Witch's broom

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Witch's broom, European witches are usually depicted flying on broomsticks, known as a besom. (Medieval legend)

[Death Even XIII]

Besom

Besoms and flying ointments in early modern witchcraft

A number of different recipes for "flying ointments" have survived from the Early modern period, some of the constituents of which not only have hallucinogenic properties but are fat-soluble and could have been absorbed transdermally. Certain researchers have speculated that the stereotypical image of the witch "flying" astride the broomstick of a besom may derive from traditions concerning the use of broomsticks or other staves by women to apply psychotropic ointments to their vaginal or anal mucosa. The active ingredients in Flying ointments were primarily plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, most commonly Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) and Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), belonging to the tropane alkaloid-rich tribe Hyoscyameae. Other tropane-containing, nightshade ingredients included the famous Mandrake Mandragora officinarum, Scopolia carniolica and Datura stramonium, the Thornapple. The alkaloids Atropine, Hyoscyamine and Scopolamine present in these Solanaceous plants are not only potent (and highly toxic) hallucinogens of the deliriant class, but are also fat-soluble and capable of being absorbed through unbroken human skin. Another ingredient listed frequently in the various flying ointment recipes is the even more toxic Aconitum napellus, which has (among others) the English common name Wolfsbane (i.e. "slayer of wolves").

[hengest]

Jun 14, 2021 21:15:27 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Besom

Besoms and flying ointments in early modern witchcraft

A number of different recipes for "flying ointments" have survived from the Early modern period, some of the constituents of which not only have hallucinogenic properties but are fat-soluble and could have been absorbed transdermally. Certain researchers have speculated that the stereotypical image of the witch "flying" astride the broomstick of a besom may derive from traditions concerning the use of broomsticks or other staves by women to apply psychotropic ointments to their vaginal or anal mucosa. The active ingredients in Flying ointments were primarily plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, most commonly Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) and Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), belonging to the tropane alkaloid-rich tribe Hyoscyameae. Other tropane-containing, nightshade ingredients included the famous Mandrake Mandragora officinarum, Scopolia carniolica and Datura stramonium, the Thornapple. The alkaloids Atropine, Hyoscyamine and Scopolamine present in these Solanaceous plants are not only potent (and highly toxic) hallucinogens of the deliriant class, but are also fat-soluble and capable of being absorbed through unbroken human skin. Another ingredient listed frequently in the various flying ointment recipes is the even more toxic Aconitum napellus, which has (among others) the English common name Wolfsbane (i.e. "slayer of wolves").

This is too brilliant.  Of course I have heard of this before but never thought of trying to adapt it to a game.  Perhaps the actual application method could be altered or handwaved, but the base idea of a nonmagical "flying" ointment made of local herbs is brilliant.

I don't know if anyone has written about this, but this makes me wonder if the early modern witch panics are in some way fueled by a misunderstanding of the use of such hallucinogenic ointments. The practictioners have their own jargon ("flying") about the practice and when the jargon leaks, it is (deliberately?) misunderstood and taken as literal magical flying that a human could not perform without supernatural assistance.

Seems like there's a whole setting in here...

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Jun 15, 2021 11:14:03 GMT -5 hengest said:

Jun 14, 2021 21:15:27 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Besom

This is too brilliant.  Of course I have heard of this before but never thought of trying to adapt it to a game.  Perhaps the actual application method could be altered or handwaved, but the base idea of a nonmagical "flying" ointment made of local herbs is brilliant.

I don't know if anyone has written about this, but this makes me wonder if the early modern witch panics are in some way fueled by a misunderstanding of the use of such hallucinogenic ointments. The practictioners have their own jargon ("flying") about the practice and when the jargon leaks, it is (deliberately?) misunderstood and taken as literal magical flying that a human could not perform without supernatural assistance.

Seems like there's a whole setting in here...

Historically the use of hallucinogenics and magic are thoroughly intertwined. That is also why magic was generally viewed as evil.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Jun 14, 2021 21:15:27 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Besom

Besoms and flying ointments in early modern witchcraft

The alkaloids Atropine, Hyoscyamine and Scopolamine present in these Solanaceous plants are not only potent (and highly toxic) hallucinogens of the deliriant class, but are also fat-soluble and capable of being absorbed through unbroken human skin. Another ingredient listed frequently in the various flying ointment recipes is the even more toxic Aconitum napellus, which has (among others) the English common name Wolfsbane (i.e. "slayer of wolves").

I was not aware of the "fat-soluble" and "capable of being absorbed through unbroken human skin" features.

[Death Even XIII]

Jun 15, 2021 15:19:06 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Jun 15, 2021 11:14:03 GMT -5 hengest said:

This is too brilliant.  Of course I have heard of this before but never thought of trying to adapt it to a game.  Perhaps the actual application method could be altered or handwaved, but the base idea of a nonmagical "flying" ointment made of local herbs is brilliant.

I don't know if anyone has written about this, but this makes me wonder if the early modern witch panics are in some way fueled by a misunderstanding of the use of such hallucinogenic ointments. The practictioners have their own jargon ("flying") about the practice and when the jargon leaks, it is (deliberately?) misunderstood and taken as literal magical flying that a human could not perform without supernatural assistance.

Seems like there's a whole setting in here...

Historically the use of hallucinogenics and magic are thoroughly intertwined. That is also why magic was generally viewed as evil.

The witchcraft that is referenced in the Bible and historically magic in the world at large in all various cultures and pagan religions involved the use of hallucinogenics to create visions and allow looks and connections with "the other worlds."