Medic

This is the ability to heal temporary injuries and reduce their total time. Medic costs 1000 energy and reduces the injury duration by 50%; can be used multiple times on the same temporary injury.

The requirements to become a medic are:

• Demonstrate your background as a healer/doctor, experience in anatomy, surgical procedures, first aid, etc.
• Provide a sample scene that showcases your knowledge and ability to provide good doctor roleplay.
• Creativity. Not every injury is the same, and they'll need to be handled differently!

Medic can be mentored by experienced medics if they have the Mentor ability, and you showcase the above to them.

Medic - In-Character Guide

The following is written from the perspective of a doctor in the world of Meranthe. This provides a solid outline of your minimal expected knowledge as a medic.

Types of Injuries

ABRASIONS: An abrasion is an area of the skin that has been exposed to a harsh rubbing or scraping motion, to which the upper layer of the skin has been broken. These are not life threatening.

LACERATIONS: A laceration refers to a wound that is characterised by the complete tearing of the skin. The tear can be jagged, torn, or irregular. A bone fracture that breaks the skin can also be classified as a laceration. These are, for the most part, non-life threatening, depending on the depth of the wound.

PUNCTURE WOUNDS: These are small, yet deep wounds typically caused by a sharp object, such as the stabbing of a sharp animal's tooth. These are prone to infection, but typically will not present any trouble as far as bleeding goes, save for the chest and head area which are far more severe.

PENETRATION WOUNDS: Similar to puncture wounds, except to a far greater extent in severity. Notably, they'll have an exit wound, whereas puncture wounds will not. This could be the stabbing tip of a sword or an arrow that's opened up the skin and flesh fully, and should always be treated as potentially life threatening condition, especially if in the head or chest.

BONE FRACTURES: This refers to the the partial or complete fracturing of the bone, the latter being a 'broken bone'. Often caused by blunt trauma, such as a force or the impact from extreme force. They can be identified on the surface level by the deformity of extremities, as well as extreme pain and the swelling of the flesh.

CRUSH: A crush wound follows when a body part is subjected to a significant degree of force or pressure, which will often shatter bones or otherwise cause significant bruising and swelling. This can lead to amupation in the worst case scenario, though the limb should always try to be saved.

BURNS: Burns refer to the exposure of extreme heat or harmful chemicals, characterised by external damage to the skin. Categorized into one of three types of burns.

FIRST DEGREE BURNS: These are the most minor, and are superficial, often only a short-term hindrance, such as when a person accidentally (and briefly) touches a boiling pot.

SECOND DEGREE BURNS: Much more severe than first degree burns, these will run deeper under the skin and appear like red blisters, and may be swollen.

THIRD DEGREE BURNS: The most severe of the categories, they will present themselves as blackened, charred skin, and in some cases the patient may not even feel any pain or feeling in the area. These are almost always life threatening. We are fortunate that the alchemists of the world produce many great goods that we, as medics, must know when and how to harness. It is good to form a relationship with a talented, well respected alchemist so your supply of treatments is of the highest quality; it is not uncommon for more unscrupulous types to pawn off ineffective treatments.

Alchemical Solutions

SOAP AND WATER: Always clean and wash the area first with a good quality, neutral soap (always neutral, no scent!) and fresh water. Make sure to wash your hands in-between such to prevent the spread of infection.

RUBBING ALCOHOL: While this should never be applied to a wound directly, it can be used to cleanse your tools and the surfaces you're working on. It is strong, potent. Before you make an incision or injection, it is a good practice to use this on the intended area prior.

LAX ESSENCE: This cooling agent is a thick, wax-y cream when applied to a flare up or bruise will immediately soothe the area. Nerve endings that were once on fire will ease down and the pain will become more manageable.

THYME OIL: One of nature's wonders, thyme oil can be used in the prevention of further infection. Apply this golden liquid just beneath the bandages following treatment. It also has a pleasant smell.

SLEEPING POTION: If your patient is undergoing surgery, then a very, very strong sleeping potion that will put them into unconsciousness may be necessary. If you lack this remedy, be sure to tie them down or give them wood to bite in against.

WHITE OIL: A near mythical solution that is said to regenerate flesh and make a person whole again. It's use is the rapid regeneration of the flesh that it comes into contact with, so you should gently pour it on to the target area.

Surgery Tools

SCALPEL: A thin, narrow blade that a medic will often find themselves resorting to when needing to cut through flesh or remove something.

