush is found almost everywhere except arid conditions.

Silkel Tree
Overview:
The Silkel tree, also called the Ilárol’pherán ("Silver Tree") or Cáo fá Eú'reóll, ("Child of the Tree of Life"), in Styrásh, is regarded as one of the most beautiful trees in all of Caelereth, and many believe it to be touched by a kind of immortal magic. Either its enchanting appearance, or perhaps its amazing healing powers, or maybe its inclination to grow in places touched by myth and wonder, lead to the belief that it’s a tree closer to ethereality than to corporeality. This sheeny tree has a number of uses, many of them of medicinal purpose. The tree is mostly known for its thread-like bark that can be made into silk, which is sometimes used to make cloth.

Preparation:
1) In autumn, when the branches and trunks become a shiny silver, the thread-like bark is peeled off the trees by harvesters. The bark is then treated with various concoctions; one of these makes the bark both pliable and adherent, so that many pieces may stick together. The strings are treated further, then dried to produce silk--shiny, white, supple yet strong threads.

2) Fresh petals may be mashed into a silvery-white paste used for topical application. It is said that this paste provides both warmth and numbness as it works on the skin or other outer surfaces.

Effects:
The silk is used as stitching/suturing thread. The flower paste, applied to an affected area, may treat rashes and sores, and heal traumatic wounds. This paste also has a slight numbing effect.

Lore of Usage:
Some people believe that magic and myth are manifested in the silkel, that silkel trees show where the ethereal has touched reality, or that some light elven spirits take up residence in these trees. In any instance, the touch of mystical and miracle is apparent in these trees.
An herbalist’s explanation for the miraculous healing effects might be that by welling up the timid influences of ichor and phlegm, the bile and excreta are liberated to craft the body into a more ideal state of health.

Location:
Silkel trees are rare, found in forests all throughout Caelereth, especially Thaelon, Bolder, Quallian, Zeiphyrian, Sharadon Forest, Auturian Woods, Shaded Forest, and others. Silkel trees only produce blossoms every 10 to 20 years.

Yahrle
Overview:
Yahrle healing herb is also refered to as Meadow Hop, Military Herb or Staunchweed. The stem rises about 1 fore, and is angular and rough with spear shaped leaves. These leaves are one to one and a half palmspans long and 3 nailbreadths broad, growing out of the stem at the base, and have a feathery appearance. The leaves and stem of the yahrle give off a very pungent peppery smell. It flowers from late spring to early fall, with white or pale lilac blooms. The petals look like minute blades with flattened, loose heads.

Preparation:
The whole plant is harvested, dried and made into an ointment.

Effects:
The ointment is applied to a wound to stop any bleeding.

Lore of Usage:
It is said by the elves that yahrle is one of the herbs dedicated to Coór, sometimes referred to as Coór's Nettle or Coór's Shadowing, and was used for divination in spells. It has also been used in folk superstitions to gain a vision of one's future husband or wife. It is speculated that Baveras smiles gently on those who use yahrle ointment, and this stanches the ebb of blood from a wound.

Location:
Found in Aurora Fields, Heath of Jernais in Santharia, and Wilshirer Heath in Northern Sarvonia.