Bloodstopper

Picea Coagula or Bloodstopper Spruce

The Bloodstopper is a Spruce that grows in the far northern taiga that forms the border between the Wildlands and The Bear Wastes. Despite its straight growth it is not commonly used by woodcutters because the wood has poor resistance against pests such as burrowing insects. It however sees applications in healers practices for its coagulative properties.

Among the Sierra Nevada, California by Albert Bierstadt

Ecosystem

The Bloodstopper grows quickly throughout its first two years after germination, but is especially vulnerable at this time. If infected by insects the tree is almost guaranteed to die, resulting in high mortality rates in this time. If this gamble pays off however, the tree can enjoy a significant height advantage over slower growing trees, allowing it to use much of the sparse daylight this far north. The tree in later stages is home to several species of bird including the Norian woodpecker. It is primarily eaten by the Norian Mammoth and older trees are also regularily felled by Bruín, the worldshaker bears.

Use of the Roots

The roots of the Bloodstopper are the chief cause of its name. Aduëlian healers have known for centuries, that the roots of the tree contain high concentrations of a material that acts both as a coagulant and desinfectant, making the roots valuable for medical applications. Most commonly the roots are harvested from trees felled by the local megafauna, because digging up the frozen soil is difficult to impossible.
The roots are then cut into pieces, and ground into a paste by a mortar. This paste can then either be used for direct application or can be processed further. If used directly, the paste is spread across the open wound before bandages are applied. In case of deep wounds repeated applications of the paste every two hours have been proven as effective.
If processed further, the paste is added to water and heated over an open flame for several hours. After this, the solid froth containing the roots is scooped off the brew and the remaining liquid is boiled to yield a concentrated solution that can be applied directly into the wound and stored more reliably.