FORCEPS: A pair of blunted scissors that have a grasping mechanism at the end, often made of high grade steel.

REFRACTORS: These are used to spread open skin, ribs, and other flesh-y parts.

CLAMPS: If an internal area needs to be clamped down as they proceed. These come in all shapes and sizes.

SUTURES: These are used to close an open wound after the treatment is applied. Stiches are often made of silk, and I suggest that you practice on animal flesh first, plenty, before you attempt this on an actual person. What took me twenty minutes when I was an apprentice now only takes a few minutes. You will find that this is the most common surgical procedure asked of, shallow cuts and such being frequent in confrontations.

DRAINING TUBES: A tube connected to an injection that you use to siphon out excess fluid as necessary, such as when blood has become infected.

THE SAW: Very much a last resort. A surgerical saw is used to amputate an injured area, where theb lood vessels are ligated afterwards.

SURGERY KIT - ARTIFICERY: Custom produced by artificers depending on the particular wound, these involve a series of crafted metal plates, bolts, nuts, screws, metal wires and other such materials to form a replacement for a limb. Or to treat an internal wound directly when there is organ damage.

Methods of Surgery

PUNCTURED LUNGS: First, you need to drain the blood out of the damaged lung, which you can do by making an incision against the patient's torso and slipping in a hollow needle. Following that, you'll need to open up the thorax and find where the initial puncture wound was made and patch it up from within. Align the tissue and seal it shut, sewing any incisions afterwards and applying your solutions to prevent discomfort in the future.

BROKEN RIBS: You should make an incision on the patient's skin, and then begin to align the bone in the best way possible. Afterwards, it needs to be sealed some way (using a filler that substitutes bone is one such method).

AMPUTATIONS: If a limb can no longer be saved, then this should be done in a place that is safe and efficient for the patient's wellbeing, and you must avoid damaging arteries at all costs. Make sure to use cloths to reduce bleeding as much as possible, and do not cauterize it shut in any circumstances unless it is an urgent emegency. Use the surgerical saw to safely cut through the bone and limb if needed (after putting the patient to sleep), and begin to realign the muscle tissue around the bone to prevent further injury. Then, you'll need to sew the skin back up; be careful not to stich it in a way that blood or tissue could leak against the sutures when you are done. Be sure to reccomend regular check ups, and if you have the resources on hand, a replacement for what was lost.

EYE REMOVAL: The patient should be unconscious when you remove their eye. With your clamp and retractor, maintain open eyelids during the procedure and scoop the eye out by severing the optic nerves and stitching them in the most comfortable way possible.

BROKEN KNEES, ANKLES, ELBOWS, WRISTS: The area is naturally going to be swelled so an immediate application of lax essence ot the flare up. In the event of splintered bone, they'll need to be aligned back to the original places (cutting off and smoothing down any sharp ends), or you can use a prosthetic in place of the bone if it is beyond repair and shattered. Make sure to remove any remaining pieces from the area.

Magical Applications

Magical applications should be secondary to second aid and surgery, but they are invaluable as a buffer that can make the process more streamlined and easier to deal with depending on the circumstance.

HOLY: One of the common affinities of healers, and nigh synonymous with the field. The concept of hope and defense used in order to heal, Holy healers are the apex of relieving pain, although, most surprisingly, one of the worst at treatment beyond first aid. Ever favored nonetheless, the ability to bring an end to suffering is prized in the field, allowing other, more mundane workers to do their job in repairing the body. A pulse of holy magic is superior to dose of lax essence.

Holy magic is capable of sealing minor tears and scrapes and avoiding scars. One of its worse aspects is in handling burns, fractures, and other complex tasks of healing, often a very superficial method, but invaluable in its ability to bring about deliverance from the agony. However, another benefit of holy magic is that it works with far less training than almost every other discipline in academic aspects of healing as a dedicated school. Holy magic works based off of belief and faith, healing by transmitting well-being, rather than needing careful direction, making it also incredibly reliable.

Holy healing is very unpleasant for those with dark affinities. It reacts poorly with their aura, and while it is still capable of healing them, the process is a painful and stomach churning experience.

WATER: Another common affinity for medics, water is known for its practical applications in healing; by charging one's body with mana and exuding it into pure, charged water, it soothes the body, mending wounds with a mixture of magically-enhanced liquid, purifying the blood, and healing burns. Water Magi, unlike the holy-imbued, rarely tend to focus in this aspect of their craft, mostly using it within combat to fight problems within their own body.

