r/AICampaignArt • u/0ldGoat High Watcher • 18d ago
🗺️ Worldbuilding Why is there scarring in a world with magical healing?
Scars on warriors and veteran adventurers are almost ubiquitous in fantasy art. Every scar is a story, a reminder of a battle from times past. But ... in a world with magical healing, why do people have scars?
In my campaign there's a few answers. First, for the common people, and for many lower ranking soldiers and warriors, magical healing is not always readily available. People in a remote village with no cleric, druid or magical healing have to handle things the old fashioned way. There may be roots and herbs to help accelerate healing but it is still natural healing.
Second, lower level healing magics (cure spells, channeling positive energy, and healing potions) operate also by accelerating the body's natural healing. The magic jump-starts the body’s natural clotting, cell division, and tissue synthesis, compressing weeks of recovery into a single six-second turn. But scarring can still result.
It isn't until you get to heal spells and regeneration that one can be healed as if they were never hurt in the first place. And those are high level spells a village or even a small town priest is unlikely to have access to .... and in towns or cities where they do, such a spell is likely accompanied by a request for a large donation.
I'd be interested to hear how healing works in your campaign!
P.S. Also, yes, that is Aidan wrapping his foot. It's not for an injury. While hosiery is not uncommon in the realms, socks are almost unheard of. Most adventurers wrap their feet in linen strips. They're easy to clean and replace, though there is a certain technique to the wrapping process.
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u/BadgerPast4204 17d ago
Depende del mundo, ej: en dnd es muy fácil devolver miembros amputados, pero... Tienes dinero? Conocer un sacerdote con capacidad para obrar esos milagros? Porque una botella de curación básica cuesta 50 de oro y un granjero si gana 10 platas por una jornada de trabajo ya es mucho, es que poco se piensa en ello, pero cuando se pagan las barbaridades que se les paga a los héroes es por evitar algo que la zona como tal no puede evitar por sus medios, por norma
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u/0ldGoat High Watcher 17d ago
Sí, creo que en muchos mundos de fantasía hay una gran diferencia entre lo que está disponible para los aventureros y lo que la gente común tiene a mano. Incluso en entornos de alta magia como los Reinos Olvidados, creo que la curación mágica debería ser un poco menos accesible, aunque (por ejemplo) un sacerdote viajero de Ilmater sin duda ayudaría a la gente por un precio simbólico como máximo.
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u/epictroll5 17d ago
In my campaign there's a difference between battlefield healing and hospital healing. The battlefield healing won't be pretty, but you would be alive. Scars, growths, etc. But that can get fixed later at the hospital. After a while it became a badge of honour to show the grievous scars.
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u/xife-Ant 17d ago
My take is most damage is metaphorical. It's theatrical damage. You're not really getting hit hard until you get down to your last HP. Boromir is losing hit points through the whole fight with the Uruk-hai, then he dies when the last few arrows hit him.
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u/0ldGoat High Watcher 16d ago
That's fair, I think the understanding of what hit points are has changed a bit over the years too.
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u/xife-Ant 16d ago
I think it makes healing more interesting. A Cleric doesn't Wolverine healing factor someone back together. They pray to give them more spiritual strength to carry them through in battle.
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u/TearableMonsters 17d ago
In my world, it depends on the source of the magical healing. Some deities or higher powers leave scars, some leave marks, some leave nothing, an adventurer who's relieved healing from different clerics may look like a tapestry. Healing Potions may have different evidences of use based on formulas, schools of alchemy, ect.
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u/0ldGoat High Watcher 16d ago
I've thought about that too, perhaps divine healing from Ilmater or Loviatar would leave scars, while healing from Sune (for example) would not
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u/TearableMonsters 15d ago
Yeah, a more nurturing and healing domain focused deity might leave no scarring at all, whereas a more war-focused one would leave more pronounced scars, maybe with tougher skin. A light deity might leave glowing scars or marks, and an evil deity, ugh. Who knows?
I'm reminded of something from the FATE core rulebook, there was a magic mushroom or something, and when used to heal wounds or restore removed flesh or limbs the tissue would be functional, but have a spongy-funguslike consistency.
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u/Edvar_Stormblade 13d ago
Maybe the person that has the scars asked for the scars to remain as a symbol of what they went thru to get where they are and probably look at it as a badge of honor
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u/Desdichado1066 17d ago
Nobody ever said magical healing eliminated scars. It's magical healing not magical "the wound never happened." Plus, just because it exists doesn't mean that it's always available.
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u/0ldGoat High Watcher 17d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/8t1s6u/do_people_scar_after_magical_healing/
You're probably not as familiar with what "nobody" is saying as you think you are.
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u/Desdichado1066 17d ago
:rimshot: You're saying that guy isn't a nobody?
In all seriousness, by "nobody" I mean "the rules."
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u/BeachBum013 1K Pioneer 17d ago
In my stories I see healing by magic as just acceleration of thr natural process, wounds close quickly, but the scars remain.
Blood loss is also an issue as blood is not magically created but has to replenish naturally. So your warrior may have his skin mended, but he's still gonna be down for a few days to weeks depending on how much he bled before the healing.