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This fan-fiction article, Trial of the Grasses, was written by Adalwulf of Aedirn and Witcher190. Please do not edit this fiction without the writers' permission. |
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This article is an expansion based on a canon element. For canon information on this topic, follow the link to The Witcher Wiki: Trial of the Grasses. |
Trial of the Grasses or Herbs was an incredibly painful trial to which young witcher apprentices were subjected. It required the consumption of special alchemical ingredients known as "the grasses" and affected the physiology of the subject.
Reportedly, only three in ten survived the trial; those who didn't survive died in agony, while those who did gained lightning quick reflexes, their signature cat-like eyes, and other bodily enhancements in return.
The Decoction of the Grasses which is potion combination used to make the humanoid body magically malleable for witcherfication consists of administering Mother's Tears, Wildrye Juice, and Speargrass Sap (which are made with a forktail's spinal fluid, a manticore's poison gland, the tongue of an albino bruxae, and the relatively easier to obtain herbs of bryonia, ribleaf, and mandrake, though which combination makes which potion is unknown at this time) into the veins.
Differences between the Schools[]
School of the Chameleon[]
The School of the Chameleon had a unique mutagen that allows for the witcher to stop omitting all body odor and allows the witchers body temperature to adapt to the surroundings for a limited time. Though they had to rarely use Igni as their unique mutagen abilities became unusable after casting Igni.
School of the Crane[]
The School of the Crane being a new school and having a unique extra mutated witcher to based their formula off of the mage Jabolet developed a series of unique mutations for the Cranes. These mutations focused on four main points, strength, speed, endurance and improved vision. Giving the Cranes the double strength, speed and endurance of a common witcher. So that they could withstand the ocean much better. In addition to increased jumping capacity and improved vision, which would allow them to see clearly in the water due to its specialization.
School of the Fox[]
The School of the Fox, initially created a mutagen that worked as a midway point between the Wolf and Cat mutagens allowing for a emotional range as well as resistance to magical charms while also giving the Witchers an all-around ability boost. The School also had a voluntary genetic treatment (the only known one of its kind) intended for Witchers to even out any 'failings' found in their treatment, such as emotional range and disposition.
In the year 1301 however a new special mutagenic mix replaced the School of the Fox's mutagens, it was developed by Eishe of Vicovaro, Arrah of Verden, and Marvos of Verden, this mixture was the result of adding mutagens from other schools such as the School of the Hawk, School of the Rhino, etc, Monster Mutagens as well as Adalwulf's own witcher mutated Source blood. This mutagen had the capability of bringing out a singular unique ability in a witcher treated by it which differed based on the witcher, or having them develop hybridized but stable complimenting abilities like the School of the Rhino's dermal layer and regenerative abilities along with the Fox's original resistance to magical charms. The Witchers who took this new mutagen were called 'The New Generation'.
School of the Glawackus[]
The School of the Glawackus featured an even more potent version of the mutations for resilience undergone by the School of the Rhino.
School of the Griffin[]
The only school that still possessed the original formula created by Alzur and Cosimo Malaspina. It survived the avalanche, because it was sheltered in a basement at a great depth.
School of the Koala[]
The legendary School of the Koala supposedly possessed a process of mutations, radically different from that of the other schools. That caused great changes in the witchers of this school, most notably, their height.
School of the Rhino[]
The School of the Rhino mutations, made them slower than the common witcher (instead of being 10 times faster than the common man, they are 5 times faster than the common man). But this was compensated with the trade off of having a much more resistant dermal layer and a regeneration more potent than that of the common witcher.
School of the Wolf[]
Most of the information we have comes from the School of the Wolf so this process and its ingredients may differ from the other schools, as well as the mutations that result from the process.
Trivia[]
- The table in Kaer Morhen used for the Trial of the Grasses is named by Vesemir "Sad Albert".