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'The oldest Hours are the gods-from-blood, who rose from sacrifice. That blood was always spilt on the roots, and the rites of its spilling are still remembered.'
'Rites of the Roots'


Nectar is one of the powers of the invisible arts. It is the aspect of nature, the seasons, and primal forces of the earth. It was once a principle known as Blood, implied elsewhere to be the precursor to Heart, though it shares traits with many of the Dionysian principles.


Themes and Imagery[]

'In the name of the roots, of the blood, of the buzzing within…'
'Sacrament Malachite'


Nectar as a power overlaps a fair bit with the standard principles associated with the Wood—the wild, untamed nature of Moth, the healing and invigorating properties of Heart, and the bloody and intoxicating themes of Grail. As such, it is commonly associated not only with plants, trees, and wildlife, but also sacrifice, sustenance, and life, usually in a more primordial fashion.

Supposedly Nectar is often considered as an opposite to Forge, likely representing a conflict between the natural world and the forces of fire and industry. However, there also appears to be some parallels in their uses towards crafting and cooking.


Potential Hours[]

It is unknown if any Hours truly possess the New/Old Powers as aspects of their nature, or if any of them did in a previous age. However, there are some candidates as Hours of Nectar:

  • The Velvet: The secretive Wood Hour who rejects the glory and rose when the Roots first tasted Blood. The Long who ascended under the Velvet might be considered Nectar-long, rather than Moth-long, the only instance of immortals potentially ascending under one of the New/Old powers.
  • The Malachite, as an Hour tied to the bounty of nature through bees and trees, a giver of sustenance and symbol of nature's bounty.
  • The Wheel, assuming that as the principle called Blood, Nectar was eventually replaced primarily with Heart, then it follows that it was likely the principle of the Wheel prior to the Thunderskin taking their place as a great protector in the Wood.


Other Notes[]

  • The Great Ink Marakat, associated with the Fifth History, is the colour of the Principle that preceded Heart, which was likely Blood, now Nectar.
  • The Blood was probably renamed as the Nectar when the Carapace Cross became (or were gone into) humans.[1]
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