Elfbark is a powerful hypnotic tea made from the bark of a tree. Using it can improve your Wit, but you must be careful as too much of it can make you lose control of your Skill. Chade and Fitz both use Elfbark to suppress their skills, but not all of them.
What is Elfbark?
Elfbarking.com is a website dedicated to the use of the herb Elfbark, more commonly known as Delventree bark. It is a potent stimulant and a drug that can be used to increase the hours that a slave works while also dulling their mind and dampening their spirit. It is often used by slave-owners in Chalced as a way to increase the hours that their slaves can work while also keeping them from trying to escape.
Kettle is horrified when she discovers that Fitz is using the herb, but she is also impressed by how well it has helped him deal with his Skill headaches after Skilling. She prepares a large amount of Elfbark for the Fool to drink, hoping that it will suppress his Skill so that it does not attack him again for a time. However, he refuses the substance, and he immediately begins to suffer for his decision. Is he addicted to the herb?
How to make Elfbark
Elfbark is an herb that can be found growing in trees. It can be grated into a powder and used to make a tea. It is considered a hypnotic tea and is said to make people dream of their dreams.
Fitz makes elfbark tea to dull his Skill-hunger and pains after a long day of Skilling. Kettle was horrified when she saw Fitz using elfbark, for it is said that it actually deadens the ability to Skill in young children and cripples it for older Skill-users.
After Fitz returns to Withywoods through the pillars, Chade and Thick arrive to help him. They prepare elfbark tea which dulls the Skill, allowing everyone to remember what happened and who was involved. It turns out that Chade is Shun (actually named Shine) and Lant’s father from different mothers. Read the next entry in this series to learn more!
Benefits of Elfbark
Elfbark is an herbal tea made from the bark of a cypress tree. It is a powerful stimulant and can be taken in a form of a tincture or a tea. It can increase stamina, but can also dampen a person’s spirit and make them fearful of their surroundings. For this reason it is often used to drug slaves in Chalced.
Fitz has been using elfbark to dull his Skill-hunger and help him deal with the headaches that come after Skilling. Kettle is horrified when she learns of it, for it is said to extinguish the ability to Skill in young people and to cripple its growth in older ones. She offers more elfbark to Fitz, but he refuses to take it-and immediately suffers for his choice. It is a powerful substance that can be addictive. This is the first time he has ever had to resist its use and it seems like it will be difficult for him to stop.
Side effects of Elfbark
There are some side effects to be aware of when using Elfbark. Firstly, it is a potent stimulant, which can increase your stamina but dull your mind if taken too long. Secondly, it can also be addictive. Fitz was no exception to this rule, despite Kettle’s efforts to help him quit. Lastly, it is a good idea to avoid taking too much of it at once. Having said that, it’s still a great drink to sip on when you’re in the mood for something special. The best part is that it doesn’t leave you with a hangover. It might even be a good idea to take it with a meal for maximum effect. The best way to know is to try it out. You’ll probably be glad you did!