Misusing water magic for healing is dangerous, capable of diluting blood and instead encouraging it to pour from a body. Making a mistake and flushing someone's blood of oxygen and life has happened in the past, part of why some people would be leery of a water magi's touch versus an antidote or herbal remedy.

WELLSPRING: The most dedicated of healers often practice the wellspring affinity. Granting them advanced abilities in combining the above to quell internal bleeds, alleviate of pain, and balance the body. It is very much a combination of the greater aspects of Holy and Water.

Having the most pertinent drawbacks of the above, although the infusion of holy magic often renders it far more safe for the body- Holy magic is inherently protective and formed of faith, belief and succor, allowing for less need for nerve wracking precision, the infused water inherently seeking out the threats to the person's well being. One of the most pleasant aspects is that anything short of truly killing the skin in terms of burns can be healed with almost no evidence.

Nonetheless, occult users tend to find this healing, if anything, more painful as the holy magic is coalesced in a physical form within their blood. It is able to even go so far as to legitimately burn and poison them rather than its intended usage; depending on how much control vs. potential the dark mage has.

NATURE: Certainly an avenue some healers go... however, not one often favored by dedicates over the power and ease of holy water. Particularly given the effort that needs to go into using the druidic arts in a non-selfish nature, very few nature practicioners tend to focus on the healing aspects of the craft to exclusivity, despite the potential.

Most nature magi are capable of manipulating the 'life' of plants, and with their own affinity, are capable of reaching out across networks of roots and pulling the power into themselves- with the inherent nature of it making it one of the most wholesome restoratives, capable of rejuvenating the user intensely. This method, however, is not quite practicionable on others. Most tend to infuse their mana into a plant capable of explicitly converting energy between fauna and flora, rather than trying to sort out such a confusing process themselves. The medicinal nature of most plants lends themselves well, but a healer in the field of nature is often required to be an academic, moreso than almost any other craft.

Nonetheless, used indirectly, the magic is invaluable for the field. Capable of pouring life back into herbs and poultices, encouraging mosses to weep once more the fount of life, the process is invariably slow, but capable of lending aid to even the mundane, non-arcane healers by replenishing their medicines and stock.

TIME: A field never considered traditional healing. Nonetheless, time magic's 'repairs' are almost invaluable, given the implicit difficulty of chronomancy. Healing via time magic is not healing- It is reversion, literally undoing wounds so as to have made them never have occured. A time 'healer' will never leave a scar. It is valued due to this, despite the lack of focus.

It's difficult for time mages to impact those not in the same stream as they are for such major revisions, and far beyond the point of origin for the wound is simply impossible, even by a few seconds or a minute for a very strong magi- reaching very far into the past cannot be done. A time magi's lack of need for stopping after a pitched battle should be taken into consideration, and fear. For its constraints, it is devilishly effective for an opponent.

A time mage might be able to use it in conjunction with other arts to give themselves a look into how a wound or piece was formed in the past for greater accuracy.

In addition, a time magi will find it impossible at 'best', and dangerously unreliable at worst, to specify on a particular wound. Instead, they are best in giving out vague, strong commands, that focus in healing the entire body, manipulating their time stream and fixing minor cuts and bruises at random. For example, a time magi restoring the arm they lost in a recent battle is incredibly difficult, and doing so could result in more damage than good.

COSMIC: While by no means a true healing art, Cosmic's value comes from its unique application in dealing with a target's magical circuit. They can siphon out corrupt mana, invigorate the subject by lending them a portion of their own power. While they may not be able to physically heal wounds, in a similar vein to holy magic their aiblity to rejuvenate the spirit with astral mana is unmatched, and can instil the will to overcome fatigue.

It is a great asset when dealing with curses of magic.

BONE: An expert in such is naturally a solution when the injury is of such a nature, as not only can they put bones back in to place they can also produce new ones that could substitute for a prosthetic.

CRYSTAL: Crystal magic can produce healing emeralds that are stored with life energy. These can focus the person's magic and help to restore them, though they won't go further than accelerating the healing process of minor cuts and burns.

SOUND: It's quite true that music heals the soul. This is also true about a soothing melody that can assist in afflictions of the non-physical kind, should the conjurer fuse their mana with the song.

FIRE: Stop cauterizing wounds so impulsively. You make our jobs difficult, honestly. But sometimes it's called for.